http://ca.news.yahoo.com/s/cbc/080807/science/vancouver_bc_breast_feeding_cover_up_west_jet
OTTAWA (CBC) – Another Vancouver woman has come forward to say she was harassed while breastfeeding in public. Vancouver teacher Erin Tarbuck told CBC News she was nursing her 11-month-old son on a recent WestJet flight as the plane was preparing for takeoff, when a flight attendant asked her to cover up.
Takeoff and descent can cause painful pressure in the tiny Eustachian tubes of children’s ears, so it’s common for mothers to nurse their babies, Tarbuck said, as swallowing helps ease the pain.
“[She] came up and said quietly, ‘You know, some men find the sight of a bare breast quite offensive. Can I offer you a blanket to cover up with?” Tarbuck said on Wednesday.
Tarbuck declined the offer of a blanket, but one was brought to her anyway. “I was pretty shocked,” said Tarbuck.
She later complained to WestJet’s head office and received a written response. “The rep defended what the flight attendant had done. She said we have to make our customers feel comfortable,” said Tarbuck.
WestJet couldn’t be reached for comment on Wednesday.
So my pal Krista, who is Canadian, sent them this…
Dear WestJet staff, I would appreciate you forwarding this message as I cannot locate a direct email for anyone, and my comments are too long to fit in the web comment form. Thank you so much!
Dear Sean Durfy, CEO,
I was so happy today to read your reply to the recent criticism of your treating breastfeeding women as second-class citizens. In an email to those questioning this behaviour your company representative stated “If a guest is engaged in an activity that makes others uncomfortable, or has the potential to make others uncomfortable, flight attendants have a responsibility to engage the guest in an effort to find a solution.” I was very relieved to hear this, as I frequently fly WestJet with my family and I have been made uncomfortable numerous times by other guests. You may want to stock up on more blankets.
First, fat people, are frankly, quite offensive to me and they make me feel very uncomfortable. Especially when they are eating, that smacking and slurping is really disturbing. I heartily support a WestJet policy that would assist me in feeilng comfortable by handing out a blanket along with their pretzel snack, so they can eat in comfort underneath a nice soft blanket, and I can be spared the sight of their wobbling jowls. Of course, I could look away, but for such a disgusting act, clearly more protection (for me) is needed.
Second, thin young girls. Need I say more? I’m a woman of a certain age and truthfully I can think of nothing that makes me more uncomfortable than some young whelp wearing a mini-skirt and a low-cut blouse. Probably two blankets would be in order, just to make sure their feet are covered as well, as I find pedicures have the potential to make me uncomfortable. (I love how inclusive and wide-reaching your statement above is!) And don’t get me started on how immodest exposed ankles are, I mean, can’t we all just follow a few simple rules of modesty that will keep everyone happy? What’s the big deal?
Third (and last, you’ll be happy to hear) I appreciate your support in covering with a blanket any couple that might be holding hands on the plane. Gay, straight, cover them all! I just don’t want to have to see THAT kind of behaviour on an airplane for pete’s sake. Disgusting.
I look forward to your support for my comfort on my next WestJet flight. I’m glad to hear you are not just considering one group of people’s comfort level and instead will fairly support ALL of our comfort, with your customers myriad definitions of politeness, modesty and appropriate behaviour, regardless of what Canadian law actually supports.
warmly,
Krista Cornish Scott
proud WestJet customer
Related posts:
LOL!! I love that response! I am cracking up. So clever!
why stop at 3? aren’t there more experiences that make you uncomfortable on a plane?
- businessfolks constantly on their laptops.
- kids glued to videogames.
- people reading magazines or wearing t-shirt statements i don’t support.
- people who showered with the wrong perfume, or strong BO.
- folks yakking too loud & non-stop with their neighbors – or across rows.
- flight attendants like taxis – never there when you need’em, and vice versa.
heck, with seat distance ever shrinking, why not cover up everyone so i can feel more privacy even in cattle class?! – individual bubbles, anyone? (oh, i forgot, that’s called first class now)
Love the Letter Krista wrote.
