breastfeeding mom flying unfriendly skies

[butterflybirth]

Read this article about a family being kicked off a Delta airlines for breastfeeding (but not "discreeetly" enough). (Could it be merely a coincidence that the baby she was nurturing was 22 months old?) If you go to the bottom of the article below, you can link to the actual story and VOTE IN A POLL about public breastfeeding. Please do!!!

Woman kicked off plane for breast-feeding
Files complaint saying she was being discreet, airline disagrees

The Associated Press
Updated: 6:16 p.m. CT Nov 14, 2006

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.

© 2006 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/15720339/

[jesscardona]

What the hec?? That is just WRONG!! I thought it was legal.. so is it not legal?

[jesscardona]

I mean are BF women going to have to carry something stating that it is legal to BF..?

[butterflybirth]

The actual article on MSNBC also has a link to a discussion on this topic, so of course, I went there and put in my 2 cents. I'm happy to say that most of the posts were overwhelmingly in favor of the mom's right to breastfeed on the plane. A few pointed out that she "should" already have weaned the baby, who is 22 months old. (So I guess they feel the airline was within its rights because her child is "too old" to be hanging on the breast.)

Here is one of the responses that I found very curious and thought-provoking (from nov167dt). It was post #17:

I have no problem with breast feeding. I does not offend me at all.

I think this incident might have been more of a safety issue. After 9/11 flight attendants are more concerned with safety and if any passenger makes them feel uncomfortable or a passenger seems to not want to comply with the flight attendant's request, often they will be asked to leave the plane if it has not left the gate. Maybe that flight attendant felt threatened by the women or felt she could cause trouble later in the flight.

A flight at 30,000 feet is not the best place to protest anyone's rights for anything. My question is why would she not just use the blanket as requested? Did she want to protest the issue or make a scene or make a statement for her right to breast feed?

How about someone wearing a shirt on a plane that says "F... the pilot or the President" or say all women should be slaves to men or some other type of very offensive statement. That person would likely be asked to remove the shirt or turn it inside out. While it is that person's right of free speech, where that same free speech will likely cause tension on a plane that could effect the aircrafts safety then that fact has to take priority.

What is reasonable and unreasonable will always be a gray area. What the flight attendant saw as a reasonable request was taken differently to the lady with the baby. However, when on a plane, safety will always be first and the parties can debate the issues on the ground later. (When everyone is still alive) Remember, unlike on the ground the other 200 passengers could not just walk away and distance themselves from the situation.

Today Flight Attendants are no longer airborne waitresses (or waiters) they are the first line of defense. (NO...I do not work for any airline, I just fly quite a bit).

Today the attitude on all airlines is really, sit quietly and do as we instruct or take a different flight. If you try to argue with the crew, you will lose the first round every time. It is like trying to win an argument with a traffic cop over how fast you were driving...it is always a losing fight for the driver.

If you want to read more of the discussion, you can try to go directly there through this link....http://boards.msn.com/MSNBCboards/th...m=HIPDelay%3d1

[jesscardona]

I understand about the whole issue with the child being 22 months old.. but that's nobody's business only those parents, if they want to BF until that child is 4.. the whole point is the BF issue, and her husband was right there so he was covering her..

[BornToBirth]

OMG ,a breastfeeding woman on their flights is perfectly acceptable ?So is a day old loaf of bread ,I dont like the message that sends .It sounds like......we dont like it but we will accept it.
My sister breast fed her babies until they were 4 years old .

[1stimestar]

Ugh. Thanks for sharing.

[b'earth angel]

Who's definition of discreet are they using? The same one with advertising that shows a 80% naked women in it suggesting you try their drink or drive their care? Did another passenger actually complain or did this agent of the airlines just take it upon him/herself to 'prevent' an offense. How many times has this happened and the ejected passenger didn't file a complaint?

[syncreo]

Hi,
I think the airline was just plain wrong - no need to justify or explain for me it is so obvious that they violated her rights. I breastfeed my 21month old and I don't feel the need to justify or explain that to anyone - you can bet I would have filed a complaint.

As far as the posters comments about 'safety' etc. it seems like fear is becoming the best excuse for discrimination. .I am pretty fed up with that whole train of thought and think it is weak in so many ways.