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Anti-Discrimination Subcommittee

Overview

The Department has created an Anti-Discrimination Subcommittee as a subcommittee of the Department's Aviation Consumer Protection Advisory Committee (ACPAC). The Anti-Discrimination Subcommittee will review airlines’ policies, procedures, and practices to prevent discrimination against air travelers based on race, ethnicity, national origin, religion, ancestry, gender, gender identity, and sexual orientation. The Anti-Discrimination Subcommittee will develop recommendations for consideration by the ACPAC on best practices relating to training and other actions that can be taken by DOT, airlines, or others to ensure nondiscriminatory delivery of airlines’ programs and activities to air travelers. 

Subcommittee Charter

The Anti-Discrimination Subcommittee's Charter sets forth policies for the operation of the advisory committee and is available online here. 

Subcommittee Report

On July 11, 2024, the Anti-Discrimination Subcommittee submitted to the ACPAC its Final Report and accompanying Appendix. In the Report, the Subcommittee made 18 total recommendations with respect to the following: (1) the definition of discrimination; (2) data collection and reporting; (3) complaint and response procedures; (4) discrimination training; and (5) passenger education and awareness. The Report and Appendix are available on the ACPAC's docket, DOT-OST-2018-0190.

Anti-Discrimination Subcommittee Members

The following individuals have been selected to serve on the Anti-Discrimination Subcommittee based on their expertise and their willingness and ability to actively participate in meeting the Subcommittee’s objectives.  The Subcommittee members are:

  • Sanaa Ansari, as a person of diverse background in race, ethnicity, religion, and/or gender. 
  • Sim J. Singh Attariwala, Senior Manager of Policy & Advocacy, the Sikh Coalition, as a representative of a national advocacy organization that represents diverse racial, ethnic, and religious communities.
  • Abed Ayoub (Co-Chair), National Executive Director, American-Arab Anti-Discrimination Committee as a representative of a national advocacy organization that represents diverse racial, ethnic, and religious communities.
  • Phil Burke, Assistant Director of Customer Experience, Metropolitan Airports Commission,  as an airport operator representative.
  • Ramiro Cavazos, President and CEO, US Hispanic Chamber of Commerce, as a representative of a national advocacy organization that represents diverse racial, ethnic, and religious communities.
  • Meisha Coulter (Co-Chair), Sr. Director & Legal Counsel, Spirit Airlines, as an airline representative.
  • Rene DeLange, Managing Director of Inflight Customer Experience, CommutAir, as an airline representative. 
  • Chad Heflin, Head of Legislative Affairs, North America, International Airline Transport Association, as an airline representative. 
  • Olivia Hunt, Policy Director, National Center for Transgender Equality, as a representative of a national advocacy organization that represents Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual LGBTQ+ communities. 
  • Hassan Jaber, former President and CEO of the Arab Community Center for Economic and Social Services, as a person of diverse backgrounds in race, ethnicity, religion. and/or gender.
  • Chris Johnson,  Vice President, Ground Operations, Southwest Airlines, as an airline representative. 
  • Keyra Lynn Johnson, Vice President, Chief Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Officer, Delta Air Lines, as an airline representative. 
  • Diego Sanchez, Director of Advocacy, Policy and Partnerships, PFLAG, as a representative of a national advocacy organization that represents Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, or asexual LGBTQ+ community. 
  • Captain James Simons,  Board of Advisors, Organization of Black Aerospace Professionals, as a representative of a national advocacy organization that represents diverse racial, ethnic, and religious communities.
  • Peter Lobasso, Senior VP and General Counsel, American Society of Travel Advisors, as the Ticket Agent representative.
  • Thu Nguyen,  Executive Director, OCA-Asian Pacific American Advocates, as a representative of a national advocacy organization that represents diverse racial, ethnic, and religious communities.
  • Alfreda Robinson, former President and Chair of the Standing Committee on Judicial Selection, National Bar Association and Associate Dean for Trial Advocacy/Professor at George Washington Law, as a representative of a national advocacy organization that represents diverse racial, ethnic, and religious communities. 
  • Rabbi Isaiah Rothstein, Rabbinic Scholar and Public Affairs Advisor at Jewish Federations of North America, as a representative of a national advocacy organization that represents diverse racial, ethnic, and religious communities. 
  • Molly Wilkinson,  Vice President of Regulatory & International Government Affairs, American Airlines, as an airline representative. 
Last updated: Wednesday, July 31, 2024