Mom Says Airline Tried Charging Her To Check Frozen Breast Milk

An Arizona woman says she had to throw away her breast milk because an American Airlines worker reportedly told her she would have to check the cooler in which she was carrying the milk and the airline has apologized, saying they made a mistake.

Sara Salow told local news channel NBC-2 she was humiliated by the experience. Salow said she was boarding a flight in Boston headed for Phoenix and when she went up to the counter, she was told that she had too many bags.

Salow told NBC-2 she and her husband had four items between the two of them; a stroller, a diaper bag, a backpack the cooler containing frozen breast milk. She told the worker that the backpack was her husband's personal item and she had the cooler. She added that the diaper bag was exempt.

According to American Airlines' baggage policy, diaper bags, strollers and child safety seats don't count as personal items or carry-ons.

Salow said there was no issue with the stroller but workers apparently told her she would have to pay $150 to check the cooler with breast milk.

"We were pretty mad; I immediately started crying," Salow said. "It was humiliating, they kept telling us it was because we were basic economy passengers; it really felt demeaning."

She decided to leave the cooler — which cost $50 — behind rather than pay the $150. Other passengers even offered to take the cooler on as their carry-on item but the worker reportedly said no.

"We have been in contact with the customer involved in this incident and are working with our team members who were involved to better understand what happened," an American Airlines spokesperson said in an emailed statement. "The customer should have been allowed to fly with the breast milk, and we apologize that a mistake was made in this case. We have clarified our policies with our team members to specifically call out breast milk (the policy already lists a breast pump bag as an exception) to make sure that this does not happen again."

Salow says that while the experience left her with a bitter taste, it was worth it if it means this will never happen to another mother again.

Read more at NBC-2.

Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images News/Getty Images