Yesterday, Twitchy covered the story about Elit Kirschenbaum, the outraged mother who slammed United over “deplorable” treatment of her special-needs daughter, Ivy. To the consternation of CNN’s Jake Tapper, United has doubled down:
A spokeswoman for United told ABC News, “The parents, who were ticketed in first class, wanted to hold the child in their lap rather than have the child take the seat they’d purchased for her in economy. Federal safety regulations require any child over the age of two to have his or her own seat, and flight attendants are required by law to enforce that safety rule…”
In light of this new information, many Tweeters are siding with United:
Hi @United: Before you reprimand or fire that flight attendant over the recent incident, see my Timeline! We support him/her! #RulesAreRules
— A.J. Delgado (@AJDelgado13) January 1, 2015
Good job, Tweeps! Nice way to start the New Year is by helping a hard-working flight-attendant save their job! #TeamEffort @United
— A.J. Delgado (@AJDelgado13) January 1, 2015
That @United family violated FARs 121.311, 121.317, & 121.580, lucky NOT to be arrested! @TwitchyTeam @Heather_Poole @AJDelgado13
— Ruben D. Sanchez Jr (@rdsanchezjr) January 1, 2015
@AJDelgado13 Why would any loving, caring parent purposefully book their 3 year old special needs child in a separate cabin? So very sad..
— MotherKnowsBest (@motherknowsbest) January 1, 2015
https://twitter.com/Houston_Scott/status/550718704825036801
https://twitter.com/Houston_Scott/status/550726813022830594
https://twitter.com/Houston_Scott/status/550730616178614272
https://twitter.com/Houston_Scott/status/550731010279620608
https://twitter.com/Houston_Scott/status/550731525189165056
https://twitter.com/EndohMichi/status/550732669097869312
.@jaketapper Yeah, let's talk about that, compassion – and booking a seat for your child with special needs in a different cabin. @united
— Heather Poole (@Heather_Poole) January 1, 2015
@Heather_Poole @jaketapper @united I'm sorry but the parents were booked in first and the kid in economy? How's that ok?
— Kathleen Schmidt (@Bookgirl96) January 1, 2015
@jaketapper @kairyssdal @united @GSBrownABC Why didn't 1 of the parents sit in kid's economy seat and give up his/her 1st class seat?
— fkhsu888 (@fkhsu888) January 1, 2015
Tapper isn’t backing down:
@Heather_Poole the kid was to sit on the moms lap since she is unable to sit upright on her own. What airline so you work for?
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 1, 2015
@Bookgirl96 @Heather_Poole @united the kid cannot sit on her own and was going to spend flight on mom's lap, as she had done previously
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 1, 2015
@Bookgirl96 @Heather_Poole @united she is developmentally disabled and the size of a 1-2 year old.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 1, 2015
@dansaltzstein @Heather_Poole they bought the seat to comply with requirements, not to be used.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 1, 2015
@Bookgirl96 @Heather_Poole @united's issue had nothing to do with class of ticket the family bought to comply.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 1, 2015
@Bookgirl96 @Heather_Poole @united they bought a seat they were never going to use so as to comply with regs.
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 1, 2015
@NJAliciaD i have to leave Twitter. The lack of understanding and humanity is too demoralizing a way in which to start 2015
— Jake Tapper (@jaketapper) January 1, 2015
Montel Williams is siding with Tapper — and Kirschenbaum:
https://twitter.com/Montel_Williams/status/550738005237854208
https://twitter.com/Montel_Williams/status/550739593004212224
Who is right? Before answering that, be sure to read this excerpt from ABC’s article:
[Kirschenbaum] said she explained over and over again that Ivy was incapable of sitting up on her own. The other flight attendants got involved and, according to Kirschenbaum, were conferring with and “pleading” with the fourth flight attendant to let Ivy sit on her mother’s lap, to no avail.
The flight attendants pleading Kirschenbaum’s case then found a flight attendant’s handbook, Kirschenbaum said, that allowed for an exception to be made if the passenger cannot sit by themselves. But the flight attendant would not budge. [Emphasis added.]
Update:
.@TwitchyTeam You may want to add that United has clarified that no such allowance for an "exception" exists in the handbook.
— A.J. Delgado (@AJDelgado13) January 1, 2015
.@TwitchyTeam Why present the " flight attendants found an exception in handbook" claim as truth? It would mean handbook overrides FAA regs
— A.J. Delgado (@AJDelgado13) January 1, 2015
https://twitter.com/JayCaruso/status/550765258676391936
https://twitter.com/JayCaruso/status/550765455817048066
https://twitter.com/JayCaruso/status/550766213807497217
Related:
‘You can do better’: United sends ‘inadequate’ response to mom of humiliated special-needs child
‘This is despicable!’ Mom of special-needs child slams United over ‘deplorable’ treatment
Join the conversation as a VIP Member