Posted on 11/15/2006 6:38:55 PM PST by Mr. Brightside
Nursing mom says plane kicked her off
Wed Nov 15, 1:22 PM ET
BURLINGTON, Vt. - A woman who claims she was kicked off an airplane because she was breast-feeding her baby has filed a complaint against two airlines, her attorney said.
Emily Gillette, 27, of Santa Fe, N.M., filed the complaint with the Vermont Human Rights Commission late last week against Delta Air Lines and Freedom Airlines, said her attorney, Elizabeth Boepple. Freedom was operating the Delta flight between Burlington and New York City.
Gillette said she was discreetly breast-feeding her 22-month-old daughter on Oct. 13 as their flight prepared to leave Burlington International Airport. She said she was seated by the window in the next-to-last row, her husband was seated between her and the aisle and no part of her breast was showing.
A flight attendant tried to hand her a blanket and told her to cover up, Gillette said. She declined, telling the flight attendant she had a legal right to breast-feed her baby.
Moments later, a Delta ticket agent approached and said the flight attendant had asked that the family be removed from the flight, Gillette said. She said she didn't want to make a scene and complied.
"It embarrassed me. That was my first reaction, which is a weird reaction for doing something so good for a child," Gillette said Monday.
A Freedom spokesman said Gillette was asked to leave the flight after she declined the blanket.
"A breast-feeding mother is perfectly acceptable on an aircraft, providing she is feeding the child in a discreet way," that doesn't bother others, said Paul Skellon, spokesman for Phoenix-based Freedom. "She was asked to use a blanket just to provide a little more discretion, she was given a blanket, and she refused to use it, and that's all I know."
A complaint against two airlines was filed with the Vermont Human Rights Commission, although Executive Director Robert Appel said he was barred by state law from confirming the complaint. He said state law allows a mother to breast-feed in public.
The Vermont Human Rights Commission investigates complaints and determines whether discrimination may have occurred. The parties to a complaint are given six months to reach a settlement. If none is reached, the commission then decides whether to go to court. A complainant can file a separate suit in state court at any time.
Telling the mom to cover up the nursing child's head with the airline's communal blanket, or get off the plane, is way over the line. I'd love to represent this woman and her family, and I'd encourage her to sue the airlines, not just file a discrimination complaint.
First they take away her ability to carry more than 4 oz. of liquid on the plane, then they get offended by the sight of her daughter's head because she's nursing. Sheesh.
Sorry, I disagree.
This woman was looking for a fight. Nice. Using her infant as a tool to make a point. Not surprising, though, giving the type of people who champion this kind of "in your face" confrontation.
The article clearly cites the mother as saying that nursing helps with altitude changes. Sucking on anything would do the same. This woman should've got something for the kid to suck on. She certainly didn't have to pull out a teat.
Furthermore, the airline arranged ground transportation, a hotel, another flight. This woman was just spoiling for a fight. At the end of it all, she has the gall to say that she would like the airline to make a donation to a charity of her choosing and a trip with her family. It makes me want to tell Gillette some unkind words about where to go on her trip.
No sympathy here. I have to wonder if some posters even read the blessed article.
You just have to find some reason to be disturbed by
this story.
There once was a nation of mules, Complaining about life's many rules, Obsessed with their rights, They missed the big fights, Until they fell like all fools.
Actually, an infant that receives only breastmilk will need either sun exposure or a vitamin supplement of their for vitamin D. Other than that, you are correct.
WHO encourages nursing until at two years of age.
How long have most pediatricians been recommending this?
I suspect the flight attendant was a man but they don't say. In my experience only men are offended by a baby breasfeeding. Why? I have no idea.
Are there any STRAIGHT male flight attendents?
People should not care if a woman is covered while nursing or not. Most babies dislike being covered, especially as they get older. The breast are intended to nurture, and society should get over it's hang up and move on and start acting slightly mature.
What?!?
Every indecent thing is overlooked but a mama feeding her baby is treated like a crime?
Talk about calling good evil and evil good.
Your comment should make the 'idiotic post of the day' award.
The facts as outlined in post 120.
At least that poster is brave enough to argue with the truth.
Begone, you argue like a Leftie afraid of the truth.
We could go back and forth about this, no doubt, but since you particularly picked vitamins, I'll bite. Even if you take vitamins and minerals and have a great diet, lifestyle and exercise, your body still will not make some of the things that your baby needs past the age of 6 months. You can take all the iron you want, your breast milk will still be insufficient in iron for the baby. There's no way around that.
I won't be responding anymore. It is becoming apparent, as some other poster pointed out to you, that you are denying reason.
Have a good evening,
Def
Why not apply the same standards to women in low cut shirts, often they display more breast than a nursing mother?
The real problem is women with an attitude looking for a confrontation, and using breastfeeding as an excuse. Other thatn that, I think breasts are wonderful.
I am astounded at the ignorance on this thread about brestfeeding.
For my mom's kids and now mine...over thirty years, in four different states.
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