In what appears to be another ridiculous lack of common sense on the part of Spirit Airlines, a family was removed because their two-year-old could not keep a mask on while eating yogurt.
Spirit Airlines Kicks Off Another Family Over Mask Compliance…Then Lets Them Back Onboard
Ari and Avital Eisenberg were traveling from Orlando to Atlantic City on Spirt Airlines with their two-year-old daughter, Rikki, and seven-year-old son, Daniel. Avital is also seven months pregnant. Their son had a documented disability and could not keep his mask on. But that wasn’t the issue. Flight attendants instead took issue with the Eisenberg’s two-year-old daughter.
In widely-shared videos, a flight attendant is heard ordering the family to get off the aircraft, even though the two-year-old girl is eating yogurt quietly. Other passengers jump to the family’s defense, but the police are called. The flight attendant blames the pilot.
NEW – Family is being thrown off a @SpiritAirlines flight from Orlando to NY because their two-year-old child is eating without a mask.pic.twitter.com/dOIZrbbJt6
— Disclose.tv 🚨 (@disclosetv) April 5, 2021
VIDEO: @SpiritAirlines staffer tells pregnant Mom that her young child needs to put on a mask despite eating or else police will be called.
NOTE that the video shows the early moments of this incident, so @SpiritAirlines can’t pull here a he/she said. pic.twitter.com/DpJkXfvWJH
— Yossi Gestetner (@YossiGestetner) April 5, 2021
The family was removed, but in a strange (and welcome) turn of events was later deemed not a threat and allowed back on. A Spirit Airlines spokesperson indicated the family was allowed back on after promising to abide by mask guidelines, which call for passengers aged two and over to wear masks, expect when eating or drinking. Exceptions are offered for passengers with disabilities. The Eisenbergs noted that masks could trigger seizures for Daniel.
Initial reports suggested that a flight attendant was escorted off by police for berating the family. That did not happen, though it does appear that pouting flight crew refused to fly with the “dangerous” family. Instead, Spirit Airlines had to find a new crew.
ORLANDO: HORRIFIC – Family with special needs child is kicked off @SpiritAirlines flight to NJ – along with entire plane – after their 2-year-old didn’t wear a mask. Police were called. pic.twitter.com/qTwQrrh2au
— KolHaolam (@KolHaolam) April 5, 2021
The family was Orthodox Jewish, leading to more cries of discrimination on the part of Spirit Airlines after an incident last month when Spirit Airlines kicked off an autistic child.
Happy ending for the family kicked off Spirit Airlines! Everyone got back on they kicked the flight attendant off instead 😋 pic.twitter.com/Te2G6W04GZ
— suzy (@suzy__1776) April 5, 2021
My Take
If it isn’t obvious, I find situations like this to be incredibly absurd. In this case, I’m so glad the family was let back on. It goes well beyond the risk-benefit analysis of young children spreading the virus. Instead, it goes to basic issues of decency and humanity. Avital noted:
“My son missed his medication window. Thank God he didn’t have a seizure. He was sitting there in a soaking wet diaper because I couldn’t change him during the whole thing. My daughter is going crazy from all this it was a terrible terrible experience to go through let alone someone with a special needs child.”
That is the unintended consequences of such a ridiculous mandate.
And I also feel very sorry for the flight attendant in the video above. You can sense her discomfort as she was asked by a coward pilot to handle the situation. Flight attendants are stuck between a rock in a hard place. Many reasonably see the absurdity of forcing two-year-olds to wear masks. But they also must enforce company policy. Consequently, they endure the scorn of everyone. It’s not a position I envy.
CONCLUSION
I’m happy the family was allowed back onboard and able to travel to New Jersey. The incident should never have happened in the first place and it high time to exempt young children from wearing masks as many countries around the world do. Remember, the United Kingdom not only does not compel young children to wear masks, but says they are harmful. So what it? Whatever it is, throwing off a two-year-old is indefensible.
It’s time to end all this mask nonsense and go mask optional. Get the vaccine or don’t travel if you’re still petrified of getting on a plane.
I was fine with the 2yrs and up mask rule while most Americans were not vaccinated. The airlines were erring on the side of caution. I’m sure it sucked for people with kids, but the pandemic in general sucked.
Now that the vaccine is getting rolled out at a faster pace, I think the airlines need to look at revising the rule. Here in Chicago, if you are in a high risk group and haven’t gotten the shot…that’s on you. While I have been Team Mask the whole time, and still wear them 8-10 hours a day at work, I think we can start amending some procedures as more of the population gets vaccinated.
I think before the summer travel season, airlines should really think about moving the mask age to somewhere around 5-7 years old. There is so much pent up demand for travel and I think we are gonna see a lot of families in the air. I think the 2yr cutoff is going to cause a lot more issues this summer if things aren’t changed.
Why is the two year old sitting on the mother’s lap ??? (the older child is in the middle seat). Attention SPIRIT — YOUR RULES AS WELL AS EVERY OTHER AIRLINE STATE THAT A CHILD HAS TO BE BELOW THE AGE OF TWO TO BE A LAP CHILD. The child is too large and too old to be a “lap” child.
