Texas – Adding to its list of controversial and widely criticized customer relations incidents, American Airlines kicked out a mother and her one-year-old baby for having a skin condition.
South Carolina mum Jordan Flake took to Facebook to talk about her experience with American Airlines, saying that she had “never been so humiliated in [her] life.”
What started out as a smooth check in and boarding process turned rocky when one of the flight attendants approached Flake on the plane and asked if she had a doctor’s note or medical clearance to board the flight due to her and her baby’s visible “rash.”
Flake explained that she and her baby have a skin condition called Ichthyosis. The flight attendant googled the condition, went away to ask the rest of the crew about it, but returned with the bad news.
Flake and her baby took their bags and alighted from the plane, assisted by the flight attendant who profusely apologized. She noted that one of the other flight attendants was obviously rude to her as she was preparing to leave.
Although the flight attendant assisted Flake in finding a hotel and booking another flight, American Airlines did not retrieve Flake’s checked in luggage which included their clothing and medicated lotions for their skin.
Ichthyosis is a hereditary skin condition that causes dry scaly skin resembling that of fish. The American Academy of Dermatology states that, “Ichthyosis isn’t contagious, so you cannot catch it from someone.”
American Airlines reached out to Flake directly and apologized, offering a refund for the missed flight and providing upgrades should she choose to fly with them again in the future.
The statement read, “Our goal at American Airlines is to create a welcoming environment for all of our customers. We sincerely apologize to Ms. Flake and her son for the experience they had Thursday, and our team has begun an investigation into the matter,” as reported by news sources.
Flake published her experience to raise awareness on Rare Disease Day, “Quit being ignorant and take the time to listen to people! I shouldn’t have to explain myself.”
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https://theindependent.sg.sg/american-airlines-and-singapore-airlines-spy-camera-fears-allayed/