Published on: Oct 07, 2025 03:21 pm IST

A enterprise class flyer has accused British Airways of racism, claiming a flight attendant skipped him for drinks and assumed he had been “upgraded.”

A Black enterprise class passenger has accused British Airways of racism after alleging {that a} flight attendant intentionally skipped him in the course of the welcome drink service. The incident, which happened on September 24 aboard a flight from Houston to London, has sparked outrage on-line after the passenger shared his expertise in an in depth Reddit publish.

The passenger stated the trade left him feeling “small, humiliated and indignant”.(Unsplash/Representational )

In the publish titled “I paid $5,000 for Business Class on British Airways and the flight attendant determined I didn’t belong there”, the flyer claimed that the flight attendant intentionally skipped him whereas serving drinks to Business Class passengers. “As I settled in, the flight attendants started providing welcome drinks to each passenger in my row. Everyone besides me. The individuals earlier than me acquired their champagne. The individual proper behind me (white) acquired a drink. But when the flight attendant reached me, she skipped me fully,” the Redditor wrote.

The passenger stated he initially assumed it was an oversight however determined to ask politely when the attendant didn’t return. “Excuse me, am I not being provided a welcome drink?” he recalled asking. “Her reply? ‘Oh, I assumed you had been upgraded.’”

He added, “Let’s be very clear: I used to be the one Black passenger in that row. She had no manner of understanding my ticket kind. Even if I had been upgraded, protocol is to supply all Business passengers a welcome drink. So she noticed me and determined I didn’t belong.”

The passenger stated the trade left him feeling “small, humiliated and indignant”. “This wasn’t a couple of glass of champagne. It was about bias, assumption, and respect,” he wrote, including that he has since filed a proper criticism with British Airways.

“I’ve already filed a proper criticism with @British_Airways, asking for accountability not a scripted apology. I wish to know the way they’ll guarantee no different Black passenger ever has to really feel like this on their flights,” he stated.

The passenger concluded his publish urging the airline to “do higher,” saying, “If you may cost $5,000 for a seat, you may practice your employees to deal with each passenger with dignity.”

(Also Read: British Airways pilot leaves cockpit door open throughout flight. What occurred subsequent)

Social media reactions

The publish has sparked outrage on-line, with many calling the remedy by the flight attendant “fully unacceptable”.

Reacting to the incident, one person wrote, “This is wholly unacceptable behaviour and warrants a observe up to make sure it will probably’t occur once more to anybody else. In the meantime you need to be entitled to some compensation within the type of Avios at the least. I can’t specific how furious I might be if this occurred to me. While compensation to you doesn’t make their behaviour acceptable, it ought to by no means be allowed to occur once more.”

“That is completely horrible. I hope your criticism will get heard on the highest ranges. What a shame from BA,” commented one other.

“This is completely not acceptable. Upgraded ticket, even avios redemption ticket, ought to obtain the identical service as different enterprise class passengers with common buy throughout flight,” wrote a 3rd person. “This is simply pure racism,” remarked one person.