ceieoc

A mother featured on CNN was forbidden to bring her breast pump on board. Stay classy Delta Airlines. Mothers should be allowed to breastfeed while in flight. Passengers need to be able to carry-on their essential medical devices.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/01/26/travel...ger/index.html

A new facebook group called "boobs on board" was created after Delta Airlines refusal to allow the breast pump to board the flight in the passenger cabin with the mother.

https://www.facebook.com/boobsonboard

Delta Airlines now says breast pumps are allowed. Has anyone else had their essential medical device blocked from boarding their flight?

MSPeconomist

To be a bit pedantic, one doesn't need a breast pump on board in order to breastfeed on board. Essentially, a mother would either use the breast pump without a baby or have the baby with her and therefore not need the breast pump.

Apparently the incident was about the GA telling a passenger that she needed to gate check a roller bag. The passenger had two other carry on items and apparently the overhead bins were full so that others after her were being told to gate check their stuff. She should have removed the breast pump from the suitcase instead of insisting that she needed the suitcase on board because it contained an essential medical device. AFAIK one cannot put some medical device in luggage along with many other items and then claim the medical device exemption for the luggage when it's much larger than the medical device.

kop84

But just saying that DL hates mothers makes for such better click-bait

StayingHomeIsBetter

"The limit of one carry-on bag and one personal bag (e.g., purse or briefcase) for each traveler does not apply to medical supplies and/or assistive devices. Passengers with disabilities generally may carry medical equipment, medications, and assistive devices on board the aircraft."

From here: http://airconsumer.ost.dot.gov/rules/20011029.htm

While not explicitly addressed in the fact sheet, I think it would be hard to pass the red-faced test by claiming that you need the entire carry-on just because it has such a device inside.

NoStressHere

Pretty much a FOX NEWS thing here. Take a simple fact, ignore a few other facts and then make a headline out it.

People that do this should be ashamed.

Terrible stuff.

ohmark

"Pretty much a Fox News thing here" that was featured on CNN?

gooselee

+1

I think this story cycles its way through the various airlines every few months. God forbid we actually rely on real news to drive web traffic.

ceieoc

This story could not be cycling through every few months as the date of denied boarding on Delta Airlines was January 19th. Yesterday, Time magazine (and other news agencies) reports Delta Airlines did not follow their published policy regarding passenger medical assistive devices. They write,

"Lauren Modeen, a nursing mother, says gate agents would not let her board with her carry-on suitcase that contained a breast pump, her purse and a cooler to carry breast milk. Many airlines, like Delta, limit passengers to one carry-on bag and a personal item, but allow medical devices to go aboard without counting against customers’ carry-on allowance.

Modeen says she was told all passengers boarding with her needed to check their luggage but that others behind her brought their carry-on items aboard with no problem. A customer who witnessed Modeen’s conversation says the overhead bins were not crowded."

http://time.com/3683465/delta-breast...-pump-apology/

This passenger was incorrectly told by Delta Airlines there was no bin space on board when there was space available as witnessed by another flyer. This resulted in a passenger being denied boarding with her exempt medical bag containing her breast pump, ice, a cooler to carry her breast milk and her purse.

Please let me know why you believe a CNN, Time Magazine and many other news agencies shoud be "ashamed" to report that a passenger with a medical assistive device was denied boarding. I do not see reporting this news as "click bait."

I would still like an answser to my original question, has anyone else had their essential medical device blocked from boarding their flight?

http://www.opposingviews.com/i/healt...rts%2C+Answers)

MSPeconomist

Apparently she wan't told that she could not keep the breast pump itself with her on board, but that she could not bring the entire suitcase that contained lots of other stuff too that was unrelated to the medical device requirements. The easy solution would have been to remove the breast pump from the suitcase and gate check the suitcase.

StayingHomeIsBetter

^^^ ohmark

Some folks leap to blaming Fox News just like they leap to blaming former NW FAs.

It's a reflex reaction.
==============================

As the issue that this thread focuses on, I suspect the truth is somewhere in the middle of the two divergent perspectives.

akcae

Cooler/insulated bag and storage containers are "related items" as pertain to her medical device (breast pump). Depending on the length of this flight (didn't catch what route this was on), and whether the baby needed/wanted to nurse, it is entirely possible she required to be able to pump at some point. If so, she would also need the containers and insulated bag to actually store the milk.

For a working mom who pumps during the day, it is crucial to remain on schedule in order to maintain the milk supply. Not being with her baby all day, she is unable to maintain normal nursing schedule, and pumping regularly would be extremely important to keep her supply sufficient. If this was a 3hr+ flight, and the baby (to the great hope of most passengers, I would venture to say) napping and/or not needing to nurse (or being used to a bottle) she would certainly need to pump.

All this to say that DL should not be the arbiter here on whether she needs the pump and what else is needed with it. They have the medical device exception in the policy precisely for this reason, and this woman should have been allowed to bring on board what she needed.

ceieoc

If the "lots of other stuff" was the cooler and ice, that is exempt as part of the medical assistive device and allowed to board in her carry-on medical suitcase. As reported, there was ample overhead space available on board. Please share a link to your source of information. As you know, my information was reported by CNN, Time Magazines and others.

MSPeconomist

No one is questioning the breast pump itself, the cooler thingy, or the containers. It's just the suitcase full of clothes that's the issue. This is what should have been checked.

yohanson

Typical Fox News hater. Those people aren't very bright and like to accuse Fox News watchers of what they are guilty of themselves.

akcae

No need to "accuse" Fox news watchers of anything. Surveys consistently show that those who use Fox as their primary source of information are the least informed on current events, politics, and world events.