Airline Responds to Complaint E-mails
November 17, 2006 by Angela White, J.D., breastfeeding counselor
Filed under activism, nursing in public, travel
Freedom Airlines operated the Delta flight from which a nursing mother was removed for refusing to cover up. The Burlington Free Press has been following the story, and today it published a statement by Freedom Airlines. The statement explains that the flight attendant in question was young and new to her job, and she has been disciplined. The incident certainly has raised awareness within the company about how to handle such matters in the future:
To clarify our policy, Freedom Airlines firmly supports a mother’s right to breast feed a child. We understand that air travel presents particular difficulties to a nursing mother as airport facilities and aircraft are not designed to maximize privacy for passengers. Moreover while blankets are available for passengers convenience, we do not expect, (and will not in the future request) that nursing mothers use a blanket to cover their child while nursing. My comment in the original article to the contrary was not an accurate statement of our policy. I thank you for expressing your views to us and truly hope that you find our response both genuine and satisfactory.
While I’m pleased to see a response from the company, I’m disappointed not to see any expression of remorse. The company claims that “the Captain apologized to the passenger and her family and immediately requested that they be re-boarded for their flight (an offer the family refused).” However, nursing mother Emily Gillette said that she was never offered an opportunity to re-board the flight. Delta provided ground transportation and overnight hotel accommodations, and placed the family on a non-Delta flight the next morning.
The airlines response is NOT adequate – even the language is about treatment of a “nursing mother” rather than about BABIES. I lived the past decade in Brussels where I flew often and breastfed all my children while take off and landing, and anywhere (parks, cities, restaurants).
Airline staffs training should reflect the issues involved for the baby: (1) nutritional (2) ear canal relief (3) eye contact development leading to advanced social intelligence (4) attachment with parent.
I will avoid flying US airlines as they seem to have US ignorant staff.
I agree it wasn’t adequate. I do think with the national nurse-ins that a lot of attention has been drawn to the issue, and a lot of women were seen on the news making some of the points you make – that it’s about a baby’s right to eat (not about a mother’s right to nurse).
I’ve never had any trouble on Northwest Airlines. They’ve been very accommodating and people usually are glad I’m nursing because it helps everyone have a pleasant flight – my baby, me and the people around me.