Airline Defends Barring Woman With Down Syndrome From Flight

American Airlines is defending a decision that blocked Jennifer Jaspers, a 52-year-old woman with Down syndrome, from boarding a flight at Eppley Airfield in Omaha, Nebraska, on July 23. Jaspers said the airline denied her a boarding pass as she tried to travel alone to North Carolina to visit relatives and celebrate her birthday. According to WOWT, an employee asked whether she could “get herself out of a building” by herself; Jaspers replied, “I don’t know.” The airline said passengers unable to follow safety instructions must travel with a safety assistant and offered that option free of charge, which she declined. Her mother said a supervisor intervened and noted prior travel arrangements worked without issue.