I reported on 8/5 that JetBlue would change their policy on 8/10 to require all kids 2 and up to wear masks, but that wasn’t yet updated on their website. That post was based on this press release that they sent me.
It turns out I didn’t read the press release close enough. It actually says that “Customers two years and younger will not be required to wear a face covering if they cannot maintain one.” According to that a 2 year old would be exempt from wearing a face mask.
The NY Daily News reports that Chaya Bruck of Midwood was flying with her 6 kids on a return flight from Orlando to Newark yesterday.
I spoke with Chaya on the phone and she told me that she flew from Newark to Orlando with her kids on August 10th. Her husband remained in Brooklyn to work. A flight attendant named George was on that flight and was constantly policing her about her 2 year old needing to wear a mask, even while she was eating snacks.
She was booked to fly back yesterday on JetBlue flight 28 from Orlando to Newark at 1:15pm. She said that at the gate they announced that young children were exempt from mask requirements.
She says that as she walked on she passed the same flight attendant George, who started whispering to his colleagues as she boarded. Her toddler was eating a snack when George walked over with 2 other flight attendants and told her that her 3 year old needed to keep her mask on at all times.
She responded that her child was only 2 and said that she would try, but George insisted the child was 3. Chaya said the child will turn 3 in late September. She also said that the JetBlue site says that “Young children who are not able to maintain a face covering on their own are exempt from this policy.”
Even the original JetBlue press release said that children 2 and under would be exempt.
An Orlando based ground agent then came on the plane to ask her if she was going to come off the plane or have the whole plane deboard.
She notes that several other passengers on the plane stood up for her and shouted that it was absurd for a 2 year old to be kicked off a flight for not wearing a mask. But JetBlue stuck to the rules are rules and zero tolerance line and wouldn’t allow her to try to mask her child again before deboarding the whole plane and kicking her off of the flight.
Police were called to keep the peace and there were other passengers on the flight that argued against her being kicked off who were also kicked off the flight.
The scene on the airplane was chaotic:
The JetBlue agents said she was wrong about their policy, but she insisted it was on their website.
I was surprised to hear that the website had the wrong info, so I did some digging.
As Chaya said, the original press release did indeed say that 2 year olds were exempt from the mask requirement.
JetBlue’s current travel alerts section of their website shows that it was last updated yesterday at 2pm, but it doesn’t show what exactly was updated.
If you click on “Covering faces in public places is required” it currently says that “All travelers 2 years and older must wear a face covering over their nose and mouth throughout their journey, including during check-in, boarding, while in flight and deplaning.”
However I dug up this version of the JetBlue site from 2:34am yesterday morning from before her flight.
Chaya appears to be correct. Before her flight the website did say under the section “Covering faces in public places is required” that “Young children who are not able to maintain a face covering on their own are exempt from this policy.”
JetBlue’s original press release said 2 year olds were exempt and they forgot to update their website when the policy went into effect. Then at 2pm, after they unceremoniously tossed Chaya and her 6 kids from the plane, JetBlue went ahead and updated their site to say that kids 2 and older must wear a mask.
JetBlue appears to have blundered by not updating their website with the policy, especially if they changed that policy to include 2 years olds some 5 days after the press release. But changing the website and written policy after she was kicked off the flight is egregious behavior and JetBlue owes Chaya an apology.
Even if the website update timing was purely coincidental, she still should not have been tossed off the flight.
The JetBlue flight subsequently took off 53 minutes late. They wouldn’t return her checked bags and they told her to find a way to get them from Newark baggage claim.
Chaya wound up purchasing expensive last minute tickets on United flight 455, departing Orlando at 6:45pm. She says there were older kids on that flight without masks and nobody made a big deal about it.
She finally got to Newark around 9pm and then had to make her way to the JetBlue terminal to get her bags.
I’ve reached out to JetBlue media relations for comment and they responded with the following,
“During these unprecedented times, our first priority is to keep crewmembers and customers safe, and we’ve quickly introduced new safety policies and procedures throughout the pandemic. Specifically, our face covering policy was updated most recently on August 10 to ensure everyone is wearing a face covering – adults and children alike – to help prevent the spread of coronavirus. Children age 2 and over must wear a face covering, consistent with CDC guidelines, which say “Masks should not be worn by children under the age of 2.” (https://www.cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/prevent-getting-sick/cloth-face-cover-guidance.html)
Customers receive an email before their flight outlining the latest safety protocols and face covering policies. Our crewmembers are ready to assist customers in the airport and onboard who might need support. We have a flexible rebooking policy for those who are unable to meet this requirement, and customers who refuse to follow these standards after requests from crewmembers will be reviewed for further travel eligibility on JetBlue.
