Shocking In-Flight Breastfeeding Incident
November 19, 2006 by kate baggott
Filed under Breastfeeding
I fly about 3 times a year with my children and for 3 of the past 4 years, I have breastfed onboard without a problem. In fact, the last time I flew Air Canada, one flight attendant commented how easy nursing looked and was grateful that my baby didn’t create any more work for the crew.
So, I found this report via Breastfeeding 1-2-3 of a woman asked to leave a Delta flight for nursing, extremely shocking. The right to breastfeed on a plane has long been established. In fact, most airlines encourage it to protect the baby’s ears from cabin pressure.
This incident isn’t as much about nursing rights as it is about poor customer service. How can any sane person deny a little baby the right to eat? Or, on an airplane, the right to relieve pressure on the ears during take off and landing? The flight attendant involved in this incident has obviously made a career-ending mistake, but the level of ignorance and callous disregard for passenger safety this shows is sure to make even more people worry about flying.
Plus, with the new liquid restrictions, breastfeeding is the one feeding option that presents less security risk to everyone who flies.
I used to fly Delta for business purposes fairly often, but haven’t used the airline for a while. This incident certainly ensures I won’t be flying with them for a very long time.
I’m always shocked by stories of people who have trouble NIPping (nursing in public. I nursed everywhere, blatantly, without covers and nursing tops and a zillion nursing implements you had to purchase. I never once had a problem or a cross look. I always felt like the (mainly american) women who insisted on flapping blankets about were actually drawing more attention to what was going on than just discreetly hiking up your t-shirt, unsnapping your bravado and getting on with it.
As you said, the airplane is a great place to nurse – easy feeding for the baby, keeps them quiet on the flight, helps their ears, and generally you’re kind of in your own little pod so no one can really see you unless they’re ogling.
In fact, I remember nursing practically straight through a trans-Atlantic flight, keeping the baby quiet!
I just can’t understand what about that would be a problem. Shame on Delta, or at least shame on that particular flight attendant.
I got a note from Delta this morning that made it clear it was a Freedom Airlines flight attendant. Freedom operated the flight in question for Delta.
They made it clear that they see this incident as a learning experience.
I have had interesting/surprised comments from women in the 60s and older while nursing in public, but nothing so troubling. A great number of women were brainwashed during the 1950s and they’re only now — when it’s timt to raise their grandchildren, coming out of it.