Mother kicked off plane for breastfeeding sues airline

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Mother kicked off plane for breastfeeding sues airline

Posted Nov 15th 2006 7:30AM by J.D. Griffioen

I've heard of breastfeeding mothers getting dirty looks from other passengers, and I've heard of moms who experience no problems breastfeeding on planes. But with the new security regulations that restrict liquids for babies on planes that are not purchased past the security checkpoints, I can't believe that a major airline would require a breastfeeding mother to cover up with a blanket, or that the airline would then demand that mother be removed from the flight for refusing to cover up.

But that's just what Emily Gillette says Delta airlines did to her. She was seated by the window on a flight between Burlington, Vermont and New York City with her husband in the center seat when the flight attendant observed her breastfeeding her 22-month-old daughter as the flight prepared to leave Burlington International Airport. The flight attendant handed her a blanket and told her to cover up, which she declined to do, telling the flight attendant she had a legal right to breastfeed her baby. According to Gillette, the attendant walked away and returned with a Delta ticket agent who said the flight attendant had asked that the family be removed from the flight. Gillette and her husband agreed, saying they didn't want to make a scene.

A spokesperson for Freedom Airlines (an affiliate of Delta) 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 airline. "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." Gillette has filed a complaint against the two airlines was filed with the Vermont Human Rights Commission. Vermont state law allows a mother to breast-feed in public.

Something tells me this had more to do with the baby being 22-months old than the visibility of Gillette's nipple. When the hell are people going to stop being such idiots about something so natural? If that had happened to me and my wife, there would have been a scene. There would have been a f%$#@ing scene alright.
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Mother kicked off plane for breastfeeding sues airline - ParentDish
 
A mother has the right to refuse to cover with blanket while she breastfed her baby. It's her own decision, not anyone.
 
Ongoing Coverage of Breastfeeding Mom Kicked off Plane

Lone Star Mamas "Try, Try Again" at Airport Nurse-In, with Banner Results
By Amy Philo
December 4, 2006

Dallas, Texas area mothers stood up for the right to breastfeed in public this past November 21, as part of the nationwide nurse-in at Delta ticket counters. The airport security at DFW approached the moms shortly after they arrived at the terminal. The first officer who approached the mothers informed the mothers they would have to leave because what they were doing was considered picketing and they needed a permit, and also, told them what they were doing was inappropriate, with the use of many rude and unnecessary words. Two more officers joined the first, and also told the mothers they would have to leave. The mothers pointed out to the officers that Texas law has no requirements for any sort of protocol while breastfeeding, and, additionally, Texas law allows women to go topless. However, one officer repeatedly threatened the moms with possible arrest for "indecent exposure" or "disorderly conduct." This officer also stated that his wife had breastfed their children, and they do not believe in "artificial feeding."

The mothers sought the permit at airport administration, but were told it takes at least three business days and requires a written statement. Once the permit application was in, the airport's legal department advised the organizers of the follow-up nurse-in that they did not need a permit. The mothers had been well within their rights the first time they held a nurse-in. Although the run-around was frustrating, the Texas mothers felt vindicated that their persistence brought this to light.

They quickly planned a second nurse-in for December 1. This time, several local news stations covered the event. The airport issued a statement to the press, which claimed that the officers at the first nurse-in handled the situation with the utmost respect and sensitivity. They claimed that the officers had not harassed the mothers at all, and that the mothers had been distributing literature and holding up signs, which was why they were asked to leave. The mothers at the first nurse-in were not distributing literature. They were holding small 8 x 10 inch signs, which were not derogatory in nature, and the mothers were never asked to put the signs away.

Ironically, the interference of police allowed more time to plan the second nurse-in. Although the first nurse-in had 5 moms and 9 kids in attendance, 27 adults and 28 children showed up the second time, as well as several media organizations.

