AirAsia reviews rules after family with cerebral palsy child removed from flight due to safety requirements

The airline said the decision was based on “applicable safety requirements relating to the suitability of the child restraint device presented for use on board”, Channel News Asia reported.

Saravanan Subramaniam, chief safety and quality officer of AirAsia X, said the airline is “reviewing its policies and procedures relating to specialized child restraint devices to ensure greater clarity and consistency.”

In a Facebook post on May 28, Syarifah Ella Wan Wahab said her family was removed from a May 26 flight because of a “special aircraft/car seat” used by her daughter.

She said her family had already taken their seats on the aircraft when a ground staff member and a crew member told them the pilot would not allow her daughter’s restraint seat, certified for air travel by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration, and asked the family to leave the flight.

She added that the seat had been declared during check-in at Changi Airport and staff were aware of her daughter’s 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.”

Syarifah said staff repeatedly referred to AirAsia policy without explaining the specific safety concern behind the decision. “Only after repeated requests for clarification did crew members state that the child must be between six months and three years old and must not exceed 18 kg.”

She also said her daughter had previously flown with AirAsia using the same seat without issue.

Airline staff offered to place her family on the next available flight to Kuching after they returned to the terminal gate, according to Free Malaysia Today.

“However, we were also told that if the next pilot in command similarly rejected us (over the use of the special seat), our family could once again be offloaded from the aircraft. At that point, we respectfully declined,” Syarifah said.

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