Controversy erupts over mother of child with special needs
Elit Kirschenbaum, the mother of a three-year-old special-needs child, started a Twitter campaign against United Airlines, after a flight attendant wouldn’t let her daughter sit in her lap on a flight from the Dominican Republic to the United States.
The flight was delayed for an hour while the family argued with the airline crew. Kirschenbaum claims her daughter Ivy — a stroke survivor with Spastic Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, who is not able to sit up on her own, was humiliated by the flight attendant’s treatment.
United has since apologised and Kirschenbaum has received an avalanche of online support via the hashtag #UnitedWithIvy.
Such a disappointing story. This flight attendant needs to be punished. #unitedwithivy
— Tiffany Wilburn (@tiffanymarie007) January 2, 2015
#UnitedWithIvy I also left #united airlines due to their poor treatment of special needs.
— Shari Thurow (@sharithurow) January 2, 2015
Shame on United Airlines! Insensitive and cruel. #UnitedWithIvy
— Lee Radziwill (@LeeRadziwill) January 2, 2015
But there has also been a backlash against the Short Hills, New Jersey, mother of four, who had purchased first-class tickets for herself and husband. They bought their daughter Ivy a ticket in coach class.
#unitedwithivy Why did parents buy seats in economy for child, and First Class for themselves? No need for an apology.
— Chris LaPenta (@Chris_LaPenta) January 2, 2015
Some critics weren’t as kind:
Why couldn't #UnitedWithIvy have her own 1st class seat & send the 11yo or dad back to economy with the others for take off & landing?
— ron silva (@Yukfoo2) January 2, 2015
#UnitedWithIvy family owes an apology to the other passengers, Send dad to economy for take off & landing. Plane seat bigger than car seat.
— ron silva (@Yukfoo2) January 2, 2015
"New headline: "Incredibly Self-Centered Family - None Would Trade Seat In Economy For Special Needs Kid," tweeted Chris G.
I was on this #unitedwithivy flight and witnessed the entire debacle?! In this situation the family did not comply with airline n FAA rules
— Ms Tee (@NevaehsBoutique) January 2, 2015
Myself and several other passengers with connections to Europe missed our flights. We should be given an apology from #unitedwithivy
— Ms Tee (@NevaehsBoutique) January 2, 2015
Morning news break - January 3
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