Join Mothering lactivists in discussion about the Dallas Nurse-In.
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Dallas/Ft. Worth Nurse-In This Friday
November 29, 2006

Texas mothers plan another nurse-in at Dallas-Fort Worth Airport (DFW) this Friday, December 1, 2006, at 10 a.m. at the Delta counter in Terminal E of the airport.

On November 21, Dallas- and Fort Worth-area moms and their children held a nurse-in at the DFW airport, one of 39 nurse-ins held across the country. They were turned away by airport police, based on the complaint that they were "baring their breasts." The women were told that they would need a permit to hold the nurse-in, and were asked to leave. When they later requested a permit from airport officials for this Friday's nurse-in, they were informed that a permit is not required for a peaceful gathering inside the airport. The mothers are gathering Friday, again at the DFW Airport, for another nurse-in to protest Delta's actions against Emily Gillette and her family (read the full story below) and to demand rights for breastfeeding mothers and children.

Read more about Texas moms and their lactivism in our Texas Lactivism discussion.

Source: www.breastfeeding123.com
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National Airport Nurse-in a Huge Success
November 29, 2006

Last week, nearly 800 participants at 39 airports across the United States proclaimed a call to action on the breastfeeding rights of children and mothers.

On October 13th, 2006, Emily Gillette and her family were ejected before takeoff from a Freedom air flight, because the flight attendant was offended by Mrs. Gillette, who was breastfeeding her child and refused to cover her baby's head with an airline blanket.

Following a slow and insufficient response from Mesa/Freedom Airlines, a commuter affiliate of Delta Airlines, women across the country vowed to shed light on the continuing contradictions between public policies that strongly encourage breastfeeding and current attitudes that deny breastfeeding mothers and children a welcome place in the public sphere.

Although the American Association of Pediatrics and World Health Organization both recommend a year and/or more of nursing for young children, and despite a recent National Breastfeeding Awareness Campaign in the U.S., too many women face obstacles to breastfeeding due to a patchwork of little known state laws and poor business employee training policies.

Awaiting action by the Vermont Human Rights Commission regarding the Freedom Airlines incident, the grassroots lactivist movement continues to demand action in the following areas:

Delta and Mesa/Freedom must apologize personally to the Gillette family and offer written proof that policy and training procedures have been changed.
The airline industry should revisit their breastfeeding policies and employee-training methods, and remove obstacles to the transportation of pumped breast milk on aircrafts.
Passage of pending legislation that offers civil rights protection for breastfeeding women in the workplace. American workers trained to respect breastfeeding at work will begin to affect the cultural shift that must happen if we are to move beyond the ambivalence in some segments of society today.
Adoption of the new open domain breastfeeding accessibility icon to support families and affirm the basic human right of children to eat and receive comfort at the breast when and where they must.
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And further reading and also share their experiences in those link.

Ongoing Coverage of Breastfeeding Mom Kicked off Plane - News Bulletins November 2006
 
Wow, unbelievable... breastfeeding is natural for the mother and baby. It is so pathetic news!
 
That's totally stupidest thing I ever heard! We do have a RIGHT to breastfeed our baby!! With cover or without it. It is her decision! Not airlines or airport!!! RME!
 
Duh!!!!!!!!!!!!! the animals breastfeeding their babies so we can too. I breastfed my son when he was a baby. It was a natural thing to do. What the heck the world want some stupid artifical breast milk. YUCK for the babies.

I rather go for natural and I dont mind doing it. I would like to see all the mother who are breastfeeding their babies come to join and do it in the public and see what happen.
 
that so crazy!

but im sure mostly mothers need know what best and baby need getting hungry they getting breastfed from mother's milk but im sure mostly mothers always bring covers blankets to hide they dont show it in the public! i know in the planes more serious strict!

and also mostly mothers can get pump milk they bring their bottle to airport more simples they dont breastfed the baby! but im sure mostly mothers can makes breast milk to bring anywhere! if mostly mothers who still breastfed can have pump milk to make milk for baby because airport have serious strict as more reasons dues respectives of security! i respect airport security reasons.
 
