Malaysian low-cost carrier AirAsia has come under the spotlight after a family with a special needs daughter was removed from a flight at Changi Airport due to the child's seat restraint — despite having flown multiple times with it, including on AirAsia.
In a Facebook post last Thursday (May 28), Syarifah Ella Wan Wahab wrote an open letter to the airline recounting her experience boarding AirAsia flight AK1776 bound for Kuching on May 26 together with her husband, three young children and helper. One daughter has quadriplegic cerebral palsy.
The healthcare professional said she had declared her daughter's aircraft/car seat, approved by the US Federal Aviation Administration, during check-in at Changi Airport. The family cleared immigration and boarding procedures uneventfully, and had settled into their seats before they were told to disembark.
Syarifah, who hails from Kuching and turned 32 on May 28, said the pilot had decided to deny the use of the seat, and crew provided no other explanation other than "it is our policy".
After repeated requests for clarification, the crew told her that "the child must be between six months and three years old and must not exceed 18kg" when using the seat.
"As a healthcare professional myself, I understand the importance of safety protocols," she wrote.
"However, I also believe that decisions involving children with disabilities should be approached with empathy, professionalism, clarity, and proper communication, especially when the matter directly affects their dignity and wellbeing," she added.
"Our family was publicly offloaded after boarding. It was emotionally distressing, humiliating, and heartbreaking for our family."
Upon returning to the boarding gate, the family was told that arrangements could be made for them to board the next available flight. However, this would still be subject to the pilot's discretion.
The family declined the offer, which they found to be unfair given that they had two young children and a child with special needs.
Responding to queries from AsiaOne, AirAsia stood by the pilot's decision.
"While we empathise with the disappointment experienced by the family, the decision was made in accordance with applicable safety requirements and operating procedures at the time of travel," said the airline's chief safety and quality officer Saravanan Subramaniam.
“The safety and wellbeing of our guests will always remain our highest priority," said captain Saravanan.
"AirAsia is currently reviewing its policies and procedures relating to specialised child restraint devices to ensure greater clarity and consistency," he added.
The airline has also reached out to Syarifah for further clarification.
Syarifah confirmed on Facebook that AirAsia has reached out to her and said she will refrain from commenting further. A refund has also been processed.
She added: "We sincerely look forward to positive and meaningful explanations towards policies and procedures that are more inclusive and compassionate for children and people with disabilities, so they too can travel with ease, dignity, and peace of mind."
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laili.abdeen@asiaone.com
