Disabled AirAsia Passenger Drags Himself Down Aisle After Refusing To Pay For Wheelchair, Airline Apologises

Disabled AirAsia Passenger Drags Himself Down Aeroplane Aisle On 29 Sep

Though tickets for some flights may be more affordable than others, they often come with a catch, such as requiring extra payment for additional services.

Sadly, not all travellers may be aware of this, leading to confusion that could affect their experiences.

Recently, footage of a disabled passenger dragging himself down an AirAsia plane aisle surfaced on TikTok.

According to the OP, AirAsia staff had asked the disabled passenger to pay S$40 for an aisle wheelchair service.

However, the disabled passenger allegedly refused to pay for the service as he was only three metres away from his own wheelchair.

Disabled AirAsia passenger allegedly refuses to pay for wheelchair service

According to captions in the two TikTok videos, the OP and a disabled passenger landed at Changi Airport on 29 Sep.

They flew in from Jakarta, boarding the AirAsia QZ268 flight.

The first video shows the disabled man dragging himself down the aisle while a stewardess watched and attempted to assist him.

In another video, more airline staff offered to help the man, with one steward even lifting him up.

In this video, the passenger can be heard saying, “Don’t worry, it’s not your fault.”

Both videos claimed that AirAsia asked the passenger to pay S$40 if he wanted the aisle wheelchair service.

Despite the passenger seemingly making the decision to refuse payment, the OP called the airline out for their treatment of paraplegic passengers.

Perhaps, the OP was upset with AirAsia for allowing the man to continue struggling to drag himself to his wheelchair.

AirAsia apologises for incident

Responding to queries by MS News,  AirAsia’s Chief Airport and Customer Experience Officer  said,

We have procedures in place for the carriage of disabled or mobility impaired guests including the provision of an aisle wheelchair, which is highlighted during the booking process and can be booked in advance, at the time of booking to ensure a smooth experience.

The airline has since reached out to the passenger to apologise. They also assured that they will ensure that such incidents won’t happen again.

According to the AirAsia website, passengers must opt for a wheelchair service while booking their flights, which means that it isn’t complimentary.

Prices differ depending on the departing and arrival countries. According to the prices on the website, the passenger arriving from Jakarta would have had to pay S$11 (IDR 120,000).

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Featured image adapted from TikTok.