Canadian mom says she was targeted by WestJet for the way she looks
A BC mom who was questioned by police after arriving in her hometown with her son is calling out WestJet for discrimination after she says she was targeted because of her appearance.
Brittney Draper told Daily Hive that she and her son were returning home to Terrace from Vancouver on July 7. They had been in the city for a week after her child had reconstructive eyelid surgery on July 5 at BC Children’s Hospital.
As Draper and her son boarded the flight, she told WestJet staff that her son had just had surgery, and she needed to carry him up the stairs. Post-surgery, her son was not allowed to do anything that strained his eyes, including going up stairs.
The flight was quiet, and Draper’s son was calm, enjoying music and snuggling with his mom during the flight. Then, when they arrived in Terrace, they waited to deplane for what felt like a long time to Draper.
Draper and her son in Vancouver/Supplied
As she was leaving and got closer to the front of the plane, she saw two police and airport management standing on the runway.
“I was carrying my son and going to grab my stroller when they said my name and said they needed to speak with me – my heart immediately dropped,” said Draper.
Questioned by police
According to Draper, police told her that the flight crew had been concerned for her son’s safety. While police were speaking to her, she was busy unfolding her stroller so her son could rest off his feet and out of the sun, and she told police that her son had just had surgery at BC Children’s on July 5.
“At this point, I’m beyond embarrassed,” said Draper. “The plane is unloading and staring at me on the tarmac with my son in a stroller … no privacy for the situation at all,” she said.
Police insisted on seeing proof of her son’s surgery. Once she provided documents, she asked if she could leave, and they let her go.
“I work at a school kitchen, I chaperone my kids’ field trips with the school, I’m a very active parent,” said Draper. “I understand WestJet has protocols … but I feel it should have been handled differently if there was concern, especially since I was booked through a medical agency.”
Hope Air and WestJet
Draper travels often for medical care for her family and uses Hope Air to fly WestJet. Hope Air told Daily Hive that Draper’s family have been clients for many years. WestJet is a partner of Hope Air and provides airline vouchers for Hope Air clients.
“We have been in communication with WestJet over this matter, and they are communicating directly with the client involved,” said Hope Air’s rep. “Moving forward, WestJet will be communicating in advance to all relevant staff and crew that patients supported by Hope Air will be travelling on a specific flight.”
For their part, WestJet said it sincerely apologizes for the whole experience. A representative from the company said cabin crew are trained to ensure the safety of everyone on board, including identifying issues concerning guest welfare.
“Out of an abundance of caution and care, they followed procedure in consultation with the flight crew and WestJet’s corporate security,” the spokesperson said.
WestJet says its cabin crew was unaware that the family was travelling home from surgery.
Now, this incident has WestJet thinking about how it can better support guests travelling via community partners, and it’s in talks with Hope Air and Draper to address her experience.
Still, the incident has left a bad taste in Draper’s mouth. “I do feel I was targeted cause of the way I look,” said Draper.
“That’s fine, others’ opinions are their own, but communication would have been the better way to go about this instead of me being blasted on the wide open tarmac beside the plane while everyone else was getting off and others waiting to board,” she said.