SEEKING REFUND: Phang (third right) together with the other passengers (from left) Siti Namirah, Nur Irasaila, Siti Nurzaihan, Lee and Chong.
KUCHING: A supposedly wonderful experience flying with AirAsia turned bitter for 13 passengers as they were left behind by their plane from Kuala Lumpur to Kuching on Oct 22.
“We arrived at the gate before 3pm and we were told that the plane AK5212 had already departed because it was already full. It didn’t make sense as all of us had our boarding passes and we did not hear any announcement from the ground staff prior to the departure,” Gary Chong told a press conference at a Community Development Service Centre in King’s Centre here yesterday.
Also present were other passengers; Lee Siak Fah, Nur Irasaila Suhaili, Siti Namirah Jarni and Siti Nurzaihan Razali.
The passengers confirmed that based on the information stated in the boarding passes, the gate was supposed to be closed at 3.05pm and depart at 3.25pm. Chong and Lee claimed that they had never seen the departure gate opened.
As a result of being left behind, Chong and Lee claimed that had boarding passes, the staff allowed them to exchange their boarding pass with new tickets at half price. Chong said that he decided to seek help from his friend to purchase a new ticket online for RM231, while Lee had to purchase a new ticket for RM207 at the counter.
For Nur Irasaila, Siti Namirah and Siti Nurzaihan, they were not offered any alternative because their tickets were promotional tickets and therefore had to purchase new tickets at RM307 each.
“Actually, we were not supposed to pay for the new tickets because it wasn’t our fault but we decided to purchase because we thought we could settle the problems with the airline company when we come back,” said Chong.
They demanded that the low cost carrier Air Asia refund them the amount paid for the new tickets.
Meanwhile, a political secretary to the chief minister, Phang Dah Nan, who was present at the service centre, said that after receiving the complaints, attempts to call Air Asia’s customer service centre failed as the line was always busy.
“When I checked with the said low-cost-carrier terminal, the ground staff told me that they couldn’t do anything. I checked through the website and there was an e-complaint form so we’ll use that to file the complaint,” he added.
Phang meanwhile advised travellers to thoroughly go through the terms and conditions when they purchase air tickets.
“If possible, go to the airport early in case there is any change in flight schedule,” he said.