SAA to review policy after woman fat-shamed

SOUTH African Airways (SAA) is to review its seatbelt extension procedures after one passenger’s humiliation when an aircraft had to “return to ramp” because it had failed to provide her with one.

When Pretoria-based Kabelo Seitei‚ a frequent flyer‚ boarded a flight in Cape Town last August‚ she asked the cabin controller for a seatbelt extension and was told one would be brought to her.

When that had not happened by the time the aircraft started to taxi out, she alerted the cabin attendant and the aircraft turned back.

After a half-hour wait‚ an attendant strode down the aisle with a bright orange extension‚ stopping at row 28 to fasten it around Seitei.

And then came an announcement which Seitei‚ an English moderator with the national Department of Education, remembered as: “We are dealing with some obese cases on board and therefore had to go back to find extension belts. We don’t usually need them.”

SAA’s customer care department failed to investigate Seitei’s e-mailed complaint at the time‚ and she got no response when she re-sent the e-mail in January.

Responding to Times Media’s query last week‚ SAA’s head of media relations‚ Tlali Tlali‚ said the airline’s policy was to have two or five seatbelt extensions on board depending on the aircraft type

Prior to the aircraft doors closing‚ more could be requested by the crew if deemed required.

The two extensions on board Seitei’s flight were used and “there was oversight” on the crew’s part with respect to her request. The incident called for a review of SAA’s pre-departure procedures, he said.

Asked if SAA would consider asking passengers to indicate when booking if they required an extension‚ he said: “We are looking at the viability of different options to ensure required compliance levels.”