An 8-year-old child who was born without arms and legs was removed from a Gol plane at Congonhas airport, in the capital of São Paulo, last Friday (6).
Gol said it only became aware of the impossibility of the child traveling sitting alone in his seat when boarding the aircraft, which was destined for Fortaleza airport.
The child, named Maria Vitória and who suffers from scoliosis, was accompanied by her mother, Naíde Sales, and her grandmother. They would travel from São Paulo to Ceará, where they live in Reriutaba, around 270 kilometers from Fortaleza.
Withdrawals
The three were already settled in their seats, with the child on their mother’s lap, when they were informed by flight attendants that they would need to leave the plane, according to the family’s lawyer, João Mota.
According to Gol, in cases such as the child, it is necessary for the customer to inform in advance about the need for special assistance through a medical information form.
“[Elas] They were unable to continue their journey because, unfortunately, it was not possible for the child to wear the seat belt so that their safety throughout the flight was guaranteed,” said the company.
Treatments
The child traveled to São Paulo for a medical appointment. The family organizes fundraisers on the internet to pay for Maria Vitória’s treatments, which allowed her to travel to specialized care at the Association for Assistance to Disabled Children (AACD).
On the way there, the family flew on a Latam aircraft and the procedure for informing them of the need for special assistance was not necessary, according to the defense.
They traveled normally on the stretch between Ceará and São Paulo. Therefore, upon returning, they said they were not aware that the child’s condition would need to be informed in advance.
Action against Gol
After the request to leave the aircraft, Naíde contacted the Civil Police. With the intermediation of the delegate, Gol representatives contacted Latam, which agreed to accommodate the family on a company flight to Fortaleza.
The family’s lawyer says he will file a lawsuit against the company for moral damages due to the embarrassment suffered and also requests a refund for the tickets. “The mother was not reimbursed by Gol. In the action for moral damages, I request a refund of the amount paid for the tickets”, informed the lawyer.
In a statement, the National Civil Aviation Agency (Anac) said that, according to national regulations, “it is mandatory that there be a seat or bed for each person over two years of age on board the plane and a seat belt for individual use of each person on board who is over two years of age”.
“A child over two years of age who is unable to safely travel in an independent seat must occupy an approved child restraint system, provided by the carrier or their guardian during the journey,” says the statement. “It is important to emphasize that the passenger who requires a restraint mechanism is responsible for communicating the need to the carrier in advance, so that the latter can provide appropriate assistance.”
