American Airlines is ending DEI hiring practices after facing discrimination accusations from a conservative watchdog

American Airlines reportedly agreed to the termination Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Recruitment and Employment Practices, joining a growing list of major companies to stop the controversial “woke” initiative.

America First Legal (AFL), a conservative watchdog organization, Announced Tuesday That American Airlines agreed to “abandon discriminatory hiring practices” after the AFL filed a complaint against the carrier.

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“The airline has acknowledged that recruiting and hiring based on Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) violates federal equal employment opportunity laws,” the AFL said in a statement.

In January, the AFL accused American Airlines of discriminatory hiring practices in violation of federal contracting requirements in a Federal Civil Rights Complaint.

“Despite receiving more than $140 million in federal government contracts since 2008 and promising pursuant to Executive Order 11246 that it will not discriminate in hiring, promoting, or training employees because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, American Airlines The watchdog group said: “They clearly engaged in racial and gender discrimination in their recruiting programs, Cadet Academy recruitment, and promotional operations.”

Last week, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs called an informal compliance conference with American Airlines to address the allegations detailed in the AFL’s complaint, prompting the airline to agree to roll back its DEI hiring policies, according to the statement.

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“American Airlines recognizes and agrees to end unlawful discrimination based on race and gender in its hiring and promotional practices,” the AFL said.

Will Skolinos, America First’s legal counsel, celebrated the reversal on Tuesday, saying in a statement: “American companies must return to using merit — not the desire to check the DEI box — to select the most skilled and qualified employees. American Airlines’ agreement with OFCCP is the latest A victory for the AFL in our fight to put unlawful discrimination on the no-fly list.

American Airlines did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

American Airlines isn’t the only airline facing it Backlash to DEI practices. Earlier this year, the AFL filed similar complaints against United Airlines and Southwest Airlines, alleging racial and gender discrimination.

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United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby went viral in January after statements he made in 2021 about the company Diversity initiatives have resurfaced. During an interview with Axios on HBO, Kirby said the company is committed to ensuring that 50% of graduates of its pilot classes are women or people of color. His comments were criticized by Elon Musk, popular financial news account Wall Street Silver, former California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder and several others on social media who accused the airline of putting DEI obligations before passenger safety.

United and Southwest ever since We agreed to end “discriminatory and unlawful hiring practices, including quotas and hiring standards based on race and gender,” the AFL said in the statement, citing confirmation from the OFCCP.

But as of Tuesday, Southwest’s website was still touting its commitment to DEI hiring and its efforts to fill openings with “diverse candidate lists for each role.”

When reached for comment, Southwest denied any change in DEI policy, telling Fox News Digital: “The reports are not accurate.”

“Southwest Airlines will continue to recruit, hire and retain a diverse and inclusive workforce in accordance with all applicable laws and regulations. During an informal conference on December 2, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) emphasized that Southwest must continue to operate to comply with regulations. It did not specify OFCCP any violations by the airline.”

United Airlines did not respond to Fox News Digital’s request for comment.

The topic of qualified job candidates in the aviation industry has sparked a national debate and received significant attention online. Earlier this year, the FAA faced severe backlash for hiring workers with “severe intellectual disabilities,” psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions as part of a training program. Diversity and inclusion The recruitment initiative is described on the agency’s website.

After the connecting door of a Boeing 737 Max 9 exploded during… Alaska Airlines flight On January 5, the Federal Aviation Administration grounded all 737 MAX 9 aircraft for a “comprehensive inspection” and maintenance work. Social media users and public figures have blamed carriers and airlines’ focus on diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) initiatives for making flying less safe.

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On the FAA’s website, the agency states that people with “severe” mental and physical disabilities are the most overrepresented segment in the federal workforce.

When asked to comment on the initiative, including the roles that people with disabilities will play, The Federal Aviation Administration told Fox News Digital The agency carefully searches for and screens qualified candidates “from as many sources as possible” for a range of positions.