MOM KICKED OFF UNITED FLIGHT FOR 'MISGENDERING' EMPLOYEE SPEAKS OUT
A widowed Texas mother says she was only concerned with getting her son and elderly mother back home when she was kicked off a United flight for misgendering a staff member.
Jenna Longoria claims she, her 75-year-old mother and baby were booted from a flight from San Francisco to Austin on Wednesday after she 'accidentally' referred to a female-identifying employee as a man.
Footage shared by Longoria shows the moment United operations manager Gabriella Chidom informs her that she will not be able to get on the flight over 'what came out of her mouth.'
United claimed in a statement that Longoria was not allowed to board the flight over an issue with carry-on bags, but video of the incident seems to point to a different reason.
Longoria told DailyMail.com on Thursday that the airline's explanation 'makes no sense,' and the company is providing a different versions of event because they know what they did was 'unjust.'
She said there was a discussion about her carry-on bags but that it was resolved before she was told she would not be allowed to board the plane and may even be banned from the airline for life because of her words.
The mother-of-one claims a United employee who identified as a female became visibly shaken when Longoria - who was distracted by her son having a meltdown - said 'thank you, sir,' as they handed her back her boarding passes.
Longoria says she was frazzled and struggling with her bags because her mother, who had come along to help her with them, was not allowed to pre-board with her and her son.
When she was about to enter the plane, Longoria encountered a male flight attendant, and asked him for help, saying something like, 'can you help me? He will not let my mother through.'
The flight attendant then reportedly became upset, asking her, 'who is he? That's a woman. She's wearing a dress.'
'He then tells me to get off the plane.. says something along the lines of "I don't like what you said, I can deny you entrance, someone will come to assist you,'" Longoria shared.
She added that she repeatedly apologized, saying she was not well-versed in pronouns and concerned with carrying her son plus their bags, but it did not make a difference.
Once she was back at the airport gate, United manager Chidon approached her and informed her that she would not be allowed to board the plane in a filmed encounter.
Longoria claims Chidon did not offer an alternative flight or any additional information, just saying someone would be in touch and threatening she could be banned from the airline.
Footage shared by Longoria shows Chidom saying: 'I gotta fact find. I gotta get my crews together. In flight has to get their statements. I need statements.
'I don’t want to go verbal about what I thought I heard.'
According to the Texas mother, it was not until she shared the story on social media that United provided her with a later flight.
Longoria insisted that she is not a political person, her intention was not to upset anyone, and she was just distracted as she dealt with her baby and elderly mother.
'My priority was my son,' she told DailyMail.com.
'I don't have an agenda... the trans thing, it's not on my radar. I'm just a mother trying to get from point A to point B with my baby and elderly mother.'
According to her Linked In, Chidom is 'experienced in developing and implementing DEI (Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion) programs, which help improve employee engagement.'
United Airlines cast aspersions on Longoria's version of events by issuing a statement on what happened.
'A party of three traveling out of San Francisco today was not allowed to board following a discussion about having too many carry-on items,' a spokesperson said.
'The matter was resolved and the customers took a later United flight to finish their trip.'
DailyMail.com has reached out to the airline asking clarification regarding their statement and what the United employee is heard saying on video about but has not received a response.
Read more 2024-06-27T17:45:52Z dg43tfdfdgfd
