They did what?
Two of the most irritating things that can happen on a flight are bad turbulence and crying babies — both out of anyone’s control. Unfortunately, one couple was kicked off a recent flight for having the latter.
On an Allegiant Air return flight from Punta Gorda, Florida, to Indianapolis, Sydney and Kyle Tash’s baby girl, Ellie, was fussy and crying for a few minutes before being approached by an Allegiant Air worker.
While the family of three didn’t have any issues getting through security and to their gate at the airport, once the trio was seated on the plane, they were reportedly asked to show their boarding pass and were asked detailed questions about their baby, like her name and birthdate.
“…They called her an unidentified infant over the walkie [talkie]. Then they told us a flight attendant reported us for a baby being feverish [because her face was red from crying] … said medical professionals wouldn’t clear her to fly and that we were going to have to get off,” the mom of the infant explained in the caption of a TikTok video about their situation with four million views.
“Nobody would come and see her. Nobody on the flight was required to have a temperature checked. Nobody would even come and take her temperature. They said well she looks red and it looks like a rash. Several other babies were on the flight and also crying. We were told to get off the flight or police would take us off of it even though we weren’t arguing or cussing,” the lengthy caption continued.
While the family was booked on a flight the next morning, supposedly the airline didn’t provide them with any lodging, transportation, or compensation — and to add further insult to injury, their luggage was stuck on their previous flight.
Weirdly enough, the couple and their baby boarded the second flight without any hiccups and “they [the airline] even tried to make it better, putting us in priority boarding and extra leg room, which we didn’t care about,” she wrote.
When The Post reached out to Allegiant Air for comment, a spokesperson explained, “Our crews are responsible for making real-time decisions that prioritize the safety and well-being of all passengers on board. If a crew member has concerns about a passenger’s ability to travel, especially when an infant or potential medical issue is involved, they may pause boarding to consult our medical information service provider, MedLink.”
“… In this instance, our crew consulted MedLink after observing symptoms that raised concern, which is standard procedure and consistent with industry practice across many airlines when a passenger health issue arises. Based on the information available, MedLink advised that it was not in the child’s best interest to continue travel.”
The viral video of the situation racked up over 3,000 comments with varying opinions.
Some actually took the airline’s side, understanding where they were coming from.
“I can promise you, we hear babies cry on our aircraft every day. Crying babies do not bother us. If the flight attendant and Gate Agent requested med link to assess the baby and follow their guidance, it was out of care and concern of this child not for any other reason,” one commenter wrote.
“The baby was literally screamingggg crazy to expect people to just sit thru that,” chimed in someone else.
Others empathized with the family.
“So the airline is now giving out healthcare advice,” a comment read, with another with a similar sentiment right under it: “As a healthcare provider, I would have asked to see who assessed my child. Because assessing a minor without consent is against medical ethics!”
“Sue, they are supposed to compensate you if they chnage your flight last minute,” someone else pointed out.
“Why does the world make it more difficult for new parents?” wrote someone else.
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