LOVE it! Go Krista! *high five*
If you or Krista come across it, would you mind posting the direct mailing address to Mr. Durfy (or emailing it my way)? =)
How about those guys that are reading porno’s on magazines? In full sight of young children? I don’t know if I’ve ever seen them asked to cover up!
I booked a flight on the new WestJet ’24 hour no fee change’ terms they offer. What horseshit! As my mother is dying, I had to change the flight. so I paid $50 change fee as it was after 24 hours. I asked to re-book and they put the second booking on the first locator number. MISTAKE! 22 hours later I cancelled it – and guess what? Another $50 fee!!!
I said ‘but I paid $50 for the first booking and that reset the clock ‘ Westjet said ‘ oh no, the 24 hours runs from the original date of booking’ I said ‘ but I booked the flight 22 hours ago and paid a cancellation fee then’ they said ‘ we must escalate the call to a team leader and they will call you within 72 hours to discuss this – you must have all your information including locator numbers and booking information’
I said ‘ Screw you – you lied to me!’ Your promise is that you have no-charge cancellation within 24 hours and here you charge me $50 for a cancellation within 22 hours of booking. Not only that but you take over an hour to talk to me on the phone about this. this is crappy treatment. I am going back to Air Canada, whose same flight, by the way, is $80 cheaper than yours on the same day!
Westjet, you are all promise and no deliver. Too bad, but you have not only not lived up to your brand promise, but you have screwed me and then been gutsy enough to put that in my face as if it is my fault!
And if that wasn’t bad enough, I had to listen to the cheesy WestJet self-promotion bullshit lines while I was on hold waiting for the ‘know-it-all’ booking agent ( who asked me my name 3 different times) to come back and tell me she couldn’t find my booking history!
The emperor is looking mighty foolish !
I know this is a year and a bit after the orginal post but west jet sucks. I booked a ticket in July with the “promise” that if the price went lower from when I booked it to when I flew then I’d get travel credit. Guess what, they lied. Their excuse tonight after being on hold for two hours was “the price on the web is incorrect. I can’t give you credit.” Excuse me? I checked it ALL day today to make sure it was that price, I came home spent two hours online to be told no?
Unreal. Horrible customer service. They lost me even if I have to pay extra for another carrier.
I too had the misfortune to call Westjet, wait 45 minutes on hold, and ask to have the difference between what I paid for my flight and the price today, which is $82.00 U.S. lower. I was told “wouldn’t it be nice if the world worked like that”. Westjet had changed my flight itinerary, twice, without notifying me.
Not the response I had hoped for.
With the cancellation fee I would have to pay, $50.00 CDN/US, I would still have gotten a $32.00 US refund. However, they will only give me travel credit, not cash.
A travel credit would require that I travel on another Westjet flight at some point in the future and that is not going to happen!
The flight I have booked will be my first, and last, Westjet flight.
The problem now is that I refuse to fly Air Canada, because I actually think I deserve to be treated with respect when I purchase a product, and I will not support being taken advantage of by Westjet. Looks like I will be staying home for a while, at least until we have better competition in the airline industry. Guess I will have to take my vacation dollars to Europe. Sigh…..
I really can’t believe some people. Are you actually serious??? I’m sorry but I just can’t believe Erin Tarbuck is in complete shock and disgust that the flight attendant did her job and asked her to cover up. Its a female breast. Its considered nudity. I myself being a male don’t want to see a female, breast feeding her child in public without having something to cover the site. Why should I be subjected to that. What is wrong with covering up with a blanket. Absolutely nothing. Is it such an inconvenience to have a blanket drapped over your chest and child while it nurses? Its not as if the flight attendant did not address the situation in a polite manner. “I was pretty shocked”. Really Erin? Really? Put yourself in that flight attendants position and ask yourself how would you handle that situation. Its not as easy as you may think to handle what some view as a delicate situation. Also, call my crazy but wouldn’t a bottle do the exact same thing? You could ask a Flight Attendant before take off to allow you to fill it with water or milk since no liquids can be carried on. Also to go to the press with this story to say you were “harassed”. You my dear lady must have lived a pretty sheltered life to consider someone offering you a blanket to cover up while breastfeeding because it might offened others in a public environment as harassment.