A British Airways business class passenger flying from Houston to London Heathrow on September 24th reports that he was the only black customer in the business class cabin. Seated in 9F, a flight attendant offered predeparture beverages to everyone seated around him. But she skipped over him.
- He’d paid “almost $5,000” for the ticket.
- The white passenger behind him got a drink. So did the other white passengers around him.
- So he asked what was up, “Am I not being offered a welcome drink?”
- The crewmember reportedly replied: “Oh, I thought you had been upgraded.”
In fact, this explanation is worse.
- While flight attendants aren’t supposed to treat award or upgrade passengers differently in the first place
- This explanation suggests they thought the passenger must be an upgrade, rather than full paying passenger, because they’re black
- And so they decided – on their own, rather than airline policy – to offer that passenger worse service.
One commenter offers,
One day I hope to live in a world where rich people of all races can coexist harmoniously in business class.
It’s common for a flight attendant to miss a seat while offering beverages during boarding. And I would have assumed this is what had happened! The correct thing to do would be to apologize and come back with a beverage. Instead, though, the report here is that the flight attendant indicated it was intentional and not a mere oversight.
British Airways isn’t known for great service, or great predeparture beverage service. Pre‑departure beverages in BA Club World are typically champagne or orange juice on a tray. I’ve been denied my request for water and I’m a middle aged white guy.
Once up in the air, though, you can expect a proper cocktail.
It does seem – based on the flight attendant’s response – that there was a bias of some kind. Cabin crew thought their bias was socioeconomic class rather than race, but it seems as though they were making a class judgment based on race (when they shouldn’t have been making one at all). As they say, “British Airways. To Fly. To Disserve.”
Last year, two British Airways flight attendants were fired for recording a racist video mocking Asian passengers. I’ve reached out to British Airways for comment and will update if they respond.
(HT: Paddle Your Own Kanoo)
Had it happen to me from a flight attendant in FC on a USA domestic flight
I had no contact with him at all as he skipped me on everything as I just sat there and the seat mate was given everything
I politely called him on it and he tried to shrug it off by saying he didn’t see me
I pressed him on the aspect of poor service
He came back to me with his iPad and finally apologized after talking to the galley flight attendant and gave me 10K miles
I’m white and he is black so the prejudice goes both ways
This kind of shit really pisses me off. I don’t care what race you are the service should be the service. This person needs to be reprimanded but not fired. Leave your customer judgements and prejudices at the door and do the job.
Well you made a HUGE LEAP for a passenger being treated differently, as stated, because they “thought he was an upgrade” to “because he was black” You made poor service into racism. Thats like making a vehicular accident into premeditated murder. It’s crawling into heads and making major assumptions and we all know about the fallacies of attempting that….ass out of you and me. HUGE LEAP and throws fuel on a fire that hasn’t even been set yet. How about some journalistic professionalism and integrity GARY?????
This is abhorrent. This man should fly on an airline started by his own people instead. With aircraft invented by his people. That’ll teach BA.
Hey fatty (yes you’re still fat), why don’t comments post?
I do recall, many years ago before I decided never to fly again on BA, that it was indeed their policy that any upgraded passengers were not entitled to the business class refreshments and meals, and received only what they would have received in coach. I don’t know if that has changed in the last two decades or so since I flew on Best Avoided?
Here’s a newsflash for all the Brits out there: the empire has fallen and the sun has f***** set so move on!
Something bad happened to me, it’s definitely because I’m __________ (fill in the blank: black/white/male/female/fat/old/young/gay/straight etc). Gimme a break.
@ Not Scott — Which race invented fake electors? Lynching?
There is a possibility that the FA just forgot who they served last and accidentally skipped him. Being a compulsive liar, they made up the upgrade explanation on a whim but that they do really treat upgraded passengers the same.
