A Texas woman named Mei Rui has publicly denounced that the airline in which she planned to fly with her two-year-old son and parents He drove her off the plane for wanting to breastfeed her child.
The facts, which were recorded by herself with her mobile phone, have been released through numerous media and the case has raised a lot of controversy. Some witnesses have shown their support in social networks but others support the airline's way of acting.
He intended to calm his son so as not to disturb other passengers
Last Friday, Mei Rui I planned to travel from Houston to New York with Spirit Airlines. She is a pianist and clinical researcher, and in New York they were waiting for her to participate in a cancer research work. She was going to fly with her two-year-old son and her parents.
But that flight did not start on the right foot, and remained long on the runway with passengers on board due to inclement weather. The delay caused the child to start crying and getting restless.
At that moment, his mother took him in his arms and placed him on his chest, he wanted to reassure him and prevent him from disturbing the other passengers. As she herself affirms, and other witnesses corroborate, when he started to breastfeed the airplane doors were still open and the crew moved freely around the cabin.
Then, a flight attendant approached and He asked him to sit his son in the seat so he could take off, but when Mei removed the boy from the chest to place him in the seat and fasten his belt, he began to cry again:
"I asked for a couple more minutes to finish breastfeeding and stop crying. I told them that I promised them it would end before the airplane doors closed" - says Mei in statements to The Washington Post.
It was then - and according to the words of the affected - when several crew members forced this mother to leave the plane for having "broken the rules", although at all times they refused to tell him exactly what rules he had broken.
Humiliated by what was happening, Mei got off the plane with her son in her arms and her parents, while police officers were waiting for her on the ground. But before, he decided to record the facts with his mobile phone and several media, including the news channel KHOU11 News echoed what happened.
A Houston pianist and clinical researcher kicked off @SpiritAirlines flight Friday morning… she was on her way to conduct cancer research in NYC. Wants answers from airline. Live @iah at 10 # KHOU11 pic.twitter.com/mDPQmC5AOC
- Marcelino Benito (@MarcelinoKHOU) December 10, 2017
Photo via KHOU11 News Mei claims to feel ashamed and has asked the airline for explanations, as it still does not understand why it was expelled from the plane.
"It was humiliating to be expelled from a plane in front of hundreds of people. Something similar had never happened to me. We shouldn't treat people like that" - he lamented.
For its part, the airline remains firm in the decision taken, and through a statement has stated the following:
Photo via KHOU11 News "Our records indicate that a passenger was removed from flight 712 after refusing to comply with the instructions of the crew. To protect the safety of our passengers and crew, FAA regulations and airline policies require that all passengers remain seated and buckled during takeoff and landing. We apologize for the inconvenience caused to other passengers. As a courtesy, we have issued the full refund to the passenger in question. "
Outrage on social networks
Following the incident and the publication of what happened by a journalist of the news network KHOU11News, social networks began to burn with messages of support as opposed to this mother.
Yeah, that's not a Baby, and the Toddler Squaller should've been taught not to scream in public. There's no reason for breastfeeding a two year old, he should be eating solid food. And Mom doesn't live in a 3rd world country.
- Curlywolfone (@Curlywolfone) December 10, 2017
"That is not a baby, it is a child who should have been educated not to scream in public. There is no reason to breastfeed a two-year-old child, he should eat solid food. And the mother does not live in a third world country"
As they said they were on the plane and flight kept being delayed over and over. She had to feed the baby. If they had let her finish the baby would have been fine.
- Susan Hayes (@ Mrsdowgert1) December 12, 2017
"As those on the plane said, the flight had been delayed again and again. She had to feed the baby. If they had let it end, the baby would be fine."
Uh here's some answers: listen to the flight crew. There's a time and place for that. She couldn't wait 15-20 minutes to b-feed a 2 year old? She's entitled and doesn't think the rules apply to her. Take a bag of cereal instead.
- Baron Zemo (@ Shawpaw85) December 11, 2017
"Here are some answers: listen to the flight crew. There is a time and place for everything. Wouldn't it have been better to have waited 15-20 minutes to feed a 2-year-old boy? He demands rights and doesn't believe the rules apply to it. Take a bag of cereals instead! "
She was not being compliant. She did not follow the rules. She evidently thought because she's a breastfeeder she can do whatever the hell she wants. She DESERVED to be booted along with her bratty kid.
- A cynical optimist (@wthanyway) December 11, 2017
"She was not complying. She did not follow the rules. Evidently she thought she could do whatever she wanted simply because she was a nursing mother. She deserved to be expelled from the plane along with her spoiled son."
A witness of what happened posted the following message on his Facebook account:
"Absolutely disgusted to see how this woman was treated on my flight this morning. After enduring a delay of three and a half hours trapped in a plane, this woman's son began to cry and did not want to sit in his seat. The hostesses were rude with her and they treated them very badly. The plane was on the ground and did not move, it was not even about to move. After the woman refused to get off, they drove everyone off the plane to prevent the woman from being able to Come up again"
"It is clear that Spirit does not understand that two-year-olds cannot remain seated with their seatbelts fastened for more than three hours. He behaved very well during the first two hours, but does that not count? Was it necessary to call the police? I can't defend an airline after witnessing how badly their employees have treated this woman. I will never fly with them again. "
However, other witnesses agree with the airline and claim that the woman did not comply with the rules of the crew:
This mom is totally lying !! We were on this flight and this incident was her fault. She delayed our flight 4 hours because she would jut stay in her seat. They made us leave the plane 2 times. The flight attendants were very patient with her.
- Ana Harrison (@ anah2125) December 11, 2017
"This mother lies completely! We were on this flight and this incident was her fault. She delayed our flight 4 hours. They made us leave the plane twice. The flight attendants were very patient with her."
Once again, we are facing a case of expulsion of a mother and her son for breastfeeding in a public space. We really don't know what happened in this story since we only have the version of the affected one, but unfortunately it is not the first time that we encounter this type of situation.
Breastfeeding is a right that the child and mother have, but in this case, do you think the woman should have followed the instructions of the crew and waited for takeoff to breastfeed her child? Or do you think he did well not to let his son cry and continue to breastfeed him if, as she says, the plane was not yet ready to leave? The debate is served!
Via The Washington Post., KHOU11 News
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