The airplane with Portugal's national soccer team is given a traditional water cannon salute by the fire tenders upon its arrival at the Viracopos airport ahead of the 2014 World Cup, in Campinas near Sao Paulo June 11, 2014. REUTERS/Nacho Doce (BRAZIL -
The airplane with Portugal's national soccer team is given a traditional water cannon salute by the fire tenders upon its arrival at the Viracopos airport ahead of the 2014 World Cup, in Campinas near Sao Paulo June 11, 2014. REUTERS/Nacho Doce (BRAZIL - Tags: SPORT SOCCER WORLD CUP TRANSPORT)

American low-cost airline JetBlue Airways is currently in hot seat after one of its flight attendants has denied a toddler's potty use while the flight sat on the tarmac.

Unable to hold it any longer, a three-year-old girl urinated in her seat. As if the mother's embarrassment wasn't enough, the flight attendant yelled at her and reported her to the pilot.

Jennifer Devereaux was on JetBlue Flight 518 flying from New York to Boston on Monday with her two daughters when Summer said she wanted to go to the bathroom. The request occurred while the plane was still on the tarmac at John F. Kennedy International Airport for about 30 minutes.

But the flight attendant, whom Devereaux identified as Karen, said it was not possible.

"She snapped at me, 'No, sit down,'" Deveraux told CBC Boston.

Devereaux probably told her daughter it's just a matter of minutes that she could be allowed to pee, but young Summer wasn't able to hold it in much further.

When Devereaux discovered what happened, she stood up to clean the mess using her own jacket. Karen was instantly on her.

"And I said, 'Please give me a break. My daughter had an accident because you wouldn't let me take her to the bathroom. After I clean it up I will sit down. She turned around and reported it to the pilot," Deveraux said.

The airplane with Portugal's national soccer team is given a traditional water cannon salute by the fire tenders upon its arrival at the Viracopos airport ahead of the 2014 World Cup, in Campinas near Sao Paulo June 11, 2014. REUTERS/Nacho Doce (BRAZIL - Tags: SPORT SOCCER WORLD CUP TRANSPORT)

True to form, the pilot announced there was a noncompliant passenger on board. Fortunately, there was an off-duty pilot onboard, seated in front of Deveraux who was able to convince his colleagues in the cockpit to let her stay.

JetBlue said the airline and its crew were following Federal Aviation Administration regulations that require all passengers to remain seated while a plane is on the taxiway because of the risk of sudden movement.

"The crew made a safety and FAA regulation-based decision," the airline said.

"It wasn't about bad customer service at that point, it was about bad human decency. My daughter was sitting in a pool of urine and I couldn't do anything about it," Deveraux said.

"And as a mum, it just broke my heart."

On Saturday, JetBlue apologised and offered Deveraux $50 credit and $5,000 to be donated to the charity of her choice, the WBZ-TV in Boston reported.