(Image source from: The Financial Express)

A low-cost Singapore-based airline, Scoot, has refused to fly an Indian-origin couple traveling with their five-year-old special needs child citing safety reasons, consequently caught in a controversy.

Divya George, hailing from Kerala, posted regarding the incident on social media that the captain of a Scoot Airline caused the disruption by refusing to allow the child to fly with an infant seat belt on a flight to Phuket from Singapore.

According to report, the woman, her spouse, and their daughter, who suffers from a condition called muscular dystrophy boarded a Scoot Airline Flight on Thursday. However, the start of a family vacation to Phuket, changed into a 90-minute ordeal, when the airline employees started arguing with the couple.

The child weighs 8.5 kilograms and is the size of a 1-year-child. George claimed that their request for a belt was rejected citing safety reasons and the captain told them they could wither deboard or leave their daughter in her own seat.  

George garnered vast support on social media after sharing her situation earlier today.  

"Our flight that was to take off at 7:35 a.m. has been delayed by an hour so far because they refuse to fly with my special needs child. They want to deplane us because they refuse to take her," she wrote on her Facebook page as well posting a video of the incident.

Scoot airlines said that it had reached out to the guest to explain the arrangements that have been made. The infant seat belts are available for guests up to two years old as a part of safety regulations.

"As the passenger is five years old, for her safety consideration, infant seat belts may not suffice. She has to be strapped to her own seat with the aircraft seatbelt for take-off and landing in accordance with established cabin safety procedures," said the airline in an email reply.

"Scoot recognizes, however, that the guest's physical condition may require additional consideration for comfort. Accordingly, we have made a one-time arrangement to provide a certified booster seat for the guest to ensure her return journey is more comfortable while still adhering to cabin safety procedures," it said.

By Sowmya Sangam