In the latest case of "masking madness," Spirit Airlines removed a 4-year-old, non-verbal autistic boy from a flight on Monday for not wearing a mask, with airline personnel allegedly telling the parents, "Autism's not a disability."
Speaking to CBS Little Rock Affiliate KTVH-TV, Callie Kimball, mother of 4-year-old Carter, said her husband and her son were forced to disembark from their Monday return flight from Las Vegas to Little Rock despite a note explaining their son’s condition, and having earlier flown out of Little Rock on Spirit without any problems.
“He had a medical note from his physician stating that he's exempt from wearing masks,” said Mrs. Kimball. “Because whenever he wears a mask he holds his breath or he starts freaking out and he will harm himself.”
After boarding the plane, the father reportedly explained to airline staff that his son “has a disability” that is "protected under the American Disability Act." Spirit Airlines personnel allegedly replied, "No, no, no, no. Autism's not a disability. He has to wear a mask or he has to get off the plane."
The family was forced off the plane and had to pay out of pocket for an American Airlines flight back to Little Rock. American accepted Carter’s medical exception note without pause.
As of February 2021, it became required by law for passengers on U.S. “airplanes, trains, buses, taxis and ridesharing services” to wear a mask while traveling. While U.S. airlines, including Spirit, had already instituted such mask mandates, the federal government’s new requirement made clear medical exemptions could be given.
The TSA detailed the possible exemptions on its website, writing, “This is a narrow exception that includes a person with a disability who cannot wear a mask for reasons related to the disability; who,” among other things, “cannot communicate promptly to ask someone else to remove their mask due to speech impairments or language disorders.”
However, Spirit Airlines apparently disagreed with even this “narrow exception.”
In its response to inquiries regarding the incident, the airline, known for its cheap prices, said, “Like most airlines, Spirit Airlines started requiring face coverings in May 2020 with the only exemption being one for children under age 2... Our existing policy does not provide for medical exemptions, regardless of diagnosis.”
Clearly, a non-verbal autistic child should check all the necessary boxes for a mask exemption. And in fact, contrary to Spirit’s claim, other airlines, such as American, Delta and United, have policies in place to accommodate those who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons.
Going forward, Spirit Airlines has decided to amend its zero exemption policy, expressing in its statement, “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.”
For the family, however, a retroactive change in the airline's poorly contemplated policy does nothing to heal the emotional harm done.
Mrs. Kimball expressed that the incident was especially traumatizing to her son, saying "Kids on the spectrum, they're usually very obsessed with something. He is obsessed with airplanes. So he was sitting in his seat being quiet and looking out the window, and this lady was like 'Get off!'"
Tearing up, the mother lamented, "I've never in my life - like being the parent of an autistic kid is really hard and I've never in my life experienced that kind of discrimination from someone."
In its statement, Spirit Airlines expressed "sympathy with families facing additional burdens while traveling."
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