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A New York mother traveling with her six children was kicked off a JetBlue flight on Wednesday after her 2-year-old daughter did not wear a mask as required by the airline.
Chaya Bruck, a Brooklyn resident, documented the episode that occurred on a flight from Orlando to Newark in a video posted to Facebook. He had more than 2,400 views by early Thursday afternoon.
“Shame on you,” JetBlue, she wrote on Facebook, “for harassing me and kicking me off with my 6 kids.” Bruck said her 2-year-old “would not cooperate and wear a mask.”
Bruck, 39, did not immediately return a request for comment on Thursday.
She alleges in the post that the airline’s in-flight crew were “nothing but bullies” who treated her and her family in an inhumane manner. She also claims that the company’s written policy posted on its website states that “young children who cannot wear a mask are exempt.”
The JetBlue website states that all travelers who are at least 2 years old must wear a face covering their nose and mouth throughout their journey – including when checking in, boarding, in flight and on disembarkation to prevent the spread of the coronavirus. Other major airlines also have mask policies.
“Masks with vents or exhalation valves are not allowed,” states Jet Blue policy. “Plastic face shields can be worn in addition to a face shield, but not in place of one.”
JetBlue advises on its website that customers with conditions that prevent them from wearing a face mask are postponing their trip “until this temporary requirement is no longer in place.” The airline also requires all crew members to wear masks when boarding, in flight and when physical distance cannot be maintained.
Bruck alleges in his Facebook post that it was announced over the aircraft’s loudspeaker that children who cannot wear masks are exempt.
In the nearly 3-minute video, passengers quickly came to his defense after being asked to leave the plane.
“Do you realize she’s 2 years old?” Bruck can be heard saying for about a minute in the video.
“Yes,” replies a crew member. “And so am I. It’s not something we can excuse.”
“Shall I tie her hands? What shall I do?” Bruck asks. “Should I hold his hand?”
“We have to disembark,” the crew member told him. Bruck refuses. “No. I’m not going to disembark. I can do my best.” She asks the crew member if it is a problem if the child has a pacifier in the mouth.
She also says she has six children and her luggage is on the plane. “Come with us now,” said the crew member, eliciting loud responses from the other passengers.
“She didn’t do anything wrong,” a male voice can be heard in the video.
Bruck again refuses to get off the plane. “I have six children,” she says. “I’m not going anywhere.”
“I swear it will be in the media,” she also said. “My husband is a lawyer and I swear it will be in the media.”
The crew member again tells Bruck that face covers are a requirement.
“OK. Then I’ll put on his mask,” Bruck said.
“It’s already too late,” the crew member replied, prompting the passengers to once again voice their support for Bruck and question why she had to get off the plane.
A passenger can be heard telling the crew member that the JetBlue website states that children are exempt from masks. The crew member informs the passenger that only children under 2 years old are exempt.
The video ends with passengers shouting in defense of Bruck. All passengers were then told to leave the plane but, with the exception of Bruck and his children, were able to climb back up. The flight was delayed for just under an hour.
In a statement Thursday, a spokesperson for Jet Blue, Derek Dombrowski, said the safety of crew members and customers was its top priority and that the airline had “quickly introduced new safety policies and procedures while throughout the pandemic ”.
JetBlue’s policy was most recently updated on August 10, “to make sure everyone wears a face mask – adults and children – to help prevent the spread of the coronavirus,” Dombrowski said.
He added that the policy was in line with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines that “masks should not be worn by children under the age of 2”.
Dombrowski said all customers receive an email before their flight outlining the latest security protocols and face coverage policies.
“We have a flexible booking change policy for those who are unable to meet this requirement, and customers who refuse to follow these standards after crew member requests will be screened for further eligibility to travel. on JetBlue, ”Dombrowski said.
Bruck told NBC New York that she hopes JetBlue will change its policy to accommodate children who have difficulty keeping a mask.
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