American Airlines Tells Government Not To Transport Separated Children On Their Flights

By: Ben Schlappig

Updated: July 26, 2021
Published: June 20, 2018

71 comments

Lately we’re seeing more and more large companies take public stands on social issues. This comes in many forms, from supporting LGBT rights, to standing up against the NRA. In the past things like this were taboo, though it seems like that’s slowly changing. With the current crisis we’re seeing at our borders with children being separated from their parents, it looks like we’re now seeing the first airline take a stand.

American Airlines has asked the federal government to not use their flights for transporting children who have been separated from their families at the border. Here’s American Airlines’ statement regarding their stance:

“The family separation process that has been widely publicized is not at all aligned with the values of American Airlines — we bring families together, not apart. American, like many U.S. airlines, provides travel to the federal government through contracts; however, the government does not disclose information about the nature of the flights it takes or the passengers who are traveling. While we have carried refugees for non-profits and the government, many of whom are being reunited with family or friends, we have no knowledge that the federal government has used American to transport children who have been separated from their parents due to the recent immigration policy, but we would be extremely disappointed to learn that is the case.

“We have therefore requested the federal government to immediately refrain from using American for the purpose of transporting children who have been separated from their families due to the current immigration policy. We have no desire to be associated with separating families, or worse, to profit from it. We have every expectation the government will comply with our request and we thank them for doing so.”

Update: Now United Airlines has taken a similar stance.

United asks U.S. government not to fly separated immigrant children on our aircraft. pic.twitter.com/MPPbhO6aqV

— United Airlines (@united) June 20, 2018

So has Frontier:

Frontier prides itself on being a family airline and we will not knowingly allow our flights to be used to transport migrant children away from their families. At this time, we are not aware if Frontier has been used for this purpose.

— Frontier Airlines (@FlyFrontier) June 20, 2018

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A R P Guest

June 22, 2018, 3:28 pm

@Louis Too bad, most parts of the internet aren't meant for children in the first place. @Peter Exactly! these are the same airlines that beat up a passenger before kicking him out of the plane (United), make toilets that are near unusable to anyone (AA 737-MAX), and have the worst possible service (Spirit) and now they care about human rights?

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Peter Guest

June 22, 2018, 9:44 am

A number of Americans, myself included, are tired of this incessant virtue-signaling from major corporations and/or public figures. I typically find it's just a distraction to cover up their own unethical behavior. It also tends to show how simple-minded people are if they believe that large for-profit corporations are, often merely by virtue of making these gestures, somehow exemplars of moral/ethical behavior. Give me a break. Companies grandstanding about "social conscience" does not matter to me as much as them giving lower prices and properly doing their jobs. Cut the schoolmarm BS and treat us like adults who are capable of making independent judgments. Because ultimately, their moral principles aren't mine anyway.

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Louis Guest

June 22, 2018, 4:13 am

The name calling and profanity are offensive and inappropriate as many children read this blog. :-(

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Robert Hanson Diamond

June 21, 2018, 7:18 pm

@KeepingitDReal: "YOU STOOOOOOOPID IDIOOT ASSHOLE GO BACK TO MOSCOW COW!" Your rhetorical eloquence is astounding. :-)

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Robert Hanson Diamond

June 21, 2018, 7:14 pm

Where is the compassion for the Steinle family, who were "separated" from their daughter Kate permanently by an illegal alien who had been deported 5 times, and who purposely came back to SF because he knew it is a "sanctuary" city ? They will never see Kate again, and they are wonderful people who broke no law. The non-political Rasmussen Poll out today asked likely voters who is most responsible for these children being separated from their parents, the parents or the Federal Government? 51 to 37 the answer was of course the parents. Don't bring your children on a harrowing, exceedingly dangerous journey, then illegally take them over a border, and you won't have this problem. Sadly Lucky is up to his political grandstanding again, equating "standing up against the NRA" (sic) to supporting human rights. The NRA teaches safe gun handling classes, supports every American's constitutional right to have a gun to defend themselves and their families, and no NRA member has ever been involved in a mass shooting. What in the world is there to "stand up against"? How about standing up to the so-called "Anti-Fa" hooligans rioting in the streets? That would be a public good; but to praise "standing up against" law abiding citizens who simply want to protect their Constitutional rights? How does that make any sense?

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