United Airlines refused mother access to son’s medical supplies during delay

Shelby Davis, a 24-year-old mother from Virginia Beach, urgently required access to her special needs son’s Medical Supplies during a delay to a united airlines flight. Despite the urgency, the airline’s staff refused to give her access to her checked in bags.

Flight delay causes problems with woman’s special needs son

According to a report by The Virginian-Pilot, Davis was attempting to get home to Norfolk last Monday night after a weekend visiting her boyfriend in Chicago. She had booked a flight for herself and her son with United Airlines, however, while they were waiting to board, the airline announced that the flight was to be delayed.

According to Davis, her special needs son Easton suffers from chromosomal disorders and has breathing problems. For this reason, he requires a special feeding tube extension for his formula milk. Davis had only taken enough supplies in her hand luggage to last them through the United flight, however, with the delays, she urgently needed more formula milk. She said at the time, Easton was getting fussy, because he was hungry, and was crying, sweating and chewing on his fingers.

As she was traveling alone with her son, she became anxious and asked the airline staff to give her access to more formula and the necessary medical equipment, stored in her checked baggage.

Mother given access to medical supplies but blocked from the United flight

At first the United staff refused to give her access to her baggage, but eventually, a supervisor did allow her to collect the items from her bags. However, Davis was then told that as the baggage had been removed from the United Airlines flight, she and her son would no longer be able to board the plane.

Davis then had no other choice than to buy a ticket for another flight home and was forced to spend a further night in Chicago.

As reported by the Christian Post, following the incident a United Airlines spokesperson confirmed the situation with their customer, stating they would be issuing Davis a refund for the additional ticket.

The statement continued by saying United had rebooked their customer and her son on the Tuesday flight to Norfolk.

Virginia Beach woman to consider driving to Chicago in the future

Davis did say that her return flight the next day was not as stressful as the first, but said she is now considering driving to Chicago the next time she visits her boyfriend to avoid having similar problems with United Airlines in the future.