What Was Going On?
Turning around, the flight attendant proceeded towards the pilot's cabin. Cindy knew more than the young woman, and she thought she had triumphed the small argument. She had a feeling something horrible was about to happen.
And then, just a few seconds later, she felt the entire plane shift abruptly. It was unmistakably veering off track. What was going on, though? Cindy's eyes welled up with tears; what did this woman do?
Finally Coming Home
The sun had barely risen, but Cindy Myers was up and busy eating breakfast. She felt good about that day, as she knew she was finally going to see her children again. She was away for business and she missed them dearly.
However, Cindy did not know about the rude woman who would negatively affect her chances of seeing her children that day...
On The Way To The Airport
Cindy made her way to the airport. She frequently travelled for business but she could never quite adjusted to flying. She was so excited when she saw the airport she gave the driver a hefty tip.
She put on her mask, as she had no other choice if she wanted to get on the plane. However, little did she know that there would be someone who did not follow protocol as well as she did...
Lining Up
Cindy made sure to arrive there early enough. She still did not completely understand how the process of flying worked. However, she managed to get everything done on time and joined the boarding queue. As she patiently waited, she noticed a woman who was not wearing a face mask.
She did not pay too much attention to it, and thought that she would put her mask on as soon as she boarded the plane. If only she knew how wrong she was...
Making Conversation
The woman started a conversation with Cindy. Cindy was always open to meeting new people and welcomed the conversation. "What do you think of these masks?” the woman asked.
Cindy had no notion that striking up a discussion with this woman was a horrible idea.
Her Feelings
Taken aback by the question, she responded, “I think they are a little inconvenient but necessary right now.” The woman gave her a strange look, and after a few moments of silence she rudely responded “Well, I think they’re a violation of my rights.”
The conversation continued. The woman asked Cindy her reason for flying that day. Cindy patiently responded with, “To go back home and see my kids.” The woman turned abruptly turned away. But she wasn't finished ruining Cindy's day. Things would quickly deteriorate.
Getting On The Plane
Cindy finally boarded the plane. However, she was unpleasantly surprised when she found out the rude woman was sitting near her. She wanted to avoid any more conversations with her.
Cindy had no idea, however, that the woman would do something that would have a significant impact on her.
Follow The Rules Please
Well before plane took off, all of the preflight inspections were completed in a timely manner. Cindy had never been a fan of flying, but it was vital. She occupied herself with a book that she had carried with her. But then she heard something from a flight attendant right in front of her that made her ears perk up.
“Ms, could you please wear your mask?”, the flight attended kindly asked the young woman who Cindy previously conversed with. However, she was not giving in.
Violating Her Rights
The young woman blatantly told the flight attendant that it was in violation of her constitutional rights. She made up a tearful story about how she is a mother attempting to get home to her children. Cindy told her a narrative, which she stole verbatim.
However, the flight attendant did not care. What the woman did next stunned everyone on the plane.
Frustrated
The woman clearly looked frustrated. The flight attendant, however, persisted. She gave the woman one last warning, but she responded rudely. She stated that she would get her fired if she continued on.
But just saying that remark started a chain reaction that couldn't be stopped.
Taking Action
The flight attendant turned around and walked towards the pilot’s cabin. The young woman thought that she had won the petty fight but Cindy knew more than her. She knew something bad was going to happen.
And it so happened that just a few moments later she felt the whole plane shift suddenly. It definitely was heading off course. But what was going on? Cindy felt tears in her eyes, what had this woman done?
Turning Around
For a few minutes, there was just silence from the staff. Rowdy passengers were starting to ask questions but it seemed that staff wasn’t allowed to say anything. Cindy knew now that she wouldn’t get to see her boys after this flight. Something was seriously wrong.
Then over the intercom, a gruff voice spoke, “This is your captain, we’re turning around”.
Further Explanations
The Pilot further explained that due to a passenger breaking multiple policies on the plane they would have to return to the airport. The woman, knowing it was her fault, seemed hysterical. But it was Cindy that felt worse, she’d now have to find another way to get home.
But Cindy didn’t know that the woman would face justice once the plane landed.
Security Waiting
When the plane landed back at the airport security immediately walked onto the plane to escort the young woman out. She would be charged with breaking multiple policies including the mandatory wearing of a mask, being hostile to staff, and getting intoxicated on the plane.
It wouldn’t let her see her kids fast, but Cindy took satisfaction in watching the woman that ruined her day get hauled off the plane. And things would soon be put back on track.
Getting To Her Kids
Cindy managed to find another flight leaving to her home state and she would end up only being delayed by 5 hours from her original schedule. She would get to see her kids and that’s all that mattered to her. She even laughed when she turned on the TV after getting home and seeing her experience with the plane being covered by the news. They said that the woman was banned for life from all flights on that airline. Cindy smiled with satisfaction as she hugged her children.
But this wasn’t the first time that a mask has caused such an uproar on a plane. Jodi Degyansky and her toddler were booted off a plane because the little boy wasn’t wearing a mask, but she got the last laugh.
Trouble
Desperately trying to get her squirming toddler under control, she finally snapped. “Please give us some space,” she pleaded.
The intrusive flight attendant’s eyes widened, and then she stormed off without another word. But when Jodi saw the plane perform an abrupt u-turn, she knew she was in deep trouble. Suddenly, the flight attendant had returned. And this time, she’d brought reinforcements.
Family Visit
34-year-old single mom Jodi Degyansky had enjoyed finally being able to see her family after many months of isolation. Thankfully, the dreaded flight back from Naples to Florida with her two-year-old in tow had gone without a hitch.
The flight attendants had been very understanding and hadn’t even batted an eyelid when her son began to act up. But, unfortunately, the last leg of the trip from Florida to their home in Illinois didn’t go as smoothly.
