AirAsia Blocked A Special Needs Girl From Boarding Because Of Her Medical Seat — But She’s Used It On Their Flights Before
A Malaysian family was prevented from boarding an AirAsia flight after ground staff refused to allow their daughter, a child with Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy, to travel in her prescribed adaptive safety seat — the same seat she had used on multiple previous AirAsia and international flights without issue.
- AirAsia X blocked a special needs girl from boarding despite her having flown on the same airline using the same prescribed medical seat before.
- AirAsia X is now reviewing its child safety seat policies after acknowledging inconsistency in how guidelines were applied.
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AirAsia has said it is reviewing its policies on the use of children’s safety seats on board its flights, following an incident in which a family was denied boarding after the airline’s crew raised concerns over a specialised medical seat used by their daughter.
The child, who has Quadriplegic Cerebral Palsy — the most severe form of the condition, affecting all four limbs and the trunk — relies on a specialised adaptive safety seat prescribed by her medical team as a clinical necessity, not a comfort preference.
The family — comprising the mother, father, three young children and a domestic helper — had already completed check-in, cleared immigration and boarded the aircraft before being asked to disembark.
AirAsia X’s Director of Safety and Quality, Captain Saravanan Subramaniam, said in a statement that the decision made at the time was based on applicable safety regulations and an assessment of whether the seat in question was suitable for use on board.
The safety and well-being of our passengers is always our primary consideration. While we understand the family’s disappointment, the decision was made in accordance with current safety requirements and operating procedures.
He added that the airline has since reached out to the family directly to provide further clarification and assistance.
The incident came to light after the mother, Syarifah Ella Wan Wahab, shared her experience on social media, saying the family was told — after boarding — that the pilot had not approved the use of her daughter’s seat.
A Policy Built for Infants, Applied to a Child With No Other Option
Syarifah Ella said her daughter had previously flown on multiple domestic and international flights, including on AirAsia, using the same seat without any issues.
She also said that when she asked to see the relevant company policy, she was initially told it could not be shown to passengers.
It was only after repeated requests that the crew informed her that the policy stipulated that children using specialised seats must be between six months and three years old, and weigh no more than 18 kilograms.
She questioned whether that policy was intended for standard infant seats — or whether it also applied to children with special medical needs who had no alternative.
AirAsia Acknowledges Inconsistency, Promises Policy Review
Captain Saravanan said AirAsia is now reviewing its child safety seat policies and procedures to ensure guidelines are clearer and applied consistently going forward.
He advised passengers travelling with specialised seats — including those with disabilities — to submit relevant documentation and certifications confirming the seat’s suitability for air travel prior to departure.
This is to ensure assessments and approvals are completed before boarding.
We take every piece of feedback from our passengers as part of our continuous improvement efforts to ensure a more consistent and seamless travel experience for all.
Globally, aviation guidelines generally recognise that passengers with disabilities cannot be denied boarding without genuine safety justification — and that specialised medical seats fall outside the scope of standard infant seat policies.
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