American Airlines is issuing an apology after a breastfeeding mother says she was berated by flight attendants for trying to bring her breast pump on board.
American Airlines is the latest airline to face scathing headlines after Kelsey Myers, a breastfeeding mother, was pulled aside while trying to board her flight from Los Angeles to Chicago and berated for trying to bring an extra bag, a medical bag carrying her breast bump and a cooler carrying milk, on board.
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“I was just boarding flight #1243 from LAX to ORD with a carry on, personal item, breast milk and a breast pump,” Myers explained on American Airlines‘ Facebook page, items that are all within American Airlines’ carry-on policy, which allows passengers to bring an additional bag for medical devices, including breast pumps.
However, a male flight attendant prevented her from boarding, claiming that she had too many bags and had to check one in. After calling a supervisor, the incident only escalated.
“She did not even ask me the situation, but instead immediately told me I need to check a bag,” Myers wrote. “She started yelling at me to check the bag. In a condescending tone, she screamed in front of about 50 people waiting to board the flight ‘how many boobs do you have.’”
The new mom, feeling “disrespected and humiliated,” eventually gave in and checked in her carry-on bag, despite that she was able to fit both her purse and the breast pump bag under the seat in front of her.
Now, American Airlines is issuing Myers an apology for the incident.
“This was an error on the customer service agent in LAX’s part, and she should have been allowed to bring those items on the aircraft,” Leslie Scott, a spokesperson for American Airlines, told PEOPLE. “We certainly apologize for the error, and will take this opportunity to reiterate the policy so it hopefully doesn’t happen again. We have these policies in place — not to make it more difficult, but to make it easier for women.”
While Scott was unable to comment on any disciplinary action taken against the flight attendants, she did state that the airline will “take the opportunity to reiterate the policy with our team members, and hopefully this doesn’t happen again.”
This is not the first time that the airline has faced a bad reputation. In January, fitness model Jen Selter was escorted off an American Airlines plane by five male officers after she rose from her seat and reached for something in the overhead compartment on a 90-minute delayed flight.
American Airlines reportedly offered Selter accommodations for the night following the incident, which she allegedly declined.
