A widowed Texas mother says the only thing she worried about was getting her son and elderly mother home when she was kicked off a United flight for confusing a staff member.
Jenna Longoria claims she, her 75-year-old mother and her baby were kicked off a flight from San Francisco to Austin on Wednesday after she “accidentally” referred to an employee who identified as a woman as a man.
The images shared by Longoria show the moment when United operations manager Gabriella Chidom informs her that she will not be able to board the flight because of “what came out of her mouth.”
United claimed in a statement that Longoria was not allowed to board the flight because of a carry-on luggage issue, but video of the incident appears to point to a different reason.
Longoria told DailyMail.com on Thursday that the airline’s explanation “makes no sense” and that the company is providing different versions of the event because they know what they did was “unfair.”
Jenna Longoria accused United Airlines of stopping her and her mother from flying from San Francisco to Houston on Wednesday after she used the wrong pronoun for a flight attendant.
She said there was an argument over her carry-on luggage, but it was resolved before she was told she would not be allowed to board the plane and could even be banned from the airline for life because of her words.
The mother of one claims that a United employee who identified herself as female was visibly shaken when Longoria, who was distracted because her son was having a meltdown, said “thank you, sir,” as she was handed back her boarding passes.
Longoria says she was exhausted and struggling with her suitcases because her mother, who had come to help her with them, was not allowed to board with her and her son beforehand.
As she was about to board the plane, Longoria encountered a flight attendant and asked for help, saying something like, “Can you help me? She won’t let my mother in.”
The employee is seen telling Longoria: “I have to investigate the facts.” I have to gather my teams. You have to receive your statements in flight. I need statements. I don’t want to speak verbally about what I thought I heard.
According to his Linked In, Chidom has “experience in developing and implementing DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) programs, which help improve employee engagement.”
The flight attendant reportedly became upset and asked, “Who is he?” That’s a woman. She is wearing a dress.
“Then he tells me to get off the plane…he says something like ‘I don’t like what you said, I can deny you entry, someone will come help you,'” Longoria shared.
She added that she apologized repeatedly, saying she was unsure of pronouns and was worried about carrying her son and his bags, but that it made no difference.
Once she was back at the airport gate, United manager Chidon approached her and informed her that she would not be allowed to board the plane in a filmed encounter.
Longoria claims Chidon did not offer an alternative flight or any additional information, only saying someone would be in touch and threatening to kick her off the airline.
Longoria said she apologized for confusing the airline employee and added that her son was having a “meltdown” while they waited to board the plane.
Footage shared by Longoria shows Chidom saying, “I have to look into the facts.” I must gather my teams. On the flight you have to receive your statements. I need statements.
“I don’t want to verbally talk about what I thought I heard.”
According to the Texas mother, it wasn’t until she shared the story on social media that United provided her with a later flight.
Longoria insisted that she is not a political person, that she did not intend to upset anyone and that she was simply distracted while dealing with her baby and elderly mother.
“My priority was my son,” she told DailyMail.com.
‘I don’t have an agenda… trans, it’s not on my radar. I’m just a mother trying to get from point A to point B with my baby and my elderly mother.’
Longoria is a prominent women’s health specialist known as ‘The Period Guru.’
According to his Linked In, Chidom has “experience in developing and implementing DEI (Diversity, Equity and Inclusion) programs, which help improve employee engagement.”
United Airlines disputed Longoria’s version of events by issuing a statement about what happened.
“A group of three people traveling from San Francisco today were not allowed to board following an argument about having too many carry-on items,” a spokesperson said.
“The matter was resolved and the customers took a later United flight to finish their trip.”
DailyMail.com reached out to the airline for clarification on its statement and what the United employee is heard saying in the video, but did not receive a response.
