A story is going viral about an American first class passenger’s lack of a meal, and it has now been viewed at least 10 million times across social media platforms. Was this a case of racism, or just airline incompetence?
In this post:
Black woman skipped for meal in American first class
A Boston-based influencer recently shared a video on social media, of what happened to her on a flight on May 3, 2025, from Boston (BOS) to Miami (MIA). She first posted the video to TikTok, but it has since also been posted on Instagram, X, and other platforms.
As the story goes, she treated herself to first class, but was disappointed when all first class passengers were served food, except for her. She captions the video with the following:
When u the only black person in first class and the food apparently ran out…. Well thank you American Airlines
She provides the following additional details and comments:
- It wasn’t just that they ran out of her meal choice, but they didn’t offer her any food at all, but rather just offered her drinks
- Her ticket was purchased five days before departure, and she wasn’t sleeping when meal orders were taken
- She didn’t eat anything all day because she “looked forward to this,” thinking she would eat on the plane
- She doesn’t understand how an airline can be missing meals for first class passengers
- She says she didn’t report it or call the airline, because she was baffled, and her “brain couldn’t comprehend that this happened”
Some people are calling on a boycott of American, or suggesting she sue the airline for racism. In a statement, American has shared that “we want all of our customers to have a positive experience during their travels with us,” and “we have reached out to the customer to learn more about their experience.”
Was this racism, bad communication, or what?
Racism is of course real, including in the airline business. For example, American is the airline that kicked all Black men off a plane because one Black passenger reportedly had a body odor issue. The company’s CEO even admitted it. At the same time, American is also the airline that struggles with customer service and delivering a decent product, regardless of the race of a passenger. 😉
What’s my best theory as to what happened? I would assume there was some sort of a catering snafu, and they were short one meal. Her confusion is understandable, because airlines are supposed to load exactly as many meals as there are first class passengers, so there should be one for everyone.
Of course sometimes, mistakes happen. Maybe the catering company didn’t load the correct number of meals. Maybe the flight attendant made a mistake, and dropped one of the meals. Maybe the quality of one of the meals just didn’t look good.
So, why would this particular passenger be chosen to not get the meal? Typically, meal orders are taken front to back, and on top of that, passengers can pre-order meals, so they’re prioritized for meals. She was seated in the last row on the right side, so one explanation would be that she was simply the last person to have her meal order taken, and the other people around her got meals because they pre-ordered them.
The thing that I simply can’t wrap my head around is why there wasn’t any communication surrounding this. Why did the flight attendant not explain the situation to the passenger, and apologize for the lack of a meal, rather than simply pretending that it never happened?
It’s truly bizarre, but we’re talking about American, which often struggles with customer service, so I can’t say I’m surprised. Anyway, that’s my best theory.
Now, is it possible that race or age played into this? I wasn’t there, so I can’t rule it out. It’s possible that (for all the wrong reasons) the flight attendant assumed “this woman doesn’t look like she belongs here, so I just won’t mention the catering issue.” That would be ridiculous, if true, and that would clearly be discrimination.
I can understand people not wanting to make a big deal of something, but in this situation, I think there would’ve been nothing wrong with saying “excuse me, is it possible for me to have a meal as well?” One shouldn’t have to ask, but I think that can be done in a totally non-confrontational way.
Bottom line
A Black woman was traveling in American first class, but unlike her fellow passengers, she wasn’t offered a meal. Catering snafus happen, though the fact that the crew reportedly didn’t in any way address this with her is a problem. Now, I don’t know what the motivation was for her specifically being denied a meal — it could be a function of where she was seated (that logic tracks), or there could be more to it.
What do you make of this American first class incident?
Fascinating that all the racist trolls come out of the woodwork on a post like this!
I don’t do American as a matter of principle, but this does seem fishy.
I just travelled first class on American and the flight attendant went to every seat in First class to confirm meal choices or to ask what meal passengers wanted.
If this lady felt she was skipped over why did she not press the attendant button and ask for a meal? The whole story sounds sketchy.
On my connecting flight in first class no food was being served but the gentleman seated across from...
I just travelled first class on American and the flight attendant went to every seat in First class to confirm meal choices or to ask what meal passengers wanted.
If this lady felt she was skipped over why did she not press the attendant button and ask for a meal? The whole story sounds sketchy.
On my connecting flight in first class no food was being served but the gentleman seated across from me asked the attendant if she had any snacks available when she brought him a drink. She immediately said yes and asked if he would like some chips with his drink. She later came around with a basket of snacks for first class and told this man to take as many as he needed.
Why is it the customer's fault here?
There are fair baseline expectations for "first class service".
