AirAsia reviewing policy after family with cerebral palsy child removed from flight due to 'safety requirements'

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SINGAPORE: Malaysian carrier AirAsia has said that it is reviewing its policy after a family with a child with cerebral palsy was offloaded from its flight.

The decision made at the time was based on "applicable safety requirements relating to the suitability of the child restraint device presented for use on board", the airline said on Wednesday (Jun 3) in response to CNA's queries.

The airline is currently "reviewing its policies and procedures relating to specialised child restraint devices to ensure greater clarity and consistency", said Captain Saravanan Subramaniam, AirAsia X's chief safety and quality officer.

THE INCIDENT

A woman posted a complaint on Facebook on May 28, claiming her family was removed from a Singapore to Kuching flight on May 26 due to the use of a "special aircraft/car seat" for her daughter, who has quadriplegic cerebral palsy.

In her Facebook post, Syarifah Ella Wan Wahab said she and her family, consisting of herself, her husband, three children and a helper were already seated inside the plane when they were informed by a ground staff and crew member that the pilot in command had decided to deny the use of her daughter’s FAA-approved seat and requested that the entire family disembark from the flight.

She said in her post that the seat had been declared upon check-in at Changi Airport and the ground staff were fully aware of her daughter's condition, with staff even asking about the seat's weight and her child's medical condition.

"I fully acknowledge and respect that the pilot in command holds final authority concerning onboard safety decisions.

"However, what deeply affected us was the manner in which the situation was communicated and handled," she said in her post.

The woman also said in her post that no clear explanation was provided at the time regarding the specific safety concern or operational factor that led to the decision and was repeatedly told that it was AirAsia's policy.

"Only after repeated requests for clarification did crew members state that the child must be between six months and 3 years old and must not exceed 18kg," she said.

In her post, Ms Syarifah also questioned the policy, and said that her child needed the seat due to medical reasons and not because she was a "small child".

She also said that her daughter had flown with AirAsia before, and questioned if it meant that the policy was breached during those earlier flights.

According to her, after her family disembarked, they were informed that arrangements could be made for the next available flight to Kuching. However, they were also told they could again be offloaded if the next Pilot in Command rejected them as well.

The family declined the offer.

AirAsia said on Wednesday it understands that the family may have had different expectations due to previous travel experiences with AirAsia.

"Following this recent incident and the feedback received, AirAsia is conducting a comprehensive review of the application and communication of existing requirements relating to specialised child restraint systems to ensure greater consistency and clarity for guests and operating crews moving forward," said the airline.

Mr Saravanan said that the airline empathises with the disappointment experienced by the family, adding that it has reached out to the guest directly to provide further clarification and assistance.

"For future travel, we encourage guests to present the relevant documentation and certification confirming the suitability of the child restraint device for travel, including for guests with disabilities, so our ground and inflight teams can better assess and facilitate the necessary approvals prior to departure," he said.

CNA has contacted AirAsia for more information.

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