Airline Controversy: Mother, Son Kicked Off American Airlines Flight Because Of Boy's Genetic Disease

American Airlines on Friday apologized to a South Carolina mother after she and her son were removed from a flight due to their rare skin conditions.

Jordan Flake and her 1-year-old son Jackson were aboard a flight set to depart from El Paso, Texas, for Columbia, South Carolina, after visiting Flake's husband, a member of the military who had received a four-day pass before his next deployment, when an airline employee approached them.

"Before takeoff, an employee from the airline came up to my row and asked the two men sitting next to me to get up. He then quietly asked me about ‘my rash’ and if I had a letter from a doctor stating that it was ‘OK for me to fly," wrote Flake in a Facebook post, which was later by the blog Love What Matters.

Both Flake and her son suffer from Ichthyosis, a rare genetic skin disorder, which is characterized by dry, scaly skin that might appear to be either thickened or thinned.

Roughly 16,000 babies are born every year with some variation of Ichthyosis, with 300 babies born with a moderate to severe form of the condition.

Flake recalled the rote preparations they took before boarding the flight — baggage check, going through security, and checking in at the gate twice — in which a number of people "smiled and talked to Jackson," before the interaction began.

After informing the airline worker of the skin condition, the employee then left to consult with other staffers and returned a short while later, telling Flake that they “wouldn’t be able to fly."

Despite Flake's compliance with the request, she heard one flight attendant remark in front of her: “Well, she doesn’t have a doctor’s note[.]"

In her post, which was shared on Rare Disease Day, Flake rallied for acceptance.

"In 2019, it’s time we stop discriminating," she stated.

Despite the rebuff, Flake noted that the first employee made sure to find accommodations for both mother and child, as well as book them a trip with another airline.

Flake was forced to seek alternative childcare arrangements for her daughter, who wasn't on the trip, and to purchase lotion and additional clothing to conceal her Ichthyosis.

"I have never felt more aware and embarrassed about my skin, or the condition I share with my son," Flake said.

"I felt like everyone was staring at us because I now had this negative feeling about myself. I should never feel ashamed of myself for the way I was born," added, describing the treatment she was made to endure. "This was unacceptable and uncalled for."

After the incident, Flake's father, Terry Lee Smith, demanded an apology from American Airlines via Fox Carolina, which the company issued the following day.

"Our goal at American Airlines is to create a welcoming environment for all of our customers," the statement read.

"We sincerely apologize to Ms. Flake and her son for the experience they had yesterday, and our team has begun an investigation into the matter. Our customer relations team has already spoken to her directly and upgraded them on their flights."