Jenna Longoria booted off United Airlines for using the wrong pronoun while addressing flight attendant as social media responds to Period Guru nutritionist debacle.
A mother of a 16 month old has claimed being booted off a United Airlines flight along with her ‘distressed toddler son’ for using the ‘wrong pronoun’ for a flight attendant.
Jenna Longoria a nutritionist who runs Period Guru, was expecting to fly to Austin from San Francisco on Wednesday with her mom and son when United stopped them from boarding the flight.
The parent alleges she was denied boarding after an ‘accidental’ mix-up when addressing a United staff member, who she says refused to accept her apology.
My 16-month old & I were denied entry on a @united flight back to Austin bc I used the wrong pronoun for the attendant. We have no luggage, nothing. we’re stranded in San Francisco. What are my rights? @elonmusk @jchilders98 pic.twitter.com/2b1rC14wg4
— The Period Guru ® (@JennaLongoria) June 26, 2024
In a since viral post she shared on social media, the mom also alleged the airliner had taken her off with her luggage containing her and her mom’s medication still on board, leaving them risk of becoming ‘very sick’ while stranded.
‘They’re saying it’s a hate crime that I did and that I might not even be able to ever fly United again,’ Longoria told her followers.
In the clip, she says while boarding the flight she mis-gendered an employee.
‘I will tell you what happened now, I got one of the flight attendant’s pronouns wrong and the other flight attendant didn’t like it,’ Longoria explained.
‘I said, “I’m really sorry, I’m not very versed in pronouns,” I was holding my son, he was having a temper tantrum, I had the car seat on my back.
‘I wasn’t really focusing on anything except getting my son’s car seat on the plane and getting him comfortable.’
But there appears to be more to the story, with another video showing a United Airlines staffer appearing to reference more than just accidental confusion about the employee’s pronouns.
In the clip, she can be seen talking to a United staff member who informs her it was the captain’s decision to deny her from the flight for ‘what came out of your mouth’.
The employee also tells her ‘there was some more that I heard’, beyond the pronoun error according to the dailymail.
Hi, Jenna. We’d like to take a closer look. When you have a moment, please send us the 6-digit confirmation number for your reservation in DM. ^KF https://t.co/Y6hG6u3i8R
— United Airlines (@united) June 26, 2024
‘What are my rights?’
‘They basically said tough luck and they won’t tell me exactly what I said,’ Longoria said.
In another clip, the mom is seen pleading with her 20,000 Instagram followers for advice on what her rights are.
‘We don’t know how we’re going to get back today,’ she says. ‘I don’t know what to do, I really don’t know what to do.’
Adding on Twitter, ‘What are my rights? @elonmusk @jchilders98‘
The official United Airlines X account responded to the above video in a message saying they’d ‘take a closer look’ at the situation, with Longoria answering, ‘Still waiting for resolution. I appreciate the DM that you’re looking into it but I’m still stranded here in airport with 16-month old & a 75-yr old mother. There is a 1:15 pm direct flight to Austin can we get permission to board?’
The obtuse response led to the following comments on the thread, including one social media user who wrote, ‘This is an unacceptable customer service reply to a stranded mother and her baby. Where is the concern? Where is the apology? Where are the reassurances? If I had been treated as this customer has, I would feel VERY concerned replying to such a humanity free enquiry.’
While another retorted, ‘United Airlines just added to my list of DO NOT USE! GO WOKE GO BROKE.’
While another miffed, ‘Get real. Are you in the business of air travel or woke ideology? I was literally looking at flights from Australia to the US today and now I won’t be using United Airlines. Bloody sort yourselves out.’
Not to be outdone was famed clinical psychologist, Jordan Peterson who also felt compelled to respond to the fracas, replying, ‘I bloody well imagine you’d like to take ‘closer look.’
Not immediately clear is if Longoria ever made it to Austin, Texas.
United Airlines has to date declined to comment on Longoria’s case.