Two year old on the lap should be the issue, not removing the mask to eat yogurt !! If you’re going to enforce and apply rules, that would be the one to be looking at.
Flight attendants are the worst people in this country. That’s what happens when you give power to mentally challenged people.
Maybe the more this insanity happens, there will be increasing pressure to get rid of this mask crap.
While you Are right, @Matthew, that a 2 year old shouldn’t be forced to wear a mask, the blame lies with Biden and the CDC, not Spirit or the FA.
If anything, Spirit openly defied the Biden executive order by not having the family fined and banned from the airline. The order states masks must be worn between bites, which the child was not doing. The FA did his job to the letter.
With the vaccines available or soon to be available to all who wants one (got mine yesterday), the mask mandate needs to be allowed to expire on May 11. However, I expect Tweedle Dee (Biden) and Tweedle Dumb (the CDC director), to extend it through the remainder of the year instead
While it’s easy to blame the FA, he was correct to enforce the mandate. The problem lies with the mandate itself.
European countries (which for the most part have competent, dementia-free leadership) set the age minimum for masks much higher than 2 years old.
Easy solution. FAs should tell two-year-olds to snack during the flight…
@Joe Biden
Wow, what a coincidence! You have the same first name as the current president of the United States!
@Derek
Even when vaccinated, people still recommended to wear masks until herd immunity takes effect.
@Aaron
When the CDC is garbage like those who had the virus do not need a negative test to return to the USA while those who are vaccinated do (despite the vaccines providing more immunity than prior infection), CDC recommendations are not worth much
CDC is useless. Search for “Texas Covid cases” and you will see what happens to a very populated state when the Governor drops the mask mandate. Covid cases plummeted and are lower than ever in Texas.
This isn’t the whole story. Before the video starts, the parents weren’t wearing their masks. They were being difficult, not the 2 year old.
If that is the case, why wouldn’t Spirit Airlines insist upon that point and why were there not other witnesses who came forward to condemn the parents?
Spirit initially released a statement saying it was the family. However, that statement was quickly deleted
Clearly it’s a crazy situation. One suspects this guy has some attitude problems, perhaps not quite the injured, innocent party presented here. EG, he refers to the offending FA, in a clip not shown, by race: “ Only one African American had a problem…”, rather than position. But his own inadequacies/combativeness pale a little in the context of the lunacy of this policy.
@Santastico & Derek
It isn’t just the CDC that advises that.
Also, Texas is testing less than it used to. Less positive test results, but the mortality rate hasn’t declined. Hmm…
@Aaron: Which liberal news are you reading that shows Texas is testing less people? Also, unless your liberal news channels also have data showing deaths are up feel free to believe on that. Last day masks were mandatory there were 300 deaths. April 5th there were 20. That is official data from the CDC. Maybe you should get out of your bubble. There is life out there.
@Aaron
Hospitalizations and fatality rates have continued to decline here in TX.
Fauci is wondering how this is possible
Spirit Airlines, the US version of Ryanair ; same crappy service, same idiots in charge, just a different accent. @Aaron, youre clueless and definitely don’t know anything about Texas. Do us all a favor and keep your non-Texas opions whenever you are located. Hows that for a Hmmm….?
Has anyone at the CDC or at the airlines explained why we require 2-year-olds to wear masks but Europe doesn’t require them on planes until they’re like 8 or whatever it is?
It’s nonsensical.
@Derek: Fauver doesn’t even know his home address. The guy has no clue of anything. And great grandpa Joe is still living in his basement.
Aw, look at the poor triggered anti-mask conservative snowflakes!
Wait, that’s the type of tactic you guys use, I shouldn’t be saying stuff like that…
@Tom
Nah, like everyone on here I will comment as I see fit. I hope that is enough of a Hmmm… for you lol
How much more proof do we need that children shouldn’t be allowed on planes? Load up the minivan and enjoy a good old fashioned roadtrip. The other passengers will enjoy the lack of crying and screaming, no more jetway delays due to car-sized strollers, and not feeling every kick on your seatback.
If this weren’t on your post and I didn’t see the video, I would not of believed such utter nonsense could occur. What is happening to people in this country? Why so many people now abuse their small authority? This is beyond mask protocols and covid restrictions but something in the core of individuals that lacks decency, common sense, and professionalism.
Agreed!
@Aaron
You lost a debate on the arguments so you resort to name calling. Shows your character
Two year old on the lap is against FAA/airline rules….. and Spirit was more concerned about the kid eating yogurt without the mask on — seriously how would anyone eat with a mask covering their mouth?
JAMES, do you read what is going? Masks are needed to help prevent the spread of COVID even if one gets a COVID vaccine. Be smart!
@Derek
Nope, didn’t lose any debate. You know as much about my character as I know about yours. But keep telling yourself whatever you need to to get through the day.