A New Jersey mother has accused United Airlines of mistreating her disabled son during a flight from Tampa, Florida, claiming flight staff repeatedly pressured her to remove her disabled son’s ventilator before take-off.
Melissa Sotomayor shared her ordeal in a now-viral TikTok video, which has amassed over a million views. In the video, she explained that her son relies on a tracheostomy, ventilator, and portable oxygen concentrator due to his medical condition, which also affects his vision and hearing.
Sotomayor said that she ensured all necessary medical documentation was in order before boarding, just as she had for their outbound flight with no issues. However, trouble arose on their return flight when a male flight attendant instructed her to remove her son’s ventilator and oxygen concentrator for takeoff, claiming it needed to be secured.
Despite providing documentation proving her son’s medical needs, the situation escalated as two more flight attendants and even the captain approached her with the same demand. Sotomayor said she repeatedly explained that the equipment was essential for her son’s survival, only to be met with dismissive responses. At one point, a United Airlines staff member allegedly told her, “He’ll be okay until we’re in the air at a high enough altitude.”
The crew reportedly suggested she might have to change seats if she refused to comply, leading to further distress. As the plane sat on the tarmac for over an hour, other passengers spoke up, calling out the airline’s treatment of Sotomayor and her son as “harassment.”
Ultimately, the flight proceeded without her having to remove the equipment, but Sotomayor described feeling humiliated by the entire experience. She later escalated her complaint to United Airlines’ corporate office, only to be told that the airline was following federal aviation administration (FAA) guidelines.
Her video has sparked outrage online, with viewers calling for a boycott of United Airlines and urging her to take legal action under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Some commenters pointed out that airline staff are not permitted to ask for medical documentation at boarding, as such information is typically provided in advance.
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