Colorado mom reacts to being kicked off plane when 2-year-old refused to wear mask: 'Humiliating'

I certainly sympathize with the family and especially the little girl, but it seems like there was little planning done prior to boarding. They did not bring a familiar mask for the child. Perhaps a blankie or a turtleneck sweater could be pulled over the child's face and sit in the back. Something could have been done that would be comfortable with the child. They didn't think this through and were not proactive to the rule. The pilot is in charge and they could have made arrangement suitable to the pilot when making plans to board. I see it both ways. The fault is not exclusively with the airline. Otherwise, if they can't work it out, rent a car. The rule is not there to terrorize children but to provide some protection to the other passengers.

At the risk of sounding heartless, it sounds like the real boss here is the 2-year-old. I couldn't try that temper tantrum with my parents.

Funny when I see ALL seats full. Social distancing doesn't apply to air travel. Why? Money is the game here.

To all of you who are anti....covid everything.
Look, most of us are sick of the constantly moving goalposts, shut downs and general misery being perpetrated upon us by political fiat.
The bottom line is these air carriers are privately operated business entities. They are also licensed by the federal government giving them permission to ferry the public from point A and back.
The carriers have to concede to certain regulations in order to maintain operational status. Therefore those carriers will adhere to the orders of elected officials.
Bottom line, if one wishes to use air travel, they must comply with the rules and regulation. If they object, they are free to use other modes of transportation to reach their desired destination.
The rule is "each passenger aged 2 years or older MUST wear a face covering.
The adults should ( frequent flyers, they claim) have been prepared for any contingency.
QUite frankly, they had NO business taking a vacation so "the grandparents can see our kids".....And in my opinion, ALL interstate leisure travel should be barred until such time as mainstream people receive a Covid vaccine.
BTW, Qantas has fired the first "Vaccine salvo"...Their policy is once the vaccines become available through the general population, all travelers must provide proof of vaccination in order to board a Qantas aircraft. I fully expect US, Canadian and European carriers to follow suit.
No vaccine, not fly.

Its sure enough easy for us to throw rocks at someones parenting skills. I have some very close friends with a preschool child that was forced by the school district to wear a mask. The child was compliant, and did as instructed. That said, what nobody noticed was that the child begin suffering elevated blood pressure as he struggled to breath thru the mask. Within a few weeks, while at school, the young child suffered a stroke. Treatment required extensive brain surgery. In my opinion, too many politicians are acting like doctors, and too many doctors are acting like politicians.. Young children with developing lungs are not the problem, and in my opinion we place children in danger forcing anything that restricts free breathing and potentially causes a child to panic. Just my opinion.

If they are frequent flyers as they claim, then they KNEW the rules prior to booking the flight.
Lets get back to the brass tacks here and ask, "why are these people going on vacation across the country in the first place?".....Very selfish.
It is people such as these self centered ( my kiddies have to see their grandparents) that will result in air carriers mandating vaccinated passengers only rules. Just wait. Qantas has already announced this policy will begin. Expect other carriers to follow along.

Maybe they should have taken the minivan instead.......

It seems to me that it’s the airlines that have the temper tantrum problem.

As a parent, knowing what is required in these times, one works ahead: two weeks before the flight, start wearing a mask as a family and make it a game with a reward for the 2 year old. work up to the required time and have the child look forward to the reward.
We ALL have to make allowances in these times, what is wrong waiting a year to travel like most of us.

United has no problem opening up the middle seats, but apparently a 2 year old is a COVID risk to others? Whatever happened to the air filtration systems. Thought flying was no big deal.

Here's a take that's bound to tick off both sides of the mask issue. First of all, the masks you buy at your local pharmacy or Walmart are not meant to protect you from getting COVID. In fact, I have bought masks where the packaging explicitly says this. What they do is keep you from spreading it to others by minimizing the amount of your own droplets that you may spew through talking, sneezing, etc. Why do you think surgeons and dental hygienists wear them? But you can wear masks all the time and still end up getting it. I personally wear a mask whenever I can't maintain physical distance or interact with anyone, because I'm not selfish like a lot of anti-maskers are. But the pro-maskers need to drop the "protection" bit. If you want protection, wear an N95 or higher-rated mask.

