Go MESA!

[climb2slow]

Mesa Air Group Comments on Breastfeeding Incident
Friday November 17, 6:15 pm ET
PHOENIX, Nov. 17 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Mesa Air Group, Inc. (Nasdaq: MESA - News) would like to issue the following clarification following media reports regarding difficulties experienced by a passenger aboard a Freedom Airlines flight. The statement by our Company spokesman on November 14, 2006 incorrectly described the Company's position regarding passengers' breastfeeding their children on Company aircraft. "So there is no confusion, I would like to let folks know that we firmly support mothers' right to nurse their children on board our aircraft. We have no company policies whatsoever that hinder breastfeeding in any way," said Jonathan Ornstein, Mesa's Chairman and Chief Executive Officer. "In this instance, a flight attendant who was relatively new to her job made an unfortunate and incorrect decision. We would like to again offer our apologies to the family involved in this incident and reassure our passengers and the traveling public that this matter has been addressed as a training opportunity for all of our frontline employees," continued Mr. Ornstein. "As the father of two children, I understand the sensitive nature of this incident and would like to express my commitment to educating our employees on this topic.

Can we say, one less flight attendant....and a law suit!

 

[Terrain Terrain]

i heard his daughter is hot!!!

 

[goahead]

smell this..........

 

[Stifler's Mom]

http://burlingtonfreepress.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20061114/NEWS01/611140314/1009&theme=


Woman alleges she was kicked off Burlington flight for breast-feeding

Published: Tuesday, November 14, 2006
By Sky Barsch
Free Press Staff Writer

A New Mexico woman who was kicked off an airplane departing from Burlington International Airport after she breast-fed her 22-month-old daughter has filed a complaint against two airlines with the Vermont Human Rights Commission.

Emily Gillette, 27, filed a charge with the commission last week -- a step citizens can take before suing in court -- after a Freedom Airlines flight attendant allegedly told Gillette that she offended her, ordering her to cover up.

Robert Appel, executive director of the Vermont Human Rights Commission, said statute prevented him from saying whether the charge had been filed with his office. He did say that breast-feeding is protected under the Public Accommodations Act, meaning that a mother is allowed to breast-feed in public. Gillette's attorney, Elizabeth Boepple, provided documentation to the Free Press of the charge filed with the Human Rights Commission.

In that filing and in a telephone interview Monday, Gillette said she, her husband, Brad, and their daughter, River, were seated on Delta Flight 6160, a code-shared flight with Freedom Airlines, on Oct. 13 awaiting takeoff. The family, which had been visiting relatives in Vermont, was on its way to New York City to rendezvous with family visiting from out of state and out of the country. The flight had been delayed by three hours, and it was about 10 p.m. when it appeared that it was nearing takeoff time.

Gillette said she was seated in the second-to-last row, next to the window, when she began to breast-feed her daughter. Breast-feeding helps babies with the altitude changes through takeoff and landings, Gillette said. She said she was being discreet -- her husband was seated between her and the aisle -- and no part of her breast was showing.

Gillette said that's when a flight attendant approached her, trying to hand her a blanket and directing her to cover up. Gillette said she told the attendant she was exercising her legal right to breast-feed, declining the blanket. That's when Gillette alleges the attendant told her, "You are offending me," and told her to cover up her daughter's head with the blanket.

"I declined," Gillette said in her complaint.

Moments later, a Delta ticket agent approached the Gillettes and said that the flight attendant was having the family removed from the flight.

Gillette said she didn't raise her voice -- not wanting to make a scene in the current jumpy air travel atmosphere -- and complied with the ticket agent, crying as she exited the plane.

Paul Skellon, a spokesperson for Phoenix-based Freedom Airlines, said he was aware of the incident.

"A breast-feeding mother is perfectly acceptable on an aircraft, providing she is feeding the child in a discreet way," that doesn't bother others, Skellon said. "She was asked to use a blanket just to provide a little more discretion, she was given a blanket, and she refused to use it, and that's all I know."

Skellon said the airline investigated the incident, and the flight attendant is still employed.

Gillette said she felt "really ashamed."

"It embarrassed me. That was my first reaction, which is a weird reaction for doing something so good for a child. And then helpless," Gillette said. "I wasn't even allowed to get angry because it could have been held against me. Then, devastated all around."

Delta provided ground transportation, hotel accommodations and new tickets on another airline, according to Boepple, a Manchester attorney, who is representing Gillette. Gillette, who owns restaurant equipment and repair companies with her husband, said she spent the family weekend on the phone with airline representatives upset from the incident.

Asked what she hoped to come of the case, Gillette said she wants to see policy change.

"I don't have any kind of high expectations. I'd really love to see them make a donation to an organization I choose. And, yeah, I want another trip with my family."

 

[Soverytired]

Taking a dump is natural. ("It's good for my colon!")

Scratching one's crotch is natural. ("It's good for my unit!")

Breast feeding is natural (go to a Wal-Mart during the day and you'll see the senoritias doing it everywhere . . .. "It's good for my child!")

---------------

I don't want to see ANY of this. Too bad the f/a just said what everyone else was thinking. Nobody has any f-ing class, dignity, or self respect anymore.

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

Breastfeeding in public.... Big deal.

I can't believe that they made a fuss about it. I think I would have told my flight attendant to chill and get her a bottle of water.

 

[ballsdeep123]

Taking a dump is natural. ("It's good for my colon!")

Scratching one's crotch is natural. ("It's good for my unit!")

Breast feeding is natural (go to a Wal-Mart during the day and you'll see the senoritias doing it everywhere . . .. "It's good for my child!")

---------------

I don't want to see ANY of this. Too bad the f/a just said what everyone else was thinking. Nobody has any f-ing class, dignity, or self respect anymore.

Grow up dude. You're comparing apples to oranges. She was feeding her baby discreetly next to the window with her husband next to her. Only in the United States is it weird to feed your baby in public. You work for Mesa and you talk of self respect. That sounds kind of ironic to me.

 

[Prop2Jet]

mamma mamma

 

[CA1900]

As long as they were supple, pouting breasts, I don't have a problem with it.

imp:

 

[LowlyPropCapt]

please explain "pouting breasts." Sounds cool!