I can't say whether racism was involved without knowing the full story, but AA failing to serve a passenger like this is AA's fault.
why is it assumed that anything she said was true? If you pick the last row, like i always do we don't get many choices.... if they run out of food they offer snacks, not a race thing! Social media to get hits and make money, welcome to the new media.....doesn't have to be real, just has to make the headline and get traffic so you get paid.
Not sure why Ben assumes what she said is true? Rule is trust but verify!
An "influencer", eh? Maybe looking for more social media subscribers? Was it a male flight attendant who didn't want to be accused of peering at her upper torso?
She is an influencer, i.e. a parasite of society.
Regarding not being served food, I don't believe a word she says, next...
This: She didn’t report it or call the airline, because she was baffled, and her “brain couldn’t comprehend that this happened”.
LOL
Maybe it did not happen. Had she addressed at the spot it could have been solved (e.g. by a meal from coach). Sounds fishy.
'Her brain couldnt comprehend what happened', what brain?
Sounds fishy to me. Lets hear from the flight attendant and maybe other passengers. She is silent on the plane for some flimsy excuse, but goes to social media with the "poor me I was a subject of racism". People all over the world are subject to much worse treatment.
"She didn’t eat anything all day because she “looked forward to this,” thinking she would eat on the plane"... Looked Forward to Airplane Food? Nuff Said!
She clearly thought she was getting steak and lobster!
We are not hearing the whole story, I’ve been in flights that ran out of food for 1st class passengers I expect she was offered something, didn’t like it, and played the race card. We see it all the time.
Waaa Waaaa.
black fatigue is a real thing.
Not as much as your racism is.
So she's an influencer, so she's supposedly savvy - but she thinks one airline meal makes for a day's eating? and that domestic airline food, even in first class, is something to look forward to, something special? She doesn't understand how things work for airline travel - but she's an influencer? I thought the influencer was supposed to bring a little something to the game. Does she have some sort of influencer history out there?...
So she's an influencer, so she's supposedly savvy - but she thinks one airline meal makes for a day's eating? and that domestic airline food, even in first class, is something to look forward to, something special? She doesn't understand how things work for airline travel - but she's an influencer? I thought the influencer was supposed to bring a little something to the game. Does she have some sort of influencer history out there? I'm not saying there might not have been a service screw up somewhere at the beginning of this tale but everything else just doesn't add up.
Like @GM mentioned, I bet the pilots still got their meals.
as they should have.
If all meals had run out in First Class then the flight crew should have simply apologized for the inconvience and at least offered her a meal from Economy Class. She should be fully compensated for this unbelievable situation
You're right, it's an unbelievable situation, as in, not true
what meal in economy class... oh, I guess you are not from the US, they rarely exist on domestic flights in economy
You guys in America are quite something.
I'm Black something bad happened to me, it's racism.
I mean I'm White and I wasn't impressed by Kenya Airways' service and I wouldn't assume that's racism...
This is why racism still is a problem...you don't understand a bit of racism and yet always claim racism didn't exist. If you were discriminated every day then yes you will start feeling like it is racism when they don't give you a good explanation...
This never happened. Totally fake.
As usual, a sta-rong bu-lack wuh-min claims to be the world’s biggest victim because of an innocent mix-up.
On a Singapore Airlines flight a few months ago, from BKK-SIN in J class, i was not served any drink. The FA did serve me my pre-ordered meal. Never took my drink order. Came with the drink trolley down the aisle about 45 minutes later after i had finished my meal. And skipped me.
Now you hear great things about Singapore Airlines and their service. So i though honest double mistake, so when i made...
On a Singapore Airlines flight a few months ago, from BKK-SIN in J class, i was not served any drink. The FA did serve me my pre-ordered meal. Never took my drink order. Came with the drink trolley down the aisle about 45 minutes later after i had finished my meal. And skipped me.
Now you hear great things about Singapore Airlines and their service. So i though honest double mistake, so when i made them realize I had not been served a drink, that FA still did not seem to be apologetic. She was trying to pass it off as nothing happened and with exasperation asked me what drink did i want.
No, I was never married to her. So these things happen even in airlines which are generally considered to be great.
You had me at ‘influencer’ - story fabricated or exaggerated to create social content (which was clearly successful). Any genuine pax would have raised it at the time. Seems totally scripted.
I was not served a meal once. Air France. Business class. I was sitting in the last seat on the right hand side of the plane. Everyone had been served.
The flight attendant came back around and realized that I hadn’t been served. I told her in French it was OK that I would just sit there and starve to death. I said that with a laugh. She said absolutely not on my watch!!
She...
I was not served a meal once. Air France. Business class. I was sitting in the last seat on the right hand side of the plane. Everyone had been served.
The flight attendant came back around and realized that I hadn’t been served. I told her in French it was OK that I would just sit there and starve to death. I said that with a laugh. She said absolutely not on my watch!!