FYI – I’ve attached a sample of a check-in email that was sent to this customer. This policy has also been listed at jetblue.com/safety and jetblue.com/travel-alerts since August 10. Our travel alerts page is updated often and marks the same time stamp in each section. The policy has been accurately listed there since August 10, and was not retroactively changed in response to any incident.”
I responded to JetBlue that:
- Your 8/5 press release said ” Customers two years and younger will not be required to wear a face covering if they cannot maintain one.” This child was only 2.
- Archive.org shows that the JetBlue travel alerts page said at 2:34am yesterday that “Young children who are not able to maintain a face covering on their own are exempt from this policy.”
- JetBlue.com indicates that the change on the JetBlue travel alerts page was made at 2pm yesterday.
- While the JetBlue safety site currently says that “All travelers 2 years and older must wear a face covering.” It did not appear to say this on August 10th as stated. Archive.org shows in its last capture of the JetBlue travel safety page on 8/14 at 3:18pm that there was no information there about face coverings for customers.
- While the CDC does say that masks should not be worn by children under the age of 2, it does not state that a 2 year old needs to wear a mask. In fact it says that masks should not be worn by anyone unable to remove the mask without assistance, which likely includes 2 and 3 year old toddlers.
- I was unable to open the sample check-in email in the format sent, so I asked JetBlue to resend it to me in PDF format.
JetBlue responded with the following,
“I can’t speak to the accuracy of archive.org, only to say that the policy has been accurately stated on jetblue.com/travel-alerts since 8/10. The time stamp is updated every time a change is made to the travel alerts site for every section (notice they’re all the same). The press release was published on 8/5, the policy was amended on 8/10 and was communicated through customer channels.
I’m sorry, I do not have pdf versions of the email I provided you.”
I’ve never known archive.org to make a mistake, but JetBlue is claiming they are. Color me skeptical.
Interestingly, we have now seen these incidents on JetBlue and on Southwest last week, when they booted a family off a flight because their 3 year old son with autism was unable to maintain a face mask. These are airlines that market themselves as more friendly alternatives to the other US airlines. So much for that!
JetBlue needs to do the right thing and offer an apology and compensation for their actions and they should launch an investigation into everything that went wrong in this incident.
Disappointed in JetBlue? You can write to them here, tweet them @JetBlue, or retweet/like this:
JetBlue Egregiously Kicks Mother And 6 Kids Off Flight Due To 2 Year Old’s Mask Refusal, Retroactively Amends Policy On Website After The Incident @JetBlue https://t.co/6Qzcv7nLgS
— DansDeals (@DansDeals) August 20, 2020
Have you had a mask incident on a plane? Post a comment below or email Dan@DansDeals.com
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176 Comments On "JetBlue Egregiously Kicks Mother And 6 Kids Off Flight Due To 2 Year Old’s Mask Refusal, Retroactively Amends Policy On Website After The Incident"
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Crazy world!
And to think just recently, we were asked not to wear masks!
Jetblue clearly f***** up. As you correctly stated, they need to make this right by a) issuing an apology and b) providing this family with financial and emotional compensation
please leave out the profanity. thank you!
+1
+613
“Messed up” works too.
I did, don’t you see the fancy star in the middle
Why are so many of these stories always from orlando?
Florida has a ton of cases atm. probably why they are so strict there right now. Anyone leaving orlando is a potential covid carrier
1) The number of cases in FL is dropping extremely fast.
2) Orlando isn’t a hotspot.
The whole state is a hotspot!
What makes the whole state a hotspot? Because it’s part of the same state? The fact is there aren’t a significant number of new cases coming out of the Orlando area.
This seems to be something with a particular flight attendant who was on that flight. He stirred up the trouble and the rest of the crew was (stupidly) supportive of their fellow flight attendant. He was on flight with the family on the way to Orlando and attempted to stir up trouble then as well.
JetBlue’s policy isn’t different at MCO than any other airport.
My wife flew with our 3 year old on a Jet Blue from Boston to Michigan last week and no one said anything.
i think it had a lot to do with the flight attendant that was on the original flight and again on the return flight.
ridiculous i flew american with a child they were very nice
I saw on another news site clear screenshots of the policy before JetBlue changed it. So much for the thin excuse of archive.com being wrong somehow. I hope she wins big in a lawsuit.
suing for what, Mogel?
For harassment and illegally denying service or something. I’m not a lawyer so my point was that I hope there’s a way to sue and I hope she wins.
George being possibly anti-semetic.
Stop. Just stop with this.
I hope they sue and win lots of money. Kids are scared and it can have long term affects.
Speaking of long term effects, try getting COVID
Guys, retweet and reply to Dan’s tweet. That is the way to get this story noticed and get this matter resolved. Please feel for the pain and public embarrassment this mother of children went through and do your little part to help her.
Just a shame. Surprised at jet blue.
