A Tale of Two Travels - Takeaway on NF Discrimination and Air Travel

Author: NF Network

Published On: 08/27/2024

Many of us are familiar with the opening line of Charles Dickens's famous novel, A Tale of Two Cities: "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness…"

Like this concept of duality, we will explore two divergent stories that shed light on the experiences of two brave women who recently traveled by air through California after undergoing surgery to remove neurofibromas. This allows us to delve into the potential for transformation, both on an individual and societal level.

We'll start with the highly publicized story of Brianna Solari. When Brianna boarded a Southwest Airlines plane at Burbank airport after her surgery, she was wearing a headband and a mask to cover her post-surgery scars. However, a crew member questioned her about whether her condition was contagious. Despite having discharge paperwork, she was escorted off the plane and had to wait five hours for another flight. To make matters worse, Brianna's request to speak to the airline physician was denied.

Brianna stated, "It was humiliating, it was embarrassing. I felt violated because this is a personal medical situation."

You can watch Brianna speak of the incident in her own words here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4iAWiDwtWp8

We were, of course, saddened to hear about this unfortunate incident happening to someone in our community. Following this, we reached out to Brandi Marley, who had also taken a Southwest flight through the same airport after undergoing the same procedure in December 2023. Fortunately, her experience was different. She informed the people sitting next to her about her recent surgery, and everyone seemed to be understanding after learning about her situation.

Brandi stated, "I’m saddened that she was treated unfairly due to NF. I think it’s brave of her to share her story and hope it raises more awareness for NF."

We commend both women for speaking out and hope that Briana’s unfortunate experience will contribute to the greater good of raising awareness about this rare genetic disorder. We also encourage everyone to engage in kind behavior when we encounter something we are not familiar with. You never know what someone's story is.

We wish everyone safe travels and would like to offer a couple of resources for travelers:

• TSA Disabilities and Medical Conditions screening information: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/tsa-cares/disabilities-and-medical-conditions
• TSA Civil Rights: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/tsa-cares/civil-rights
• TSA Special assistance contact number: https://www.tsa.gov/travel/frequently-asked-questions/i-need-special-assistance-during-screening-whom-can-i-contact
• NF Network Travel Card: https://nfnetwork.org/data/uploads/news-pics/2024/august/nf-travel-business-card-for-print.pdf