Posted on 09/05/2012 6:09:39 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
A California family says they were kicked off a cross-country American Airlines flight because their 16-year-old son has Down syndrome.
Joan and Robert Vanderhorst, of Bakersfield, Calif., said they intend to sue American over the "humiliating" incident at Newark Airport, in which they were told their special needs son posed a "flight risk."
"It's defamation," Robert Vanderhorst told the Daily News. "It's a violation of his civil rights and its defamation."
Joan Vanderhorst pulled out her cell phone and started recording the incident on Sunday in which Bede is seen quietly playing with his hat and an American Airlines official warns that she was prohibited from filming "in a security-controlled area."
At one point, Port Authority police were even called on the confused family.
"Nothing like this has ever happened to us before. That's what's so shocking. He's usually our good luck charm. Good things usually happen when Bede is with us," Vanderhorst said.
Bede and his parents had been in Jackson, N.J., visiting family and were eager to make the long return flight home. On a "lark" they had even upgraded their seats to first class, shelling out an extra $625 dollars.
"My wife said, 'oh Bede's never flown first class,' he'll be so excited."
Vanderhorst said Bede, a freshman in high school, has flown "at least 30 times" through his life and has never caused any trouble.
Nothing was different before Sunday's flight, he said. Bede was sticking close to his parents and was not acting unruly, nor was he upset.
But as the family waited to board, an American Airlines official pulled them aside and said the pilot had observed Bede and didn't feel safe allowing him on the plane.
Joan Vanderhorst quickly snapped on her video camera and can be heard sobbing. "We are being singled out," she said. Robert Vanderhorst, an attorney, calmly pleads with the airline official. "He's behaving. He's demonstrating he's not a problem."
The agitated American Airlines employee instead called Port Authority police to escort the family away from the gate.
"It was horrible, humiliating. We were treated like criminals…One officer even told me to call our congressman and report the pilot," Vanderhorst said.
He said the pilot's name was recorded as Jeff Hickey.
"He never came out, he never interacted with my son," Vanderhorst said.
But American Airlines stood behind its decision to remove Bede from the flight, telling the Daily News on Tuesday that boy was "agitated" in the waiting area.
"Asking the family to take the next flight was a decision that was made with careful consideration and that was done based on the behavior of the teen," the airline said.
"Our customer service team worked with the Vanderhorst family and the EWR [Newark airport] team, as well as the crew, tried to get Bede comfortable. Unfortunately, the crew determined he was still agitated."
The airline said it did not have any complaints from other passengers observing Bede's alleged "agitation."
Vanderhorst said he has spoken with his attorneys about a lawsuit, accusing the airline of violating Bede's civil rights and the Americans With Disabilities Act.
"My son cannot defend himself," he said. "I expect that American Airlines will not give their pilots the ability to discriminate against anyone; gay, black disabled," he said.
The family's trip home deteriorated even further when they were loaded into a full United Airlines flight and placed in the very back row.
"For a second time, we were discriminated against. Segregated."
For his part, Bede, took the incident in stride.
"He got on the plane and was waving hi to everyone," his father said.
So? Why would she make an issue of that?
You were there????????
I’m pretty sure that the economy, energy and the protection of our country are the things she would lead on.
Because she knows what it is like to have your disabled child abused by others.
“”After the way they treated Glenn Beck....a story that was heard by countless MILLIONS in the last 24 hours””
I’ve missed that - what’s that about?
American is beginning to make United look good. That in itself says a bunch!
I understand you point. However, I don’t think she is that thin skinned to be, “all over it”
Don’t fly much do you guys? And if you say, “yes”, I have to seriously doubt that in advance.
‘thin skinned’??
What happened to ‘MAMA GRIZZLY’??
Just last week I called my mom to give her a birthday present. A flight with AA anywhere any time she wants within the next year.
I just wrote AA and told them that I’d be telling Mom that she could get a ticket with anyone BUT them. I’ll pay an extra $100 for the tickets.
Don’t mess with kids. Don’t mess with our disabled kids/soldiers/elderly.
Real men (and women) protect those who can’t take care of themselves.
No matter what airline, the Captain of the flight can refuse anyone service on HIS aircraft, and have them physically removed. He does not have to explain, justify, or get permission from anyone, he has that authority.
For anyone that can not accept this, they need to find another mode of transportation.
Not so much “thin-skinned” as a “Mama Grizzly” protecting a cub, so to speak. I’d be very surprised if she doesn’t at least comment on the incident. AA might want to get their s*** straight pretty quickly.
Gotta cha!
Glenn Beck Boycott: American Airlines In The Hotseat
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-bloggers/2927157/posts
Glenn’s Labor Day weekend in NYC uncovers ugly hatred on American Airlines
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/2926508/posts
Is the same true of a bus driver, train conductor, taxi driver, etc?
I understand your sentiment about her children. I don’t think she will make an issue of them. Any animal will ignore the chatter going on over there, but if it put’s their cub in jeopardy she will attack for sure.
In this case, I don’t see it. Now, as a retired airline employee who has worked for different airlines in many different capacities, all carriers have their slip ups. So if you go to another carrier they will at some point disappoint you and you will go back to another or the original one depending on the flight miles you racked up.
That is history.
It is in the Federal Air Regulations (FARs), so no direct transfer to other industries.
Never been around ocean going ships, but I believe a ship captain can do the same thing, and even put a passenger off at the next port if he decides to.
On an aircraft, the Captain is the ultimate authority, and the flight crew enjoys a protected status as far as attacks on their person by a passenger, it is a violation of federal law (and the FARs), and will result in arrest. Further, fines can be levied by the FAA against passengers without any right to a hearing or trial. The fines start at $10,000, IIRC.
As I understand it, a ship’s captain, at sea, can put you in the brig, in shackles or under house arrest, so to speak. Their word is law.
Alrighty then! So if my daughter is denied her flight because the pilot doesn’t like her Star of David (or her Tea Party t-shirt) or my son is denied because he’s a diabetic or my husband is wearing a military t-shirt that the pilot finds offensive, I’ll be sure to keep my mouth shut.
After all, the pilot can do any damn thing he wants. I keep forgetting that those pesky laws against discrimination only apply to Muslims.
I haven’t flown since right after 9/11 and don’t wish to. I don’t like the way the airlines treat overweight passengers these days, for one thing, plus they seem to want to nickel & dime you to death, even after paying ridiculous amounts for a ticket in the first place.
Horsespit!
Unlike thew high seas where a vessel’s captain has that kind of authority, Commercial pilots do not. Airlines ARE subject to obeying all federal laws, such as the ADA, and are subject to common carrier regulations which ban any form of discrimination.
You are a heartless hateful person, as you demonstrate here on a daily basis with your vile and putrid comments
What you wrote was completely uncalled for.
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