…and open an investigation on George
Amen!!! This guy was clearly holding a grudge for what happened on the flight down to Orlando
Pardon me Mitch, but what part of being in a pandemic do you not understand? Do you really think it only affects “other” people? There’s a reason that most of the countries in the world have closed their gates to us. You are part of the problem
You can’t tell anyone with children to stay locked up indefinitely, we’re already 6 months in with no end in sight. It sounds nice to say “it’s a pandemic” but it’s beyond unreasonable.
If you don’t want to follow the rules of the airline don’t fly. Driving from Orlando to Newark is totally an option. How much do you want to bet this family doesn’t quarantine upon returning to NYC as the law requires?
JetBlue’s rules were perfectly clear, 2 and under should have been exempt.
They changed them after the flight.
Nonsense. You are nitpicking on unclear language in one place where it is clear everywhere else. Every other delineation in the airline world is under two vs two+. Lap child, early boarding, etc. The CDC guideline, which the airlines use to make their rules, clearly says under two don’t wear, two and over should wear. I have flown WN, B6, UA, and AA over the past six weeks and they have all had similar disclaimers/rules when checking in. It isn’t ambiguous. Neither is the rule about disagreeing with a flight attendant while in the air. FA’s have to deal with people who think the rules don’t apply to them every day, why should they have to deal with such abuse?
Why should a customer assume that a policy written in multiple places on JetBlue’s site is wrong?
They shouldn’t but it is clear where it counts. She was looking for an out.
bug off
You really are a shill for evil and stupidity
Apparently, your just a hater. What does quarantining have to do with any of this?
You should be driving and not flying
The type of person who would get thrown off a plane over a mask is the same person who will ignore the quarantine rules. They care only about themselves and think the rules are for everyone else.
in the video, she seems calm and collected and is addressing the stewardess politely although she is really upset. the other passengers who are sticking up for her are the ones cursing.
“its the type of person… [who comments negatively about a polite mom for no reason]”
I totally disagree with you. And this situation is not a proper comparison. If it was an adult, I would agree with your quarantine comment, but its a 2 year old.
What else are you going to assume about a family with A 2 year old who acts like a 2 year old? Maybe they also pick their nose in public.
And what type of person are you? Running to assumptions with no proof , you are the type of person to attend a BLM protest and tell everyone else to stay in doors unless it’s a protest!
OK now lets generalize! The type of person that writes dumb stuff on online forums also walks around stealing stuff! Lock him up!
So a child who is 2 years old and ONE DAY is NOT a 2 year old? Please, its a 2 year old. you don’t do “estimates” on freaking age. We don’t need to get into whether they lied about the site changes. the kid is 2 years old. not 3, not 2 and a half, cause then JetBlue should have added a disclaimer (age of 2 means 0 days to 24 months old, 25 months not qualified). Otherwise, 2 is 2.
What does quanritinig have to do with this?
Jet blue should have NEVER thrown this family off the plain.
So you never speed my man?
Occasionally but if caught I accept the consequences, not complain online.
What if you got caught doing 65 in a 65 after the speed went up and the officer insisted that it was still 55? Compare apples to apples sir.
“Seth” is such a tzaddik, he pays a fine even if he was driving legally, but they lowered the speed limit some time later!
1. They were following the rules… as far as they and the JetBlue website were concerned….
2. Driving from NY to California is also totally an option. Possible? Sure. Realistic? No. Would be a great trip for two 20 year olds, a mom with 6 kids would be a nightmare.
3. Why are you assuming they didn’t quarantine upon return?
One place on the website, not where it actually mattered.
I would bet a month of my mortgage that they don’t quarantine as the law requires.
Your ad hominem attack notwithstanding, Jet Blue and the vicious flight attendant George were 1,000% in the wrong. You can try to redirect, but Jet Blue is absolutely wrong on all counts over here.
The flight attendant will probably be scapegoated, but he certainly deserves it.
I’m also sure you don’t have children
If you are taking the airlines side on this (or you work for their pr department)
DON’T BE A KAREN!!
Don’t even try to argue with @Seth, haters will stay hating
Dan you’re a tzadik
The email was very clear, but yes they should have been better in updating their site.
But you can’t fault the FA for enforcing company policy.
I do wonder why they just found out about the policy on the plane, since the policy includes checking in, waiting by gate, jetbridge, etc. were they told beforehand, or did JetBlue just not say anything until the plane was leaving?
They met George only once they got onto the plane.
I mean – technically wouldn’t a day over 2 years old not be considered two and under? How is it a lawsuit?
No, under 2 would mean not a day over 2.
2 and under means as long as the child is not yet 3.
You are being disingenuous here Dan. I have heard people say 2 and under is a lap child when people discuss traveling with children knowing full well what they mean.
I have never heard that and certainly never read that!
But besides for that, the JetBlue travel alerts site clearly stated that all young children were exempt, not just 2 and under.
are there any airlines that would sell an infant in lap ticket for a child over 24 months of age?
