Woman With Special Needs Child Says Flight Attendant Left Her Feeling ‘Humiliated’
- 10 years ago
Elit Kirschenbaum says that a United Airlines flight attendant treated her and her special needs daughter in a way that left the whole family feeling ‘humiliated’.
Elit Kirschenbaum says that a United Airlines flight attendant treated her and her special needs daughter in a way that left the whole family feeling ‘humiliated’.
She has shared that the troubling incident occurred when she and her family were traveling from Punta Cana to Newark on December 30th.
At the center of the drama was her daughter, who is 3 years old and affected by Cerebral Palsy and the residual effects of a stroke.
As the young girl cannot sit up by herself, on flights she typically rests on her mother’s lap, though when regulations require it they do purchase her a seat.
This time around the family was ticketed in business class. However, the additional seat they bought but didn’t intend to have to use, was in economy.
One flight attendant took issue with the arrangement, and despite pleas from workers and other passengers wouldn’t back down.
The attendant was even shown a passage in the workers’ manual that allowed for an exception.
Finally, a pilot had to intervene with a solution agreeable to both parties, but by the time that happened the flight had already been delayed an hour.
Kirschenbaum says all she wants from the airline is an apology.
Elit Kirschenbaum says that a United Airlines flight attendant treated her and her special needs daughter in a way that left the whole family feeling ‘humiliated’.
She has shared that the troubling incident occurred when she and her family were traveling from Punta Cana to Newark on December 30th.
At the center of the drama was her daughter, who is 3 years old and affected by Cerebral Palsy and the residual effects of a stroke.
As the young girl cannot sit up by herself, on flights she typically rests on her mother’s lap, though when regulations require it they do purchase her a seat.
This time around the family was ticketed in business class. However, the additional seat they bought but didn’t intend to have to use, was in economy.
One flight attendant took issue with the arrangement, and despite pleas from workers and other passengers wouldn’t back down.
The attendant was even shown a passage in the workers’ manual that allowed for an exception.
Finally, a pilot had to intervene with a solution agreeable to both parties, but by the time that happened the flight had already been delayed an hour.
Kirschenbaum says all she wants from the airline is an apology.