A mum has blasted Virgin Australia for escorting her and her 10-month-old son off of a flight, after a heated conversation broke out over the fact that she was breastfeeding on-board.
Virginie Rutgers was feeding her baby while the plane taxied the runway, and was using a baby sling to cover herself and her son.
Cabin crew proceeded to ask Ms Rutgers to remove the sling, claiming that it posed a danger, but wouldn’t elaborate when she questioned the logic behind their request.
Ms Rutgers claims that the cabin supervisor went on to become “quite abusive” when she pressed the staff on the issue, with the pilot going on to return the plane to the terminal.
To her horror, Ms Rutgers and her child were then escorted off the plane, with a federal police officer waiting to meet them.
Commenting on the humiliating experience to Seven News, Ms Rutgers said: “I was in a state of shock and my son was screaming because I couldn’t feed him anymore.”
A fellow passenger has since gone public with her version of events, accusing the cabin crew of “unprofessional” behaviour towards to nursing mother.
“The child was not restrained with the carrier at all! They both had their seatbelts on. She was covering herself with the carrier while nursing. She showed the staff too, but they insisted it had to go. Having witnessed the whole event, I can honestly guarantee you that it was not a pretty scene,” the woman wrote.
Representatives from the airline refused to comment on Ms Rutgers’ specific case, but stated that they ‘welcome’ breastfeeding on-board.
