A mother, Jenna Longoria, had an unfortunate experience when she was removed from a United Airlines flight with her distressed 16-month-old son. The reason? She mistakenly used the wrong pronoun for a flight attendant. What started as an innocent mistake snowballed into a frustrating situation for Longoria and her family.
Longoria explained the incident in a video she shared on Instagram. She expressed her frustration and detailed what happened. During the boarding process, while handling her son’s tantrum and carrying his car seat, she inadvertently used the wrong pronoun for a flight attendant. Despite immediately apologizing and explaining, the situation escalated.
“I got one of the flight attendant’s pronouns wrong, and the other flight attendant didn’t like it. I said, ‘I’m really sorry, I’m not very versed in pronouns.’ I was holding my son, who was having a temper tantrum, and I had the car seat on my back. I wasn’t really focusing on anything except getting my son’s car seat on the plane and getting him comfortable,” Longoria shared.
To her surprise, after the incident, Longoria was informed by a United Airlines staff member that the captain had personally barred her from boarding the plane. Adding to her distress, the flight departed with her luggage on board, which contained vital medications for her and her mother, leaving them at risk of becoming “very sick” while they were stranded.
Longoria’s account of the incident has gained significant attention online, with many expressing outrage over her treatment. People empathized with the challenges she faced, trying to manage a young child and navigate the airport under stressful conditions.
This incident has raised questions about the airline’s policies and how they handle situations like these. While United Airlines has not publicly commented on this specific incident, it highlights the importance of communication and understanding, especially in high-stress environments like airports.
Longoria’s story has resonated with many, particularly parents who can relate to the difficulties of traveling with young children. It also brings attention to the broader conversation about pronoun usage and the potential consequences of misunderstandings in today’s social climate.
Longoria herself expressed her frustration and confusion over the severity of the airline’s response. “It was an honest mistake,” she said. “I was just trying to manage my child and get us settled on the plane.”
Currently, the situation remains unresolved as Longoria and her family await further communication from United Airlines. In the meantime, her story continues to gain traction, with many supporting her and calling for the airline to address the incident more compassionately and transparently.
