Black US doctor’s anger at Delta Air Lines ‘snub

A black doctor was left frustrated after her credentials were questioned when she tried to help a patient on an internal US flight.

Dr Tamika Cross, an obstetrician-gynaecologist, said a Delta Air Lines crew member told her: “Oh no sweetie, put your hand down, we are looking for actual physicians.”

Her Facebook post about her treatment has been shared more than 35,000 times.

Delta has said it will investigate the incident.

“I’m sure many of my fellow young, corporate America working women of colour can all understand my frustration when I say I’m sick of being disrespected,” wrote Dr Cross, a resident physician at the University of Texas Health Science Centre in Houston

The Artemis Medical Society, an advocacy group for women doctors of colour, has written a letter to the CEO of Delta Air Lines, Ed Bastian, asking him to “investigate and determine if racial and gender bias by crew of Flight 945 led to rejecting the response and offer by Dr Cross to provide emergency medical care to your passenger”.

The New York Daily News quoted a Delta Air Lines spokeswoman as saying: “Discrimination of any kind is never acceptable.

“We’ve been in contact with Dr Cross and one of our senior leaders is reaching out to assure her that we’re completing a full investigation.”