Flight attendant 'humiliated' mom for trying to use breast pump on plane

Flight attendant 'humiliated' mom for trying to use breast pump on plane


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SALT LAKE CITY — American Airlines is experiencing some turbulence after an Indiana mom claimed she was publicly chastised by a flight attendant when she tried to use her pre-approved breast pump on the plane.

Dawn Brahos — mom of three — was flying with her husband from Minneapolis to Chicago on April 18 when she pulled out her Medela pump and tried to plug it into the outlet in her seat, according to Today Moms.

That's when a female flight attendant approached her and "loudly" told her she had to put the pump away.

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"She was loud and cold and argumentative," Brahos told the New York Daily News. "At least a third of the plane knew my business. I could see them talking amongst themselves."

Brahos told the Daily News the flight attendant told her it must have been a different airline that approved the use of the pump and that she was mistaken in thinking she would be free to plug it in. At one point, the woman pulled out a manual and pointed out that because the pump wasn't considered pre-approved medical equipment, she was forbidden from using it.

Mom Dawn Brahos said she was loudly criticized by a flight attendant for trying to plug in a Medela breast pump similar to this one.
Mom Dawn Brahos said she was loudly criticized by a flight attendant for trying to plug in a Medela breast pump similar to this one.

Brahos said she had no problem pumping on her American Airlines flights earlier in the week. When she pointed this out to the flight attendant, she said the woman called her a liar.

"She was just dismissing any possibility of me resolving my situation. She got angry with me and then wasn't willing to give me her name," Brahos told the Daily News.

Brahos said she'd spent hours researching and working with airline representatives before her trip to make sure she wouldn't run into any issues. After speaking with four different American Airlines agents, Brahos said she finally found someone who assured her the Medela pump she'd be using was approved for in-flight use.

"I brought along a big Angry Birds blanket to cover myself with," she told Today Moms. "My husband and I even paid extra to make sure we'd get seats next to each other so I wouldn't be sitting next to a stranger while using the pump."

Brahos said the flight attendant watched her throughout the flight to make sure she didn't try to use the pump.

The airline has since apologized to her, saying the incident was a mistake and that it does allow breastfeeding mothers to use Medela pumps during flights. Any other breast pumps would require prior approval.


It's important that this doesn't happen to other moms down the road.

–Dawn Brahos, breastfeeding mother


"Our procedures advise our crews to ensure that mothers who are breastfeeding or using breast pumps have the privacy they need," AA spokeswoman Andrea Huguely told the Daily News.

Huguely added that crews are trained to handle situations such as this one with "professionalism and discretion."

Though Brahos did receive a $100 voucher from the airline, she planned to file a formal complaint. She said while she appreciates the apology, it's time for American to make their policies regarding breast pumps much more streamlined throughout the company.

"I really hope they improve training and get everyone on the same page. And I'd love to see their policy in black and white on their website, so moms can print it up and travel with it," she said. "It's important that this doesn't happen to other moms down the road."

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