That's batshit crazy. Breastfeeding is a part of natural human life. People seem to be forgetting that most of them were breastfed as babies too. :ugh3:
 
This is sooo ridiculous!!

What I hate is that breastfeed mothers have to hide somewhere or cover themselves up especially when they're in public places, If people don’t see breastfeeding, they won’t think it’s normal and won’t breastfeed their children... What kind of message is this?...Breastfeeding itself is not a sexual act, it is a beauitful natural way to connect with their infants , if we are allow to have as many children as we want, then we should have the right to feed our infants in public places whether it may be breast or bottle-feeding without covering up...However We do live in a society where we would see topless, blinkies, blouses that can see through, ads, boards, etc thats exposed breasts and no one seem to care, but only to care about breastfeed mothers who exposed their breast in public places just to feed their infants....if it bothers some people, then don't look ..
 
PowerON said:
how do you feel when I stare you have breastfeeding?
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Thank you for let me know then I will know for the sure that it's American when I see them for want to stare my breast while I breastfed my baby... :)

Of course, you can stare my breast if you like to but not touch it... I don't blame you because you never see breast in your life... Right? :D
 
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Angel said:
This is sooo ridiculous!!

What I hate is that breastfeed mothers have to hide somewhere or cover themselves up especially when they're in public places, If people don’t see breastfeeding, they won’t think it’s normal and won’t breastfeed their children... What kind of message is this?...Breastfeeding itself is not a sexual act, it is a beauitful natural way to connect with their infants , if we are allow to have as many children as we want, then we should have the right to feed our infants in public places whether it may be breast or bottle-feeding without covering up...However We do live in a society where we would see topless, blinkies, blouses that can see through, ads, boards, etc thats exposed breasts and no one seem to care, but only to care about breastfeed mothers who exposed their breast in public places just to feed their infants....if it bothers some people, then don't look ..
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Yes, it's really sad that the people have "dirty mind" when they look at mother public breastfed their baby.

I provided many links in my thread about mothers's arrest over public breastfeeding...

http://www.alldeaf.com/parenting/43500-breastfeeding-public-around-world.html
 
Liebling:-))) said:
Yes, it's really sad that the people have "dirty mind" when they look at mother public breastfed their baby.

I provided many links in my thread about mothers's arrest over public breastfeeding...

http://www.alldeaf.com/parenting/43500-breastfeeding-public-around-world.html
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I think it's more to do with some people feeling uncomfortable seeing breasts being exposed in public, I bet you it would be the same kind of people that would complain about someone's baby crying and disturbing their quiet time on the flight....I'm starting to wonder here if people who complain about others breastfeeding in public really have any feelings for young babies at all...I mean when a baby is hungry, it should be fed. Those of you who are afraid of your child seeing it, and can't think clearly enough to just explain to your child that the woman is feeding her baby that's all she is doing.... This story makes me want to cry, I feel so bad for these mothers out there who is just trying to feed their babies...I really wish they will leave these mothers alone...
 
In the old days, there weren't any baby food, I am sure all the babies rely on the mothers' breastmilk. And come to think of it, alot of us were breast fed! It's a natural human process to help babies grow into healthy adults.
 
It's really hard to say something about this cause in one hand i think breast feeding natural duh shouldnt have a problem but on the second hand you do have to think society has become so hush hush about it and they did ask her to cover up and provide her with something to cover up with. But than also thinking i've been on planes before and they get hot when you arn't flying yet and putting a blaknet over a sensitive baby you risk the baby getting to hot. there are so many factors to take into account it's really a up in the air subject
 
My mother said "Anyone who thinks breastfeeding is obscene must think motherhood is obscene -- And should not have had one."
 
Unbelievable! People should not have to deal with this kind of thing as breast milk is the best thing going.
 
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