Passengers take AirAsia to task on Covid-19 SOP

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Lee Kim Shin

MIRI (Aug 15): AirAsia is urged to consider using the aerobridge for its passengers in Miri to board and disembark from flights.

This is to enable social distancing and all standard operating procedures (SOP) to curb the spread of Covid-19.

Currently, passengers embarking and disembarking have to walk through a narrow staircase to the plane or arrival hall.

Minister of Transport Datuk Lee Kin Shin, when contacted yesterday, said he has spoken to the airline on the matter before but the company did not seem to fully comply.

“My ministry has taken this out with them before this. But still, sometimes they use (aerobridge) sometimes they don’t. They only use when there’s passenger on wheelchair or when its raining heavily,” he revealed.

He added that he also received a number of complaints regarding the matter from members of the public.

“Anyway, my ministry will officially write to them about this matter again and will require them to use the aerobridge for all their Sarawak flights.

“They need to seriously consider this request right now because of the current pandemic situation. For the sake of Covid-19 SOP, AirAsia needs to use the aerobridge,” he stressed.

Yesterday, a passenger of an AirAsia flight here Robert Ling aired his frustration to The Borneo Post after taking the staircase with other passengers to board an AirAsia flight.

He said with flight tickets priced to over RM1,000, AirAsia passengers should not be asked to embark and disembark through the narrow airport staircase where the SOP could not be properly practised.

“Then what is the point of having aerobridge built for the purpose? Passengers pay whatever price they were asked and, no matter what, one have to walk the staircase to board the flight with no social distancing and security!

“Just one incident (of Covid-19) and MAB (Malaysia Airport Berhad) will have to pay through their nose,” he lamented.

To make matter worse, Ling continued, passengers have to queue under the hot sun when disembarking to enter a ‘pigeon hole’ to walk up the staircase.

“How would you feel if you pay RM1,000 for the ticket and had to use the ‘pigeon hole’ to walk up the staircase?” he asked.

Ling also reminded Air Asia not to take Sarawakians for a ride and instead the airline should be happy that the local people still support them.

He called on the authorities to look into the matter to ensure the safety and comfort of all passengers.