Brianna Solari, Roseville, California woman claims being discriminated against after being kicked off Southwest flight over non contagious medical condition, neurofibromatosis (NF) which can only be contracted genetically.
Did an airliner go too far…? A California nurse has alleged being discriminated against after she was kicked off a Southwest Airlines flight on account of a ‘non contagious’ skin condition as she tried to get home following surgery.
Brianna Solari was confronted by an airline crew member on Thursday when she was flying out of Hollywood Burbank Airport after she had undergone a procedure to reduce the tumors on her body from her neurofibromatosis (NF), according to KCRA.
Neurofibromatosis is a genetic disorder that causes non-cancerous tumors to grow in the nervous system and skin across the body.
No public health threat
‘I lack an enzyme, which is neurofibromin, which is a tumor suppressor,’ Solari told KCRA. ‘So tumors grow along nerves and can be tiny, little pinpoint tumors, or they can be enormous. Some of them can be very disfiguring.’
Solari stressed at no point did her medical condition serve as a potential threat to public health as it relates to a genetic disposition pertaining to the individual. A medical note from a doctor could’ve availed her trauma upon boarding her flight.
Solari, a nurse from Roseville, CA, had traveled to Los Angeles for the operation on Wednesday and planned to remain until the next day when she would head back to Sacramento at 12:10 p.m.
Her plans changed when she boarded Southwest Flight 3471 when a crewmember allegedly asked her to step off the plane.
‘I exited the airplane, and they said there had been some concerns,’ Solari told the outlet.
‘Do you have any, you know, medical conditions, or diseases?’ And I said, no, I had surgery,’ she explained. ‘That’s none of their business what’s going on. But I said, no, I had surgery. And they said, ‘OK.”
Did Southwest handle situation correctly?
Solari alleges the man got out his phone and called somebody, later revealed to be a doctor contracted with the airline.
The nurse had requested to speak to the doctor about her condition, but the employees had prevented her.
‘I said, let me speak to the doctor. I wasn’t examined by this physician,’ Solari said.
The unfolding episode led to Solari experiencing a range of emotions on account of the way she looked.
‘Humiliated, embarrassed, ashamed? It’s already hard enough. It’s already difficult enough with this condition because I did have some visible tumors on my face and my arms, and people would comment,’ the woman said.
After missing her original flight, Solari had to obtain a letter from her surgeon clearing her to fly, which she showed to employees at the airport. A state of affairs social media commentators had argued Solari should’ve made her first priority, rather than assume immediate compassion or exemption from crew who are also beholden to protecting and serving other flyers.
Having procured the paperwork, Solari was placed on a new flight back to Sacramento.
Was Brianna Solari discriminated?
The episode nevertheless has not changed Solari’s feelings toward the airline, who she alleges mishandled her situation.
‘I don’t think I’ll ever fly them again. I think this could have been handled much more professionally,’ Solari said. ‘They should have waited until they had all of the information before making a decision that ultimately impacted my day, my flight, my traveling, and my overall perspective on Southwest has changed.’
Southwest has since released a statement, telling the nypost below:
‘We are disheartened to learn of the Customer’s experience flying with us and extend our deepest apologies for the inconvenience. Even though our team ultimately received clearance for the customer to travel, we weren’t able to do so in time for the flight’s departure. We rebooked her on a later flight, offered a travel voucher for a future flight along with a meal voucher, and we’re following up with her directly to discuss the situation.’
Solari says she was given a $500 flight voucher and a $45 meal voucher from the airline but is still threatening legal action, KCRA reported.
‘This is absolutely discrimination! Violating my medical privacy. They don’t have to know I just said I had surgery, and that should be it. They shouldn’t be prying into my private medical information,’ Solari said.
