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.
She was not kicked off for breast feeding her baby.
Your argument is weak. I know it, and you know your position is weak.
If it wasn't weak you wouldn't have twisted (lied) about why she was asked to leave. Rather, you would have used the actual facts of the case.
The woman may have a civil complaint.
If they lost money because of this, I may be persuaded to side with the family. But I just can't stand the whining.
A "Human Rights Commission" complaint? Sheesh! Gimme a break.
Yep all those people craning their necks to see were so offended.
Well, actually... The mammaries are primarily for feeding children. The primary function of breasts enlarged well beyond what is needed to simply house the mammaries is to attract mates.
Sorry, Ms Gillette, if that is your real name, but they did look like two big bombs!
Rhymes with......
lthough Executive Director Robert Appel said he was barred by state law
OK, guys, are you doing this on purpose, or is God having some fun today?
Lighten up. It's ok to laugh.
I am VERY pro-breast.
Rhymes with a woman's body part?
UM, how about a picture of the flight attendant that complained?
The problem wasn't the breastfeeding. The problem was carrying liquids in an unapproved container in amounts greater than allowed under TSA guidelines.
That being said, it sounds as if she was discreet, since her husband was between her and the aisle.
That "enjoyment" is a big reason why we have three babies.
Mulva??
In this case yes, breast feeding is good and lovely. The health and developmental benefits outweigh people's silly prejudices.
Well. The flight attendant was offended. She/he was probably the only one to see it but she/he was so offended she/he had a mother and her daughter removed from the flight.
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.
Sorry. I get worked on these threads. I can't believe anyone would deny a mother the right to feed her child.
She was kicked off for breastfeeding. If she had ceased at that moment, she would not have been forced to leave. She knew what her child would and would not tolerate while feeding and chose to avoid a scene that involved fighting with her child to appease a flight attendants prejudices.
Those are the actual facts of the case. And she does have a legal right to nurse, unaccosted.
You said "in this case" it was good, and you qualify it by explaining it is good and lovely.
How do you distinguish between a 'good' natural thing that is good and lovely, and a 'bad' natural thing that is good and lovely?
Delores?? :)
I was always offended when I was a nursing mom, to be relegated to nasty public restrooms. So I do relate to the problem of having to satisfy hungry babies at inopportune times and places.
But assuming you're right, that Mom had a demanding, noisy, "terrible two" little tyrant, and only nursed the child to keep from disturbing other passengers. I still can't buy the notion that a busy flight attendant (on a short flight), would have any inclination or motive, to maliciously reprimand a nursing mom.
I think we don't have all the facts.
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