A mother and her 2-year-old son were kicked off by an American Airlines flight on Monday after the asthmatic child would not keep a mask on.
The video immediately went viral on Twitter this week and American Airlines responded Thursday.
Amanda Pendarvis, the child’s mother posted to her Instagram story that she, her young son, and her mother were removed from the AA Flight 1284 in Dallas-Fort Worth.
Pendarvis said her son was having an asthma attack at the time.
Here’s what the American Airline said responding to the viral video:
“Pendarvis refused to “comply with crew member instructions to remain seated while on an active taxiway and to wear face coverings securely over their nose and mouth.”
The family was rebooked for another flight, and no fees were associated with the rebooking, the airline added.
“After observing a minor in the party laying in the aisle and moving between seats on taxi out, our flight crew made multiple attempts to reinforce safety requirements,” a spokesperson for the airline shared.
“While addressing the party, our crew also reminded the individuals in the party that federal directives require customers to wear a face-covering at all times while onboard unless actively eating or drinking.”
Hello, maybe we get flight attendant fired from @AmericanAir today?
My sweet friend’s 2 year old son was having an asthma attack and wouldn’t keep mask on (because he couldn’t breathe) – and they turned plane around and had police waiting to escort them off. A 2 year old. pic.twitter.com/Ks2VbnNASW
— Tiger Lily (@yogarespecter) September 14, 2021
In the video, which a friend also posted on Twitter, she insisted she “was not refusing a mask, nor did” she say she “wouldn’t try to keep a mask on” her son, who she said was asthmatic.
“We were escorted off the plane as I was holding a mask over his little face,” she added. “I genuinely don’t have words.”
A mom whose two year old wasn’t wearing his mask properly was kicked off an American Airlines flight. This is where we are, we have emboldened the biggest losers in our society to believe they are morally virtuous because they wear masks: pic.twitter.com/rwHMCmjwaW
— Clay Travis (@ClayTravis) September 16, 2021
Pendarvis called the experience the most “humiliating/traumatizing experience” because the flight attendant “had the plane turned around and had” them “escorted off to be met by police officers.”
“Why?” she added. “Wait for it … because my two-year-old was not properly wearing a mask.”
Sources: Dailycaller, Marketwatch
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