A Southern California girl accuses Southwest Airways of racial profiling and says she was accused of human trafficking whereas touring together with her biracial daughter.
Los Angeles-based Mary MacCarthy says she and her 10-year-old daughter Moira flew to Denver on October 22 after receiving information that MacCarthy’s brother had out of the blue died the day earlier than.
On her connecting flight in San Jose, MacCarthy says the flight attendants informed her that she could not sit together with her daughter as a result of solely center seats have been accessible.
“So I requested different passengers with their permission if they’d kindly transfer so we could possibly be collectively, particularly since my daughter was grieving, and so they did. The persons are good,” she added.
After they arrived in Denver, MacCarthy stated, she and her daughter have been picked up on the jetway by two Denver cops.
“When the police and the Southwest consultant informed me we have been being reported for allegedly suspicious conduct, it clicked in my mind that we would have been given a racist profile,” she stated.
MacCarthy videotaped the interplay with the agent saying that the flight attendants have been involved about their conduct when boarding the car however that they “did not suspect something”.
She later realized that the precise reverse was the case. Denver police stated they have been responding to a report by a Southwest Airways flight attendant about potential human trafficking.
MacCarthy has now employed a lawyer and needs the airline to take steps to make sure that no different households expertise the identical therapy.
“We have been known as by the police a couple of very critical crime in a context that was deeply traumatic to my daughter,” she stated.
“I gave the airline loads of time to contact me and apologize – greater than two weeks later, I have never obtained two quick automated responses. The time for an apology is lengthy gone. “
In her electronic mail to the Southwest media crew, MacCarthy stated she wished a written apology from the airline, an instantaneous refund of the total worth of her tickets, and “further compensation for the trauma inflicted on an harmless household, particularly a grieving ten.” one yr previous black woman. “
Southwest Airways stated it was “discouraged” by MacCarthy’s account of the occasions and plans to contact her.
“We’re conducting an inside assessment of the state of affairs and can be reaching out to the client to resolve their considerations and apologize for her journey expertise with us. Our staff are present process stable trafficking coaching in working to supply a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere for the thousands and thousands of shoppers who journey with us every year, “Southwest Airways spokesman Dan Landson stated in an announcement to CNN on Sunday .
CNNWire contributed to this report.
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