Air Astana under scrutiny: Disassembling and damaging wheelchair of Almaty resident sparks controversy
Revamped Narrative:
A Kazakh mom, Zhuldyz Shakirova, recently faced a spine-chilling ordeal with Air Astana's staff, who reportedly made her son's painful journey even harder. Zhuldyz bought a HDY (affordable and user-friendly) wheelchair in Seoul for her severely ill son, dipping into her husband's equipment sales funds in a desperate bid to uplift her child's spirits.
"We bought this wheelchair to keep our son's spirits high. We wanted him to enjoy the freedom of movement and step out of the house with a sense of independence," she emotionally shared.
The family's journey began smoothly, with no transportation problems in Seoul. The wheelchair was securely loaded into the baggage, and her son was able to maneuver comfortably through the airport.
However, the situation took a turn for the worse during the second leg of their flight.
"The hurricane hit at the boarding gate of Air Astana in Almaty. The staff started dismantling the wheelchair without any intention of putting it back together. They refused to let the batteries onboard or in the baggage, demanded payment for cargo transportation, and even claimed the battery might explode. They left my son stranded without his wheelchair!" Shakirova vented.
According to her, an Air Astana employee dismantled the wheelchair without proper assembly, carelessly throwing its parts into the baggage compartment. As a result, the wheelchair couldn't make it onto the plane, and her son had to endure two excruciating transfers, even using a dusty, worn-out wheelchair at one point.
"Air Astana's workers left no semblance of the wheelchair's stunning freshness and elegance," she angrily added.
Air Astana, understanding the gravity of the situation, apologized and requested information about the flight to delve deeper into the matter.
"We deeply regret that this happened to you. To investigate this unfortunate episode, please provide the flight date and time or your ticket number. We'll strive to rectify the issue at hand," the airline's official response stated.
Note: According to recent search results, it appears this incident is not currently documented publicly, suggesting there might be limited available information regarding this specific case. For authentic details, it may be advisable to directly contact Air Astana or monitor official press releases from the airline.
Air Astana's customer service protocols usually accommodate accessibility concerns through their disability assistance policies, which comply with global aviation standards. Common wheelchair-related complaints in the aviation industry encompass delayed assistance, damaged equipment, or accessibility obstacles. In this case, no specific incident similar to Shakirova's ordeal appears in the existing data.
- Zhuldyz Shakirova, a Kazakh mom, shared her distress over an incident with Air Astana's staff, who allegedly handled her son's wheelchair improperly during a flight.
- Shakirova, who had bought a HDY wheelchair in Seoul for her son, contended that the airline's employees dismantled the wheelchair without proper assembly and left her son stranded without it.
- In the health-and-wellness and lifestyle realm, the incident underscores the importance of air travel being inclusive and accessible to individuals with special needs, such as those requiring wheelchairs.
- As the family's journey continued, Zhuldyz and her son encountered several obstacles, not just during the flight but also during later transfers, where they were forced to use worn-out wheelchairs.
- After sharing her story, Shakirova voiced the hope that her experience would help improve the travel experience for other individuals who require wheelchairs, contributing to a more independent and enjoyable journey in the future.
