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Southwest Airlines apologizes to Cal coach after she says employee asked for proof biracial son was hers

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Southwest Airlines apologized Tuesday to California women’s basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb after she claimed an airline employee stopped her from boarding because the worker didn’t believe her 1-year-old biracial son was hers.

A desk agent questioned Gottlieb ahead of a flight from Denver to Oakland on Sunday, saying she “had to ‘prove’ that he was my son, despite having his passport,” Gottlieb said in a series of tweets.

“She said because we have different last name. My guess is because he has a different skin color,” Gottlieb said Monday in the first of several tweets on the matter. She was traveling with her fiance, Patrick Martin, the boy’s father, who is black.

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Airlines aren’t required to match the last name of a child and guardian for domestic flights.

“We have reached out to Ms. Gottlieb directly to address her concerns and will utilize the situation as a coaching opportunity for our Employee,” Southwest said in a statement. “We apologize if our interaction made this family uncomfortable — that is never our intention.”

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Gottlieb said Tuesday that the encounter was hurtful, but she appreciates Southwest’s apology.

California women's basketball coach Lindsay Gottlieb holds her then-6-month-old son, Jordan, on Aug. 30.
(Marcio Jose Sanchez / Associated Press )

“I felt that in this situation it was my responsibility to say ‘Hey, this isn’t OK,’ ” Gottlieb said in a statement to the Associated Press. “I hope the coverage this has received can serve as a learning opportunity and that all families — regardless of how ‘traditional’ they may or may not look — are treated with dignity and respect.”

Gottlieb, Martin and their child eventually were allowed to board.

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