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The agreement states that American Airlines reserves the right to refuse transport or remove a passenger from a flight when it deems necessary for safety, when the passenger's conduct may affect the well-being of others, or when the passenger fails to comply with American's rules or instructions.
This analysis describes what American Airlines's agreement states, permits, or reserves. It does not constitute a legal determination about enforceability. Regulatory applicability and practical outcomes may vary by jurisdiction, enforcement context, and individual circumstances. Read our methodology
This provision grants American Airlines discretionary authority to deny boarding or remove passengers based on subjective assessments of safety, conduct, and compliance with internal rules, without prescribing specific criteria or a standardized review process. This discretion engages federal anti-discrimination obligations applicable to passengers with disabilities and DOT non-discrimination rules.
Interpretive note: The criteria for exercising refusal authority are stated in broad terms; application in specific cases depends on operational judgment and is subject to federal anti-discrimination regulations that may constrain the discretion asserted in the clause.
The updated Terms of Use no longer include explicit statements about how American Airlines uses performance cookies to analyze site usage and track popular pages, or how functional cookies remember your preferences like language and region settings. Previously, the terms disclosed that cookies are essential to site operation and cannot be rejected. The removal of these disclosures means users visiting the American Airlines website will not find this granular explanation of cookie purposes in the terms themselves, though cookie collection may continue through other disclosure mechanisms such as a separate privacy policy or cookie banner.
View change record →The provision was narrowed by removing the 'sole discretion' language and the specific reference to prior misconduct and appearance standards, while broadening the general safety and compliance criteria.
View full change record →Under this clause, American Airlines may deny boarding or remove a passenger from a flight based on its assessment of safety, conduct, or rule compliance. Passengers with disabilities are entitled to protections under 14 CFR Part 382 that apply independently of and may constrain the exercise of this discretionary authority.
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"American may refuse to transport a passenger, or may remove a passenger from a flight, in any of the following situations: When American deems it necessary for the safety of the flight or other passengers; When the passenger's conduct, status, or actions may jeopardize the safety, comfort or well-being of other passengers or crew; When the passenger fails to comply with any rules, regulations, or instructions of American.Excerpt from American Airlines's Terms of Use
(1) REGULATORY LANDSCAPE: The right to refuse transportation is subject to 14 CFR Part 382, which prohibits airlines from refusing transportation to passengers on the basis of disability except in narrowly defined safety circumstances. The Air Carrier Access Act and DOT civil rights regulations are the primary enforcement frameworks. The FTC Act's prohibition on unfair practices may also apply if refusal criteria are applied inconsistently or without adequate disclosure. (2) GOVERNANCE EXPOSURE: Medium. The broad discretionary language in this provision may create exposure if refusal decisions are not documented, consistently applied, and reviewed for compliance with anti-discrimination obligations. The absence of enumerated criteria for refusal creates operational ambiguity. (3) JURISDICTION FLAGS: EU passengers on flights departing EU airports have additional rights under EU Regulation 261/2004 regarding denied boarding, which operates independently of the CoC. Passengers with disabilities on U.S. domestic or international flights have specific DOT-protected rights under 14 CFR Part 382. (4) CONTRACT AND VENDOR IMPLICATIONS: Code-share partners and contracted ground handling agents should be bound by consistent refusal-of-carriage procedures to ensure uniform application of anti-discrimination obligations. B2B agreements with corporate travel programs should reference applicable DOT non-discrimination requirements. (5) COMPLIANCE CONSIDERATIONS: Compliance teams should audit front-line training materials and documentation procedures for refusal-of-carriage incidents to ensure consistency with 14 CFR Part 382 and DOT guidance on non-discriminatory treatment. Documented refusal decisions should capture the specific grounds applied in each case.
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This provision grants American Airlines discretionary authority to deny boarding or remove passengers based on subjective assessments of safety, conduct, and compliance with internal rules, without prescribing specific criteria or a standardized review process. This discretion engages federal anti-discrimination obligations applicable to passengers with disabilities and DOT non-discrimination rules.
Under this clause, American Airlines may deny boarding or remove a passenger from a flight based on its assessment of safety, conduct, or rule compliance. Passengers with disabilities are entitled to protections under 14 CFR Part 382 that apply independently of and may constrain the exercise of this discretionary authority.
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