As far as being fired, people should be wary of creating high stakes situations. If the penalty for speeding is $5, people might try to follow the limit but not too carefully. However if the penalty for speeding was the death penalty, people would be extremely careful and drive way below the speed limit
Hwelp… bout that time…
‘Remember, remember the…’
*William Tell Overture*
No one should be discriminated against because of their skin color; only if they are Florida Panthers fans. Go Knights!
@Luther
You are absolutely correct. It certainly does go both ways and I got some of that today. Non airline stuff but still.
When in doubt, always pull the race card.
It didn’t happen.
Hi Gene – white people. Like pretty much everything.
As I said, the black gentleman should fly on an airline started by Africans, with aircraft invented and built by Africans.
If he chooses to fly our airlines, well, sometimes you’re missing out.
I absolutely believe this. I’m 71 and asian. The same thing has happened to me on a Delta flight to Paris. I splurge every year and fly Delta One to visitmy son and his family. I live on the west coast and spend from $5000 to $6000 each year. An older white FA just basically ignored me. It is disappointing.
Wow, I live in a world with racist POS’s like @not Scott. Sad.
Does he hate peanut butter?
@Not Scott — I’d take South Africa Airlink for a regional carrier any day. If you know, you know, but you, in particular, probably do not know. Good riddance.
Traded a bunch of miles for BA First for myself, wife and son. Seems we weren’t “classy” enough. Great seats but we’re ignored most of the flight
Used business class on the return and were treated better. Never flying BA again. Class discrimination still rules the UK.
Isn’t it curious that the FA claimed to have assumed that the guy had been upgraded? Does that imply that white people don’t tend to get upgrades on BA? I wonder why that would be? Is BA discriminating against white people in its upgrade policy?
@Pilot93434 — I’d wager that @Not Scott has a peanut allergy… maybe Southwest should bring back those delicious honey roasted peanuts… it would… ‘thin the herd.’ (Nah, I do enjoy nuts… but not enough to harm others.)
English people are racists, they just can’t help it and I’ve experienced it first hand, many times as an Asian. That said, the service on my only two BA Club World flights PDX-LHR-LIS was stellar. They were always wearing a smile when interacting with you and you could fee that they were genuine. I’ve read a lot about their service mostly bad so I really lucked out.
@1990: Was going to comment about that idiot you replied to, but decided not to give him free rent in my brain.
On that South Africa Airlink comment though… I’m an American who has flown them for the past 15 years, mainly on a one hour flight between Joburg and Lesotho. Just flew them 3 days ago for the first time in a couple of years, and they served Krispy Kreme donuts as the sweet option! I had to get it over the savory option just so I could take a picture!
And for those not in the know, sandwiches/snacks/drinks are standard here for flights that are a mere hour!
I had a similarly odd experience flying on Air New Zealand in late 2016. Had seats near the front of the Economy section and during meal service, the (male) flight attendant served the passengers in the row in front of us, the passengers across the aisle, skipped over us and served the passengers right behind us. I got his attention shortly afterwards and asked for our meals, and he responded by asking to see our (me and my wife’s) tickets before finally serving us. Never experienced that kind of service issue on any other airline that I’ve flown in the past 40 years.
@Not Scott
Obviously it never ocurred to you the possibility of black engineers and physicists that made the airline possible. But that’s not really a surprise given your ill informed comment.
Not Scott is probably a gas station attendant, and here he is trying to claim all accomplishments of white people as his own. GTFO, you clown.
I am sure there were aircraft in Africa before Europeans, or something. But those ‘black engineers and physicists that made the airline possible’ only exist in your head.
No black people were required to start BA or invent the aircraft BA uses.
I mean, I’m literally just saying the truth. You know it, too. It may not be a comfortable one, but it’s still the truth.
The fact he scans the cabin to see if anyone has the same skin color as him says it all.
