Insensitive MAS Steward

[H Azmal 0]

Oleh Affiza, Adelaide, Australia ssalamualaikum dan salam sejahtera

Saya tujukan surat ini kepada Pengarah Urusan dan seluruh warga Malaysia Airlines. Saya merupakan salah seorang penumpang penerbangan Malaysia Airlines (MAS), MH 0139 ke Adelaide, Australia pada 2 Oktober 2006.

 

Ketika krew bertugas mengumumkan bahawa sarapan pagi akan diberikan satu setengah jam sebelum mendarat, rakan saya bertanya kepada pramugari yang bertugas: "Adakah sarapan pagi itu akan diberikan pada waktu sahur?". Pramugari itu menjawab bahawa mereka akan membuat pengumuman nanti.

 

Ketika makanan dihidangkan pada kira-kira jam 4.45 pagi waktu South Australia (3 Oktober 2006), saya menyangka bahawa itulah masa untuk saya bersahur. Tidak lama kemudian, saya menemui seorang pramugara untuk menyatakan hasrat saya yang mahu bersolat Subuh.

 

Alangkah terkejutnya saya apabila pramugara itu mengatakan bahawa waktu subuh sebenarnya sudah berakhir. Apabila saya mempersoalkan makanan yang baru diberikan sebentar tadi, pramugara itu menjawab dalam nada bergurau, "Ala...kalau tak nak puasa, cakap jela."

 

Saya tidak sedih atau terasa hati dengan kata-kata yang dilontarkan oleh pramugara itu. Namun, saya amat terkilan kerana MAS tidak membuat pengumuman mengenai waktu sahur seperti yang dijanjikan. Adakah mereka terlupa atau sememangnya sistem MAS tidak menghormati bulan Ramadan? Inikah khidmat 'Beyond Expectation' yang digembar-gemburkan oleh MAS?

 

Bukankah kita adalah sebuah negara Islam yang mengamalkan konsep Islam Hadhari. Tindakan krew MAS ternyata tidak menggambarkan prinsip Islam Hadhari yang dilaung-laungkan oleh Perdana Menteri malah memalukan saya selaku rakyat Malaysia.

 

Affiza

Adelaide, Australia

 

 

Hmm, what you think?

[Mushrif A 3]

I think your topic heading is misleading as the complaint was about the lack of an announcement on sahur times as requested....not the steward's remark which was acknowledged as being said in jest.

[H Azmal 0]

I think your topic heading is misleading as the complaint was about the lack of an announcement on sahur times as requested....not the steward's remark which was acknowledged as being said in jest.

 

*I* do find the remark, jesting or otherwise, offensive, though.

Edited October 6, 2006 by H Azmal

[Naim 6]

*I* do find the remark, jesting or otherwise, offensive, though.

 

We heard only one side of the story, so hold on to your horses, guys.

 

[Tony 1]

"Ala...kalau tak nak puasa, cakap jela."

 

If he really DID say that, then all I can say is, "he shouldn't have said so".

 

There are things that we can and cannot say - sensitive issues for e.g.

 

But as Naim said, that's only one side of the story, so shouldn't point fingers at ppl at this stage.

[Keith T 2]

Uh, subtitles please?

[Seth K 3]

Mana subtitle?????

[Imran K. 0]

Well...how do we know this is an authentic claim? For all we know, it could just be another anti-MAS fellow...(to that person...watch out for Michael )

[BC Tam 2]

QUOTE

"Ala...kalau tak nak puasa, cakap jela."

 

"Ala (doesn't mean much does it !) ... if you don't want to fast, just say so."

 

Well, that seems about the limit of my linguistic ability - for the rest of the passage, best left to the more fluent amongst us !!

 

For the record, that quote is in bad taste, irrespective of circumstances imo

 

OK, whilst we are on the subject, how does one adjust for fasting and breaking of fast timings when flying across many time zones (eg KUL-LHR vv) ?

[Isaac 0]

OK, whilst we are on the subject, how does one adjust for fasting and breaking of fast timings when flying across many time zones (eg KUL-LHR vv) ?

If i'm not mistaken, they don't need to fast when travelling on such a long flight.

 

[Seng Lim 0]

Here's the translation in English (sorry if there's any mistakes):

 

By Affiza, Adelaide Australia.

I would like bring this letter to the attention of all MAS management and staffs. I was onboard MH0139 to Adelaide on 2 Oct 2006.