She immediately came back with my meal. She checked on me throughout the flight. I would have to say it was some of the best service I’ve ever had on an airplane. And it all started with a mistake.
She was absolutely excellent.
I am white. She was black.
JohnB, you have just reminded me of my late businessman father. He loved people who complained, after such, he would move heaven and earth to ensure the complete satisfaction of the customer. Repeat business was assured and new business obtained by word of mouth from his satisfied customers. Advertising his company was totally unnecessary.
Thank you for reminding of one of life’s real Gentlemen.
Tawana Brawley overtones?
Just missing the feces, I hope ! ... lol
And I though I was the only one who could remember that escapade ...
There are more with the memory.
Even if a first class meal was not available, was there no box lunch substitute from the main cabin? As others have commented, let's wait for the entire story. Racism is real but something seems off.
Anything that starts with "A Boston-based influencer recently shared a video on social media" immediately makes my bullshit alarm immediately go off. There is generally more to it, and it is generally a clicks and eyeballs motive.
Yeah again another “influencer” needs more followers and press attention to bolster her numbers! Let’s see how this develops once all sides of the story comes to light!
Agreed 100%. Smells like BS.
Totally agree… once I read “ influencer “‘the red flags went up!
F'ing influences make me sick.... Especially ones that dress like hookers!!
Our world is focused on the wrong thing.
Interesting that it’s always on American Airlines that’s these problems happen. A few more occurrences and the airline will truly have people boycotting. AA better get it together
Typo - *the demand for* racist incidents far exceeds the supply
The supply of racist incidents far exceeds the supply... even if this does not turn out to be a hoax, there is an evolving "boy cried wolf" issue here.
"A Boston-based influencer..."
Sorry, you lost me right there. Nobody should give a shite about anything some "influencer" says.
there was a comment on the original tiktok video from a flight attendant that worked the cabin and they claimed that this 'influencer' repeatedly denied wanting a meal multiple times. the attendant's were also poc.
i tried looking for the comment again but it dissapeared now, i feel like that gives it more credibility lol.
How convenient for you the original comment “disappeared”.
No that's more convenient for you. You got to play the race card and you jumped on it.
Nah, not really. People who use the phrase “playing the race card” tend to be racists themselves, though.
@Aaron
Nah, not really. People who classify everyone he/she gets mad at tend to be asinine, though.
We get it. Everyone's a racist except you white boy.
i have no horse in this race, i'm neither american nor white lmao. just stating what i've observed
Definitely could be due to seat number and legit miscounted on meals. But what isn't clear is if she spoke up and asked why.
Poor girl.... If she couldn't 'wrap her brain around' what was happening and didn't communicate with AA, she's gonna have a lot more problems/issues confronting her in life.
And not eating all day, to anticipate a US airline's first class meal ? ... LOL ... Probably a good thing she would have been more disappointed when she tasted the 'quality' of the food being served.
But, hey, it makes for click-baits !
The FA almost certainly explained the situation to the “influencer” and she brushed it off as racism anyways. Assuming otherwise is crazy work. Who knows, maybe she even got a meal and just wanted clicks and comps anyways.
Smells fishy...
Total BS. AA always loads full seat count meals for First. However, if she did not pre order they may have not had her choice when her order was taken. And by the looks this woman dresses the only thing she could make influence me is to tell her that the look is usually reserved for ladies of the night.
I’m going to guess that the lead didn’t count the meals beforehand or she messed up the last meal left. However, this flight probably had meals for the pilots. The lead should have told the pilots and asked if it’s ok to give her one of the crew meals. Not a good look for AA….
Every POC in structurally racist white privileged America read the headline of this post ("Huh?!?") and immediately thought "yeah something like this definitely could have happened, and white people are confused and/or completely oblivious to the idea that something like this could happen."
AA's incompetence and customer unfriendliness are secondary here.
Black, Brown, Asian and other marginalized communities in American life routinely face instances of discrimination that white people play off as (1) not possible,...
Every POC in structurally racist white privileged America read the headline of this post ("Huh?!?") and immediately thought "yeah something like this definitely could have happened, and white people are confused and/or completely oblivious to the idea that something like this could happen."
AA's incompetence and customer unfriendliness are secondary here.
Black, Brown, Asian and other marginalized communities in American life routinely face instances of discrimination that white people play off as (1) not possible, (2) didn't happen, (3) innocent explanation, or all kinds of aggravating excuses. The woman in this incident was discriminated against, plain and simple.
Dollars to donuts had this been a White man in the seat, AA flight attendants--who are generally nowhere near as bad as frontline AA staff on the ground--would have apologized profusely and said a catering mixup meant there isn't any meal, but would you like more mixed nuts? Another drink? Anything else I can do to make your flight more comfortable? Please accept our sincere apologies and 10,000 AA points are on your way into your account.
