Family removed from flight after 2-year-old wouldn't wear a mask — here's how to avoid that happening to you
A health coach recently posted on social media about her experience being removed from a United Airlines flight from Denver to Newark because her two-year-old daughter wouldn't wear a mask. From where the video posted to Instagram starts, you can see attempts the parents make to have the little one put a mask on to no avail. A United agent then asks the family to gather their things and exit the flight. The family stated they were traveling to New York to spend time with friends and family for the weekend.
There's a lot to unpack here, from properly following pandemic protocol to the official policy of United Airlines. As a father of two little ones myself, I also have a lot of thoughts on what occurred as well as a lot of empathy for all parents for the times your little ones just won't cooperate. Let's review what happened and how you can avoid a similar situation.
Know the airline's mask policy before you board (or book)
Whether you agree or disagree with the official United Airlines mask policy, it is clear in its language that all travelers over the age of 2 are required to wear a mask on board. (Also, the day you turn 2, you’re over 2.) There are three FAQs on the United website that again make it clear all travelers over the age of 2 are required to wear face coverings during the entire flight. With the policy clear and reiterated multiple times during the booking and check-in process, parents have adequate knowledge about whether or not a child will have to wear a mask.
If you think mask compliance for your child might be an issue, choose one of the other airlines with more lenient policies for flying little ones.
On Delta, which flies from Denver nonstop to Laguardia, children under the age of 2 and young children who cannot maintain a face covering are exempt from the mask requirement.
Normalize wearing a mask with your child before the flight
As a parent, you know whether your kid is likely to be capable of wearing a mask for a lengthy flight even before you book the flight. To help your chances, there should be a lot of conversation and practice even before heading to the airport.
It also helps to pick out a fun series of masks. From the video, it looks like the mask the parents are attempting to use is an adult surgical mask provided by United. Your kid's favorite cartoon, superhero or storybook character is probably on a mask at this point. (Check out recs from TPG's Summer Hull here.)
Then, practice practice practice. Wear a mask yourself at home so your child sees it is normal and let them wear it while doing their favorite activities at home. Start short for a few minutes and work your way up then reward them for success.
I'm not a child development pro, but we've done these with my 3 and 5-year-old and had good luck this year when they have been on a flight or in a place where a mask is required for a long time.
Prepare to be flexible
Accept that some days the little ones just aren't going to play ball and roll with the punches. Fly Delta when possible if you know you're at risk of having a little one that doesn't like masks.
And finally: Always follow state-issued quarantine requirements
Whether or not to travel right now is a personal decision. But whether or not to comply with mandatory quarantine requirements is not.
New York state requires a minimum of a three-day quarantine from noncontiguous states if the travelers received a negative COVID test within three days of departure. In the video in question, this parent says this is a weekend trip, which would not allow enough time to follow the state-mandated quarantine guidelines. If we ever want to beat this thing for good and get back to travel as we knew it, we must travel responsibly and follow the proper guidelines.
Bottom line
Life is tough right now and the smallest stressors can quickly boil over. Do your homework to avoid any surprises and if you don't like the policy of a particular company (airline) then choose to do business with another one.
It can certainly be tough when your little ones don't want to cooperate, but you have to plan for how to counteract those times and plan to be in a position where it's ok if today is Meltdown Day. I don't fault United for enforcing its written policy. Taking the aforementioned precautions into consideration might have helps these parents lessen the chance of setting themselves up for failure.
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
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- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
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- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.
Rewards Rate
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 4X | Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year. |
| 3X | Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com. |
| 2X | Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com. |
| 1X | Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases. |
Intro Offer
You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after spending $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer.As High As 100,000 points. Find Out Your Offer.Annual Fee
$325Recommended Credit
Credit ranges are a variation of FICO® Score 8, one of many types of credit scores lenders may use when considering your credit card application.Excellent to Good
Why We Chose It
There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits. (Partner offer)Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.