A New Jersey mom claims that United Airlines mistreated her crippled boy on board a journey from Tampa, Florida, claiming trip staff constantly pressured her to remove his ventilator before takeoff.
Melissa Sotomayor described her suffering in a now-viral TikTok video that has received over a million opinions. She explained in the movie that her child has a tracheostomy, vent, and portable air concentrator because of his medical condition, which also has an impact on his hearing and vision.
Sotomayor claimed that she made sure all required medical evidence was in order before board, only as she made sure everything was perfect for their outbound flight. However, problems broke when a male flight attendant told her to take off her brother’s valve and oxygen generator because it needed to be secured on their returning flight.
Despite providing evidence that her father’s health needs were met, the circumstance escalated as two more flight attendants and even the skipper made an appearance at her with the same request. Sotomayor claimed that she had repeatedly stated that the equipment was necessary for the survival of her son, just to receive contemptuous responses. A United Airlines employee allegedly said to her,” He’ll be fine until we’re in the air at a higher enough altitude.”
If she refused to comply, the team reportedly said she might need to switch chairs, which would add to her anxiety. Other passengers voiced their complaints about the firm’s handling of Sotomayor and her brother as “harassment” as the aircraft sat on the tarmac for more than an hour.
In the end, the flight went ahead without her having to take the belongings off, but Sotomayor described being humiliated by the overall experience. She was later informed that United Airlines was operating in accordance with federal aviation administration ( FAA ) regulations when she escalated her complaint to the company’s corporate office.
Viewers on her video have urged her to boycott United Airlines and file legal action under the Americans with Disabilities Act ( ADA ). Some commenters made the observation that airline personnel are not permitted to request medical documents when boarding, as for information is usually provided in enhance.