I have heard people say many things
What matters is the English language, and its legal definitions
Which you are unfortunately mistaken regarding
2 and under is not a lap child. The day they turn 2 you’ve got to pay full airfare for them!
exactly. if they wanted to be truly technical, they should mention days + months + hours if they really want to be like that. Otherwise, 2 years old is under 3. No one in the world calls a 2 years old and 11 month kid a 3 year old. 2years + 364days old is still a 2 year old.
I do not want to pull the anti-semite card because obviously it’s a horrible thing.
All I want to say is don’t shy away from it completely….
(The fact is this country is full of a lot a lot of hate…..)
Crazy world – yes – but it’s Corona and everyone should wear a mask no matter age. Kids are getting hit with the virus more and more now. I agree with Jetblue for kicking her off the plane
If your premise about children is correct, why are children under 2 allowed on without a mask?
Presuming that you care about science(the guys telling you to wear a mask) and as quoted, the CDC disagrees with you
Hmmm…
@jak that is completely false. The CDC doesn’t say children under 2 are any less of a danger than children above 2, they say masks are dangerous for children under 2.
Anyone saying children who can’t keep a mask on are a danger to society should say the same about children under 2.
While id like to agree with this. I do think this is a risk we must allow. Kids, especially mentally challenged kids, simply cannot be forced to wear something they cant. And if you’re thousands of miles away from home, how else are you going to go home, except through a plane? Should they drive from Orlando to California or something? because the kid can’t be made to wear a mask? I don’t think that should be. I think that airlines can work with these situations more. Its possible to place them at the very front of a plane or where there aren’t as much people. and one person not wearing a mask isnt going to be much danger. herd mentality doesnt mean 100% should be part of the herd. just the majority.
I guess you don’t have kids. You can’t force a child to do anything!! Definitely not a 2 year old. There is a reason why it’s called the terrible twos. Imagine she forced the child and physically held the mask on someone would’ve called Child Protective Services as it would be child abuse, since suffocation is very real. (I have to keep taking my mask off for a few seconds to breathe so for sure a 2 year old).
Interesting how we’re making this more about masks than distancing 6 ft?! Airlines don’t really care about that.
Thank you! they are just trying to focus on masks to look good for the poor, petrified, scared folks who hunker down in their basement (swipe at Joe Biden) but then go and ignore the other rules that would cost them money and that they could swipe under the carpet, and force an entire plan to unboard and board again all stuffed into an airline aisle, on the premise of safety!! its one big FAKE!
What I don’t understand is why so many people Are focusing on the exact terminology of the rule rather than JetBlue inability to show any understanding that a TODDLER DOESNT LISTEN TO RULES. It’s pretty simple, and their refusal to show any compassion really colors a picture of how much they care for their customers. Contrast that with Delta..
My children listen without a problem. If your kids can’t then don’t fly.
Do u have a 2 yr old?
I feel bad for your children, seriously.
He probably beats them
I doubt your claim that you have children, but if you do I assume they’re under 2 and/or over 5. You clearly don’t have experience trying to get a 2-3 year old to keep a mask on.
I have a 2, 4, and 7 year old. They all have no problem wearing a mask when required.
While eating?
Wow Seth has the perfect little family going on there! Wowwee keep up the great work you’re doing for this world.
Nothing like a bunch of wonderful law-abiding citizens…keep it up!
They probably go to sleep at 630 on the dot and wake up at 745
They get themselves dressed and eat breakfast
They never complain
They eat exactly what is served for supper
They always like the clothing you pick out for them
You don’t have kids. You’re just trolling people.
Barbies listen very well, but I wouldn’t call them children
Jetblue says young children who can’t keep it on don’t need to. Why shouldn’t I fly?
I was kicked off a flight from FLL to LAX/LGB (I don’t recall which right now) for asking a flight attendant to assist me in finding an overhead compartment for my carry on. This was a route I was flying regularly. I always bought Even More Space seats, and was surprised to see all the overhead space filled when I boarded. The flight attendant only kicked me off after I called JetBlue’s toll free number to report the incident. JetBlue stood behind the flight attendant, even though witnesses came forward to support my position. Our country has come a long way when the folks who started the NAACP are being targeted by the folks it intended to help. The black fellow who kicked me off seemed to get this extra sick sense of pleasure that he was in a position of power over a Jewish man. To this day, if I see him attending a flight, I will not fly that flight.
Well, the overhead bins are for everyone’s use. It seems like some people don’t understand that the EMS does not GUARANTEE you overhead space. EMS are not a different cabin class like first class. It’s just extra leg room room space with the benefits of boarding early, so if you don’t board early… then there’s the possible chance of the space being taken.