However, there's no need for a mask on a 2-year-old. Come on now.

It's not a two-year old. The parents are making excuses.

They got their tickets refunded, their luggage returned AND they are not banned from UA.

It was bad enough in restaurants when parents let their kids scream and do what they [the kids] wanted. It's worse in COVID times in an airplane when the same entitled shits let their kids do whatever they want.

Zero sympathy for bad parenting. If you can't ensure your children do what society requires of them then you can take you and your children out of that society -- particularly when you're endangering 168 other people (or more, not sure of the AC).

E

You shouldn't be putting a mask on a 2 year old to begin with

If the kid zhits on dad's lap should the other pax "just deal with it"? What whiny asses here would go with that?

Breathing out potential covid is worse. No odor no shit but hey you can die.

Stop the excuses and if you don't think parents should've responsibly handled that, good for you.

As a pilot I'd have removed them also. I think UAL did great on this case.

E

Never too early to begin learning the concept of ‘consequences’ - as in - No, you don’t have to wear your mask, but one consequence of that choice is that you won’t be flying on this airplane...

Really dumb requirement, under the age of 5, kids will not sit still for a mask. Experience shows they don’t need it anyway. Just another dumb decision in a pretty dumb industry from an end user perspective.

If the parents cannot manage their child, they should stay home.

Total BS. You go past restaurants with tents outside. What is the difference between sitting in side where it is warm and dry, and sitting outside in a tent which is cold and damp? Pure political garbage.

Snowflake parents - can't control their kid, and it's "humiliating" when your kid won't wear a mask, puts everyone in the plane at risk, and you get removed.
Get over it. Get control of your kids.

Stay home or drive like everyone else. We all want to see our grand kids. What part of unnecessary travel do they not understand?

How more ridiculous can the US airlines get? The OMS does NOT recommend the use of masks on children under 10 years old! Even risk of life!!!! But NO, they know better!!!!

What was the alternative? Kudos to that crew for not putting up with her bullshit.

The CDC recommendations and the UA rules say over the age of 2 requires a mask. 2 yrs plus 1 day is over the age of 2. If you want to practice civil disobedience because you don't agree with the rule, OK, but accept the consequences. (But I sure hope the pilots on this forum don't pick and choose which FAA rules they're going to abide by)

There is a reason that the "terrible" twos are so named. Reasonable people should have been able to find a less drastic solution.

IF YOU CANNOT CONTROL YOUR CHILDREN THEN DO NOT GRT ON A PLANE TAKE A TRAIN

"That 2 year old must hate old people. What a selfish piece of human garbage. How dare he question the almighty mask?"

-Half of Flightaware

Roger, you don't come across as heartless, just clueless. To think a 2 yr old has the cognition or ability to "boss" her parents around is just ridiculous. I have no idea whether you have flown with your own child(or don't have children), you sound as if you are irritated by children on aircraft in general. Also pretending that you remember how your parents may have reacted to one of your tantrums at 2 yrs old is also ridiculous.

I got the worst flu I ever had from a 4 y.o.
I had thought: my g/f's little son has a cold..how bad can it be, so he came over and spent the weekend. On the Tue. it began..I was off work for a week. I recall that on Election day. Nov. 3rd there were 83,000 new reported cases that day. I thought, my God, that's a BIG number! Now here we are, 6 weeks later and the daily cases are up to 250,000 with more than 2500 Americans dying every day. That's 894,000+ deaths on a yearly basis and getting worse. If you haven't been paying attention, what the scientists are saying is STAY HOME. Flying around the country on trips to see Grandma hardly qualify as safe practice and this will make for a good "learning opportunity" for the kid since mommy is too busy being entitled and practicing her "whine".

Today we got kicked off of a United flight going from Denver to Newark because our 2yo would not “comply” and keep her mask on. Go see the full IGTV on my Instagram

And there it is. It's not about safety, or her and her family being traumatized. It's about becoming a "celebrity" on Twitter and Instagram.

No sympathy for her whatever. Follow the rules, or don't fly.

We must wear masks until this is behind us.

However, here in safe New Zealand; masks are not required on domestic flights or public transport for children under the age of 5.

masking a 2 year old is insane, unworkable

Its amazing how many Americans are willing to just give up all their freedoms! we will see how you all feel in a few years when all your posts are Censored! Its a free country and the CDC has already said, several times, kids are safe. Just the government trying to get their power play into yet another aspect of our lives!

