Airline Losing Breastfeeding Case

Delta Airlines is losing their fight against a claim from a mother kicked off the plane last October for Breast-feeding her child. The Human Rights commission has denied the request to dismiss the case after a hearing took place today.

After boarding a flight last year, Emily Gillette was made to exit the plane after she was seen breast-feeding her young child. A flight attendant apparently offered her a blanket to cover up while nursing and when Gillette refused the airline employee got a gate agent order to escort her off the flight before take-off.

Delta and freedom airlines (flying a commuter flight for Delta) have claimed that Emily Gillette was allowed to re-board the airplane after the incidence occurred but rejected the idea. Gillette says they never offered this and she was very upset after being kicked off for feeding and comforting her child. What is worse, a screaming child on a full airplane or a content one who is nursing?

Gillette's Lawyer is surprised that the airlines are still trying to fight the claim. This after they have addressed the issue of breast-feeding on planes and have responded saying they would never discriminate against anyone as a result of them feeding their baby or small child. The airline claims that they should not be held accountable as apparently the flight attendant was not a Delta employee, nor was she up to date on their policy regarding situations similar to what occurred last October.

The lawsuit will go on as Human Rights advocates are hoping that it brings enough attention to the public regarding rights of women to breast-feed their child anywhere, including crowded airplanes. If the women had offered her child a bottle or sippy cup or an apple chances are she would have remained on the plane without a second glance in her direction. The flight attendant was wrong to get upset when the mother refused to cover up with a blanket and remove her from the flight. Emily Gillette was reportedly not exposing her body while feeding her child, it was the flight attendants own reservations which caused the innocent act of breast-feeding to become a big deal and something supposedly worth being kicked off the plane.

Delta and Freedom airlines had hoped to settle the case quietly and without much media attention but the fact that they still deny any wrong doing and will not admit fault has meant that the case must go on in order to protect breast-feeding mothers and infants in our country.

Sources:

AP. "Airline lose over Breast-feeding claim"

http://www.newsday.com/news/nationworld/wire/sns-ap-breast-feeding-passenger,0,5760829.story?coll=sns-ap-nationworld-headlines