A Houston woman says Spirit Airlines unfairly denied her boarding at Miami International Airport after she recovered from a cosmetic procedure, even though she presented a signed medical clearance from her doctor stating she was fit to fly.
Shataria Banks had traveled from Houston to Miami last week for a private medical procedure. After several days of rest and recovery, she returned to the airport with her husband, prepared to head home. But upon arriving at the Spirit Airlines counter, she says things took an unexpected turn.
According to Banks, airline staff refused to honor the doctor’s note she provided.
“We don’t have it in writing—verbatim—from their Spirit supervisor. It was just how I was treated on top of them just neglecting what my doctor said,” she told reporters.
Spirit Airlines issued a statement defending its decision. The company said that gate agents followed protocol and consulted with MedLink, its third-party medical service provider.
“The medical professional at MedLink was informed of the Guest’s documentation and advised that the Guest was not fit to travel based on their condition at the time and in the interest of their safety,” Spirit Airlines said.
Though Banks and her husband were eventually refunded for their unused tickets, they were forced to pay out-of-pocket for an unexpected hotel stay and secure last-minute seats with another carrier back to Houston.
The incident raises broader questions about how airlines handle medical fitness-to-fly evaluations and what constitutes acceptable documentation for passengers recovering from surgery or medical treatment.
Banks has not disclosed the nature of the procedure but expressed her frustration over what she described as Spirit’s lack of transparency and discretion.
