Mask dispute involving 2-year-old gets mom kicked off flight from Charlotte, she says

A New Hampshire mom says she was booted off a flight out of Charlotte, N.C., because her 2-year-old son refused to wear a mask as the plane sat at Charlotte Douglas International Airport.

Rachel Starr Davis of Portsmouth said “the horror” happened Sept. 17 on an American Airlines flight from Charlotte to Manchester, and ended with all passengers told to deplane, according to her Instagram post.

Davis wrote she and her son were not allowed to return to their seats with the other passengers, and were told they would be given seats on a later flight that day.

“I tried repeatedly, begged him, bribed him, pleaded with him, did everything I could while he was screaming and crying as I tried to hold him and put the mask on,” she posted on Instagram and Facebook.

“This is the world we live in? This is not a mask debate. This is a ‘be a ... damned human’ debate. I will never fly American Airlines ever again.”

Face coverings have been required on American Airlines flights since May, due to the COVID-19 pandemic and research showing infected people spread the virus when coughing and speaking. In July, the airline “announced it would only allow exemptions for customers under 2 years old,” according to the American Airlines Newsroom.

“Policies are enforced and approved face coverings are made available at key points throughout the customer journey,” American Airlines spokeswoman Gianna Urgo said in a statement to McClatchy News.

“We’ve reached out to the family to learn more about their recent travel experience and to address their concerns.”

She added that the policy for all U.S. airlines is based on guidance from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, which states “children 2 years of age and older should wear a mask in public and when around people they don’t live with.”

Davis’ Instagram post has gotten 190,000 likes, but commenters have been divided, with some noting the deadly nature of the virus is why airlines are strict.

The virus has infected 6.8 million people in the United States and killed 200,000 as of Sept. 22, according to Johns Hopkins University.

“This is another mom thinking they get a free pass cause they’re so special,” a woman commented on Davis’ post. “Is it a policy that he wears a mask? Yes. Did you know it beforehand? Yes. ... Parents should know better and think of everyone’s safety.”

Those supporting Davis noted toddlers don’t always act responsibly, even in a pandemic, and expectations should be adjusted for that reality.

“I can’t stop laughing at these comments,” someone wrote. “People commenting that this 2 year old should behave like a 30 year old. I’m dying. A baby is not an adult and should not be expected to behave like one.”

On Sept. 21, Davis posted an update on Instagram that thanked those supporting her post.

“This is brand new territory for me, so thank you to those who are showing me grace and compassion as we navigate,” she wrote.

“No mother should ever feel the way I felt on that plane. ... We don’t think we are above the rules, and we were doing our best to do as we were demanded in that moment. The situation was against us before we even knew what was happening.”

This story was originally published September 22, 2020 at 12:15 PM with the headline "Mask dispute involving 2-year-old gets mom kicked off flight from Charlotte, she says."