@Netroamer — Thank you. At least we’re not alone in our affinity for nice things, wherever they may be. Airlink is clearly doing things right. I wish others could experience it, too, so they would know it’s possible to have a higher quality experience, even on a shorter flight. Flew them in Business on the E190 from JNB-WDH, and they offered ostrich as the protein. It was delicious! Krispy Kreme?! Wish I got to see that!
@Not Scott — Here you go again… talking about your ‘truth…’ Loser.
If we took @Not Scott’s bigot-logic seriously, then, regrettably, using ‘numbers’ is gonna get pretty, pretty, pretty… difficult…
(“Arabic numerals” were invented in ancient India, with the earliest forms appearing around the 3rd century BCE. The Indian numeral system, which included the concept of zero and a decimal place-value system, was transmitted to the Arab world, where mathematicians like al-Khwarizmi played a key role in its spread and development. This system then traveled to Europe, eventually becoming the global standard through influential figures like Fibonacci.)
So, according to such ‘gatekeepers,’ only the descendants of India, the Middle East, and Italy get to use ‘1, 2, 3…’
I call bs. Flight attendants do the service regardless of upgrades and they know if there’s an empty seat. Another person looking for attention.
… did you just try to own me by flexxin’ … European inventions? Not going great for you there, little bro.
Fact is: if you don’t like the airline White people made, go fly an airline made by black people.
Oh wait.
And the funny thing is: everyone knows I am right. Everyone has seen black areas in cities. In all cities. All over the world. Also those where muh oppreshun can’t be claimed.
To Not Scott: Yes, fly on an airline that was “started by Africans”. Let’s take South African Airways for instance. It was then run by the president of South Africa’s 2nd grade schoolteacher girlfriend. In 2020, they fired 600 of the 688 pilots. Why? Because they were white. Then the South African government stole the majority of their “401k” money and then tried to put income tax on the money that was stolen. Then “management” demanded that the fired pilots return BUT would be subordinate to the 88 that were retained. During the COVID mess, two of the pilots that remained, flew an Airbus A350 to pick up COVID vaccines in Europe. The pilots were NOT current in the aircraft. It suffered an “Alpha floor” event right after takeoff due to pilot error. The airplane “tattled” on them as Rolls Royce and Airbus received this alpha floor event. After returning to Johnannesburg, it turns out that the vaccines were all expired AND…AND the CVR & FDR were mysteriously erased. “Alpha floor? We don’t know about no stinkin’ alpha floor”. Would I ride on SAA? NOT A CHANCE!
Skip the upgrades.And Don’t pay too much just to get you from point A to B.
Skip the upgrades.And Don’t pay too much just to get you from point A to B.
Wait. The FA thinking he had been upgraded is worse than racism?
@Not Scott — So, you’re still attempting to create rules that don’t exist? Huh, let’s see… so, in addition to ‘numbers’ (which you can’t use, because non-whites made them)… you’d better never use ‘paper,’ you know, what the Chinese and Egyptians created in different forms, leading to books, and basically all modern human knowledge and information, lest you only share things orally.
The best of humanity includes people from all backgrounds, often collaborating with each other, exchanging ideas and creativity, to advance the species as a whole. Whereas, these vile attempts at ‘supremacy’ (of any race, ethnicity, religion, etc.) is a losing ideology. See: the Confederacy, Nazism, and Apartheid, for modern examples… it didn’t end well for those losers. And it won’t end well for those who try again.
1990, you can take your little threats and go talk to your local diversity hire about them.
Orania is the safest place in South Africa. QED, really.
>The best of humanity includes people from all backgrounds,
No, it really doesn’t. Poland’s streets are safer than London’s. QED again.
Black people haven’t invented much, and they seem to be unable to produce tolerable societies. Arabs equally so because of the mindvirus islam, and India is a horrible place.
However, we’re leaving the point that still stands: he’s welcome to fly on an airline invented by blacks. Yet there isn’t any, because blacks don’t really invent anything important. So maybe just be grateful?
