In the final days of the mask era in the USA, Southwest Airlines has again denied boarding to a young autistic child over fear he could not keep his mask on during the flight.
Familiar Tune: Southwest Airlines Removes Autistic Child Over Fear Of Mask Compliance
8-year-old Max Kitze-Ward has autism. His family had planned a trip on Southwest Airlines from Chicago (ORD) to Punta Cana (PUJ) in the Dominican Republic. Southwest flies nonstop on Sundays from Chicago Midway (MDW), but the family left Tuesday from O’Hare. It was their first vacation in three years.
Upon showing up to the airport, the family let the Southwest Airlines check-in staff know that their son may have trouble keeping his mask on. They also presented a doctor’s note attesting to his autism and noting that a mask was not recommended. Earlier, the family had alerted Southwest Airlines that he had a cognitive disability and ordered a wheelchair for him.
But upon reaching the gate, instead of presenting Max with a wheelchair, Southwest presented him with an ultimatum: put on a mask or go home. Max’s mother put a mask on him (and it stayed on), but she added:
“He has, autism and I can’t guarantee he’s going to wear his mask later.”
That was too risky for the gate agent, who offloaded Max and his father from the flight. Max’s mother and sister ended up going to Punta Cana alone.
While Southwest claims it is simply evenly enforcing the rules, the families sees this as discriminatory treatment targeting a child with disabilities. I’m inclined to agree.
Throughout the pandemic, have you noticed a common theme? 1.) Child 2.) Autism 3.) Southwest Airlines. The “love” airline (based at Dallas Love Field with stock ticker LUV) certainly has not shown a lot of love when it comes to young children and masks.
Southwest told FOX 6 it was looking into the matter:
“We take pride in providing a warm and welcoming environment for all customers, and we are disheartened to hear of the family’s less-than-positive experience.”
Subsequently, Southwest not only refunded the two tickets, but offered a free trip in the future. Good save, but it should never have happened in the first place. Recognizing a disability and acting compassionately is not abdicating Southwest’s role in enforcing the mask mandate.
CONCLUSION
Southwest Airlines has once again thrown off an autistic child–and it was even for violating the mask policy but over fear he would. Sadly, had the family just remained silent there likely would not have been an issue. Instead, by trying to be honest the family was burned and their long-planned vacation ruined. It’s time to end the mask mandate for everyone, but especially for young children with disabilities.
What the hell is wrong with people. Has common sense completely left us? I’m so tired of being governed by such losers. Is there ANYTHING going right in this country? COVID is only over for those coming into the US illegally via the southern border.
Plenty of blame to go around here on both sides. The family had to know there are NO exceptions being given toward mask wearing. Don’t know their situation, but waiting until the mandate is over would have been the better choice.
The other blame is on the government for continuing this charade. SW is stuck following the rules they disagree with at this point. Hopefully they offered the family 4 free future tickets, not just 2.
I might have a stroke if I read one more of these cases. I’ve heard it all: passengers are abusive, passengers game the system, passengers don’t listen, consistency is everything in the airline business.
You know what else is everything? Respect and common sense.
I can hear the yapping defense of the gate agent. “There is a $10,000 fine if we don’t…” Guess what ? That fine will never be levied. But you’re going to get a lot of bad press and an Air Care Access Act complaint, and that will cost a lot more than $10,000.
If I can, I am not flying until the mandate is gone. Science and risk aside, mask rules draw out the worst in people, and seem to fog the judgement of airline staff.
I am disabled myself, and I have found that Southwest is the only airline that has ever given me a hard time. They seem to look at disability as suspicious or or some sort of trick. They should stop selling themselves as friendly and full LUV. You couldn’t pry sensitivity out of them with a crowbar.
I know they have too few staff, too few planes, the weather is bad, but how dare they take that out on a young family with a special needs child? Do any of these airline staff have families or children? How do they sleep at night? Shouldn’t they be medicated?
If this happened a year and a half ago, before the vaccine was available, I’d understand SW standing their ground. But at this point, all adults and children over 5 (i think) can get the vaccine. If you want the vaccine…get it. If you don’t think that’s enough protection then wear an N95 mask or don’t travel. If you don’t want the vaccine and you get sick or worse…who cares….you did it to yourself.
