Business & Tech

California Teen With Down Syndrome Not Allowed to Fly First Class

The boy's parents have reportedly flown with their son without any problems at least 30 times.

A Southern California family says they were denied entry onto an American Airlines flight from Newark, New Jersey back to their Porterville home, near Bakersfield, because their son has Down Syndrome, according to an article on the Huffington Post.

The Vanderhorst family had decided to splurge on first-class plane tickets for the first time, but on Sunday while the family was waiting to board the flight an American Airlines representative allegedly pulled them aside and said the pilot thought their 16-year-old son Bede was a "flight risk."

Joan and Robert Vanderhorst had reportedly flown without issue with their son at least 30 times, the Huffington Post reported.

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