I wish we could have discussions, and agree there are two sides to a story without comments like “Our country has come a long way when the folks who started the NAACP are being targeted by the folks it intended to help. The black fellow who kicked me off seemed to get this extra sick sense of pleasure that he was in a position of power over a Jewish man. ”
Isn’t it possible that this man was wrong, if you think that , which is understandable, he is just wrong but not because he’s black?
And if he is antisemitic, are comments like this helpful. ?
If he was another religious Jew would you comment? Secular Jew? Asian? Muslim? Italian?
You can be any of this things and wrong. Or right . Or mean. Or kind.
Im sure if they were black this wud not happen someone get in touch with tucker Carlson hell put it on his show
This is what happens when people think they are saving the world by wearing mask. All overdone for political reasons.
It is done for a reason. And part of why we dont have millions of cases a day. However, exemptions should be considered everywhere. I mean reasonable exemptions, like this one. its a freakin little kid.
If they can’t fly without putting on a mask, don’t fly. They should’ve known this was a possibility. Don’t cry me a river.
There’s also very little reason why a family needs to travel from hotspot Florida to New York.
Why can children under 2 fly without a mask?
They actually needed to get home.
Let me guess, you don’t have kids and that’s why you’re so flippant about telling people with children to stay holed up at home forever.
Here’s your river….now get on, and go down it
Tons of reasons that anyone would need to fly over. Sometimes the only medical treatment available are in another state thousands of miles away. Who knows, maybe someone died or is dying in Florida and they have to visit or never see them again. Or it could be whatever. Doesn’s matter. they found that they had to fly over. JetBlue is in service, because people LIKE HER are using them. They should have accommodated and learned that this can happen from their incapability to state clear instructions and being inflexible to their customers that are keeping them afloat.
Yes, there may be immunocompromised people on the flight who are traveling to seek essential medical care.
So maybe this isn’t the time to put those people’s lives at risk by flying for a vacation with children who are either unable or unwilling to abide by the airline’s policies. Abide by the rules, find another way to get where you’re going, or (perhaps best of all) stay home.
Florida is no longer a hotspot. Even if it was there’s nothing wrong with flying. If you want the FAA to shutdown flights from Florida, petition them to do that. No reason to say kids can’t fly.
Florida is very much still a hotspot: https://covidactnow.org/us/fl?s=920183
May I suggest that contact with JetBlue be limited to what our feelings are, and not what we think they should do now?
It never makes sense to tell someone what they should do. That’s their business.
Simply let them know what you feel.
If enough people let them know, they will know what to do themselves. They are experts at this.
Thanks @dan for the excellent job on the research here
We were threatened on southwest after my 2 year old took off his mask luckily we were already in the air. The flight attendants warned us and I sat with my 2 year old the rest of the flight holding the mask on him. Even though we listened as best as we could they called an agent to speak to us when we deplaned. We will iyh not be flying again until the mask rules end.
Did they put on the no fly list?
I’m curious.. why were you flying? I’ve avoided it like the plague.
Who cares? The mask rule doesn’t depend on why you’re flying. You’re welcome to not flying but that doesn’t mean others can’t. Btw there’s been no media stories of anyone catching carona from a flight. The media would jump on that story if it happened. #ScienceNotFear
The media did jump on it, yesterday. A flight with 102 passengers, 24 of whom had been exposed to covid, but didn’t know that until after they landed. Two passengers sitting near an infected passenger seem to have caught covid on that flight. So the overall risk is small – only 2 passengers caught it. But if you happen to be within 2 rows of someone infected, then your risk is much higher. https://www.nytimes.com/2020/08/20/travel/airplanes-coronavirus.html
Abhorrent. I wrote the airline voicing my opinion.
Lot of technicalities here. What does “not able to maintain a face covering”?? Thin line between not physically able to and not wanting to. Just like “medical necessity” malarky that was removed.
Priority 1 needs to be safety and unfortunately many people don’t behave responsibly (like people who still walk around with valve masks….the ultimate definition of someone who only cares about themselves).
Kicking her off might have been too much, but I have a feeling that Mrs. Bruck may not have been a model citizen with the stewardesses either. That seems to be how these plane incidents always go
Cut her some slack!
Put yourself in her shoes first!
Jetblue= the race to the bottom.
What difference does it make to wear a mask when united allows standby passengers on so you sit almost on top of each other. When the person in the middle is eating and taking off his mask. Just flew Denver-Newark the middle seat was empty ( ask again by Check in) by my Economy plus seat until I got on . So the option to rebook when its the last flight out is not possible. So leave alone the two year olds.
Exactly! What happened to social distancing or do they think the masks will save us?! Wish people just wouldn’t fly if they’re going to treat kids like this! If they don’t make us social distance, then forget the mask police on airlines. I really don’t want to give the airlines my money right now because of their policies. We are harming the kids but don’t care.
