In the US, a family was asked to get off a plane for ‘not following’ COVID-19 protocols. The incident occurred on a Spirit Airlines flight from Orlando to New York City and a video clip of the same was shared by a user on the internet. In the video, a gate agent could be seen asking the family to deboard after a 2-year-old child with the family was seen without a mask. The child appears to be eating something while sitting in her mother’s lap. A 7-year-old specially-abled son of the family was also travelling with them when the incident occurred.
According to a report in New York Post, Ari and Avital Eisenberg with their 2 children were flying back from Orlando after spending a vacation in Florida.
The viral video created a stir on the internet and people criticized the airlines. In its defence, the airlines said that it was just following the federal norms set for the COVID-19. It claimed that the family was asked to wear the mask twice but after they failed to comply with the request, they were asked to get off the plane. However, the video suggests otherwise, as both the parents were seen wearing the mask and it was only the child who was without the mask. The airline attendant can also be seen mentioning that it was because the child was not wearing a mask.
When the family refused to follow the instructions to get off the plane, the entire plane had to deboard. However, everyone was allowed back on the plane and the flight took off after a delay.
WATCH THIS: A family was just kicked off a @SpiritAirlines flight from Orlando to NY, because their two-year-old child who was eating, wasn’t wearing a mask. The mother is 7 months pregnant, and they have a special needs child. The entire flight was deplaned. pic.twitter.com/dcjLIEbDfA— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 5, 2021
More from the @SpiritAirlines flight. pic.twitter.com/PMq2nArVWz— Breaking911 (@Breaking911) April 5, 2021
The child is special needs! shouldn't need a mask— Sam…🍭🎃❄️ (@wintergirl_93) April 5, 2021
the child is eating anyway, how on Earth would a mask even work at that point smh— Hurricane Ffolkes (@HuracanFfolkes) April 5, 2021
So packing a plane full of people is fine but not allowing a child to eat without a mask on? Are we serious? I've been on a few Spirit Airlines flights myself and most of gone on without a hitch.— AverageGuido (@AverageGuido) April 5, 2021
How does one eat with a mask on is really the question I want answered.This whole situation is ridiculous— MPM (@awareness_tiger) April 5, 2021
According to a report in the New York Post, the airline claimed that the family was not following the policy of covering their face while on boards though their violation was not caught on camera. The family denied the claims made by the airlines as a lie. Ari said, “I have no words. Next level craziness. I understand if I gave someone attitude but there was none of that. We were about to take off.”
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