(TJVNEWS) A Hasidic Jewish family says they have kicked off a flight because they refused to make their 18-month-old baby wear a mask, while passengers claimed Frontier Airlines staff performed celebratory high-fives after the incident.
Despite the policy being that children aged under 2 do not have to wear masks, the Orthodox Jewish Public Affairs Council (OJPAC) says the family were told “to get off because their 18-month-old had no mask.
The incident has gone viral on Twitter
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
An Orthodox Jewish person spoke up in defense of the Hasidic couple. Then the whole family siblings and in-laws started leaving the plane at which point the @FlyFrontier ordered everyone off of the airplane. pic.twitter.com/N1OwqxFI3Q
— OJPAC (@OJPAC) March 1, 2021
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
Frontier Airlines put out a statement claiming that the family was removed because adults were refusing to wear masks, according to the company’s Twitter post The above videos posted on Twitter however indicate that every family member was wearing a mask, except for the baby.
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 issue did not stem from a child under 2.
— Frontier Airlines (@FlyFrontier) March 1, 2021