At this point there is no reason to continue to wear masks on planes. I can understand them for public transportation on buses or trains like the Chicago El. A large percentage of low income & elderly depend on that as their primary transport. I’ll continue to keep wearing mine on the El to help mask the smell. But as far as aviation, a vast majority are flying for work or pleasure….same as going to work or eating at a restaurant.
I’m a democrat and can’t for the life of me understand why the White House/left can’t move past this. Why does people want to stay stuck in Covid?
Thank you to the buffoon who resides in the White House for extending this absurd face diaper charade. A moronic rule that never made any scientific sense, but which enables virtue signaling galore. Yes folks, this is what enables power-drunk twits to behave so idiotically as to humiliate an autistic child’s family. Boy, aren’t we glad that “the adults are back in charge”. And things are more effed up than ever before.
The President didn’t extend the mask mandate. He has no say. It’s TSA mandated based on CDC guidance.. Get your facts straight. You’re entitled to your opinion but not make up your own facts.
@Chief Pilot – President Biden didn’t extend, but it more or less remains in place until he chooses to end it as it is by his executive order. So he didn’t rescind it, thereby extending the order he signed forcing the mandate. https://www.npr.org/2021/01/21/959398694/no-mask-no-fly-biden-signs-order-requiring-face-coverings-on-planes
Of course the mask mandate has become absurd at this point, not disputing that fact at all. It’s a purely a political tool now, and it will be lifted whenever Biden’s minders find it politically expedient to do so.
That said, the parents deserve most of the blame here. Southwest has a procedure to request an exemption based on disability, so they should have either gone through the proper channels to obtain an exemption OR just done their best without attracting attention. Telling a gate agent that you can’t “guarantee” your son will be compliant is asking to be thrown off. They should have told the gate agent that little Max is obsessive about wearing his mask and never takes it off (whether true or not). If he can only tolerate it for a short time, put it on right before boarding and make sure it stays on until takeoff. But whatever you do don’t tell the airline staff he may be non-compliant. Hopefully the parents learned a lesson from this experience.
The lesson the parents learned was to never fly sh*tbird SW again.
I have an idea. If you don’t like the way airline (or hotel or business or fill-in-the-blank) handles things, don’t do business with them.
The family should of anticipated this, they obviously knew the rule. It doesn’t matter what they thought of the rule.
I have a better idea. Southwest should have shown compassion to this passenger and passengers/families in similar situations by making an exception, as the mask mandate itself allows.
Agree. The SW gate agent was a complete Neanderthal in this case.
I agree. If you don’t like their rules then dont utilized their services.
Matt,
If you “bend” the rules then everyone will want the rules bent for them and you wind up with no rules.
¯\_(ツ)_/¯
Absolutely with Tony. Can you imagine a gate agent’s day if every passenger demanded an exception to a rule? Jesus christ what a nightmare.
There was no bending of the rules. SW’s policy allows for exceptions to be made (with proper and official documentation, which the family had), and they still denied this kid boarding.
Sounds like the parents were trying to do the right thing and raise the issue, and, in doing so, created a reason for the airline to unload them. Not their fault – they were trying to do the right thing – but had they just put the mask on the kid and boarded, it is likely they’d be in PUJ right now.
I would hope it’s the final days of the masrk era in the USA, as you put it.
I think Brandon has other ideas.
No one can really understand the situation for the family unless one has an autistic loved one in their own family. What SW did here was reprehensible. I am fortunate that I have no need to travel with that airline, and I never will.
Simply heart breaking. Just when you think an airline could not be more insensitive, Southwest proves it can always get worse. I hope the family pursues legal action against the airline – although I have not idea whether there are legal grounds which the family can base a law suit on,
I flew MCO-BWI on Frontier yesterday instead of Southwest. Since Southwest monopolized BWI and doubled all the fares I have refused to fly them. These stories just reinforce that decision. The crew on Frontier made 2 mask announcements – “we know you’re tired of wearing masks, we’re tired of wearing masks, and we’re tired of telling you to wear masks but Federal law requires you to wear a mask when flying.” They then proceeded to go about their business and didn’t bother anyone about masks. Made for the quietest, most pleasant flight I’ve been on in 2 years. Flights to MCO on American were similar.
