Black Passengers Speak Out Against Racial Profiling by Airlines

Musician David Ryan Harris, who has performed with artists like John Mayer and Dave Matthews, criticized American Airlines after a flight attendant suspected he had kidnapped his biracial children and called the police. The incident occurred when the plane landed in Los Angeles, and Harris and his children were met by an American representative and four police officers. The flight attendant had raised concerns about the children's unresponsiveness, leading to a brief interrogation. Harris lodged a complaint with the airline, emphasizing that the situation could have been avoided if the attendant had checked the plane manifest and recognized that they all shared the same last name. Many commenters suggested that the attendant's actions were motivated by concern for the child's safety, but Harris found the airline's offer of 10,000 air miles insulting.