White Men Targeted by FAA’s Discriminatory DEI Program

PRESS RELEASE

Robert D. Thompson

1-301-801-0608

White Men Targeted by FAA’s Discriminatory DEI Program

WASHINGTON / February 5, 2025 – Recent airplane tragedies in Washington, DC and Philadelphia have placed the public spotlight on biased and discriminatory hiring practices in the airline industry. The problem can be traced back to 2011 when the Obama Administration introduced Diversity, Equity and Inclusion policies in the federal government via Executive Order 13583, “Establishing a Coordinated Government-Wide Initiative to Promote Diversity, and Inclusion in the Federal Workforce.” (1)

The Obama order targeted all federal agencies, including the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA). As a result, the FAA’s hiring and training process went from a skilled-based system to hire air traffic controllers, and replacing it with a new approach designed to favor one candidate over another based on race and sex. (2)

In response, a class action lawsuit was brought by the Mountain States Legal Foundation in 2019. The Brigida vs. FAA case represented more than 2,500 aspiring air traffic controllers who they said were harmed by the FAA’s discriminatory policies. (3)

For example, Andrew Brigida scored 100 per cent on his training exam, but alleged that he had been denied a position in an air traffic control tower because the FAA recruitment process favored “diverse” candidates. (4)

The FAA’s DEI program also caught the attention of 11 U.S. attorneys general. (5) In a February 2024, letter, (6) the AGs warned that DEI hiring practices within the Federal Aviation Administration were putting airline passengers in danger.

The letter argues that the FAA “must return to prioritizing safety over diversity and virtue signaling” and “should once again hire based on merit so that only the most qualified aviation experts take care of America’s air travel.” (7)

Individual airlines also implemented hiring practices that were discriminatory against men. Several lawsuits, brought by America First Legal against three of America’s largest airlines, United Airlines, Southwest Airlines and American Airlines, have all resulted in victory: (8)

Southwest Airlines agreed to end its illegal race and sex-based discrimination in all hiring and promotional processes, including all DEI quotas, benchmarks, or preferences. (9)
United Airlines likewise acknowledged that hiring and employment quotas, preferences, and set asides constitute unlawful discrimination and hinder equal employment opportunities. (10)
American Airlines also agreed to abandon the discriminatory employment practices that AFL outlined in its federal civil rights complaint. (11)

On January 22, President Donald Trump issued an Executive Order that banned DEI programs throughout the federal government, as well as for federal contracting and spending. (12) Americans must remain vigilant in rooting out all vestiges of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) programs in the federal government and in the airline industry.

SAVE – Stop Abusive and Violent Environments – is a 501(c)3 organization working to assure due process and fairness. The Title IX Network consists of 240 national and state organizational members that are working to stop the Biden Title IX regulation and end D.E.I. programs.

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