$10 million lawsuit claims Southwest booted a passenger whose disability prevented mask wearing

A Southwest Airlines passenger is suing the carrier for $10 million, claiming that employees yelled at her and pulled her off a flight because she repeatedly took off her mask to drink water. 

Medora Clay Reading, 68, tried to fly from Washington, D.C., to Palm Beach, Florida, on January 7, according to her lawsuit, filed on Tuesday in New York district court. Reading said she has a heart condition, severe hypoglycemia, claustrophobia and fainting spells — "disabilities that are triggered by wearing a face covering," the complaint states.

Because of her condition, Reading told a booking agent she would need a medical accommodation and paid for early boarding so she could sit at the front of the plane (Southwest doesn't assign seats.)