A Texas woman, traveling with her 16-month-old son and mother, alleges that she was removed from a United Airlines flight after accidentally misgendering a flight attendant. Jenna Longoria, a women’s health and hormone expert from outside Austin, recounted the incident to The Post, told The Daily Mail.
Longoria was boarding her flight around 9 a.m. at San Francisco International Airport when she mistakenly addressed a United crew member by the wrong pronoun. “When [the flight attendant], who identifies as a woman, gave me our boarding passes, I said, ‘Thank you, sir.’ That is it. That is it,” Longoria told The New York Post, still perplexed by the incident.
The flight attendant reportedly became upset, and Longoria proceeded to board the plane. However, the flight attendant held Longoria’s mother back, preventing her from boarding. Onboard, Longoria sought assistance from another male flight attendant, explaining that “he” – referring to the first flight attendant – had kept her mother, who was helping with her son, at the gate.
“He said, ‘”He”?’ and I said, ‘Yeah.’ He then said, ‘She’s wearing a dress,’” Longoria recalled. “My son is in my hand crying, I’m trying to get on the plane. As a mother, my prerogative is to get my son safely on the plane and not what the pronouns that someone goes by.”
Longoria admitted on social media that she’s “not very versed with pronouns.” Ultimately, Longoria, her son, and mother were barred from boarding the plane, which departed with their luggage and medications on board.
United Airlines told The Post in a statement that Longoria and her family were prohibited from boarding “following a discussion about having too many carry-on items” – a claim Longoria vehemently denied as “an absolute lie.”
Longoria documented the ordeal on her Instagram, posting a video of her conversation with a United official named Gabriella. Gabriella explained that she had to gather statements from witnesses and confirmed that it was ultimately the captain’s decision to have Longoria removed from the flight. “I need you to know that because of this verbal altercation that you had with my staff, you got yourself put off this craft,” Gabriella told Longoria. “And it was confirmed by the captain. They heard it all.”
Longoria expressed confusion over what she said that warranted her removal. The United official mentioned hearing “transgender comments” and “derogatory comments about being a bigot,” though she noted she still needed statements for clarity.
“What?” Longoria asked incredulously in the clip. Longoria believed that if the captain had been nearby and heard what actually happened, she would have been allowed on the flight.
Gabriella indicated that Longoria and her family might be banned from flying on United in the future. “I was in such shock. It was so traumatic,” Longoria added. United did not immediately respond to additional requests for comment regarding the possible airline ban.
Longoria insisted the situation was handled calmly. “There was no yelling, there was no pushing or shoving – that’s why I’m so very surprised,” she said. “It all happened very quietly, and I don’t think anyone else [passengers] knew what was going on.”
Stranded at the airport without clarity on whether they could board another United flight, Longoria and her mother purchased tickets for an American Airlines flight back to Austin, which departed three hours later. Longoria reported receiving no apology or compensation for the additional tickets.