Two-year-old girl refuses mask: United Airlines kicks family off plane

The emergency Covid-19 has often presented us with questions. In a variety of work settings one finds oneself having to strike the right balance between compliance with new health regulations and common sense. Month after month, a certain sense of empathy has been fading away, all as a function of frightening and, at the same time, reassuring legislation.

In most cases we let the needle of our judgment lean toward this new reality, completely ignoring the voice that urges us to act sensibly, as we would have done just a few months ago.

Here, then, an entire family, consisting of mother, father and daughter just two years old, is sent away from a scheduled flight of the United Airlines. The plane was ready to take off from the airport in Denver, when a flight attendant realized that the couple's very young daughter was not wearing a mask.

No case of anti-mask parents, no denialism on board. Father and mother try to coax the little girl to wear the mask, repeatedly resting it against her hands, raised to defend her mouth. From tantrums to tears, with the tension quickly skyrocketing. The father, clutching the barely two-year-old girl to himself, then tries to cover her mouth with a shirt

Before long, however, here is a gate agent who has arrived to intimate them to abandon their seats and thus the aircraft: "I have given you an opportunity, sir. I must ask you to disembark." A quick confrontation and then all three find themselves back on the ground.

Mom's video

Narrating the facts is the mother, Eliz Orban, who posted a tearful video that quickly went viral on the web. She explained that she had purchased tickets to go to New Jersey to visit family and friends. United Airlines has been nothing short of harsh in its handling of the matter, effectively placing all blame on the parents. As if one could really point the finger at a two-year-old girl.

The exit from the plane was also so quick that the two were forced to leave their luggage behind, to be retrieved later, according to the company's directives.

Today we got kicked off of a United flight going from Denver to Newark because our 2yo would not "comply" and keep her mask on. Go see the full IGTV on my Instagram @elizfulop ? pic.twitter.com/KXCICsBSMj

- Eliz Orban (@elizfulop) December 12, 2020

United Airlines' statement

It was not long before the United Airlines official press release, who commented on the incident, "The health and safety of our employees and customers is our top priority. That is why there are policies on multiple levels, such as mandating all passengers to wear a face mask, from two years of age and up. We are investigating this specific incident and have made contact with the family. Their tickets have also been refunded and luggage left on board returned."

In aid of parents

There is no surefire way to successfully convince your child, only a few years old, to wear a health mask for a short flight. However, it is possible to try to curb the obstacle before you find yourself on board.

If masks generate some discomfort in adults, it is easy to imagine the effect on children. It might help, however, to turn this constraint into an object of desire. Indeed, there are masks decorated with particular characters, television and otherwise. Why not propose a Disney, Marvel, Pixar and similar masquerade? It is necessary to approach the subject well in advance, identifying the right mask and turning it into a game.

• covid-19