Cadiz – The family obviously did anticipate it. They did everything right. They were honest and upfront about the situation. As Matthew points out, the mandate allows for exceptions. After the first, second, third…. time this happened on Southwest all of their staff should have been informed of the exception and given a proper, decent way to handle it.
As a medic, I can promise you there are still people dying of Covid but there are nothing like as many and they are almost all people who have declined the vaccine. I can understand the mask mandate in some settings – the only one in the UK now is in healthcare settings but even when it was universal, there has to be pragmatism about it and airlines in the US seem to be unable to make any sort of risk assessment and just mandate masks should be worn regardless of how inappropriate it is or the consequences of enforcing it. Crazy.
Good job Brandon!!!…..and yes, this BS is his fault. “Uniter in Chief”…..my ass
Drove halfway across the country to bring my toddler with similar circumstances with me, two weeks ago. He was miserable. Do we wish the mandate was gone? YES!
But, the family in the story was foolish and put not only themselves and the airline in an uncomfortable position, but this kiddo now has additional, avoidable trauma. It is irresponsible as hell to think something like an airline is going to make an exception for you, ever at the expense of a young one.
In fairness, being prepared to travel is determining if you can do it. We tried the mask for weeks before purchasing a ticket. Wasn’t going to happen. Driving it is. Torturous journey. Necessary. Good memories, he still wants in the car.
Of course there are circumstances that maybe parents couldn’t prepare for, and frankly I don’t know that it’s the airlines problem with that big ol govt telling em what to do.
The govt started jerking people around on masks at the inception of the vaccine, they should let that mandate drop!
Till then don’t be stupid.
Don’t understand. Toddlers don’t have to wear masks so why do you say you had to drive vs fly.
Yeah, southwest totally sucks here! Here is what happened to us several years ago. We were flying back from Disneyland, my young daughter (5) had eaten something her stomach didn’t agree with and had thrown up in the morning but was fine otherwise, no fever, nothing. Before we boarded, I asked the gate agent if we could sit near the bathrooms, just in case there is turbulence and she had to throw up again. Guess what they did. They kicked us off the flight saying we weren’t fit to fly. Imagine that. I am a multi-year A-Lister and that’s how they treated me. When i told the lady “you can’t do that” she proudly proclaimed that oh yes, she is in charge and has the power to deny boarding. Literally unbelievable. Only on Southwest!
I was at ORD on Monday and in the Admirals Club with a family who had an autistic daughter. They were going on vacation. The daughter did not have a mask on. Mom was beautifully open about her girls, so as we were chatting I asked her if the daughter had a mask exemption and if she had ever had any issues with it. She did have one and had NOT had problems. They fly on American Airlines. They simply followed the procedures–which all airlines are supposed to have–and then present the doctor’s note. So apparently this family needs to fly AA. AA is doing some craptastic things lately, but at least it is not treating a special needs child like she has the plague. Reading this incident at the same airport, exactly one day later than the sweet family with whom I visited left without incident on their vacation, makes me extra angry. I don’t fly Southwest, and here’s another reason why. I will take AA and their greed, or even Sara Nelson and her politics, over this type of repeated treatment toward a child who can’t even understand WHY she is being maligned.
As a pediatrician myself, the treatment of this child was horrendous.
A child with autism not wearing a mask is different than an adult refusing to wear a mask
The autistic child is not refusing, he is not capable. Big difference. He is developmentally not able to understand why he should wear a mask.
Even a developmentally normal 4 year old shouldnt be expected to wear a mask for the entire duration of the flight. It is absurd that the Faa set the age to 2. Should be 6, and that’s for developmentally normal children.
Amen. Thank you, Doctor.
The title of this posting has incorrect information, to wit; the child was not “thrown off”, he was Not Allowed to board and fly. There is a big difference between “throwing” someone off and not allowing one to board. Quit embellishing and lying.