Despite the fact that its illegal to force babies to wear a mask, the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council (OJPAC) says the family were ordered “to get off because their 18-month-old had no mask.”
Disturbing incident the last hour on a @FlyFrontier flight as staff told a Hasidic couple to get off because their 18 month old had no mask. Applause is heard as the couple started leaving. Travels say on camera that the applause came from staff who also cheered that “we did it.” pic.twitter.com/rA2JQmI1tU
— OJPAC (@OJPAC) March 1, 2021
After fellow passengers started to complain about the treatment of the family, they too were kicked off the plane and the flight was then cancelled.
Eyewitnesses claim that anti-semitic airline staff were seen congratulating and “high-fiving each other,” while another stated, “A job well done to those Jews.”
EYEWITNESS VIDEO! Multiple people say on the record in this video that as the Hasidic couple started leaving the airplane, @FlyFrontier staff applauded, exchanged high fives and one allegedly said “a job well done to those Jews.” Att @PeteButtigieg @FAANews @SenatorCantwell pic.twitter.com/m1Azjw5Hbx
— OJPAC (@OJPAC) March 1, 2021
Summit.news reports: However, Frontier Airlines put out a statement claiming that the family was removed because adults were refusing to wear masks.
“Members of a large group, including adults, refused to wear masks as flight 2878 was preparing for departure from MIA-LGA. Repeated requests to comply with federal law necessitated their removal from the flight,” the airline declared, adding, “The issue did not stem from a child under 2.”
This claim is contradicted by footage showing the adults wearing masks as they leave the plane as well as testimony from passengers, one of whom asserted, “No adult refused to wear a mask.”
Hi @FlyFrontier I was on the plane.
— Meir G (@MeirG16) March 1, 2021
This is simply not true.
No adult refused to wear a mask.
The only person w/o a mask was a 18 month old.
I'm still horrified how you handled it.
We're sleeping tonight in MIA. At least thanks for rebooking us for tomorrow morning on JetBlue
“The only person w/o a mask was a 18 month old. I’m still horrified how you handled it,” they tweeted.
Political commenter Yossi Gestetner also pointed out the absurdity of masks on planes when people remove them for long periods of time when eating or drinking.
“The airplane was loaded corner to corner with ZERO distancing, and for most of the flight many passengers would anyway not wear masks due to eating,” said Gestetner. “So it’s odd that you chose to cancel a flight over an alleged mask issue (not backed by video and disputed by eyewitnesses).”