American Airlines Flight Attendant Who Wears Palestinian Flag Pin Goes Viral

DALLAS— An American Airlines flight attendant was observed wearing a Palestinian flag pin while operating flight 4907 from Aspen (ASE) to Dallas–Fort Worth (DFW), which contravenes company guidelines. This incident occurred on a Bombardier CRJ-700 operated by SkyWest Airlines (OO) under the American Eagle brand and garnered attention on social media.

According to American Airlines’ uniform policies, flight attendants are only allowed to wear pins that are issued by the company or part of officially approved programs. The presence of both the Palestinian flag pin and an Association of Flight Attendants (AFA) union pin led to discussions about the consistent application of these uniform standards. SkyWest’s employee handbook also restricts pins to those provided by the airline or its partners, explicitly excluding personal or political symbols.

SkyWest has acknowledged the incident and stated it is reviewing the situation. It emphasized that while some visible tattoos and piercings are permitted, all pins must adhere to the established guidelines. American Airlines does not yet confirm if any disciplinary actions will be taken against the flight attendant.

Previous instances of uniform violations related to political messages have occurred at other airlines, highlighting the ongoing challenge of balancing employee expression with the need for a neutral environment.

• Why it matters: This event raises questions about the enforcement of uniform policies and could affect customer perceptions of airline professionalism.
• The latest: SkyWest Airlines has indicated it is reviewing the situation but has not confirmed any disciplinary actions.