A couple on the way from Punta Gorda, Florida, to Indianapolis were kicked off their flight before takeoff. The reason why? Their baby was crying, and a worker on the aircraft claimed the infant was “sick.” Now their story has gone viral on social media, and the airline has responded.
Sydney and Kyle Tash had just boarded their flight from Punta Gorda, Florida, to Indianapolis on March 27 when their journey came to an abrupt end. Not long after they had sat down in their seats on the Allegiant Air plane, their baby, Ellie’s, mood changed.
The youngster had been calm and quiet through security and at the gate. But as they sat down on the plane, she started crying.
Suddenly, an Allegiant Air worker asked to see their boarding passes and asked questions about their baby, including the baby’s name and birthdate. Then, a flight attendant deemed their baby sick and unfit to fly because her face was red from crying.
Sydney Tash shared what happened on TikTok, a video that has gotten millions of views.
“They called her an unidentified infant over the walkie-talkie. Then they told us a flight attendant reported us for a baby being feverish [because her face was red from crying] … said medical professionals wouldn’t clear her to fly and that we were going to have to get off,” Sydney said.
Couple sparks debate after airline kicks them off flight due to their “sick” crying baby
The mother continued, “Nobody would come and see her. Nobody on the flight was required to have a temperature checked. Nobody would even come and take her temperature. They said, ‘well she looks red, and it looks like a rash.’ Several other babies were on the flight and also crying. We were told to get off the flight or police would take us off of it even though we weren’t arguing or cussing.”
Sydney said her family was booked on another flight the next morning. Still, the mother claims the airline didn’t provide them with any compensation. Moreover, their luggage was stuck on the previous flight.
For the second flight, Sydney shared, “they even tried to make it better, putting us in priority boarding and extra leg room, which we didn’t care about.”
The NY Post received a statement from Allegiant Air in which a spokesperson explained that the crew is “responsible for making real-time decisions that prioritize the safety and well-being of all passengers on board. If a crew member has concerns about a passenger’s ability to travel, especially when an infant or potential medical issue is involved, they may pause boarding to consult our medical information service provider, MedLink.”
Airline responds
The statement continued, “In this instance, our crew consulted MedLink after observing symptoms that raised concern, which is standard procedure and consistent with industry practice across many airlines when a passenger health issue arises. Based on the information available, MedLink advised that it was not in the child’s best interest to continue travel.”
As mentioned, the video has been seen by millions of people, and the discussion about who was right and who was wrong has been ongoing since. Some took the airline’s side, while others didn’t.
“I can promise you, we hear babies cry on our aircraft every day. Crying babies do not bother us. If the flight attendant and Gate Agent requested med link to assess the baby and follow their guidance, it was out of care and concern of this child not for any other reason,” one commenter wrote.
“The baby was literally screaming crazy to expect people to just sit thru that,” another added.
“The flight attendant’s action was out of care and concern for this child and not any other reason,” a third said.
The internet is divided
Other users emphasized with the family, criticizing the airline’s actions.
One user simply asked, “Why does the world make it more difficult for new parents?”
Another commented, “So the airline is now giving out healthcare advice,” while a third chimed in, “As a healthcare provider, I would have asked to see who assessed my child. Because assessing a minor without consent is against medical ethics!”
“Sue, they are supposed to compensate you if they change your flight last minute,” another user pointed out.
Did the airline do the right thing? Please share your thoughts in the comment section on Facebook and join the discussion.
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