I mean, I’m not American, but there aren’t any African with better life quality than African-Americans by the looks of it. Maybe it’s time they said thanks for the ride over?
Some people act as if racism does not exist. Mocking those that have the nerve to point out when they believe they have been treated differently because of their race.
Say what you want. Racism is real and those that are compliscent or dismissive are just as problematic as those committing the discriminatory deeds. What if it happened to you?
Rock-Bottom, why doesn’t he go fly on a black-owned and -operated airline, then?
@Not Scott — You’ve proven nothing, but your own animus. Ah, the SA equivalent of ‘Return to the Land’ (not a compliment, sir). As @Mike P likes to say, ‘I accept your surrender.’
It’s funny you think I care about your approval. You sound like you use pronouns in your bio.
I hope you get to live with black people. Lots and lots of them. I hope your daughter gets to live with them, too. All pozzed up and ultimately, offed.
@ Rock-Bottom — Thank you! Sadly, some racists will never recognize their white privilege.
@ Not Scott — Next time you turn on your lights, remember that a certain white guy did not invent the light bulb filament.
@Not Scott — Time for the ole ‘your boos mean nothing, I’ve seen what makes you cheer,’ and ‘every breath I take in your disapproval fuels my self-esteem.’
I happily live in NYC, these days, one of the most proudly multicultural cities on Earth, where the diversity is our strength, with better food, ample creativity, and more wealth (of ideas and actual money), too.
@1990, oh good, if you’re in NYC we can only hope you get pushed out on some subway tracks soon.
It’s always hilarious to see women like you meeting the consequences of their own actions.
@Not Scott — Never good to wish harm onto others. I’ll wish you well instead. For instance, I’d recommend you ‘run from the sun like Dracula.’
(And, safe travels on the Gautrain, pal.)
@ Not Scott — I always assumed that 1990 was a man, but I now realize I had no basis for that assumption. You might want to try applying similar reflection to some of your assumptions.
No, 1990 is a woman. Grotesquely obese by the sounds of it. And you sound vaccinated.
@ Not Scott — Thanks for clarifying.
@Gene — So far, @Not Scott is wrong about pretty much everything, except, I do get my jabs. (Though, it sounds some sissies are afraid of needles…)
Not buying it. The demand for racism far outweighs the supply. So many times this “outrage pr0n” needs to be generated so we can all claim the victim status.
@ Not Scott. Glad you are not an American. So what are you to have these opinions? I think maybe Afrikaner?
@Not Scott is plainly a very unwell person.
I hope he gets the psychiatric attention he desperately needs.
To “Not Scott”: While Booker T. Washington didn’t “invent” anything, he did found the Tuskegee Institute. He hired George Washington Carver, while not “inventing” anything, did develop many products from peanuts and sweet potatoes. Wikipedia shows many black people invented things that I took for granted and, unless your head is in the sand (or up your….) you might have used some or benefitted from the items. So, before you make stupid comments, get your head out of your… , get your facts straight AND…don’t bother to come to the United States.
YMMV. Had a bout of food poisoning (note to self, avoid blue cheese burgers) London – Bengaluru. Definitely the only “upgraded and black” (I was more “green” after we took off) passenger on the plane. The 1st class BA crew took good care of me and went so far as to mark a forward lav as “inoperable” so I could “dash” when needed over the 1000’s of miles. The world may be a mess but, not everyone joins in the stupidity. Your mileage may vary. Cheers!
So, to sum up, you guys are down to ‘black people invented peanuts’.
lol
@ Not Scott — And White people apparently birthed some really stupid people.
While we don’t need to agree with Not Scott, prove him to be completely wrong in his comments. Win Whitmire attempted whereas the rest have resorted to name calling. Hardly a good way to make your point and no more enlightened than Not Scott’s.
@One Trippe — Nah, nearly everyone is doing just fine, like usual. In fact, your false equivalence makes things worse, not better. Wait, were you ‘Not Scott’ this whole time? Sheesh…