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Florida woman suing airline for getting ejected over mask is ‘traumatized,’ lawyer says

A woman unhappy with how she was treated on her Southwest Airlines flight from Washington, D.C., to Palm Beach is now suing the airline over the experience.

The issue was one we’ve been dealing with since the ongoing pandemic began: face masks.

In the suit filed in federal court in NYC last Tuesday, Medora Clai Reading said she was wrongly ejected after a flight attendant repeatedly asked her to keep the mask over her nose and mouth before takeoff.

The 68-year-old petitioner said she only removed her mask because she needed to drink water for a medical condition. Reading claims she has a medical exemption for a heart condition, claustrophobia and low blood sugar — requiring her to stay hydrated.

On Wednesday, a Southwest spokesperson told the Miami Herald: “There is no commentary to share in the media regarding now-pending litigation.”

The Palm City resident’s lawyer, Kristina S. Heuser, confirmed to the Miami Herald on Monday that the $10 million lawsuit was proceeding.

“Ms. Reading was severely traumatized by the incident and has not flown since,” she said in an email. “This has really hindered her ability to spend time with family, including her daughter and grandchildren who reside out of state.”

In the complaint, Reading said that after she tried to show the crew member her medical exemption card, the attendant told her “We don’t care.”

Reading said in the suit that a gate attendant eventually ordered her off the flight as she “tearfully exited.”

On her public Facebook page, she posted an article that opposes vaccine mandates.