Screenwriter says he was prevented from boarding Delta flight ‘because I’m Black’

Delta is investigating racism allegations after filmmaker Darnell Walker says he was prevented from boarding flight while white passengers were allowed on

A Black screenwriter flying home from an Emmys award ceremony in Los Angeles says he was prevented from boarding a Delta flight while a group of white passengers were waved through.

Darnell Walker, a children’s TV writer and documentary maker, said he arrived at the gate at Los Angeles International Airport 17 minutes before it was due to depart for Boston on Monday.

Mr Walker said in a viral Twitter thread he was told by the gate attendant that he was too late to board the flight, as they stopped allowing passengers to board 15 minutes before take off.

The attendant then waved through white passengers behind him in the queue, and allegedly admitted to Mr Walker it was because he was racist.

“Gate agent said it was too late to get on my flight - it wasn’t. Told me to get rebooked at (customer service) then he scanned in the people behind me,” Mr Walker said in on Twitter.

When he asked why the passengers behind him were allowed to board, he says he was told to “go over there”.

“Your employee... didn’t let me onto the flight because I’m Black,” he wrote in a tweet to the airline.

Delta has launched an investigation into the incident.

Darnell Walker was in Los Angeles to attend the Children and Family’s Emmys ceremony (Courtesy of Darnell Walker)

Mr Walker, an Emmy-nominated writer whose credits include Netflix’s Karma’s World and Seeking Asylum, told The Independent in an email he had been left deeply upset by the experience.

“As a constant traveler and explorer, it benefits me to believe the world is a good place, so when meeting people so rude and disrespectful, it makes me question a lot,” he said.

Screenwriter Darnell Walker says he was prevented from boarding a Delta flight while white passengers were allowed on (Courtesy of Darnell Walker)

“This is nothing new to me. I’m from places where I’ve had to deal with these issues nearly my entire life.”

Mr Walker had been in Los Angeles to attend the Children’s and Family Emmys Award at the Wilshire Ebell Theatre in Los Angeles Saturday night.

After filing a formal complaint on Tuesday, he said he had heard from Delta to say it was investigating.

Your employee, Richard (as told by another), admittedly didn’t let me onto the flight because I’m Black. When asking for his name for the complaint, he covered his badge and said he didn’t need to give it, but looked forward reading the complaint anyway. https://t.co/VBAUpG4UL4

— Darnell Lamont Walker 🍥 (@hellodarnell) December 12, 2022

In a statement to The Independent, a Delta spokesperson said: “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.”