Cancer patient removed from Alaska Airlines flight from Kauai misses chemo treatment

LIHUE, KAUAI (HawaiiNewsNow) - A cancer patient who was removed from an Alaska Airlines flight from Kauai on Monday received a refund from the airline, but still missed her chemotherapy treatment because of the incident.

California resident Elizabeth Sedway said she was taken off the flight on Monday because the company thought she was too sick to fly.

"It was shocking, I mean I've flown, we've flown for five years with this same diagnosis, and I felt humiliated certainly," she said.

Sedway, who has multiple myeloma, said she drew the attention of Alaska Airlines employees when she put on a surgical mask to avoid airborne germs. A doctor was called, but an airline employee then said she couldn't fly without a note. Sedway, however, said she was fine, but was still forced off the plane.

Alaska Airlines said its workers were acting in the best interest of the other passengers based on the information they had. The airline later apologized and put her on another flight to her destination of San Jose.

Sedway said she will donate the airline's refund to the Multiple Myeloma Research Foundation.

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