AirAsia forced me to crawl on my hands and knees

[Naim 6]

AirAsia forced me to crawl on my hands and knees

Ian Ruff | Apr 6, 09 4:16pm

 

I have been travelling to and from Malaysia for over thirty years and now reside here with my wife and child. I have businesses in the UK and Malaysia and still clock over 200,000 air miles a year. I have travelled AirAsia on several occasions over the past few years and received the service expected from a budget airline.

 

Unfortunately, my trip to Laos on Feb 19 with AirAsia turned out to be one of the most disastrous and humiliating experiences of my life.

 

Being disabled, I made sure that I informed the ticket centre at least 48 hours prior to my departure that as I am unable to climb stairs that I would require the service of their ‘Ambulift’.

 

The gentleman at your call centre confirmed that a note had been put on my reservation and told me that I should report to the two desks that would handle my request and a wheelchair.

 

When I arrived at the airport with my wife and son, we checked in and went to a desk which was right at the end of the check-in desks and was, I believe, numbered sixty something.

 

The guy at the desk confirmed my request for the ‘Ambulift’ and then told me to go to desk 41 for a wheelchair, which I did, also telling them that I had requested the ‘Ambulift’.

 

After going through passport control, I was pushed to the gate only then to be told that the ‘Ambulift’ was not available. This was some five minutes before boarding and at no time prior to this was I informed that it was not available.

 

To add insult to injury I was then questioned as to whether I had even requested it. To get me on board the aircraft, three of the ground staff carried me and the wheel chair up the stairs which was not pleasant for me and most strenuous for them but I was on board and we flew to Vientiane only to find that I had an even worse problem there.

 

After several attempts, it was decided that I was too heavy to carry down the steps in the wheelchair and one of the ground staff then grabbed me and attempted to carry me on his back which resulted in me on the floor of the aircraft after he dropped me.

 

I suffered severe chest pains and it was only when the air crew came to my rescue that I was able to stand back up again and get my breath.

 

To cut a very long story short, there was no way that the staff were able to get me down the stairs and I ended up crawling down to the runway on my hands and knees.

 

To add insult to injury, several people boarding another aircraft stopped to film my decent on there video camera’s. With apologies from the aircrew who seemed to be most embarrassed, I was wheeled in to the terminal with my suit covered in dirt and dust and my hand filthy.

 

I can honestly say that I have never been so embarrassed and humiliated in my life.

 

AirAsia has had over 48 hours to advise me that (i) The ‘Ambulift’ at KL was not available and (ii) that there were no facilities at Vientiane for disabled passengers.

 

I sent a complaint to AirAsia on March 4 and every week since but have yet to receive a reply.

 

http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/101792

[Wilber Tan 0]

this is really so bad!! especially when he ended up crawling down from the plane...and those filming it make it worst!!

[flee 5]

I would say that AirAsia is not the airline for the old and infirm. Although the ground and cabin crews try their best, their training is inadequate to handle many situations. Their business model also gives very little margin for "time consuming" activities like boarding the disabled. As such, it is best to use legacy airlines.

[kandiah k 0]

Such a disaster !!!!

 

Now with the winning of the Best Low Cost Airline, Air Asia would all the more have their nose high up in the air

without realising that their passenger has been crawling !!! Such a shame !!!!

 

 

[Naim 6]

I'm waiting for the said vid ... maybe already on youtube?

[Andi C 0]

I thought cameras & filming are strictly prohibited on AirAsia tarmacs?! (to prevent anyone catching any 'embarassing' situations)

[Min 6]

but then airasia should confirm at Vientinne before confirmed to passenger that abulift is available. so blame should put on airasia. i must say its not professional. like, you dont say to customer yes we have the product (without confirming the product is available) if im the customer, i wont deal with this sort of attitude

[KK Lee 5]

AirAsia forced me to crawl on my hands and knees

Ian Ruff | Apr 6, 09 4:16pm

 

To add insult to injury I was then questioned as to whether I had even requested it. To get me on board the aircraft, three of the ground staff carried me and the wheel chair up the stairs which was not pleasant for me and most strenuous for them but I was on board and we flew to Vientiane only to find that I had an even worse problem there.

 

After several attempts, it was decided that I was too heavy to carry down the steps in the wheelchair and one of the ground staff then grabbed me and attempted to carry me on his back which resulted in me on the floor of the aircraft after he dropped me.

