Family Sues Airline After Father, 4-Year-Old Removed from Disneyland Flight

An American family is taking American Airlines to court after the carrier removed a father and his four-year-old son from a flight bound for Disneyland. The incident, which occurred on March 1, 2025, was first reported by People magazine.

Koby and Emily Stewart say they paid over $5,000 for tickets from Lake Charles, Louisiana, to Orlando, Florida. They arrived at the airport nearly two hours early with their four children. At the check-in counter, after an agent learned Emily is deaf and uses sign language, the airline insisted two family members—including the young boy—be taken off the flight and rebooked.

The parents explained that separating was not an option due to Emily's disability and Koby's necessary help with the children. According to the lawsuit, the agent refused to accommodate them. Koby then volunteered to give up his seat, accepting a $1,200 travel voucher with assurances he would reunite with his family during a layover. That voucher was later canceled.

The lawsuit states the family faced extra travel costs, lost the voucher, and missed out on premium seating. They are seeking $50,000 in damages, alleging the airline intentionally caused emotional distress and violated Emily's rights under disability law.

The case echoes another recent event where Porter Airlines left a teenage girl alone at a Canadian airport, sparking similar outrage from her family.