Family booted off Southwest flight after 2-year-old cant keep facemask on catches flight with friend

A family kicked off a Southwest flight after their two-year-old could not keep his face mask on turned to Facebook to complain and were offered a private flight by a family friend.

Erik Harvey, his wife Michelle and two-year-old son Jackson ended up with a free ride to their Austin, Texas destination after pilot James Peck saw Erik’s Facebook video.

On April 1 Erik posted an 18-minute video to Facebook titled ‘Kicked off the plane *’not an April fools joke’  where he shared his traveling experience.

In the video, which has garnered over 1,000 views, he said he was ‘fired up’ as he told the story of his family getting kicked off a Southwest flight from Denver, Colorado to Austin, Texas, where they intended to visit family.

Harvey kicked off the video by saying ‘I should be sitting on a plane seat’.

He said his family woke up at three in the morning to prepare for their flight out of Denver, Colorado. 

Erik and Michelle Harvey and their two-year-old son Jackson woke up at 3am to catch their flight to Austin out of Denver

Erik Harvey posted an 18-minute video to Facebook titled 'Kicked off the plane *'not an April fools joke' after the travel experience

Erik Harvey posted an 18-minute video to Facebook titled ‘Kicked off the plane *’not an April fools joke’ after the travel experience

According to Harvey, everything was going ‘swimmingly’ and the three even made it onto the plane, seated looking out the window, before things went south. 

They had even practiced mask-wearing with Jackson before the flight. 

 ‘I practiced with him at least two or three times at the house and every time he threw it off, but I figured that [Southwest] would work with us on the plane because he’s two,’ Michelle Harvey said.

He was sitting there complying with his mask on, everything was great, it was wonderful. Until it wasn’t.’ he said.

Harvey said Jackson ripped off his face mask and was ‘done’ and would not put it back on.   

It was then a flight attendant approached the family and said the 2-year-old had to put it on or the family would have to get off the plane. 

Harvey said he and Michelle were ‘flustered’ trying to get their son to put the mask on but he would not cooperate.  

The flight attendant told them they had to deboard the plane. 

‘You have to go ahead and leave the plane,’ she said. ‘It’s federal regulation, you cannot stay on the plane.’

Harvey said they pleaded but the flight attendant did not budge so they gathered up their things and ‘walked off the plane in a daze’ 

Michelle Harvey said they had even practiced mask-wearing with Jackson before the flight

Michelle Harvey said they had even practiced mask-wearing with Jackson before the flight

Harvey said he and his wife Michelle pleaded after being told they had to deboard but the flight attendant did not budge so they gathered up their things and 'walked off the plane in a daze'

Harvey said he and his wife Michelle pleaded after being told they had to deboard but the flight attendant did not budge so they gathered up their things and ‘walked off the plane in a daze’

Erick Harvey, his wife Michelle and their two-year-old son Jackson were forced to deboard a Southwest flight to Austin

Erick Harvey, his wife Michelle and their two-year-old son Jackson were forced to deboard a Southwest flight to Austin 

But in a twist, an old friend of the couple, Peck, watched the Facebook video and decided to help.

‘I knew that I could use that as a great excuse to go take a flight and help them out and get them here,’ Peck told FOX 7

‘I have a family of my own and it’s not impossible to get your kids to be awesome on a flight, but to get them to be able to keep a mask on the entire time has its challenges.’

FOX 7 reports that Peck flew his twin-engine airplane to Denver, picked up the family, and flew them to Austin at no charge. 

Peck has even offered to fly the family back to Denver at the end of their trip.

Pilot James Peck, a friend of the couple, saw the Facebook video and decided to offer them a free ride aboard his private plane

Pilot James Peck, a friend of the couple, saw the Facebook video and decided to offer them a free ride aboard his private plane

‘I just was floored,’ Michelle said. ‘I just said ”You know what, babe? I’m nervous, but I feel like turning him down would be rude, like this is an opportunity,” 

‘The miracles will come to you, things will show up, and that Good Samaritan will show up,’ said Erik.

In a statement to FOX 7, Southwest Airlines said they regret the inconvenience the Harvey family suffered but that they were told multiple times about face mask regulations prior to being booted off the plane. 

‘Federal law requires all customers two and over to wear a face mask while at the airport and onboard the aircraft,’ Southwest said. 

‘This is communicated to customers in multiple areas including during the booking process, checking in, boarding, and pre-flight messaging.’