Shock and criticism abounded after a photo allegedly showing a child using a portable potty during an airline flight was shared online.
Earlier this week, Instagram account PassengerShaming shared a picture they claimed depicted a passenger allowing their child to use a portable potty in the aisle during a flight. In the image, the child’s entire body was blurred out.
“PRO TRAVEL PARENTING TIP: Use the lavatory for your child,” the caption began.
The account, which was created by a former flight attendant, went on to allege that the incident occurred “midflight … in front of everyone” and that when the passenger was told by the flight crew to go to “the unoccupied lavatory,” the passenger became argumentative.
“I don’t give a s—!” the passenger replied, according to the account, which did not provide any identifying information regarding the passengers, the airline or where the flight was en route to.
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In the caption, the Instagram account wrote that their goal in sharing the photo was not based in “shaming or identifying the child,” but just to share a wild incident. “This literal s— is happening out there, folks,” the image’s caption concluded.
In response to the photo, many social-media users spoke out against the passenger, calling the incident “inappropriate” and “wrong in so many ways.”
“So inappropriate and disgusting,” wrote one Instagram user, adding that they believed the passenger “should have been arrested.”
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“That is so FN wrong in so many ways! Nothing is sacred anymore, and there are no boundaries,” added another.
Taking a slightly more measured tone, one commenter replied, “That child deserves more privacy and respect than this parent is offering … not even to mention the fellow passengers.”
Offering a helpful suggestion, another commenter suggested that “training pants” or a “swim diaper” could be of use in similar situations.
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While calling the alleged incident “terrible,” another Instagram user wrote that they were still sympathetic because of something that had happened to their daughter once.
“This is terrible, but I can imagine some issues that would require something like this,” they wrote. “I once went on a flight with my 2.5 year old daughter and took her to the lavatory when we entered the plane, but she got so terrified of the loud flushing noise the toilet made I could not get her anywhere near the lavatory for the rest of our flight.”
“She needed to pee badly and got super nervous because of it, and in the end peed her pants … it was a nightmare!” the social-media user added.
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While a spokesperson for American Airlines did not identify any specific guidelines concerning the use of portable potties on flights, they did tell PEOPLE that all of their flights contain lavatories for passengers to use. The spokesperson also denied that the alleged incident had occurred on board one of their flights.
United Airlines also confirmed to PEOPLE that the alleged incident did not occur on one of their flights.
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