Feeling Edgy
A lot of passengers were flying that day. Jodi was always a nervous flyer and she was starting to feel on edge. She ushered her son, Hayes, to the window seat and adjusted her face mask.
Hayes began to squirm and kick his seat, and she could feel judgemental eyes staring at them. He crossed his small arms and began to breathe in and out quickly. It was the beginning stages of a tantrum, and there was no turning back.
Insistent
While Hayes was showing all the telltale signs of having an epic meltdown on the plane, flight attendants kept approaching Jodi. At first, she assumed that they were going to ask her to keep her child quiet -- a request that she was used to.
And, very occasionally, an attendant with a heart of gold would even try to help where she could. But this time, they did neither of those things. Instead, they kept asking her a question.
Mitigating The Meltdown
To Jodi’s relief, a passing flight attendant began to hand out the complimentary snacks that Jodi had promised that Hayes could have while they waited for the plane to take off.
“Look! Peanuts!” She trilled, shaking the tiny packet. She pulled his little mask down under his chin so that he could snack, trying to distract him from the meltdown she knew was coming. Little did she know that flight attendant was watching her every move.
Finally Moving
Finally, the plane began to move, slowly rolling away from the gate and down the runway. Jodi cheerfully exclaimed that it was time for Hayes to pack his snacks away and get ready for takeoff.
Of course, at that time, she had no idea that the trip was about to be cut short -- and that everything that was happening would culminate in more humiliation and shock than Jodi had ever experienced in her life. All because of one flight attendant.
That Question Again
Another flight attendant approached her, gestured at her son, and pointedly asked Jodi the same question that she’d been bombarded with since they sat down.
Feeling a little overwhelmed and exasperated, she answered. “Yes, he will put his mask on before takeoff, he’s just distracted by the snacks.” But, it turned out that that wouldn’t be the real problem.
No Easy Task
Jodi had practiced with little Hayes for months at home before she allowed him out in public. She had read all the mommy blogs about how to get toddlers used to wearing a face mask.
She bought a colorful face covering and showed him what he looked like in a mirror, repeatedly cooing “...look how cool you look!” Little did she know, that prickly flight attendant was about to throw all her efforts right back in her face.
Losing Her Cool
When the flight attendant came by to ask the same question again, Jodi finally snapped. “Please give us some space,” she pleaded.
The flight attendant’s eyes widened as she looked at Hayes and back to Jodi, then she quietly stormed off. Suddenly, the plane came to a grinding halt, right there on the runway. What was going on?
What Was Going On?
Jodi craned her neck to see out the window. The plane began move again, turning until it had made a full u-turn back to the boarding gate and her heart sank.
But she wasn’t prepared when, just a few minutes later, the flight attendant returned -- accompanied by the manager, the supervisor, the flight attendants, and the pilot.
Something Happening
The flight attendant sternly informed Jodi that they were being booted off the flight! “We are trying to get used to it,” Jodi stammered as she pulled Hayes’ mask back into its correct position, “...but he's two!” She couldn’t believe it.
She had never been so shocked and humiliated in all her life. Little did the crew know, their actions were about to create a major PR issue.
Whispers
But the airline staff weren’t having it. They ordered Jodi and Hayes to deplane, leaving the outraged mom stranded and scrabbling to find a new flight.
They said Jodi had been kicked off the flight because her son hadn’t been wearing his mask correctly, but Jodi knew that wasn’t the real reason. And it had all been recorded.
Confrontation
The offended flight attendant and the crew of Southwest Airlines had no idea that a passenger, incredulous at what she was witnessing, whipped out her phone and began to record how Jodi and her son were being treated.
It wasn’t long before the backlash began to pour in thick and fast. And then, the media caught wind of the story.
A Personal Vendetta?
“My toddler literally turned 2 two weeks ago... I know you have to draw the line but let's be a little compassionate with everyone's individual circumstances,” Jodi told News Press.
She was aware of CDC guidelines that state that any children aged two and up should wear a proper face mask if it's difficult to social distance. But, what she couldn’t understand was why the rules weren’t consistent on all flights. “On the way back I was surprised the flight attendants were much stricter,” she said.
Flight Or Fight
“I just felt like I can't believe it happened. I was left scrambling — how am I going to get home?' said Jodi. “What if I didn't have the resources to buy another $600 ticket?”
And Jodi also believes that asking the flight attendant for space was what triggered a personal vendetta against her. After all, how was her son supposed to eat with a mask on?
Fighting Back
But the airline staff weren’t having it. They refused to listen. They ordered Jodi and Hayes to deplane, leaving the outraged mom and her young son stranded at the airport.
They said Jodi had been kicked off the flight because her son hadn’t been wearing his mask correctly, but Jodi knew that wasn’t the real reason. Luckily, the entire altercation had been recorded. Jodi began to formulate a plan.
Stranded
Jodi and Hayes were now well and truly stranded. Jodi couldn’t believe the injustice of it all as she sat there, simmering. Her son had only just turned two, couldn’t the flight attendant have been a little more understanding?
Well, she was going to do something that would make her — and indeed the entire crew on that flight — regret what they had done. It was time for justice.
An Expert
As it happens, Jodi had work experience as a brand manager for Porter Novelli, a large PR firm in New York, before she’d become Vice President. Sland nobody dares set foot on
According to their profile, “Porter Novelli is a company best known for its position in the areas of technology, health and wellness, food and reputation management.” So, if anyone knew how devastating bad PR would be, it was Jodi. And she was more than equipped to engineer it.
Revenge
Jodi put her plan into action. She was going to take Southwest Airlines down. She called in the media for interviews and told everyone she could about how she and her baby had been treated.
And the media lapped it up. She scheduled interview after interview, and soon the story took hold. Her revenge had every ingredient for a PR nightmare.