American Airlines allegedly tried to charge mom $150 to check breast milk, admits mistake

An Arizona woman says airline workers denied her carrying breast milk on board a flight.

The airline says it was a mistake and its policy was not properly followed.

Sarah Salow was traveling with her husband and infant son, along with several baby-related items, including a stroller, diaper bag and a cooler containing frozen breast milk.

None of the other items caused a problem, but she was told the cooler would have to be checked for a charge of $150.

"When we went up to the counter, I was wearing him in a carrier, the cool was on the seat of the stroller and the women said, 'you have too many bags,'" Salow said. "I'm like this is a diaper bag, which I thought was exempt. That's his personal item and we have the cooler. I didn't have a personal item."

Salow said she had called the airline in advance.

American Airlines, the airline the Salows were using, allows strollers, diaper bags and breast pumps as exempt carry-on items, meaning they don't count against the number of bags that can be brought on board the plane.

"We were pretty mad," Salow said. "I immediately started crying."

The $150 charge she was quoted is also not consistent with American Airlines' policy, the airline said in a statement.

"The customer should have been allowed to fly with the breast milk, and we apologize that a mistake was made in this case," the statement said. "We have clarified our policies with our team members."