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Don't get me wrong, I'm all for wearing masks. (And I have no interest in getting into a debate with anyone who chooses to disagree) But I believe there are exceptions to most rules, and this is one of those exceptions.

Jodi Degyansky and her two-year-old son were kicked off an airplane because the boy took his mask off while he ate some snacks. The single mom and her son were attempting to return home to Chicago from Fort Meyers. The incident occurred before their flight took off on Saturday (9/12) morning from Southwest Florida International Airport.

“Flight attendants kept coming over asking if we would wear it the full flight, and I said he would. It definitely was a struggle but something we’re working on,” said Degyansky.

Degyansky tells NBC-2 that she did everything she could to keep the mask on her toddler, letting him remove it only to eat some snacks. But she was again confronted by airline personnel who then removed them from the flight.

“A couple minutes later, we were pulled back into the gate and I was asked to leave the plane accompanied by the manager, the supervisor, the flight attendants, and the pilot,” said Degyansky.

A spokesman for the airline issued the following statement regarding passengers and masks:

“If a customer is unable to wear a face-covering for any reason, Southwest regrets that we are unable to transport the individual. In those cases, we will issue a full refund and hope to welcome the Customer onboard in the future, if public health guidance regarding face coverings changes.”

Degyansky was issued a full refund and was eventually able to board a flight with another airline.

This is a difficult time for all of us. Yes, I believe masking up is important. But companies -- and people in general -- need to show compassion for others. Parents flying with toddlers certainly need to be granted some leniency.

 

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