Mom Calls Out United Airlines Over Mistreatment Of Her Disabled Son: 'Absolutely Ridiculous'

A mother's recent experience with United Airlines has sparked outrage after she was allegedly forced to remove her disabled son's ventilator before takeoff. Melissa Sotomayor took to TikTok to share her ordeal, and her video quickly went viral, amassing over a million views.

Her heartbreaking account details how flight attendants repeatedly insisted that she turn off her son's life-sustaining medical equipment despite her providing the necessary documentation.

Now, social media users are rallying behind her, calling for accountability from United Airlines and urging legal action against the airline's treatment of passengers with disabilities.

Melissa Sotomayor's trip to Florida with her disabled son had been uneventful—until it was time to return home.

The mother, who had carefully prepared for the flight, ensured she had all the necessary medical documentation to accommodate her son's needs. Her son requires a tracheostomy and a ventilator to breathe, making it critical that his medical equipment remains functional at all times.

However, shortly before takeoff on their United Airlines flight from Tampa, Florida, to New Jersey, a male flight attendant approached Sotomayor with an unexpected and distressing demand.

She was told that she needed to turn off her son's ventilator and portable oxygen concentrator because the devices "needed to be secured for takeoff."

Sotomayor was shocked by the request, knowing that even a brief interruption in her son's oxygen supply could be dangerous. Despite her immediate protests, the airline staff remained firm in their stance.

The situation escalated when Sotomayor provided the necessary medical documentation, expecting that this would resolve the issue.

Instead, things only got worse. Two additional flight attendants and even the flight captain approached her with the same demand.

At one point, a flight attendant coldly told her, "He'll be okay until we're in the air at a high enough altitude."

However, for a mother who understands her child's medical condition better than anyone, this was an unacceptable risk.

As the confrontation continued, Sotomayor was given an ultimatum: comply with the airline's request or move to another seat.

Feeling increasingly humiliated, she refused to back down. Other passengers, witnessing the ordeal, began to speak up in her defense, calling the crew's actions "harassment."

The plane remained taxiing for nearly an hour while the tense exchange continued. Throughout this time, Sotomayor felt embarrassed and disrespected in front of a plane full of passengers.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, the captain announced that the plane was cleared for takeoff. Even then, there was no apology from the airline staff for the distress they had caused.

Still, the mistreatment didn't end on the flight. When Sotomayor escalated the incident to United Airlines' corporate office, she was met with another disappointing response.

The airline insisted that they were following FAA (Federal Aviation Administration) guidelines and refused to acknowledge any wrongdoing.

Outraged by the entire experience, Sotomayor took to TikTok to share her story. In the now-viral video, she recounted the stressful series of events, explaining how she was pressured to turn off the life-sustaining equipment that her son depends on.

"This message is for United Airlines. The way that you treated my son when we were attempting to fly home from Tampa to Newark was absolutely ridiculous," she began in the clip.

"I was really upset by the way we were humiliated in front of others and the way we were talked to," she also stated in the video.

In her caption, she summarized the shocking ordeal, calling the airline's actions and highlighting the lack of empathy and understanding from the airline crew.

She also emphasized how distressing it was to be treated in such a way while simply trying to ensure her son’s safety.

The response to Sotomayor's video was overwhelming. Many social media users expressed anger toward United Airlines, criticizing the airline for its treatment of passengers with disabilities.

One user wrote, "The fact that they thought taking your son off OXYGEN, and a ventilator for any amount of time, and he would be fine, is INSANE."

Another outraged commenter suggested direct action against the airline: "So we boycott United Airlines? Seems like the only way we can get a point across these days is to stop paying these people."

Several people encouraged Sotomayor to take legal action, pointing out that airline staff are not allowed to ask for medical documentation beyond what is provided before boarding.

"Please, please, please retain an attorney that specializes in ADA. MAKE ALL THE NOISE. Nobody should have to go through this," one person advised.

Another commenter reinforced the legal aspect, saying, "The flight attendants are not allowed to ask you for any documentation. All of that is already provided prior to your boarding. Lawyer up, girl!"