American Airlines ends DEI hiring practices after facing discrimination charges by conservative watchdog

American Airlines has reportedly agreed to end diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) hiring and employment practices, joining a growing list of major corporations to halt the controversial "woke" initiative.

America First Legal (AFL), a conservative watchdog organization, announced Tuesday that American Airlines has agreed to "abandon discriminatory employment practices" after AFL filed a complaint against the carrier. 

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"The airline acknowledged that recruiting and hiring based on Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) violates federal laws and equal employment opportunities," AFL said in a statement.

In January, AFL accused American Airlines of discriminatory employment practices in violation of federal contracting requirements in a federal civil rights complaint.

"Despite receiving over $140 million in federal government contracts since 2008 and promising in accordance with Executive Order 11246 that it will not discriminate in hiring, promotion, or employee training because of race, color, religion, sex, or national origin, American Airlines has explicitly engaged in race and sex discrimination in hiring programs, Cadet Academy recruitment, and promotional processes," the watchdog group said.

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

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"American Airlines acknowledged and agreed to end its illegal race and sex-based discrimination in hiring and promotional practices," AFL said.

Will Scolinos, America First Legal Counsel, celebrated the reversal on Tuesday, saying in a statement, "American companies must return to using merit—not the desire to check a DEI box—to select the most skilled and qualified employees. American Airlines’ agreement with the OFCCP is AFL’s latest victory in our fight to put illegal 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 to face backlash for DEI practices. Earlier this year, AFL filed similar complaints against United Airlines and Southwest Airlines, alleging racial and sex discrimination.

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United Airlines CEO Scott Kirby went viral in January after remarks he made in 2021 about the company’s diversity initiatives resurfaced. During an interview with Axios on HBO, Kirby said the company was committed to ensuring 50% of their graduating pilot classes would be women or people of color. His comments were criticized by Elon Musk, popular finance news account Wall Street Silver, former California gubernatorial candidate Larry Elder and many others on social media who accused the airline of putting woke DEI commitments ahead of passenger safety.

United and Southwest have since agreed to end "illegal, discriminatory hiring practices, including quotas and benchmarks for recruiting and hiring based on race and sex," AFL said in the statement, citing confirmation from OFCCP.

But as of Tuesday, Southwest's website still touts its commitment to DEI hiring and its effort to fill job openings with "diverse candidate slates for each role."

When reached for comment, Southwest denied a DEI policy reversal, 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 Dec. 2, the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs (OFCCP) reiterated that Southwest should continue to abide by the regulations. OFCCP made no determination of any violations by the airline," it said.

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 national debate and garnered significant attention online. Earlier this year, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) faced intense backlash for recruiting workers who suffer "severe intellectual" disabilities, psychiatric problems and other mental and physical conditions as part of a diversity and inclusion hiring initiative spelled out on the agency’s website. 

After a plug door on a Boeing 737 Max 9 blew out during an Alaska Airlines flight on Jan. 5, the FAA grounded all 737 MAX 9 planes to carry out "extensive inspection" and maintenance work. Social media users and public figures blamed the airlines and airline manufacturers' emphasis 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 underrepresented segment of the federal workforce.

When asked for comment on the initiative, including what roles people with disabilities would fulfill, the FAA told Fox News Digital that the agency thoroughly seeks and vets qualified candidates "from as many sources as possible" for a range of positions.