Federal Complaint Forces American Airlines To End DEI Hiring Practices

American Airlines (AA) will no longer use DEI policies in recruitment and hiring after admitting these practices violated federal anti-discrimination laws. The decision follows a complaint by America First Legal (AFL), which argued the airline’s policies were unlawful under federal contracting requirements.

The U.S. Department of Labor’s OFCCP investigated the complaint, determining that AA’s hiring quotas violated Executive Order 11246. This order requires federal contractors to ensure equal opportunity in employment, banning discrimination based on race, sex, color, religion, or national origin.

The investigation, launched on Dec. 13, found evidence that AA’s hiring and promotion practices prioritized race and gender. AFL highlighted the airline’s Cadet Academy program as one example of practices that failed to meet federal guidelines.

After a compliance conference, AA acknowledged its violations and agreed to abandon DEI-driven hiring quotas. “American companies must return to using merit — not the desire to check a DEI box — to select the most skilled and qualified employees,” said AFL counsel Will Scolinos.

Similar investigations into United Airlines and Southwest Airlines revealed comparable violations. Both airlines, along with AA, have agreed to end hiring quotas linked to race and gender. Together, the three carriers handle half of all U.S. air traffic.

This action comes as federal courts and regulatory bodies increasingly reject corporate DEI policies, with a recent court decision striking down NASDAQ’s DEI mandates for corporate boards signaling a broader trend.