A couple traveling from Punta Gorda, Florida, to Indianapolis were kicked off their flight before takeoff. The reason? Their baby was crying, and a worker on the aircraft claimed the infant was “sick.” Now their story has gone viral on social media, and the airline has responded.
Sydney and Kyle Tash had just boarded their flight from Punta Gorda to Indianapolis on March 27 when their trip came to an abrupt halt. Shortly after taking their seats on the Allegiant Air plane, their baby, Ellie, suddenly became upset.
She had been calm and quiet through security and at the gate, but once they sat down on the plane, she started crying.
Then an Allegiant Air worker approached, asked to see their boarding passes, and began asking questions about their baby, including her name and birthdate. Moments later, a flight attendant declared the baby sick and unfit to fly because her face was red from crying. Sydney shared the incident on TikTok, where the video has now been viewed millions of times.
“They called her an unidentified infant over the walkie-talkie. Then they told us a flight attendant reported us for having a baby who was feverish [because her face was red from crying] … said medical professionals wouldn’t clear her to fly and that we were going to have to get off,” Sydney said.
Couple sparks debate after airline kicks them off flight due to their “sick” crying baby
She continued, “Nobody would come and see her. Nobody on the flight was required to have a temperature checked. Nobody would even come and take her temperature. They said, ‘well, she looks red, and it looks like a rash.’ Several other babies were on the flight and also crying. We were told to get off the flight or police would take us off, even though we weren’t arguing or cussing.”
Sydney said her family was rebooked on a flight the next morning, but the airline didn’t offer compensation. Their luggage remained on the previous flight.
For the second flight, Sydney said, “they even tried to make it better, putting us in priority boarding and extra leg room, which we didn’t care about.”
The New York Post received a statement from Allegiant Air in which a spokesperson explained that the crew is “responsible for making real-time decisions that prioritize the safety and well-being of all passengers on board. If a crew member has concerns about a passenger’s ability to travel, especially when an infant or potential medical issue is involved, they may pause boarding to consult our medical information service provider, MedLink.”
Airline responds
The statement continued, “In this instance, our crew consulted MedLink after observing symptoms that raised concern, which is standard procedure and consistent with industry practice across many airlines when a passenger health issue arises. Based on the information available, MedLink advised that it was not in the child’s best interest to continue travel.” The video has since been viewed by millions, sparking ongoing debate about who was right and who was wrong. Some sided with the airline, while others did not.
“I can promise you, we hear babies cry on our aircraft every day. Crying babies do not bother us. If the flight attendant and gate agent requested MedLink to assess the baby and followed their guidance, it was out of care and concern for this child, not for any other reason,” one commenter wrote.
“The baby was literally screaming — crazy to expect people to just sit through that,” another added.
“The flight attendant’s action was out of care and concern for this child and not any other reason,” a third said.
The internet is divided
Others sympathized with the family and criticized the airline’s actions.
One user asked, “Why does the world make it more difficult for new parents?”
Another wrote, “So the airline is now giving out healthcare advice,” while a third added, “As a healthcare provider, I would have asked to see who assessed my child. Because assessing a minor without consent is against medical ethics!”
“Sue — they are supposed to compensate you if they change your flight last minute,” another user pointed out.
Did the airline do the right thing? Share your thoughts in the Facebook comments and join the discussion.
