It all started with a simple tweet.
"What's your breastfeeding policy?" Lindsay Jaynes asked Delta Airlines' customer service Twitter account, @DeltaAssist. The California mother was preparing for an upcoming flight and apparently wanted to check Delta's stance on breastfeeding before she embarked on her trip.
The answer she got was one she probably wasn't expecting.
So she asked the airline to suggest an alternative for feeding her infant.
But, as Jaynes explained, her 10-week-old son refuses to take a bottle, so Delta Assist's recommendation was not a viable option.
Jaynes pressed further.
It wasn't until several hours later that she finally received a response.
A representative for Delta confirmed to The Huffington Post that the airline does welcome breastfeeding mothers on its flights. It seems the person behind Delta Assist's initial tweet posted an inaccurate response.
While the social media exchange -- which became heated when some users jumped in to defend Jaynes -- turned out to be a case of misinformation, it highlights the cause of moms who seek to normalize breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding in public is legal in all 50 states, and 45 states specifically allow breastfeeding anywhere. The Federal Aviation Administration, however, does not have any rules about breastfeeding.
Delta is not the only airline to face questions from concerned mothers over in-flight rules on breastfeeding, but it has been embroiled in breastfeeding controversies in the past.
Perhaps the most notable example was when mother Emily Gillette was ordered off a Delta Connections flight in Vermont in 2006 for refusing to cover her exposed breast while she breastfed her child. Ultimately, Gillette reached a settlement with Delta and two other airlines in 2012 over the incident.
"What's your breastfeeding policy?" Lindsay Jaynes asked Delta Airlines' customer service Twitter account, @DeltaAssist. The California mother was preparing for an upcoming flight and apparently wanted to check Delta's stance on breastfeeding before she embarked on her trip.
The answer she got was one she probably wasn't expecting.
@ClassicHippie I Lindsay unfortunately you are not able to breast feed if you don't have a cover up. I'm sorry. *SD
— Delta Assist (@DeltaAssist) February 21, 2014So she asked the airline to suggest an alternative for feeding her infant.
@ClassicHippie I would suggest pumping if you can and bringing it on board with you. You are allowed to bring breast milk on board. *SD
— Delta Assist (@DeltaAssist) February 21, 2014But, as Jaynes explained, her 10-week-old son refuses to take a bottle, so Delta Assist's recommendation was not a viable option.
Jaynes pressed further.
@DeltaAssist So even though I am legally allowed to breastfeed without a cover, you're saying I can't? Is there a Delta written policy?
— Lindsay Jaynes (@ClassicHippie) February 21, 2014It wasn't until several hours later that she finally received a response.
@ClassicHippie Delta welcomes breastfeeding mothers and babies on our flights. We apologize for the misinformation earlier. *TH
— Delta Assist (@DeltaAssist) February 21, 2014A representative for Delta confirmed to The Huffington Post that the airline does welcome breastfeeding mothers on its flights. It seems the person behind Delta Assist's initial tweet posted an inaccurate response.
While the social media exchange -- which became heated when some users jumped in to defend Jaynes -- turned out to be a case of misinformation, it highlights the cause of moms who seek to normalize breastfeeding.
Breastfeeding in public is legal in all 50 states, and 45 states specifically allow breastfeeding anywhere. The Federal Aviation Administration, however, does not have any rules about breastfeeding.
Delta is not the only airline to face questions from concerned mothers over in-flight rules on breastfeeding, but it has been embroiled in breastfeeding controversies in the past.
Perhaps the most notable example was when mother Emily Gillette was ordered off a Delta Connections flight in Vermont in 2006 for refusing to cover her exposed breast while she breastfed her child. Ultimately, Gillette reached a settlement with Delta and two other airlines in 2012 over the incident.