United's policy clearly states over 2, not two and over. What happened here was an unknowledgeable and imperious FA trying to impose a policy that did not exist. The family is totally in the right here, and the airline and the FA are totally in the wrong. Where was the PIC in all this fiasco?
https://www.united.com/ual/en/us/fly/travel/what-to-expect.html

Granted, a two year old should not be deciding issues for adults, but in this case, the airline, parents and society as a whole should be better informed. Filtration systems aside, the kid has it right. Even if the kid has put it on so the flight could depart, do you really think it would have stayed on?

I would have thought that most of the readers here were pilots and therefore able to digest information and come to reasonable solutions. The problem is the media, both networks and social are blocking any view opposing that of mass pandemic. The information is out there...if you are willing to read it. Here is an excellent article with all the links for verifying the information...including reports from the CDC. Masks are a joke. More of the world is wearing them than are not wearing them and yet the "pandemic" is still here.

Read this entire article before you go downvoting me or anyone else who does not align with what is being portrayed as the truth. It's part of a serious titled: "The COVID News You Aren’t Supposed to See". Those of you who don't want to be ignorant may read it to see the other side, but, being the platform this is, I know many of you won't bother to read it at all before commenting. Ignorance is something you can change, but you can't fix stupid.

Trust no one and verify everything.
https://appliedheart.com/2020/12/17/covid-news-part-2/

For those of you to busy to take the time to read the entire article, the concluding remarks of the article summarize it well. Here they are.

The short version: Mask mandates have failed to slow the spread of COVID and may actually make you more likely to catch it. Lockdowns don’t appear to slow the spread of COVID at all, and they damage the economy and mental and physical health of people. If we can trust the excess death number, then lockdowns may actually be killing almost as many people as COVID-19 is. Stay tuned for part 3!

Selfish people.

Appears like the parents own the lionshare of this drama. What if the child wants a unicorn ?

Everyone(Flight Attendants, Parents) should just pretend the kid was less than two years old. What people don’t know won’t hurt them.

the little brat is capable of spreading the virus and being infected too, so masks are necessary for all. Perhaps a few benedrils or such similar pills ought to have been put into the kid. The tyranny of the child is the parents dilemma, and the spread of the virus is all our concerns.

Two year olds can be very obstinate and tantrum driven. Remember the "terrible two's"? Everyone who as had children know this. I always hope not to fly on planes that have these toddlers onboard. They can be pretty bad trying to keep them in their seat even without masks. That said, the airlines were wrong.

Let's all wear a piece of random fabric (handkerchief/cheesecloth/nylon stocking/silk scarf/whatever) over our faces (that in no way will protect us from airborne viruses) so we can FEEL better and virtue signal about doing OUR PART!

Obviously the parents never demonstrated and "played with masks". A two year old is only beginning to learn. Life is more than ones and zeros it is analog. Going to a million degrees is a bit over the top. Using fuzy claims about what masks actually provide leaving good judgement behind.
Where is the final authority Captain?

These comments are why the US can't kick the virus in a nut shell. Self entitled people do most of the spreading of both the virus and misinformation. Liberty means that everyone has a right to their opinion, no matter how incorrect and damaging it is, but it also means that the virus wins. We can't beat the virus if we don't agree on our behaviour.

Good discipline, United. We need more of that if we are to win the war against the virus.

Good result - well done United

If United or the FAA truly cared about safety and not simply virtue signaling, they would require everyone wear AT LEAST AN N95 MASK plus a FACE SHIELD which covers the eyes and under NO circumstance, other than rapid decompression and the need to don an oxygen mask, can this N95 mask and face shield be removed once aboard the aircraft.

Because only those with their heads in the sand and a child's understanding of science believe an airborne virus like Covid 19 is stopped by wrapping a paper surgical mask or nylon cloth that says "Go Broncos" over your nose and mouth.

Rules are Rules and I applaud all involved for keeping their cool and I hope they were able to fly on another outbound...

