Thursday night’s American Airlines Raleigh – Washington National flight, AA5580, got out of hand.

Two women sitting next to each other on the Bombardier CRJ-700 regional jet got into each others’ personal space. One woman describing herself as “fat” says her seat opponent was unhappy she was spilling over into the next seat.

This white woman literally spent the entire 45 minute flight making an active scene bc my arm was touching hers. Loudly asking if I could "move over" on a plane so small everyone's carryon bags had to be valeted. It was awful! — amber j. phillips (@AmberJPhillips) April 27, 2018

She videotaped herself and the unhappy passenger beside her.

When I decided to take a picture & video to document the incident, I deplaned, picked up my bag, and boarded the shuttle. While I'm on the shuttle, this woman LIED that I assaulted her and the @AmericanAir flight attendant called the cops to remove me from the shuttle bus. pic.twitter.com/czMyxkQVQ7 — amber j. phillips (@AmberJPhillips) April 27, 2018

She also took a photo of the woman.

I'm tired but in the morning, I'll tell you all how a white woman @AmericanAir flight attendant called the cops on me bc I made the white woman siting next to me uncomfortable bc my arm was touching hers on flight AA5580. The cops were called on me for flying while fat & Black. pic.twitter.com/9vc0PoFbX4 — amber j. phillips (@AmberJPhillips) April 27, 2018

Economy seats are small, and regional jet seats don’t have the width of an Airbus narrowbody. The ‘white woman’ beside her was uncomfortable, her personal space invaded and didn’t keep that unhappiness to herself. So the larger woman started documenting the experience. And she calls it racism. They argued,

But soon they began arguing, because, Phillips said, the other passenger didn’t want any physical contact with her. “She kept being very aggressive and finally goes, ‘Can you move over?’” But Phillips said she had no space to move into, and said she found the interaction awkward and embarrassing. “So the plane takes off and I’m so sad,” Phillips said. “I have my hands folded in my lap. I just kept thinking, this is how fat people are treated on planes. Period.

The woman complained to a flight attendant she was being harassed by the photos. The police were summoned in response to an ‘assault’ as the aircraft arrived at an apron position at National airport, with passengers preparing for arrival at gate 35X. Police interviewed both passengers off the shuttle, no charges were filed, and everyone went on their way.

This was my view tonight because I made a white woman uncomfortable and held her accountable by AT LEAST making sure I documented her outrageous behavior of trying to humiliate me on a flight. @AmericanAir put my life and the life of other passagers in danger tonight. pic.twitter.com/yf9iyuubFq — amber j. phillips (@AmberJPhillips) April 27, 2018

The woman who refers to herself as an “Organizing Strategist” on Twitter says it’s racism and is angry at American Airlines. I think we all need to have more patience with each other. The size of these two passengers entirely aside, I like Southwest’s model that says someone larger than the seat must buy two seats (but gets a refund for the second one if the flight isn’t full).



American’s Shuttle Bus to Gate 35X at Washington National Airport

There’s not a lot of space, but this was a 227 mile flight. Luck of the draw whom you get sat next to, it won’t last long. While it’s possible the complaining passenger was unhappy being touched by a black woman there’s no known evidence to suggest this versus simply being unhappy being touched by another passenger extending into her seat space. But American is very sensitive to the charge now, having been called out for racism after a Louis Farrakhan supporter acted out on a flight enroute to Al Sharpton’s daughter’s wedding.