Vermont has some of the toughest laws guaranteeing a woman’s right to breastfeed in public. Nevertheless, a New Mexico woman was shamed and humiliated when a flight attendant on a New York-bound Delta flight at Burlington International Airport forced the woman and her family off of the plane because she was breast- feeding her 22-month-old daughter and refused to cover up with a blanket.
Emily Gillette attempted to negotiate with Delta, but the settlement collapsed. She has since filed a federal lawsuit. According to court documents, Gillette was flying from Burlington on a Delta Connections flight operated by Freedom Airlines, Inc. when she twice refused a blanket offered by the flight attendant to cover herself while breastfeeding. Consequently, the flight attendant ordered her off of the plane for “failing to follow the flight attendant’s instructions”. Gillette gathered her belongings and approached the front of the plane. She then told the flight attendant that she was embarrassing and humiliating her. Nevertheless, the flight attendant pointed to the exit and demanded that she “just get off the plane”.
Delta declined to comment on the pending litigation, but did state that they “work with all of our Connection partners to ensure the customer experience is consistent.” In this case, it seems as if the “customer experience” can also be a poor one, as long as it’s consistent.
recently named in the 2009 edition of Best Lawyer's In America, David Mittleman has been representing seriously injured people since 1985. A partner with Church Wyble PC—a division of Grewal Law PLLC—Mr. Mittleman and his partners focus on medical malpractice, wrongful death, car accidents, slip and falls, nursing home injury, pharmacy/pharmacist negligence and disability claims.
3 Comments
Facebook User
SHAME on Delta and SHAME on that flight attendant for abusing their position of authority and embarrassing that poor woman. Breastfeeding is NOT a crime nor is it something "shameful" or "dirty" that needs to be covered up. What is WRONG with people who think that breastfeeding is wrong/odd/shameful/disgusting/etc ???? It's the most NORMAL and NATURAL thing in the WORLD for mammals to do, including us!!! Noone thinks watching cute little puppies with their mother is gross, but the same people cringe from a breastfeeding human baby??? Really?
Reverend_Boony
Thats pretty pathetic of delta...All that mother was doing was feeding her baby...And doing it in the most natural way possible.
Delta airlines needs to grow up.
Christine Poirier
Way to go Emily Gillette ! Thank you for standing up for your rights, by doing so you are helping not only yourself but all new mothers. Legislation does not mean much if it is not reenforced. It is because of women like you that our society can become more open and just for everyone. Thank you so much for raising awareness of breastfeeding mothers' rights.
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