Taiwanese tourists stranded

Discussions General
#1

photo Kota Kinabalu: A total of 47 mostly teenage Taiwanese tourists were left stranded at Terminal 2 of the KK International Airport here Tuesday when they missed their connecting flight to Kaoshiung.

The tourists, who had spent about two weeks holidaying in Miri, were scheduled to arrive at the terminal in Tanjung Aru at 1.05pm on AirAsia flight AK5814 from Miri to catch a MAS flight, MH86 from Kota Kinabalu direct to Kaohsiung, Taiwan, at 3.25pm.

However, they only landed at about 3.10pm and by the time the tourists managed to retrieve their baggage, flight MH86 had already left Terminal One.

It was learnt that the MAS flight from Kota Kinabalu to Kaohsiung waited for half an hour and departed only at 4pm.

Sabah-based freelance travel agent, Lau Ing Hing, said the problem would not have occurred if AirAsia had kept to its schedule.

Missing the flight was only half the problem because the tourists now have to fork out another RM300 per person in cancellation fees. To make matters worse, some of the 47 tourists who include children may have to wait until Thursday before they can get a flight back home.

“I was informed that there are only 24 seats available in the flight tomorrow (Wednesday) at 3.25pm,” said Lau. “Which means the rest would have to wait until Thursday.”

Lau said the tourists had used up most of their money during their two week holiday in Miri. Their parents had left for Kaohsiung on Monday.

Since they are unable to afford hotel stay, he decided to take them to his home in Kg Manggis, Papar, to stay until Thursday.

“My house would not be able to accommodate all of them so may have to put up with another friend in Kawang,” he said.

Lau’s colleague, Ng Lee Mai said if they opted for a longer route (KK-Kuala Lumpur-Taipei-Kaohsiung) the tourists would have to come up with another RM300 per person for the fare.

Because of that they had no choice but to opt for the MAS 3.25pm flight.

According to her, the 47 tourists preferred to “squat” at the airport till Thursday “but that would be bad for our tourism.”

“Also considering they don’t have enough money for food we decided to bring them to Papar.” AirAsia officials in Kota Kinabalu did not wish to make any statement on the matter.

http://www.dailyexpress.com.my/news.cfm?NewsID=43667

#2

… and it’s only just begun.

#3

Be prepare for visit Malaysia 2007…who got good old Tony’s phone number…

#4

I don’t really blame Tony and his airline for it - it’s the complete mess of flight routes that it is now.

Better start up that niche chartered small airline. I’ll bet you’ll make gazillions.

#5

They should have thought about it before hand… or maybe it is how Mas get back at them…

#6

I agreed more on on yr 2nd part of d comments hehehe… :smiley:

#7

How come i was not surprise with this news?..hehehe…Ian, i will not agree with you about the route to be in the mess as this route is cover by Airasia not FAX. Airasia should be more responsible with their promise departure time. My worst experience with Airasia is my first time using their service 3 or 4 years back. My departure time should be in the morning, i forgot wat time. but 2 days before the departure date, i receive and SMS(yes, a SMS. how rude, can’t they just call and say sorry?), and my flight was postpone to 5 something, nearly 6. But when i was waiting in the departure hall, it delay another 30 minutes. There goes my well plan, budgeted trip and pack trip to kl. Another experience was when i was coming back from KL. My flight was postpone for 3 hours and then another 45 minutes as someone had check in but did not board the plane (i dun blame them for the later situation).

hehe…i might have Datuk 'T" number…hahaha…

#8

As you might recall, there was a lot of reshuffling of routes for AirAsia and MAS as well regarding flights from Miri - KL and Miri - KK.

So this news is related to the Miri KK one.

I like the fact that AirAsia is a kickass airline in terms of going against all expectations but MAS just simply dropping the “non-important” routes and wanting nothing to do with it afterwards - not just with the inner-Sarawak issues - isn’t a good move and see what has happened. Surely, the decision isn’t theirs alone, but bottom line this is all the result of bad planning and lots of finger pointing politics.

A second airline is just that - a second airline (a kickass one). Which means we’re supposed to have choices.

#9

I have got no problem with Air asia…as long as there is no connecting flight involve…u r rite about Mas messing up…like i say before…maybe they are trying to make AA ‘bad’ air line.

#10

hehehe…i know. but the news i got, and the news is a statement, flight from Miri to places like Johor, Kuching & KK has been plan long before the announcement of the rationalization of National route. Airasia has been holding up the plan maybe they are waiting for the annoucement. Airasia have long to be known as an airline that have an unpredictable flight time. Maybe we should complaint so much since we pay so little. But yet again, those this mean we must be treated like someone who dun have the sense of time and time is not important?

#11

oh ya…i’m not trying to make Airasia look bad or i’m supporting MAS. Sometime i just feel that, with the rationaliation of the flight route in Malaysia, malaysian consumer like us are losing out. When there are no competition, they can just do wat they like because they know consumer have no choice. MAS also Su*k as they keep increasing the price. I really wanted to pamper myself when i take my annual Holiday but with the price of MAS ticket, i can’t.

#12

I’ll bet even Tony is hoping to get his schedules right… :smiley:

As I’ve said, we’re supposed to have a choice of “deluxe” and “standard”…

The gist of what I was trying to say is that forcing just standard onto our throats is of course, unacceptable…

Since I believe in a choice.

Of course, you’ll bet that AA has been lobbying to fly only the Miri-KK route as well… who wouldn’t want to dominate one particular lucrative route?

#13

I totally agree with your last comment ian. Monopoly have been pulling back Malaysia economic growth. look at Miri. Only a few big company is controlling Miri’s economy. The ratio of Employer and Employee is not health and preventing Miri market to be flexible and competitive.

If AA continue to provide such services and is the only choice consumer have, Malaysia aviation industry does not look interesting at all.

#14

isn’t this the most basic of logistical planning in running any travel agencies? flights are delayed and changed everyday so why does this have to make the news?

#15

This is different because it’s related to the AirAsia and MAS issues, and the fact that the worries on missing connecting flights came true (of course it’s gonna come sooner or later anyway - just that it begun) due to AirAsia’s bad schedules.

#16

More Experience…

It was 2003, going for WCG 2003. I still remember how sick when reached KL. Just to cut it short I waited from the 1st flight (not mistaken 8:30am) until the last flight at around 9pm then able to fly to KL, reason is technical problem !!! I got sick and having fever after arrived, my team late for register, unable to test the tournament PC, and its like midnight :frowning:

#17

Poor …Poor…poor…Imagine we are stuck in a foreign place Like that…man I dun think it will be a nice experience if they where left that way squating all those times in the airport…

#18

Imagine this…all of them go back say bad things about our country’s aviation thingy…who would want to come again? Good things spread very slow or none at all…Bad things…spread like wild fires…

#19

yeah…i heard this from my brother. he’s working for airasia.

#20

Adrian,

You bro ok? ada kena bomb by ppl?