Mom and Baby Wrongfully Kicked Off Flight Due to Rare Skin Condition

Jordan Flake is speaking out after she and her son Jackson were removed from an American Airlines flight when crew members were alarmed by their rare skin condition. The mom’s “humiliating” experience has quickly gone viral, encouraging others to be more understanding when it comes to what makes us different.

“Jackson and I were just discriminated against, big time,” she says.

Everything seemed fine as the mom and her son boarded the plane and got situated in their seats. The two were returning home after spending time with their husband and father before his deployment, The Washington Post reports. Flake made small talk with those sitting around her, who were engaging in cute interactions with the baby boy. But it wasn’t long before things turned sour.

The mom was approached by one of the airline’s employees who quietly asked the mom about her “rash,” and whether or not she had a letter from a doctor permitting her to fly.

Flake and her son have Ichthyosis, which is a genetic skin disorder associated with dry, scaling skin that may be thickened or very thin, according to Mayo Clinic. The mother tried to tell this to crew members, but they weren’t satisfied with her explanation. In the end, the two were asked to leave the flight.

“I have never been so humiliated in my life,” the mom admits.

The airline employee who spoke with them on the plane tried his best to help the pair by setting them up with a different flight, but the mother was still put out.

“They also weren’t able to retrieve my checked luggage,” she shares. “I had to make unexpected child care arrangements for my daughter at home, and I am having to get a ride to the store to get our lotions and some clothes for tomorrow.”

Since the story went viral, American Airlines apologized to Flake for the way the situation was handled.

“We sincerely apologize to Ms. Flake and her son for the experience they had Thursday, and our team has begun an investigation into the matter,” the airline said in a statement Saturday to The Washington Post.

While the damage has already been done, hopefully others will walk away with a lesson on understanding others’ differences.