AirAsia announced enhanced procedures for medically approved child restraint devices (CRDs) following a May 26 incident where a family was denied boarding on flight AK1776 from Singapore to Kuching due to concerns over their daughter’s specialised child restraint device. The child has quadriplegic cerebral palsy, and the airline’s prior policy did not accommodate such devices beyond children aged six months to three years and weighing up to 18 kilograms [1, 2, 3, 4].
The airline stated the boarding denial was made according to existing safety requirements and standard operating procedures at the time but apologised to the family for the inconvenience. It also offered a full refund and complimentary flights as goodwill gestures [1, 2, 3, 4].
Captain Saravanan Subramaniam, AirAsia X Chief Safety and Quality Officer, said, "This incident has prompted us to enhance our processes to better support guests with specialised needs. The safety and well-being of our guests will always remain our highest priority. While the decision was made in accordance with the applicable safety requirements and operating procedures in place at the time, it was never our intention to prevent any guest from travelling" [1].
Following a review, AirAsia submitted new standard operating procedures for child restraint devices to regulators for approval on June 8 and publicly announced the changes on June 9. The updated policy allows approved child restraint devices for individuals aged six months and older, including passengers with special needs, provided usage follows manufacturer instructions [2, 3, 4].
Syarifah Ella Wan Wahab, a representative for the family, said, "I truly appreciate the willingness shown to listen and take constructive action. Accessibility and inclusivity are not privileges — they are fundamental rights. If our experience helps ensure that other children with disabilities can travel with dignity, then it serves a far greater purpose" [2, 4].
AirAsia emphasised its commitment to making air travel more accessible and inclusive for guests with specialised needs as it implements the new procedures [1, 2, 3, 4].
