An American Airlines first class passenger was the only one not to get a meal on their flight, and she’s taken to social media saying it’s because she’s Black.
The influencer believes that she was singled out for her race. This does not make sense to me. She did not pre-order her meal (which any passenger can do until 24 hours prior to their flight) and she was seated in the last row. That put her last on the list to make a meal selection.
- She wasn’t in the last row because of her race.
- There was a catering issue. If they ran out of meals as she says, then the flight was under-provisioned. That’s was done by the caterer, not knowing who’d be shorted a meal – so also not a race issue.
- Where she’s sitting, rather than what she looked like, is clearly why she wound up without a meal.
American Airlines is under fire after the only Black first-class passenger, an influencer, claimed that they conveniently ran out of all their food when it was her turn to be served, and everybody else was served. ️
— Rain Drops Media (@Raindropsmedia1) May 15, 2025
The passenger complains that she wasn’t offered anything in lieu of the meal (like ‘chips’). That’s fair – but flights under 1,300 miles don’t have food for sale in economy on American Airlines. I imagine that the flight attendant could have been more empathetic and apologetic, but there wouldn’t have been coach meals or snacks to offer.
1,300-mile flights and longer may have cheese plates for sale in back, with usually only around 4 loaded
Here question of ‘how could this happen’ that American runs out of meals, when they know how many first class seats there are, is a reasonable one! It doesn’t usually happen, but catering is done quickly, and sometimes carelessly. And it happens enough that flight attendants have gotten a memo reminding them to apologize (but not to delay the flight to fix it). A year ago Chicago and Philadelphia flights were frequently having catering issues.
I had one reader ask about the person next to her clearly eating. Assuming that the flight was literally short a meal (rather than being short what the woman making the video wanted) then it’s possible her seatmate had pre-ordered, or just ordered before her when the flight attendant came to their row for meal selection.
There may not have been enough meals (miscatered flight). It’s possible that the flight attendant working the front cabin of this 737 dropped a meal in the galley. There are any number of things that could have happened that are more plausible and more benign than ‘what she looked like’ as the reason for not getting a meal.
My American Airlines first class meal on Thursday
I don’t think I’m known for giving American Airlines a pass on issues. I’d just want more facts in evidence here before suggesting race was a factor, when the balance of probabilities likely leans in a different direction.
If the woman was seated in the first or second row and was the only one refused a meal, then we might have something to at least delve further into.
A couple other scenarios not mentioned – she doesn’t pre-order and when they get to her, all they have is the cheese plate. This happened a lot to us before we were allowed to pre-order. She doesn’t want the cheese plate, refuses, and now she has no food because AA “refused” her request for hot food.
OR
She purposely put herself in the last row, didn’t pre-order, and took her chances on AA running out of meals. They don’t run out, no big deal. They DO run out…she’s primed and ready to make it go viral.
“Her attitude is so coach class and not First Class.”
Her attitude is very much first class. Coach passengers don’t get meals on domestic flights so they don’t complain about them.
Seems American Airlines is always in the news with race issues.
@Atiya – “Seems American Airlines is always in the news with race issues”
But it’s NOT a race issue. Just because some uses that card, doesn’t mean it’s an issue.
I could run around all day claiming my problems are race related. That doesn’t make it a fact / issue.
So tired of EVERYTHING negative some black people experience is because they are black. STFU with that crap.
It could have happened to anyone.
Playing the race card again just to start the rising of tempers just because she’s an influencer is criminal! It’s an embarrassment as an American to use free speech to her own negative advantage!
Influencer… They are all triggered and will take any opportunity to gain further media attention because it’s the nature of their work and their lives. If chips had been missing she’d have posted it. If a flight attendant have not responded to her call fast enough she’d have posted it. She has no evidence at all to prove this is a race issue because it is a one off case and no mention is made of the colour of other passengers: it’s unlikely she was the only non-Caucasion person on that plane and no other people of colour complained that we know of. Influencer…
I agree that she’s acting ‘coach class’ and not first class.
Meaning someone who regularly travels first class is either a complete Karen A hole or an absolute understanding person who total understands that mistakes happen and they let it go.
An economy flier who could afford first class for once AND is an influencer is more apt to act like they’re “better” or “more deserving” of XYZ.
