A woman was removed from a Southwest Airlines flight at BWI Airpot on Tuesday night after reporting a life-threatening allergy to two dogs aboard the plane. The woman refused to follow multiple requests by the airline staff to leave the plane, but failed to provide the appropriate medical paperwork stating she could safely fly with the animals, Southwest Airlines officials said. According to airline policy, passengers at risk of self endangerment due to life-threatening allergies can be denied boarding if they cannot provide a medical certificate stating they are safe to fly.
Police were forced to physically remove the woman from the flight, which was scheduled to leave BWI Airport at 8:40 p.m. Both dogs remained on board, and the flight left approximately 35 minutes behind schedule, according to CBS News.
Cell phone footage of the incident taken by a fellow passenger appears to show police officers physically grabbing the woman by the arm and removing her from her seat. Bill Dumas, who filmed it all, reportedly said the the woman had been acting oddly, and officers appeared to be following protocol.
“We are disheartened by the way this situation unfolded and the Customer’s removal by local law enforcement officers,” Southwest said in a statement. “We publicly offer our apologies to this Customer for her experience and we will be contacting her directly to address her concerns. Southwest Airlines was built on Customer Service, and it is always our goal for all Customers to have a positive experience.”
