An Arkansas family is crying foul after their four-year-old son, who’s non-verbal with autism, was removed from a Spirit Airlines flight because he wasn’t wearing a mask on Monday.
According to CBS News, the boy’s mother, Callie Kimball claims that Carter “had a medical note from his physician stating that he’s exempt from wearing masks because whenever he wears a mask he holds his breath or he starts freaking out and he will harm himself.”
The family flew with Spirit to visit family in Las Vegas on Friday without issue.
However, the airline refused to accept Carter’s note on the return flight, which included a stopover in Dallas.
“He has a disability. It’s protected under the American Disability Act and they go, ‘No no no. Autism’s not a disability. He has to wear a mask or he has to get off the plane,'” she added.
The family was eventually able to book a new flight on American Airlines, which accepted the physician’s note.
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Spirit said that it has already issued a refund for the flight but blamed the delay on the time it takes credit card issuers to credit the funds.
What’s more, the airline will introduce changes to its face-covering policy this week, allowing guests with a medical disability to apply for an exemption.
“We sympathize with families facing additional burdens while traveling, including those dealing with medical conditions. Like most airlines, Spirit Airlines started requiring face coverings in May 2020 with the only exemption being one for children under age 2 for the safety of our Guests and Team Members,” Spirit said in a statement to TravelPulse. “We remind Guests of our face-covering policy throughout the booking process, in pre-trip emails sent prior to departure, and in a required acknowledgment that is part of the check-in procedure. Our existing policy does not provide for medical exemptions, regardless of diagnosis.”
“Starting March 19, 2021, Guests with a medical disability who are traveling on or after March 22, 2021, can apply for an exemption as provided for in the federal mandate requiring masks in airports and on planes. We plan to add information to our website about the exemption later this week,” the airline added.
Travelers can visit Spirit’s Information Center for more details.
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