A mum and her two kids were asked to get off a flight when her three-year-old refused to wear a mask.
Alyssa Sadler's autistic son flew into a "screaming" tantrum when asked to keep his face mask on on the Southwest Airline flight.
The plane had left the gate at Midland Texas airport on Monday, only for crew members to warn that they'd turn around if the young boy did not cover up.
Ms Sadler, from Deer Park, Texas, explained her son has sensory processing disorder and does not like his face being touched.
The young boy screamed 'no, no, no' when attempts were made to get him to wear the mask.
“They’re going over the security safety features and all that, and the flight attendant walks by and tells me that he has to put a mask on,” Ms Sadler told ABC13.
“So, I try to put the mask on him. He is three and has autism and sensory processing disorders, so he wouldn’t keep the mask on.”
The mum said she had a note from her son's doctor explaining that he could not wear masks.
It was not enough to sway one of the flight attendant's however, who alerted the plane's captain to the issue.
The incident came to an close when the family's luggage was removed and they were asked to leave the plane.
Ms Sadler said that airline officials wrote her up for non-compliance to the carrier's police.
She says that she agrees that people should wear masks in public and does so herself, but believes disabled people should be afforded an exemption.
“No three-year-old, who is autistic and has sensory processing disorder, is going to put anything on their face,” she told ABC13.
A spokesperson for the airline said: "Southwest Airlines said all customers over age two have to cover their faces while traveling to help prevent the spread of Covid-19.
"Something that's pointed out during the online booking and check-in process.
"If a customer is unable to wear a face covering for any reason, Southwest regrets that we are unable to transport that individual. In those cases, we will issue a full refund."