Black women, like other POCs, get the silent treatment and that's discrimination and I will not hear it any other way.
You might want to remember how frequently discriminate Asians, which hit the max when the Covid pandemic broke out.
Even before that, why were the Koreans in LA forced to protect themselves from blacks when the riot happened, when both of them are the "minorities"?
Of course, you're acting blinded when the minorities (in fact, blacks aren't even a minority in these days) are the bad...
You might want to remember how frequently discriminate Asians, which hit the max when the Covid pandemic broke out.
Even before that, why were the Koreans in LA forced to protect themselves from blacks when the riot happened, when both of them are the "minorities"?
Of course, you're acting blinded when the minorities (in fact, blacks aren't even a minority in these days) are the bad ones.
Victimization at its finest.
Race doesn’t mean the presence or lack of marginalization. Asians outperform “white people” when it comes to education and income.
Also, taking anyone at their word isn’t smart or noble, it’s quite the contrary.
@Sel, D.
I've never said that Asians don't outperform white people when it comes to education and income.
Also, taking anyone at their word wasn't to make it smart or noble, it's sure is quite the contrary.
Wouldn't you want to make it clear as to which part are you talking about?
@Arps
Let's use your logic of "won't happen if it was ***" again.
"If a white woman was not served a meal by a black white flight attendant, it won't happen to be a racism, although the discrimination against the white by blacks are definitely there, while minor."
Agreed?
"The woman in this incident was discriminated against, plain and simple."
So if an American Airlines did attempt to correct the meal issue in any manner, you would be willing to donate $1000 to the Republican Party or the Daughter of Confederacy. since you are so certain her accounts are 100% accurate?
Waaa Waaaa.
@Ben - I am just curious... do you and Gary at VFTW (and to some extent, Matthew from LALF) co-ordinate what you guys are going to write about and when? I am surprised by often I see the same articles published on all three websites around same time. It's like reading three versions of the same travel magazine, only with different font, color scheme, layout and pop-up ads!
They all have similar sources that they check frequently, as any professional blog writer would do. By the time these stories gain traction or make their way onto those sources, Ben, Gary, and Matthew more often than not immediately start writing about them if they choose to cover those stories. They are all trying to publish ASAP, and that is why they don't have much time between each person posting their article. They are all...
They all have similar sources that they check frequently, as any professional blog writer would do. By the time these stories gain traction or make their way onto those sources, Ben, Gary, and Matthew more often than not immediately start writing about them if they choose to cover those stories. They are all trying to publish ASAP, and that is why they don't have much time between each person posting their article. They are all blog writers who own their platform, so they don't have any proofreaders or editorial steps to follow either (which takes up a lot of time for writers in corporate news companies).
I think Gary, Matthew and Ben’s takes on what they cover are often dramatically different though. Ben’s tone is also much more human; I enjoy reading his articles much better than Gary/Matthew’s which oven feel as though I am reading a high school debate club paper.
Likely because they were HS Debate Team folk... they have both mentioned it in the past.
@GSHLGB I did not know that but that’s the least surprising thing I’ve ever read. Their writing is overly prescriptive, formulaic, and often quite aggressive. I appreciate Ben’s writing style hewing more toward informational and less as an attempt to convince of a viewpoint.
@DMoney I think that is perfectly normal. It is like the media reporting something like an accident or a new discovery. They may also report the same thing on the same day. It is not usually like ABC News reports it on one day and CBS News reports it three days later. Also, they have preset time for news reporting such as the ten o’clock news so they would all be reporting the same news...
@DMoney I think that is perfectly normal. It is like the media reporting something like an accident or a new discovery. They may also report the same thing on the same day. It is not usually like ABC News reports it on one day and CBS News reports it three days later. Also, they have preset time for news reporting such as the ten o’clock news so they would all be reporting the same news around the same time. So, why do you have an issue with OMATT, VFTW, and LALF reporting something around the same time?
I seriously have black fatugue, like most of America.
No, you seriously have racism.
that just means he's been paying attention.
To being racist?
I wonde why such things always happen to “influencers”…
Her seat number would answer the question.
facts don't matter.
Isn't it strange how influencers seem to always have these problems on airplanes? It's always an interesting coincidence.
So are you saying this did not happen to this pax and it is all a made up incident?
I’ll go there. Yes I think it’s made up. Absolutely.
I agree - BS - JUST LOOKING FOR ATTENTION
@justin dev
Sure as hell seems like it.
Just like Ben was looking for attention with his recent interactions with the agent at LGA?
Yes. Always the race card. Perhaps all the other passengers were black or Asian. Did anyone consider that ?