That’s vibe I’m getting from this whole article. But I didn’t see her video (rural area it wasn’t loading)
As a Hispanic woman who flies first and economy quite often I too have been passed by on meals in this exact scenario, I was last row first class and denied a meal, they were out. The flight attendant (also AA!) gave me pretzels and a ginger ale from economy. I was appreciative and moved on.
Trying to draw attention to her OF account.
This is why there is black fatigue. Now when someone says ‘It’s because I was black.’ I would say 90% of the time it’s safe to assume that it wasn’t. They just seem to think that people actually still believe that. And the bigger issue, when something does happen to a black person because of their race, people just assume they’re just pulling the race card. It’s like how calling people you disagree with racists for years now has made the word utterly irrelevant.
“Influencer” answered it all in one word. After flying on 130 AA flights last year there were one or two blips, but you know what, I got over it.
Assumption: She chose the last row rather than flight attendants Putting Her There Without evidence or testimony either way that’s not a valid assumption. If she felt slighted, there may well be a reason. If I pay for first class, I get first class treatment or a full refund with an apology. No reason she should be different
Hopefully she’s reimbursed for 1st class??. American Airlines is still at fault for poor catering management -which should not happen since it’s an Airplane process 1000x/day not rocket science. Suggests people not use AA if they want top service any way you look at it.
Going through life with a victim mentality makes her a LOSER to me. She wants to perpetuate the false notion this was a race issue when it wasn’t.
I’ve been on flights where frequent flyer status determines who orders and is served the meal first, then everyone else orders and is served front to back. And yes, I’ve been the guy in the rear row window who is told, “I’m sorry sir, all we have left is the cheese plate / veggie sandwich / whatever”. Airlines are in the business to make money. Throwing out uneaten meals costs money. I get that. I’m disappointed. But I don’t sit and complain because I didn’t get a “hot meal” on a three hour flight. Could the flight attendant been more apologetic? I suppose. But none of us were there and witnessed the exchange. It is the word of an “influencer” who needs drama to generate clicks and eyeballs.
She looks like skipping a meal isn’t going to do her any harm.
How’s about serving the last row first? Is everyone in 1st class is entitled to a meal, regardless of the row they’re sitting in? The way it is now, the person in the last row gets the shaft whenever they’re short a meal. Is it their fault they’re in the last row?
If you started serving from the last row, maybe a person in row one goes hungry?
“You must serve me a meal, I’m in Row One!”
“Sorry, we ran short and since you’re in the last row…”
Or… American Airlines is a bad airline having nothing to do with racism.
I flew my grandma out to visit us and sprung for first class. Some flight diversion occurred resulting in this 90 year old grandmother stranded in the Midwest airport with an un-American Airlines saying Im responsible for overnight stay for her.
Don’t quote me a law in reply. Its called service, which is lacking even for first class.
Zero help, zero responsibility, zero future business from me, first class or economy.
May American Airlines go bankrupt in my lifetime. I curse you “American ” Airlines.
@Atiya , seems like race issues are good way for some folks to make money, even if race isn’t involved, and airlines have deep pockets to pick.
@ Bob.. exactly! influencer means looking for drama to create content.
@ Bukkiah Golden ” Some flight diversion occurred” is a key component. if it’s the airlines fault, then they should and can accomodate passengers, but if it is NOT under the airlines control, ie weather, airport closure ( ground halt), Medical on board… then they are under no obligations, even though you might consider yourself entitled to royal treatment for your $200 ticket.
both Calling it Un-American ( childish at best), and denying laws apply to you, makes one sound like the whitehouse occupant..Felonius 47.
@Greg, I always get a good laugh when I see/hear that suggestion… reimburse me an entire flight because I did’t get a $5 meal. it’s not like they got you to your destination, that a team of at least 4 people worked for you the entire time, used fuel, put wear and tear on the aircraft, not including all the ancillary people needed for a flight, airport taxes etc….
If it were up to me, you would be reimbursed for what you didn’t get. and that all.
$10.00 meal voucher, $5.00 netflix coupon for a broken video monitor,
Up to $20.00 for complete lack of service ( do you know you only pay from $0.25 to $0.56 per hour per flight attendant on board?).
Maybe I’m a nice guy but more than once, I ‘ve gotten my choice of meal, someone in my row doesn’t get what they want or gets nothing and I offer to change my choice or give up my meal. The FA’s are universally thankful and a select few give me a doggy bag of alcohol when I disembark. To complain about not getting a meal on a domestic flight is a thought I’d likely never have, nor would I take the time to go to SM about it.