Girl Says United Airways Crew Tried to Take away 2-12 months-Outdated Son’s Ventilator Earlier than Flight

A mom is warning all mother and father and caregivers after a troubling expertise with United Airways involving her “medically complicated” son.

Final week, Melissa Sotomayor shared a 10-minute TikTok video calling out the airline for its therapy of her and her 2-year-old son, Noah, throughout their March 8 flight from Tampa, Fla., to Newark, N.J.

She described their ordeal on board as “ridiculous” and stated their expertise was humiliating and unnecessarily demanding. Though United Airways later issued an apology, Sotomayor informed PEOPLE it “was not honest in any respect.”

As Sotomayor explains, Noah has imaginative and prescient and listening to impairments and depends on a tracheostomy tube and ventilator for respiration, in addition to a G-tube for diet and drugs. Conscious of their journey complexities, Sotomayor ensured all obligatory medical paperwork was so as far upfront of their journey. She stated their departing flight to Tampa was uneventful, however returning residence was a special story.

As soon as seated, a flight attendant instructed Sotomayor to take away Noah from his ventilator and transportable oxygen concentrator for takeoff. The mother defined that doing so was not an possibility, because the tools was holding her son alive. When requested for documentation, she offered letters of medical clearance from Noah’s pulmonologist and pediatrician, in addition to the required paperwork from United Airways authorizing the transportable oxygen concentrator.

Regardless of these paperwork, one other flight attendant insisted that the tools be saved below the seat. Sotomayor once more defined that it was not attainable and that the equipment was important for Noah’s survival. A 3rd flight attendant later echoed the identical demand, asserting that Noah would “be okay” with out the tools till reaching cruising altitude.

Sotomayor’s pre-selected seats had been organized by United’s accessibility division, but the crew nonetheless recommended relocating them. The scenario escalated when the captain acquired concerned, repeating the demand and accusing Sotomayor of being tough and endangering her son and different passengers. Even after being proven FAA-compliant documentation, he reportedly acknowledged Noah shouldn’t be allowed to fly as a result of “it’s harmful for him.”

A close-by passenger defended Sotomayor, stating she had offered the required documentation a number of instances and that the airline crew’s habits was leaning in the direction of harassment. When the mother accused the crew of appearing in opposition to the People with Disabilities Act (ADA), a flight attendant allegedly responded dismissively, saying, “I’m sorry you’re feeling that approach.”

The captain delayed takeoff for over an hour whereas allegedly contacting United supervisors. Finally, with out addressing Sotomayor immediately, he introduced the airplane would proceed with takeoff.

Following the flight, Sotomayor spoke with United’s company division however discovered their response “lower than caring.” A consultant insisted the airline follows FAA pointers and would do an inner investigation of her communications with the accessibility division. As Sotomayor recollected, the dialog ended abruptly with the consultant stating they “wouldn’t keep in touch anymore.”

“We’ve related with the shopper to deal with her issues and apologized for any frustration she might have skilled,” United Airways stated in an announcement to PEOPLE.

“The best way we had been handled was horrible,” Sotomayor concluded. “If you’re a dad or mum or have a particular wants beloved one, don’t fly United Airways.”