Woman Says United Airlines Crew Tried to Remove 2-Year-Old Son's Ventilator Before Flight

A mother is warning all parents and caregivers after a troubling experience with United Airlines involving her “medically complex” son.

Last week, Melissa Sotomayor shared a 10-minute TikTok video calling out the airline for its treatment of her and her 2-year-old son, Noah, during their March 8 flight from Tampa, Fla., to Newark, N.J.

She described their ordeal on board as "ridiculous" and said their experience was humiliating and unnecessarily stressful. Although United Airlines later issued an apology, Sotomayor told PEOPLE it "was not sincere at all."

As Sotomayor explains, Noah has vision and hearing impairments and relies on a tracheostomy tube and ventilator for breathing, as well as a G-tube for nutrition and medication. Aware of their travel complexities, Sotomayor ensured all necessary medical paperwork was in order far in advance of their trip. She said their departing flight to Tampa was uneventful, but returning home was a different story.

Once seated, a flight attendant instructed Sotomayor to remove Noah from his ventilator and portable oxygen concentrator for takeoff. The mom explained that doing so was not an option, as the equipment was keeping her son alive. When asked for documentation, she provided letters of medical clearance from Noah’s pulmonologist and pediatrician, as well as the required paperwork from United Airlines authorizing the portable oxygen concentrator.

Despite these documents, another flight attendant insisted that the equipment be stored under the seat. Sotomayor again explained that it was not possible and that the machinery was essential for Noah’s survival. A third flight attendant later echoed the same demand, asserting that Noah would "be okay" without the equipment until reaching cruising altitude.

Sotomayor’s pre-selected seats were arranged by United's accessibility department, yet the crew still suggested relocating them. The situation escalated when the captain got involved, repeating the demand and accusing Sotomayor of being difficult and endangering her son and other passengers. Even after being shown FAA-compliant documentation, he reportedly stated Noah shouldn’t be allowed to fly because "it’s dangerous for him."

A nearby passenger defended Sotomayor, stating she had presented the required documentation multiple times and that the airline crew’s behavior was leaning towards harassment. When the mom accused the crew of acting against the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), a flight attendant allegedly responded dismissively, saying, "I’m sorry you feel that way."

The captain delayed takeoff for over an hour while allegedly contacting United supervisors. Eventually, without addressing Sotomayor directly, he announced the plane would proceed with takeoff.

Following the flight, Sotomayor spoke with United’s corporate department but found their response "less than caring." A representative insisted the airline follows FAA guidelines and would do an internal investigation of her communications with the accessibility department. As Sotomayor recollected, the conversation ended abruptly with the representative stating they "would not be in contact anymore."

“We’ve connected with the customer to address her concerns and apologized for any frustration she may have experienced," United Airlines said in a statement to PEOPLE.

"The way we were treated was horrible," Sotomayor concluded. "If you are a parent or have a special needs loved one, do not fly United Airlines."