A conservative activist who is an ardent supporter of President Trump was barred by American Airlines on Thursday, one day after he was removed from a flight from La Guardia Airport to Dallas-Fort Worth Airport after he refused to wear a mask. The passenger, Brandon Straka, recorded his exchange with an airline employee on Wednesday after boarding the plane and shared it with several media outlets. In the video, the employee referred to an American Airlines policy that requires all passengers and crew members to wear masks to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. The policy, which went into effect on May 11, makes exemptions for children, passengers with disabilities and medical conditions, and for people eating or drinking. It is similar to the policies of other major airlines. The airline employee told Straka that if he did not comply that he would have to get off the flight, which carried 122 passengers. Straka, 43, responded that he didn’t like wearing a mask. He was escorted off the plane. But American Airlines said Thursday that after reviewing the episode that Straka would no longer be allowed on any of its flights for as long as the mask requirement is in place. According to the airline, Straka gave contradictory answers about having a medical condition.<br/>
oneworld
An Idaho woman is suing American Airlines and online travel agency CheapOair, alleging that despite her family’s efforts, they failed to provide proper accommodations for her cross-country flight, causing emotional distress and humiliation. The lawsuit, filed in US District Court for the Northern District of Utah this week, alleges that Tammy Sue Spears, who is disabled, was subjected to a humiliating chain of events including being dragged and dropped in the aisle of the plane while trying to get to the lavatory on her flight from Salt Lake City to Charlotte on Aug. 10. “American Airlines and CheapOair owed a duty of care to Mrs Spears to provide her with an aisle wheelchair,” said Diane Marger Moore, who is representing Spears along with Ronald L.M. Goldman and Nicholas U. Frandsen. “They not only failed to provide her with a chair, they failed to warn her that without one, there would be no means for her to use the lavatory for the duration of the flight. These failures combined with the flight crew’s lack of compassion caused physical and emotional harm to our client that may not ever fully heal.” Story has more details.<br/>
Iberia has rescheduled deliveries of Airbus A350 and A320neo aircraft, and plans to withdraw 14 older Airbus A340 jets from its fleet, as the coronavirus crisis curbs air travel. The airline had planned to get rid of the 14 A340 jets over several years but will now do it by the end of the year, a company spokeswoman said on Thursday, confirming a report from local newspaper Cinco Dias. She declined to elaborate on the new schedule for the aircraft deliveries. The carrier will adapt its fleet to suit demand through leasing contracts, the newspaper said, citing internal company information.<br/>