I flew united 3 times now EWR-TLV and they never made a fuss about anyone’s masks. not even for adults.
ארורים הרשעים האלה.
Hope the compensate her well for the embarrassment and aggravation
Yea way too fly with your small children during a pandemic..
When flying, I find that there are unfortunately a small, but significant number of flight attendants who hate Jews. I try sitting in the back when I fly w kids and I’ve overheard some nasty comments about “those people” from the galley.
Very often, orthodox Jews fly with large families, small kids, and are taking out their own kosher food… if a flight attendant already has anti-Semitic feelings, its very easy to find something wrong to complain about one of the large Jewish family who are on their flight.
When flying, there are are small but significant number of flight attendants who are anti Black
When flying, there are a small but significant number of flight attendants who
hate Asians
If a flight attendant already has these feelings, it’s very easy to complain about the whatever family who is on their flight.
How about saying it’s unreasonable to expect a very small child to keep a mask on during a flight and the flight attendant and airline over
reacted and should be held accountable.
Was that so hard to say? It’s much more effective, too and will get more support. Maybe even from those Black and Asian families, too.
Actually she was told several times to wear her mask.
I knew you would jump on this Dan!! (-;
I actually flew UA455 MCO – EWR 6:45pm the day before (Tue. 6/18) . There were many families with small children on the flight ( Thanks to the deals posted by Dan!!) I didn’t see anyone being given a hard time regarding the masks for small children. Even for the adults they didn’t make us too crazy about it. As long as you’re eating or drinking you didn’t have to wear a mask. Unfortunately UA just switched their basic snack bag from pretzels to tortilla chips (Hispanic vote?) Just keep eating and drinking…
If George is the same George I know from flying jetblue in the past……he should’ve been removed a long time ago…..
I witnessed him harrasing a person an entire flight….
#goGeorge
For doing what?
Because he was playing with his phone while takeoff….
Next time take a picture of him.
I think you mean #GeorgeGo
@sam why dont you contact dan w a pm and add your evidence to her lawsuit
Kids are kids.
If you are in any category of elevated Covid-19 risk then you are acting negligently if you board any commercial flight, train, or bus.
Almost no children are in elevated risk categories. Those flying are choosing to sit on the same aircraft as small children who don’t wear masks.
And by the way, I am a very pro-masker.
Great comment until the last sentence
go to love all the people like Seth claiming people not forcing their kids to wear masks are selfish when meanwhile he’s the selfish one who can’t understand not all kids are the same and don’t listen all the time and excuse the anti Semitic/power freak fas who use safety to abuse their power as anybody who even flies a few times a year sees and it’s just going to get worse the more their power gets unchecked
Over the past 6 months, I have flown more than anyone else I know (13 trans-con roundtrips), almost all on B6. I always wear a mask and usually a face shield on top of it. On Tuesday afternoon, for the first time ever in my experience, a B6 flight attendant came by during boarding and shamed me. I had my face shield on and had my DD coffee in my hand, and the FA said, “You need to wear your mask at all times, even with the face shield.” I said, “Of course I know, but not when I’m eating or drinking,” and I motioned to my coffee. She just walked away. I suspect B6 leadership is really pushing the “zero tolerance” policy. SMH
What’s B6?
B6 = JetBlue
Jetblue
Next time just sit and drink your coffee next to a different airline’s gate!
Two people can see the same event and come away with different impressions. How much more so when we see and hear about it second hand. I actually see more to blame in the behavior of the mother here.
1. JetBlue says she was informed of the policy by email, plus, by her own admission, she was orally notified of the policy, repeatedly, when she flew on August 10. She even gives us the name of the person who could testify to this, the FA George. It seems dishonest to claim that she had to rely on the the website, whether or not it had been updated.
2. Yes, it’s true that 2 year olds are immature. They try to run into traffic, remove their diapers in public, inappropriately touch strangers and their possessions, scream if they don’t get their way, etc. The toddler may be excused… but not the parent who allows it. It sounds like she simply declared that the child is unable to wear a mask, before even trying to put it on. From one video it sounds like she actually tells the child to put the pacifier in her mouth, which would complicate mask-wearing, and in another, she asks the FA Should I hold her down? But perhaps I misheard the words. In any event, if the mother hasn’t spent the past 10 days practicing the game of mask-wearing with her toddler, it’s not surprising that the child waves away the seemingly unexpected imposition of a mask.
3. We’ve heard from the mother, who claims that all the passengers supported her, but I suspect that some passengers were relieved that the plane left without the entitled mother and her six children, all of whom were crying at the end, according to one account.
1) “It sounds like she simply declared that the child is unable to wear a mask, before even trying to put it on.”
How could you possibly know that?
2) “In any event, if the mother hasn’t spent the past 10 days practicing the game of mask-wearing with her toddler…”
Again, how could you possibly know what they’ve been doing for the past 10 days?
