The airline has once again come under scrutiny after a Black woman who posts on TikTok as @johbidoo_official said she wasn’t offered a meal on board her flight in first class. The story went viral on TikTok and has once again sparked talks about racial bias on aircraft, since many people feel the airline was racist and helped strengthen the existing inequality in first-class flights.
“Make It Make Sense”: A Wildly Viral Complaint
It all started when @johbidoo_official posted a TikTok video describing her flights. There was nothing on her tray table in the video, unlike the first-class service they say American Airlines provides. In first class, she was the only Black person, and they ran out of food, apparently. If you haven’t caught on by now, let me wrap by saying, “MAKE IT MAKE SENSE!” Over 4.8 million views have been gained by the video so far.
According to the passenger, one of the flight attendants informed her that there were. Nonetheless, people commenting on social media said airlines, especially those in premium seats, prepare and log meals for every passenger, so doctors would not be called in unnecessarily. Choosing a first-class ticket is likely to give you all the in-flight amenities, and many people pointed out they couldn’t imagine not having access to food.
Interactions and Sharing Online
After the TikTok was posted, thousands of people expressed their anger and came together to support her. A person responded, “Having a first-class flight will not make up for running out of food.” A person I spoke with, stating they were a flight service staffer for a separate airline, assured me they never ran out of food. Report it!!!
Other people brought up instances of racial bias they have experienced while on planes. A first-class passenger explained that other travelers on the plane looked at her suspiciously, as if they thought she did not belong in that line. While I was there, I was receiving a lot of attention from other boys. She described the game as crazy.
Their personal experiences showed that the @johbidoo_official case was an example of racial discrimination that was common in airline premium classes, since those were mainly used by white passengers.
American Airlines’ Actions
Following the criticism, American Airlines recognized the viral complaint in a statement. The airline wants its customers to always enjoy a positive experience while traveling. “We attempted to gather more information about the customer’s experience.”She announced afterward that she was in touch with the airline, although no information about the investigation has been shared yet.
If we look at the airline’s comment, it’s clear they want to be seen as responsible, but people disagree since American Airlines usually reacts only after an incident draws lots of attention. According to them, if more structural changes are not made, such problems will keep happening.
There Have Been Many Allegations About Racism
This incident follows other accusations against American Airlines for racial discrimination. In January 2025 Anthony Williams, a Black former police officer, sued the airline for false accusations of human trafficking against him after he and his white wife were flying together. Williams reports that the couple felt ashamed and were removed from the flight without first looking into the allegation.
Earlier, in December 2024, American Airlines settled a lawsuit brought by three Black men who said they were wrongfully removed from a plane after being accused of having body odor—a claim that was never substantiated. The men alleged the incident was racially motivated, and the settlement was widely seen as an implicit acknowledgment of wrongdoing.
Due to these repeated controversies, the NAACP has criticized American Airlines over the years and called for the company to take concrete steps to address systemic bias. As early as 2017, the civil rights organization issued a travel advisory warning Black travelers to exercise caution when flying with the carrier.
