The world’s tallest woman has shared incredible footage detailing the “demanding” process of being able to travel by airplane.
Standing at 7ft 0.09ins, Rumeysa Gelgi has made headlines as the current holder of the Guinness World Record title for tallest woman in the world.
Born with Weaver syndrome – a rare genetic condition that causes bone overgrowth – the 27-year-old has “physical limitations”, but is determined not to let that stop her from living life to the fullest.
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One way in which she does so is by travelling to new countries, such as a recent trip to London.
But the process involved in getting her there can be arduous, involving her being carried on board the plane in a stretcher, and having to remain lying down for the duration of the flight.
Footage showing her getting onto a plane has recently gone viral online, garnering 10 million views.
“Experiencing air travel is a dream come true,” Rumeysa, a web developer from Türkiye, told What’s The Jam.
“It was something I thought would never be possible for me because of my physical limitations.
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“However, we found a way and I’m so grateful to everyone who made it happen.
“I genuinely love watching clouds from above the sky.”
Due to her spinal condition, Rumeysa is unable to sit for long periods of time and needs to lie down to relieve the pressure on her back – making travel by airplane tricky.
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She explained: “The only option for me to travel on a plane was as a stretcher passenger, which means I would be lying down during the entire flight.
“Traveling as a stretcher passenger requires a long and demanding process for arrangements.”
Travelling with Turkish Airlines, she was able to utilise their option of travelling via stretcher, which she describes as a “step toward accessibility for people with disabilities”.
The clip, filmed last year during a trip to San Francisco, US, shows Rumeysa being carried onto the plane by a team of medical assistants.
She remains on a stretcher throughout the flight.
Previously, Rumeysa has had to book six seats to be able to fly on an airplane, remaining lying down across them for 13 hours.
The travel buff got to enjoy a trip to London recently, where she appeared on ITV’s This Morning alongside Jyoti Amge, the shortest living woman on record.
Rumeysa said: “I love travelling.
“Even though I have physical limitations, my energy and stability reach 100% whenever I travel to new places.
“My trip to London last week was both my second time traveling abroad and my second plane journey.
“I’m looking forward to future travel opportunities, and can’t wait to explore new countries and cultures around the world.”
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