3) “I suspect that some passengers were relieved that the plane left without the entitled mother…”
You can probably guess my response at this point.
You just judged this person based on a few outrageous assumptions. That’s pretty disgusting.
I started my post by stating just that: Two people can see the same event and draw different conclusions about what happened. We all saw a 3 minute video and read the account of Mrs. Bruck. None of us saw what happened outside of that 3 minutes, and none of us heard the account of the flight attendants. So we made assumptions, leading some to judge the airline to be at fault, others that the mother was not blameless.
I don’t KNOW any of the points you mention. I drew my conclusions based in part on what I thought I could hear on the video (therefore, “It sounds like….”) and what I have experienced in the past about the lack of unanimity in any large group (therefore, “I suspect that some passengers…”).
Jet Blue allowed the family to fly to Florida so they should have allowed them to fly back. However, I still don’t understand why so many people, including families, are flying right now. Aren’t we all supposed to be avoiding non-essential travel? Did I miss something?
And personally, I would not subject my children to the possibility of being confronted with a scary situation like this. If I know my child will have trouble keeping his mask on, then we will not be flying until masks are no longer required.
Because you don’t want to fly has nothing to do with whether JetBlue was wrong for kicking off the family.
@Dan\’s the Man
I did say that JetBlue should have allowed the family to fly.
And I do WANT to fly with my family but I am choosing to follow the guidance to stay home while COVID-19 is still spreading. The guidance is printed as a disclaimer on many of Dan’s airfare postings. My point is that I think that many of these incidents could be avoided if other families chose to follow the guidance too.
Seriously… why would anyone fly right now if they didnt have to?
So I try to play devil’s advocate on this, and lets say they did send an email notification between the family flew down on Sunday to when they returned yesterday. How many people, especially when travelling with multiple children, are looking at every single email message?
Its all over the news. NBC just broadcasted it
With the facts straight, like Dan did?
how did jet blue let the plane fly with her luggage without the passenger, I believe that is against the law
I’m surprised it took till comment #129 for someone to mention this concern. If you’re going to offload a passenger(s) in the name of safety, don’t blatantly violate another safety protocol in the process.
Granted, The FAA did not make PPBM mandatory on domestic flights, but the concern that triggered this policy instatement on Intnl routes poses the same risk on domestic flights.
As far as the poor discretion of the crew: I’d never have tied B6’s name to an incident like this – but with the reports of it being the instigation of a particular FA who’s had previous, less-than-pleasant contact with this family in the recent past – it all begins to add up.
It doesn’t take a goldfish’s memory to remember a single mom and her very identifiable family of 6 flying this route one week ago- especially when there were ill feelings towards Mrs. B. et al. already then.
Jetblue’s quick action to update their online policy smells of damage control.
I called JetBlue yesterday when the story broke. I told them that as a mom of kids I am horrified how they treated this family. I cannot book any flights with them for fear of such service. I also told them, that since this child was the only one without a mask, I don’t see the problem. If everyone else is masked, they are protected from this 2 year old. And the child can only give them covid19, if he currently has covid 19. So the chance of this two year old infecting anyone was rare and your service was disgusting. The agent asked how I know everyone else was wearing a mask? I told him, no one else was stopped, but this family. The agent told me, this discussion is all recorded and hopefully it will get to the right person. He agreed that JetBlue was wrong and he agrees that people are not acting rationally. I think if more people let them know we won’t fly with them, they will have to do something about it.
This could actually work out well. If parents of unmasked small children all fly United, and adults wearing masks all fly JetBlue, everyone would be happy!
They should make a separate section on thew plane for unmasked people and a section where they don’t allow removal even for eating and drinking.
“If everyone else is masked, they are protected from this 2 year old.”
False. Aside from N95’s and the like, masks serve as source control – they provide minimal protection to the wearer, but they provide significant protection to everybody else if the wearer happens to be a (perhaps asymptomatic) carrier.
If you don’t like JetBlue’s rules, then don’t fly JetBlue.
this may be a unpopular comment but it does seem that in this highly charged environment if you do not have essential travel it is probably better not to fly if you have children that will not wear the mask.
This.
It’s unreasonable to tell anyone with children to never fly again indefinitely.
Right! The reasonable thing is to NOT fly right now. I know people taking their family on leisure trips via air and I just don’t understand it. Are they not concerned about this disease? Do they think they won’t get it? Have they already had it and think they are safe?
In my experience Jet Blue has always been somewhat Of a second class commuter operation at best. Now they have removed all doubt
We should banned flying with jet blue that’s shameful and hateful
I laughed at the part where the FA said it’s too late to put on a mask. Obviously they had no intention of letting this family fly no matter what. It’s so sad what the airlines are becoming.
Airlines making us fly with a mask but filling every seat and then the shoulder to shoulder jam down the aisle to get out is ridiculous.