 

Announcement was made by the cabin crew where breakfast will be serve 1.5 hour before landing. My friend asked the stewardess will breakfast be serve before the fasting start? She replied the announcement will make be make shortly.

 

When breakfast was served at 4.45am (SA time), I though it was before fasting time thus I just finished my meal. Later, I met one of the steward and told him I want to do my morning prayer (the 1st morning praying out the 5 prayers per day for Muslim), he said the morning praying session already over and I was really shocked when I heard that. Then I asked him, what about the breakfast just now? He replied ‘well if you don’t want to fast, just say so lah’

 

I wasn’t upset or offended by the respond of this steward, I’m indeed very disappointed of MAS because they didn’t make the announcement on the pre fasting meal which they promised. The question is, are they forgotten about the announcement or there is no such announcement as MAS can’t be bother or respect the fasting month. Is this what ‘beyond expectation’ about?

 

Don’t we live in a Muslim country where the holy muslim concepts being practice?. However MAS doesn’t seems to bother about the Muslim principles, the principles where our prime minister encouraged of. I really felt ashamed being a Malaysian.

 

[Radzi 2]

Eastbound. Do you know how fast the Subuh time flies? And correction for altitude, around FL400?

[Denny Yen 0]

I think any co that prides itself as a service-oriented co should not make comments such as these. No one seems to realize that members of the public see the employee (regardless of rank/title) as a "representative" of the co (representing its values, professionalism, attitude, ethical standards, service capability, etc).

 

For e.g., a few months ago - an EVA F/A told a grandma passenger travelling with 2 grandkids that there are "no meals for them." They had to endured the 3 hour flight without inflight meal with the 2 kids looking at other passengers eating their meals while they don't have anything to eat. After it was reported by local TV, EVA immediately launched an internal investigation. And within the next day, they sent their representatives to the grandma's house to apologize for that mistake and present a hotel free-stay vouchers.

Edited October 6, 2006 by Denny Yen

[Sing Yew 1]

I think the letter was for the attention of the Managing Director (Pengarah Urusan) as well as the staffs of MH.

 

And yes, I do agree with Tony. The steward should not have said it in the first place.

I still remember one incident when I was having trouble falling asleep onboard my flight on MH and one of the steward said, "Just have a shot of brandy and you'll be on your way to sleep." I was pretty shocked by that comment.

 

Another incident was when a couple was travelling with an infant which happened to be crying almost throughout the entire journey and shortly before landing one of the stewardess suggested to the parents that they should perhaps feed their baby with a small dose of antihistamine so that the baby feels drowsy and will fall asleep.

 

 

[Mohd Nizam 0]

"Just have a shot of brandy and you'll be on your way to sleep."

 

feed their baby with a small dose of antihistamine so that the baby feels drowsy and will fall asleep.

 

Yikes !! ..

[Maarof Kassim 0]

I think any co that prides itself as a service-oriented co should not make comments such as these. No one seems to realize that members of the public see the employee (regardless of rank/title) as a "representative" of the co (representing its values, professionalism, attitude, ethical standards, service capability, etc).

 

 

I totally agree. A few years ago I travelled MH Business Class. To be fair it was my first time at the KLIA Satellite Building and my first Y Class travel too. The time was about 10.30 pm. After getting off the aero-train I saw the Golden Lounge was situated on the 1st Floor but with no visible signs showing how to go up there. I stopped a MH stewardess who was passing by and asked for directions to go up there. She just shrugged and replied "Tak tau" or "Don't know" and walked off. I was totally disappointed beacuse to me there and then (sorry MH employees) the 2 three letter words reflected MH itself. It would make hell of a difference had she replied like "Sorry, I'm not sure, I haven't been up there myself" or something like that.

 

 

[BC Tam 2]

Yikes !! ..

OK, judging from your name, you better have the antihistamine instead !!

 

But after that suggestion, anybody's guess whether the flight carries any antihistamine in its 'first aid' kit ? The old fashioned drowsy varieties mind you, the newer generation non-sedating stuff would be useless in such cases

[Simon 3]

Here's the translation in English (sorry if there's any mistakes):

 

By Affiza, Adelaide Australia.

I would like bring this letter to the attention of all MAS management and staffs. I was onboard MH0139 to Adelaide on 2 Oct 2006.

 

Announcement was made by the cabin crew where breakfast will be serve 1.5 hour before landing. My friend asked the stewardess will breakfast be serve before the fasting start? She replied the announcement will make be make shortly.