She was lucky that selfish stupid Trump like behavior happened in the US. In the middle east or China she would have been publicly flogged and heavily fined as well. The stupid cow should be thankful that all that happened was for her & her pet monkey to be kicked off the aircraft.

the rules as for all. Mom or dad...lost the ticket to ride...(Beatles dixit)

People people...they are dealing with a 2 year old ...damn tough at best ! Here in CANADA children under 2 are not required to wear a mask ... many here obviously have no children .. Airlines have no hearts ..ever !

This is what "The Land of the Free, and the Home of the Brave" has been reduced to? A 2-year old child getting thrown off a flight for not being forced to breathe through a piece of paper or fabric? God help us all ... There is no science in that. This is pure IDIOCY. The whole lockdown was pure idiocy! Never in history did anyone think to shut down an entire economy and destroy people's lives over a friggin virus. All throughout the 20th Century there were plagues and sicknesses that killed far more than covid ever did, or ever will, yet we forged on. We logically accepted that people will die, and people will live - that's how life has been for thousands of years. Now we have curfews, and can't go to church ... but it's ok to go to Home Depot or Walmart with 200 other shoppers ... or go out to eat where you wear your mask walking in, but take it off to eat as soon as you sit down. The logic in this is maddening! ZERO logic! And everyone got reeled into this horsecrap hook, line, and sinker.

Pray for our Nation this Christmas.

That was a complete setup by that "mother". She and her husband should be banned from flying for life.

This airline is run by idiots. The FA is a BLOOMING IDIOT with not a lick of common sense as is the male moron they're speaking with at the end of the video. I hope they don't have kids and never will have kids. They certainly have no experience dealing with a toddler. It is difficult to reason with any child under four. They just do not have the understanding for why some things must happen when a risk cannot be demonstrated to them. It's not same as their hand becoming warm near a stove.
The airlines' policy states a face cover for those "over the age of two". Really? The person who wrote that is also a dumbass whom I hope never has a child in their care.

I hope the family sues the hell out of United and makes them an example of absolute stupidity.

Never mind the masks DO NOT WORK! Airliners have the best circulation and cleanest air of any environment you'll ever be in. Air turnover is four to six times that of the average commercial building. It introduces roughly fifty percent new air in each cycle. At altitude, the air could not be cleaner unless they fly through volcanic ash; not likely given the certainty of damage to engines.
And, if you do have a mask on then suddenly cough or sneeze, it's blocked going forward. So, where does the pressure go? To the sides... right into the faces of those next to you.

Let's look at the Danish study on masks. The leftist media in the US has tried hard to discredit it. But, look at the numbers on what started with 6,024 people and finished with 4,862 still participating. 3,030 wore masks, 2,994 did not.

"Infection with SARS-CoV-2 occurred in 42 participants recommended masks (1.8%) and 53 control participants (2.1%). The between-group difference was −0.3 percentage point."

The only thing missing is how seriously the infection affected those small numbers or if any resulted in death. But, if we look at a study in the US where they're saying actual cases are somewhere between eight and twenty times the confirmed case count. So, that means somewhere between 120 million and 320 million have been infected with more than 99% asymptomatic.

The numbers do not lie. Masks are a joke. And, so is this piece of crap flight attendant and airline manager who "understands".

As for the risk from children to adults... nil. There have been only seventeen deaths under age four.

https://wjla.com/.../natio.../one-on-one-with-dr-scott-atlas

On other pages, there were a few less than insightful individuals who attacked Atlas for being nothing more than a radiologist. My response is, these are the doctors we trust to read images from inside our body and determine what issues we may have. They must have a quite thorough knowledge of the body that enables them to provide necessary information to other doctors and surgeons. Residency is four to six years after medical school. Atlas' specialty is that between our ears. Given that area controls so much of the rest of our body, I have more than sufficient faith in his knowledge of what makes us tick and what can affect us.

Now, let's look at the hypocrisy at UAL....

What's the first line stated?

"What's the risk of exposure to COVID-19 on an airplane?

"Almost non-existent."

https://www.instagram.com/p/CGXYBbJjJmM/

UAL is an airline run by hypocritical idiots.

Nazis!

Covid is deadly. It spreads best in confined spaces and long duration increases risk making air travel one of the most dangerous activities these days that used to be safe. I applaud airlines that are effectively minimizing the risk. Folks, hang on (isolate) for another year and we'll beat this beast.