A Santa Fe family has filed a complaint with the Vermont Human Rights Commission after they were kicked off a Delta Airlines flight from Burlington to NYC when the mom refused to use a blanket to nurse her 22-month-old daughter. They were sitting alone in the second-to-last row of a 50-seat Embraer 145 regional jet. The mom was in the window seat.
None of which matters. They're from Santa Fe, flying between Vermont and New York? Nursing a 22-mo kid and asserting their right under Vermont law to breastfeed "in any place of public accommodation in which the mother and child would otherwise have a legal right to be"? They're clearly dangerous hippie activists who needed to be dealt with.
update: According to USA Today's report, the flight attendant, obviously a fan of The View, actually told the mom, "You're offending me." That sound you hear is Barbara Walters cackling with glee.
Woman kicked off plane for breast-feeding [msnbc.com via dt readers brandt and arlopop]
I am amazed that they were actually removed from the plane. The stewardess should have more sensitivity training than that! And to be backed up by the airline staff to the point of removal?
What happened to the customer is always right?
And in this case, she was. I believe in being descreet, and it sounds like this passenger was being so. I hope the backlash of this publicity is that people realize it is acceptable and not feel reluctant, or offended.
Wow-- breastfeeding at 22 months- that kid is nearly a teenager.
[like I said, hippies. and probably terrorists to boot. I can't even see how they let her bring all that liquid onto a plane in the first place. -ed.]
Just for spite, I've asked my wife to begin relactating just so we can book a Delta flight so that she can nurse both our 21-month old and 3-year old on the plane...at the same time. It was a no go, and in retrospect, I think that's a good thing.
Can I kick that flight attendant for "offending me"?
I just flew with my two year old from DC to Jacksonville and he screamed like he was going to die for 2 hours (turned out to be an ear infection - bad, bad mom). After going through that I can't imagine anyone complaining about a quiet happy child! Kicked off the plane! Wow, I'm lucky they didn't crack open the emergency exit and toss us out!
I hope the succeed with getting the Airline to change it's policy, but until they do unfortunately this is just one of those places in society where I feel like you have to tow the line. I don't know how much recourse you have, since a pilot or steward can throw you off for looking "suspicious" or for refusing an order (I'm sure that's technically why they were ejected here, "Cover with blanket." "No." "Goodbye."). They could tell you that you need to stand on your head for the entire flight or risk being ejected. It's stupid. But I'm a perfect little lemming when I get near an airport.
I'm sure this is somehow related to spending so much time in airports patrolled by soldiers with machine guns.
"Freedom" airlines, huh? America is so puritan and hypocritical...