Gives FA and airlines power grabbing pathetic losers vibes
Jetblue settled with the family im being told
I flew spirit and United with a 10 month old and an almost three year old. Spirit told me to put on her mask when I boarded but then didn’t say anything throughout the rest of the flight. United didn’t even mention anything. The only time I was bothered to put a mask on my three year old was in a target who btw has the same policy as jetblue. That Any child who cannot keep a mask on does not.
just got back from orlando with a 2 year old and a 4 year old flying with AA. had stellar experiences there and back (my 2 year old didnt wear one at all and my 4 year old was a bit relaxed about the whole mask thing) the staff was really nice and helped us by checking our very many carry ons as well.
GO AA!!
Long haul and short haul as flight, everyone was really nice besides on fa, but even he only asked everyone to put on their masks twice, never asked our 2 year old
I was denied boarding an MTA bus in Brooklyn even I told the driver I will cover my face with my cloth. Is there any way I can get compensated?
I just wrote in with my own complaint:
I booked a flight about a month ago for travel in November having read your policy about face masks and young children who are unable to maintain a face covering. In light of the recent incident in which crew members forced Chaya Burk and her 6 children to deboard the plane for her 2 year old’s “non-compliance” I am very shocked and disappointed in JetBlue. I have been flying with JetBlue ever since I was a young girl and I am astounded by this incident. Furthermore, I am very turned off by the sneaky change in policy on your website that occurred right after the incident—deny it as you wish, but we ALL noticed. My 2 and 1/2 year old will NOT be able to maintain a face covering and I am both disgusted to be boarding a flight with your airline since you have not amended this incident of utter harassment and I would like to request a refund should no further action be taken to rectify this atrocious occurrence, especially since I would never have booked a flight with an airline that has such unrealistic and unfair expectations of young children.
I had a very disturbing experience with a United last night. My sister and I wore face masks upon arrival to the airport and throughout the entire flight from FLL to EWR (my sister does not have COVID antibodies so she’s super vigilant!). Upon the flights arrival we were singled out, asked to deplane, and informed that a complaint was filed against us for not wearing face coverings. We were completely stunned and filed our version of the incident ( traveling with a very obnoxious flight crew) with the gate agent. Many travelers stopped by to offer testimony of our complete compliance with United’s policies.
We are both now subject of PIRC- Passenger Incident Review Committee and have been banned from traveling with United until the incident is reviewed /resolved. United has a reputation for Racial Profiling and its very disturbing when you’re the victim.
In summary, it’s really no5 a great idea for adults or children to fly as the flight crews are disgruntled, obnoxious, and fearless.
Wow, that’s awful! Is there any chance that it was a mistake – a different pair of passengers not wearing masks, and for some reason they singled you out in error?
Its time for airlines to change the policy the policy to 5 years of age and above!
You can’t reason with a 2 year old.
Especially an airline that keeps the middle seat free, you won’t have a child sitting next to a stranger anyways. It will probably be a parent.
A parent or child that live in the same house don’t need to were face coverings.
So they should show flexibility to a 2 or 3 year old. If a grown man can take off his mask eat on a 2 hour flight, surely a child can keep it off if they can’t be reasoned with.
Most definitely when they are in need of a pacifier. A pacifier should not be less important, than a grown man eating on a 2 hour flight.
#shameonjetblue
Dan, you’ve written that Delta’s policy is that children under 8 who have difficulty with masks will not be required to wear one. I have an upcoming flight with Delta and I would like to have documentation of this policy should the need arise. Where can I find this on an official Delta channel? (Their standard webpage regarding masks doesn’t mention the under 8 exception)
Thanks
What makes these people become flight attendants? The DMV doesn’t have any openings?
Never fly Jet Blue. What a bunch of idiots. The pilot should have stepped in.
JetBlue has never been an upstanding airline. They acted unfairly to this poor family. Having to deal with a large family and a baby was difficult enough for the Mother, but the fuss they made over this was uncalled for. Delaying the flight and kicking so many passengers off the plane shows the consumer that they will not patronize their airline again. They most certainly should apologize to the woman and compensate her for her troubles. Especially since when she flew to Orlando she didn’t have this kind of problem.
So who is this Flight Attendant George that started this carnival of poor service?
Although I am really sorry this happened to his mother, and I am a loving mother and an attorney…. in the future, I hope that parents of young children who cannot keep masks on will not travel on airplanes to vacation (if the children cannot keep masks on). The fact that a child cannot keep a mask on does not make it safe to not wear a mask. Folks, there is a global pandemic. Don’t travel if you can’t wear a mask. I purchased my JetBlue tickets relying on the fact that JetBlue advertises that they are requiring everyone Age 2 and over to wear masks.
So basically the airline industry among others are using Covid-19 as a way of relieving themselves from all customer service.