American Airlines removes family from flight over body odor complaints

NBC News ^ | Januar 24, 2019 | David K. Li

[EdnaMode]

American Airlines kicked a Michigan family off a plane in Florida on Wednesday night over what the airline said were complaints from other passengers about their body odor.

Yossi Adler, his wife, Jennie, and their 19-month-old daughter were seated on a Miami-to-Detroit flight when ground crew asked them to step off the plane — and then the door closed behind them.

"They said, 'Sir, people have complained that you have body odor,'" Adler told NBC News on Thursday. "I said: 'Excuse me? I need to get home. There is no body odor on me.'"

The family, in Florida for a vacation, made it back to Detroit on Thursday and the airline stood behind its decision.

"The Adler family were asked to deplane last night after several passengers, along with our crew members, complained about their body odor," American Airlines said in a statement. "The family were provided hotel accommodations and meals, and re-booked on a flight to Detroit today.”

Yossi Adler — a 36-year-old business consultant from Southfield, Michigan — accused the airline of singling out his family because they're Jewish. He used his cellphone to tape his argument with the ground crew shortly after they were taken off the plane.

"There's a religious reason for some reason that they're kicking me off the plane. We don't have odor, OK? Nobody here has odor," Adler is heard saying on the video he shot.

[Robert DeLong]

You’re reading an account. How many times in the past has the press lied to support their story? The answer is numerous times. So no, you really do not know if they smelled or not. You are accepting hearsay which is totally unacceptable in a court of law. The same should hold true for the court of public opinion as well.

[elteemike]

Had an ex-SIL who was/is a hippie/enviro nut/natural type who cooked with lots of garlic...LOTS...In everything...

She was a sweet kid, took care of herself, but she always smelled like a freshly crushed garlic clove...Clothes, breath, hair...

“Oozing from pores” describes it very well...

[fortes fortuna juvat]

>> I think deodorant in Europe is optional because that is not the last time I gotten a whiff.<<

Fifty years ago, on my first trip to Europe I was gobsmacked by the BO stench on the streets and on public transportation. Back then few women bothered to shave their pits and that greatly aggravated the problem. But for the last 10 years I’ve traveled all over Europe and have been amazed by the transition to upscale fashions and attention to personal appearance of most women. Men too.

[fortes fortuna juvat]

>>Nice people, but the body odor!<<

Most of those I’ve met do not seem overly concerned with personal hygiene.

[aMorePerfectUnion]

You should sit in a small waiting room, in close quarters with 4-7 at a time.

I love the conversation and the nice people.

[af_vet_1981]

It would be ridiculous for the whole crew of a deep-pockets company like American Airlines, risking their jobs, to deboard a family based on their religion, if it was proveable.

It would be ridiculous; they would be risking only their jobs but the shareholders' capital. There could be significant monetary damage to the family from having their reputation publicly, and thereby professionally, trashed. United may have no liability though, depends on discovery process and whether the employees followed company policy without deviation. It would be like denying boarding to
1. a Moslem family because they were clearly identifiable by their religious headwear and several other passengers and some of the flight attendants thought they had body odor
2. a Black family because several passengers and some of the flight attendants thought they had body odor.

The risk seems to outweigh the reward. Perhaps they have an official written policy about "body odor" that would shield them, although I've never heard of such a thing.

[af_vet_1981]

I found it;

Passengers who have or cause a malodorous condition (other than individuals qualifying as disabled);

The family would have to show there was bias to overcome the contract of carriage.

[imardmd1]

Great job! Now, if the odiferous nature of this affair is up to the judgment of the chief pilot and captain of the aircraft alone, the airline ought to be totally in the clear.

[Flaming Conservative]

I’d like to know all the facts, but I’m wondering if there were multiple Muslims in board, on their way back to the Detroit area, who figured the family was Jewish, ( maybe he wore a yarmulke or they had heard his name) and got together and complained of a stench, whether real or not.

[Flaming Conservative]

Eating large amounts of garlic (or any other strong smelling stuff) will make itself known on your body. Years ago, I worked at a daycare, and a little boy and his parents all reeked of what I later identified as transmission fluid. I’m guessing the husband must have worked around the stuff, and the mom must have washed all their clothing together. It was so strong, I could hardly breathe around it. When people are immersed in any odor, their sense of smell becomes accustomed to it, and they, themselves, can’t smell it anymore.