 

When breakfast was served at 4.45am (SA time), I though it was before fasting time thus I just finished my meal. Later, I met one of the steward and told him I want to do my morning prayer (the 1st morning praying out the 5 prayers per day for Muslim), he said the morning praying session already over and I was really shocked when I heard that. Then I asked him, what about the breakfast just now? He replied ‘well if you don’t want to fast, just say so lah’

 

I wasn’t upset or offended by the respond of this steward, I’m indeed very disappointed of MAS because they didn’t make the announcement on the pre fasting meal which they promised. The question is, are they forgotten about the announcement or there is no such announcement as MAS can’t be bother or respect the fasting month. Is this what ‘beyond expectation’ about?

 

Don’t we live in a Muslim country where the holy muslim concepts being practice?. However MAS doesn’t seems to bother about the Muslim principles, the principles where our prime minister encouraged of. I really felt ashamed being a Malaysian.

 

Well translated

 

[S V Choong 4]

Pretty surprise to hear that MAS is insensitive to Muslim passengers.

 

The F/As should be extra careful about the words they choose to tell their passengers. One of my bosses who recently travelled by MAS to LHR said that on the return flight one or two of the F/As could not tolerate the kids onboard the flight and was somewhat annoyed. I don't think we can expect MAS to perform faultlessly while tolerate other airlines to do the same thing. I hardly hear about Malaysians bitch and moan over the poor service standard on other airlines.

[H Azmal 0]

She just shrugged and replied "Tak tau" or "Don't know" and walked off. I was totally disappointed beacuse to me there and then (sorry MH employees) the 2 three letter words reflected MH itself. It would make hell of a difference had she replied like "Sorry, I'm not sure, I haven't been up there myself" or something like that.

 

I think it's to do with one of the many Malaysian syndromes - one where we treat our fellow Malaysians with indifference but practically 'merajakan' International/Caucasian visitors. It's quite rife in the local hospitality industry so wouldn't be surprised it happens with MAS.

 

Eastbound. Do you know how fast the Subuh time flies? And correction for altitude, around FL400?

Ah yes, she probably didn't account for that. Any idea Captain Radzi how soon it would be before Subuh elapses on such flight?

Edited October 7, 2006 by H Azmal

[KK Lee 5]

 

 

Understand nautical twilight at sunrise is about 30 minutes (more at higher altitude and southern atmosphere at this time of the year) earlier than civil twilight.

 

Window shutter on red eyes flight are most likely remain open, nautical twilight should be clearly visible.

 

Guess the pax was sound asleep until meal serving.

 

 

[KK Lee 5]

 

MH 139 KUL/ADL, STA0610hr.

 

Sunrise in Adelaide is at 0615 hr.

 

Unless the flight was delayed. If meal serving is 90 minutes before arrival, the sky should be dark.

 

Understand nautical twilight at sunrise is about 30 minutes (more at higher altitude and southern atmosphere at this time of the year) earlier than civil twilight.

 

Window shutter on red eyes flight are most likely remain open, nautical twilight should be clearly visible.

 

Don't think the complaint is justified.

 

[Sing Yew 1]

MH 139 KUL/ADL, STA0610hr.

 

Sunrise in Adelaide is at 0615 hr.

 

 

Sunrise in Adelaide today was before 6 am. I woke up around 5.50 am and the sky was already bright. MH 139 arrived slightly past 6 am today.

 

 

[KK Lee 5]

Sunrise in Adelaide today was before 6 am. I woke up around 5.50 am and the sky was already bright. MH 139 arrived slightly past 6 am today.

 

Civil twilight at sunrise is about 30 minutes before sunrise. Likewise, twilight at sunset is about 30 minutes after sunset.

 

Adelaide sunrise, sunset time can be obtained from;

http://weather.cnn.com/weather/forecast.jsp?locCode=AAAD

 

Definitions of twilight, sunrise, etc

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/RST_defs.html

 

 

Edited October 7, 2006 by KK Lee

[Sing Yew 1]

Civil twilight at sunrise is about 30 minutes before sunrise. Likewise, twilight at sunset is about 30 minutes after sunset.

 

Adelaide sunrise, sunset time can be obtained from;

http://weather.cnn.com/weather/forecast.jsp?locCode=AAAD

 

Definitions of twilight, sunrise, etc

http://aa.usno.navy.mil/faq/docs/RST_defs.html

 

Thanks.