New Hampshire Mom Says She Was Kicked Off Flight After 2-Year-Old Son Wouldn't Wear Mask
PORTSMOUTH, N.H. (CBS) - A New Hampshire mother said she was kicked off an American Airlines flight when her two-year-old son wouldn't keep his mask on. Rachel Starr Davis of Portsmouth posted a picture on Instagram Friday saying she tried everything to get him to wear it. She said her young son was screaming and crying as she tried to put the mask on him.
The airline requires all passengers two years and older to wear a mask.
Davis said the crew forced everyone to get off the plane and they did not allow her and her son back on the flight to Manchester. She said she was left crying in the airport in Charlotte, North Carolina.
"I got to the point where I just wanted to get home so badly and they kept saying 'you're not going to be able to take this flight if you don't get him to wear a mask.' I was literally holding a piece of cloth up over his nose and mouth and holding him like that, making me feel so guilty as a mom," Davis told WBZ-TV.
Davis told the Portsmouth Herald she was given a complimentary flight home about four hours later on another American Airlines flight.
But her post went viral with more than 190,000 likes and more than 30,000 comments.
Davis posted again Monday saying she's received an outpouring of support and added "No mother should ever feel the way I felt on that plane."
"To ensure the safety of our customers and team, American Airlines requires all persons 2 years and older to wear an appropriate face covering throughout the entirety of their journey. Policies are enforced and approved face coverings are made available at key points throughout the customer journey," American Airlines spokeswoman Gianna Urgo told WBZ-TV in a statement Tuesday.
"We've reached out to the family to learn more about their recent travel experience and to address their concerns."
