Tallest woman on Earth boards first-ever historic flight

She was previously unable to board planes due to her height until Turkish Airlines made innovative changes to one of their aircraft.

A Turkish Airlines plane in Istanbul.  (photo credit: REUTERS)
A Turkish Airlines plane in Istanbul.
(photo credit: REUTERS)

The tallest woman on Earth, 24-year-old Rumeysa Gelgi, flew on a passenger aircraft in September for the first time in her life.

Standing at 2.15 meters tall (just over seven feet), Gelgi holds the title of the tallest living woman, according to the Guinness World Records.

Gelgi's extreme height is caused by Weaver syndrome, a condition associated with rapid growth, along with craniofacial, skeletal and neurological abnormalities. Due to her condition, she is restricted to a wheelchair but can walk in short bursts, according to BBC News Pidgin.

How Gelgi boarded her first-ever flight

She was previously unable to board planes due to her height until Turkish Airlines made innovative changes to one of their aircraft, allowing her to board a flight from Istanbul to San Francisco. 

The airline removed six seats in its passenger aircraft, placing a gurney to accommodate for Gelgi's height.

"A flawless journey from start to finish," Gelgi wrote on her Instagram page after landing in California.

In her post, she also thanked the cabin crew for their "kindness and dedication" for 19 hours in total. The crew also organized a "first flight" celebration for Gelgi in the plane, she wrote.