Black TV writer says racism kept him off Delta flight at LAX

Delta Air Lines is investigating allegations of racism from an Emmy-nominated children’s TV writer who said he was denied boarding his flight from Los Angeles to Boston by a gate agent who admitted it was because the passenger was Black.

In a viral tweet, Darnell Lamont Walker, who is Black, said he was turned away Monday at a Delta gate in Los Angeles International Airport by a gate agent, who is white, only to then watch several white passengers be allowed onto the plane.

Walker said that when a nearby customer remarked, “this seems racist,” the gate agent responded by saying, “it is.”

In an email, Delta said the company was aware of the incident and it was being investigated.

“Delta has zero tolerance for discrimination in any form. While we investigate what this customer alleges to that end, we are also in touch with the customer directly to hear more about their experience,” a spokesperson said in the email Friday.

Delta did not immediately respond to additional questions.

Walker said in an interview Wednesday afternoon that he arrived at the Delta gate at LAX on Monday to board his flight to Boston with a few minutes to spare. Walker, a television writer for children’s TV shows, had been in L.A. for the inaugural Children’s and Family Emmy Awards, where one of his shows, Netflix’s “Karma’s World,” had been nominated.

Walker said he was running slightly behind schedule, but he made it to the gate before the doors to the plane were closed.

But when Walker arrived at his gate, he said, a Delta gate agent told him he was too late.

“I said, ‘No, I still have time,’ and I showed him my phone,” Walker, 40, said. According to Delta’s website, passengers on domestic flights are required to be at the gate and ready to board 15 minutes before scheduled departure. Walker said he had about a two- to three-minute cushion, and that he had checked in for his flight the day prior.

But the agent dismissed him and directed him to customer service to book another flight, Walker said.

As Walker waited in the customer service line, he said he saw four other passengers approach the gate, so he took out his phone and started recording. Walker shared the video with The Times, which shows four passengers, all of whom are white, waiting by the gate as the gate agent worked on his computer and used his walkie-talkie. After about two minutes, the agent appeared to scan their tickets, and eventually let them board the flight.

Walker said he went over and asked the gate agent for an explanation, but the agent was again dismissive and directed him to customer service. Walker said another agent said one seat was still available, but he was denied it because he was told to go to customer service. Eventually, Walker said, a nearby customer remarked, “this seems racist.”

“It is,” replied the gate agent who denied Walker entrance to the plane, according to Walker, who was repeatedly told to go to customer service.

“This is completely racist,” Walker said. “I was here on time, and this lady said there is one more seat. What is the problem?”

Walker said he returned to customer service to explain what happened, and representatives offered to re-book him on another flight and gave him the details if he wanted to lodge a complaint. But the representatives didn’t know the agent’s name for the complaint, Walker said.

When Walker tried approaching the gate agent to get his information and to inform the agent that he’d be making a complaint, Walker said the agent mocked him, saying he “looked forward to reading it,” and obstructed his badge, telling Walker he didn’t need to reveal his name. Eventually, another Delta employee shared the agent’s name, Walker said.

Walker also detailed the incident on Twitter. “A complaint is one thing, but if you put it out there, responses come a little bit faster,” he said.

A Delta representative reached out, Walker said, and he has since received a letter from the corporate office, saying Delta is looking into the matter.

He was re-booked on a flight at 9 p.m. Monday, he said. Since the incident, Walker said he’s received direct messages from those sharing similar experiences. As a Black man, Walker said racism has long been part of his lived experience.

“I am working to figure out what happens now, moving forward, and making sure this never happens to anyone again,” he said.