(CNN) – Southwest Airlines removed a passenger and her 3-year-old son from a Monday flight after the boy, who has autism, refused to wear a face mask and was overpowered.
“It was just not a good morning,” Sadler said. “He screamed. He threw a fit. He screamed no, no, no.”
Sadler said her son has a sensory processing disorder and does not like his face being touched and that she had a medical note explaining the condition.
Sadler added that the family had previously been able to fly from Houston to Midland without issue. They were visiting Sadler’s husband, who works in Midland.
Strict mask policy
The Monday flight had left the gate in Midland, but the plane turned around when it became clear that the child would not be wearing a mask during the trip.
Southwest Airlines has a strict mask policy that requires all passengers 2 and older to wear a mask as face mask for the time of flight.
A face mask policy was originally introduced in early May and from 27 July the airline introduced mandatory face masks with “no exemptions”, except for children under 2 years of age.
The airline said if a customer could not wear a face mask “for some reason,” Southwest “would not be able to transport the individual.”
The carrier added that in those cases a full refund will be issued and they “hope to welcome the customer on board in the future, if public health guidance regarding face covering changes.”
As of August 8, the airline clarified what types of face masks are allowed, stating that masks with exhaust valves or those not protected under the can are not accepted.
The airline also told CNN that customers will be informed of the policy on the website upon booking, in an email prior to departure and during the check-in process.
‘There should be no exceptions’
Gary Kelly, CEO of Southwest Airlines, says there are no exceptions to the mask rule because one of those people could carry the virus.
CNN
In a CNN interview on Wednesday, Southwest CEO Gary Kelly emphasized the policy of the now-exceptions when asked about the incident.
“From what we have concluded, there should be no exceptions, because the exception may be someone who has the virus,” Kelly Poppy Harlow told CNN.
“I’m very empathetic. I’m a grandpa. I have small grandchildren and I know how to have children, but it’s just a matter of making sure it’s a safe environment for everyone, including all those families.”
Sadler admitted she had no problem wearing a mask during the flight, but believes certain travelers should be exempt from the rule.
“I think there should be something in place for children or even adults with a disability who can’t wear a mask. They should have some sort of exemption,” she said.
Many U.S. airlines are taking a hard line on masks, with carriers including Delta, American Airlines and United adopting a policy to ban passengers from future flights if they do not wear a mask.
It is currently up to individual US airlines to decide their passenger mask policy. The FAA has not issued a federal requirement.
CNN’s Jeremy Grisham and Margaret Dawson contributed to this report
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