Woman Says She Was Removed From Flight For Breastfeeding

On Wednesday, the Vermont Human Rights Commission refused to dismiss a complaint from a woman who alleges she was thrown off a Delta Air Lines flight because she was breast-feeding her baby.

As ANN reported last year, Emily Gillette was breast feeding her then 22-month-old daughter aboard the flight, operated by Freedom Airlines, when a flight attendant asked her to cover herself with a blanket. When she refused Gillette, her daughter River and husband Brad were all asked to get off the plane.

Gillette says her window seat was in the next-to-last row, while her husband took the aisle seat. She claims she held her shirt closed with one hand and wasn't exposed. She claims a flight attendant tried to hand her a blanket to cover herself, while telling Gillette "You're offending me."

Gillette says she refused to cover up because she wasn't doing anything wrong. The flight attendant rounded up a ticket agent to ask the Gillettes to leave.

The airlines have said that Gillette was invited back onto the flight, but she refused, a claim Gillette denies.

Elizabeth Boepple, Gillette's lawyer, expressed surprise the airlines continue to pursue the case despite the fact that both have contended they allow breast-feeding on planes.

"They could have taken the opportunity to say what happened is wrong and was really a significant mistake on the part of an airline employee," Boepple told the San Diego Union-Tribune.

Mesa Air Group, parent company of Freedom Airlines, told the Commission they have reminded their employees of the company's breast-feeding policy.

If it determines discrimination may have occurred, the Commission typically urges involved parties to reach a settlement. If this can't or won't happen, the Commission can choose to represent Gillette in a civil lawsuit.

FMI: www.mesa-air.com/, www.hrc.state.vt.us/