 

http://www.malaysiakini.com/letters/101792

 

AK ground handling at VTE is by L-JATS, although facility was not available, believe AK staffs did tried their best and should not be blamed fully.

 

Curious to find out about his return trip from VTE.

 

 

[Wilson Kook 0]

That was a terrible way to handle disabled passengers.

I seriously hope they work on this.

[Izanee 0]

simply shocking and unacceptable in western europe. he can sue them for that.

[Ahmad Syafiq 0]

AirAsia SUCKS!!

what a shame to the industry..

[Imran K. 0]

I sure hope Tony Fernandez reads that article, and someone's head rolls on the tarmac for that incident.

 

COMPLETELY disgusting... :angry:

[Walter Sim 1]

I have utmost respect and admiration towards AirAsia and Tony Fernandes, but this i find very very unacceptable... Barbaric if i may add.

Edited April 7, 2009 by Walter Sim

[Simon 3]

Some one from AirAsia, can you hear? Tony are you there? Please read.....

[Kenneth T 0]

Airasia is quick to respond to award but slow in handling complaint...........Tony is zzzzzzzzzzz

[Waiping 12]

It would be interesting to see what other airlines would do i.e. MH or even SQ?

[Min 6]

probably some ppl not agreed that airasia should fully blamed on this. i say yes airasia fully blamed because they stated, and mentioned to this unfortunate passenger: "YES WE HAVE ABULIFT"

 

why the hell at the first place airasia confirmed that they havve abulift? if you dont have it, then say that we dont have it. too easy. the basically tried they best putting airasia down, that's what it is. dont you understand???

[flee 5]

Yes, I do think what happened at LCCT is totally AirAsia's fault. But AirAsia has less control over what happened at VTE. Travelling to third world destinations can always be a problem. Still AirAsia is responsible for its pax and this case is a good example of not handling a pax correctly.

 

My brother took the D7 STN-KUL flight recently and his daughter had a severe nut allergy, thus necessitating them to bring their own food as they knew D7 could not meet with their special diet. The cabin crew did not understand the implications of that allergy and chastised him for bringing his own food!

 

Although AirAsia was named Low Cost Airline of the Year 2009, there are still many areas where they can improve. As such, we hope that they learn from their mistakes.

[Tim Lee 6]

Yes, I do think what happened at LCCT is totally AirAsia's fault. But AirAsia has less control over what happened at VTE. Travelling to third world destinations can always be a problem. Still AirAsia is responsible for its pax and this case is a good example of not handling a pax correctly.

 

My brother took the D7 STN-KUL flight recently and his daughter had a severe nut allergy, thus necessitating them to bring their own food as they knew D7 could not meet with their special diet. The cabin crew did not understand the implications of that allergy and chastised him for bringing his own food!

 

Although AirAsia was named Low Cost Airline of the Year 2009, there are still many areas where they can improve. As such, we hope that they learn from their mistakes.

 

 

But then TF proudly announced that AK is diabled friendly....indeed.

 

What happened to the AK staff who ended up with slipped disc carrying disabled passengers on their backs?

[BC Tam 2]

I suffered severe chest pains .....

Now that would set the alarm bells off eh, Doc Izanee ?

[Izhar Z 1]

Just post the story at Tony's wall at Facebook. He'll read it then, I guess. Along with thousands of his friends/fans.......

[S V Choong 4]

That was a terrible way to handle disabled passengers.

I seriously hope they work on this.

Oh yes, start it by using aerobridges, rather than stairs!

[C.Foo 3]

And learn to be kind especially manners like the word SORRY for etc...

[Walter Sim 1]

Oh yes, start it by using aerobridges, rather than stairs!

 

if he is capable, build a low cost aerobridge :rofl: :rofl:

[Kader 0]

Airlines work at many times as much as similar to a country or a country. Agents, ground handlers, flight crews, ticketing, planners etc.

1. U can't totally blame a person for another person's fault, but to blame@critique an airlines for it's staff incompetence is reasonable.

2. Sometimes an airline manage to serve you better on the front desk rather than in flight, vice versa.

3. I hope a face to face discussion will be able to resolve this issue.

 

btw all my views are personal, none of above reflected anything but my personal view

 

"susu setitik rosak nila sebelanga"