CtYF NTM 1 - TRAVEL WOES!!!!

This is another outpouring of dissentment for the "now everyone can fly" airline....who promises "On time guarantee".....my foot lor!

We had no problem with Airasia for our flight from KL to Chiangmai on 2 Dec but not the return trip. Our flight was supposed to depart at 11.05am (Thai time), which would have given us slightly more than 2 hours to catch the next flight (also Airasia carrier) from KL to SIN at 5pm (Singapore time).

While queueing to checkin, the TV screen flashed this much dreaded word in my personal travel dictionary.....DELAYED.....till when? 12.15pm!!! Oh man, that meant we now had about 1 hour and 15 mins to collect luggage and check in for next flight. The Airasia counter people said "No Problem" and they will inform the KL side to look out for us and expedite our checkin process. We were given Malaysia's immigration cards to fill up and i thot hmmm.....service has improved slightly.

Need to mention this ONE big problem when we checked in at Airasia counter. Here and also at KL side. Dont know what is wrong with the staff or the training or what??? Their website only allowed 9 names to be booked at one go tho there were 19 of us. i had to book 9 for one booking, another 9 names and then 1 on his own. During checkin, we told them there were 19 of us and please give us 19 x 15kg baggage allowance. What was their reply? "No, 9 x 15kg" and no spillover to next group of 9. When we told her we have 19 people, she said "You booked 9 people in one booking". I lost my cool at that moment. I blurted "Of course i book 9 coz your website only allow 9 at one go. What can we do?" Her same consistent reply "9 x 15kg". OH MAN,.....she was just so fixed in the mind and didnt know how to work round the situation or even think on her toes. Airasia staff all the same....Thai or KL side. At least in Singapore they allowed us to pull together all names even tho separate booking. Eld Boon was fed up too. He too lost his cool. We argued that they should not count this way and so she referred the matter to another man. After their conversation, she said the same thing again and we retorted "NO!" Clearly the conversation was going no where and so she did just one brilliant thing.... SHUT UP and check us in and no more 9 x 15kg. hahahah...... Thank God at the end of checkin, we saw her using calculator to add up all the bags weight and no exceed. Perhaps she understood then or she just didnt want to waste time explaining coz queue was building up. Nevertheless, it was one same conclusion for all of us....never fly airasia again. Hang on... the worst is yet to come......


We then proceeded for our snack or early lunch with most eating the lovely hotdog buns in the newly renovated airport. During our long wait for boarding at the transit area, Eld Boon spotted the NEW announcement.....a deadly silent one......12.45pm - new departure time!! What is wrong with Airasia??? No guts to announce over the system and got to do it so subtly, hoping no one will ever notice it???? They should be feeling so ashamed of their own carrier.....what Guarantee... i think they better change the slogan to "Delay Guaranteed!"

With only 45 mins or less to catch our flight, we needed help from Airasia in KL airport and so Eld Boon and myself approached AirAsia before we flew off from Chiang Mai. The boarding counter had no one on duty and we went to the information booth for help. The two ladies were really helpful though ignorant. They tried to find the Airasia people but failed, then they made some calls and said will bring us to the Checkin counter outside. We were stopped at the immigration section because they failed to get permission for us to get out of the transit area. The male officer was helpful, gave us the boarding pass to keep for identification upon return but he kept our passports for security purposes.

What did Airasia counter staff do to help us??? NOTHING! The man at the counter listened to us and all he could say was please go back to the boarding area coz his supervisor is there now and will help us. We thot he was buying time and just pushing us away....nevertheless we had to go back coz boarding time was almost up.

As we approached the departure gate, an Airasia staff appeared and true enough, she was the supervisor on duty. She promised to call Malaysian side and they will precheck in for us and will request for the plane to wait for us. All we had to do was to quickly grab our bags and rush to check in counter. Seemed like a good plan. She also kindly consented to us queueing first to grab the first few seats so we could move faster. Eld Boon was doubtful that we could ever make it but i was really hopeful....as in i thot this time Airasia would just help us coz there were 19 of us and surely they would wait. I was just sooooooo wrong....coz i never factor in one important detail.....Malaysia airport....ARGH>>>>>>

Just before we took off, i sms to Angela to inform parents we may not be able to make it and to inform them to stand by for change of flight. While trying to send out the smses, the aircrew tried to get me to off my hp. The plane has not started moving yet and i was already boiling hot for the unnecessary delay. Impolitely, i brushed her off with "Let me send this important sms first and i will off it after that". I didnt even bother to look at her....see what anger does to a soul???

Then they irritated me further with the guitar thingy. Norman was sitting at the window seat and had Tim's guitar next to him. The air steward took it from him and placed it in the overhead compartment about 7-8 rows down from where we were. How on earth could we retreive it and rush off the plane? I didnt make my request to them.... just told them the facts and asked to give us back the guitar or have it placed at the front. I didnt hide my agitation of this carrier but i wasnt rude per se..... just not my usual self :) hehehe.....

Our plane touched down at 4.35pm and by 4.45pm, we were approaching the immigration counter. Lo and behold... it was filled with Bangla... and loads of other people....all queueing at the Foreign Passport section. The Local section was clear with more than 3 lanes. Eld Boon went to that counter and explained. The lady was kind enough to let him clear so he could run to the checkin counter and inform staff to wait for all of us. But she was not able to let all of us clear thro this lane and needed us to ask her supervisor on duty. Where was he? Coming.... a Mr Ramli in suit. CtYFers were all queueing at the Foreign passport section while i made my pleas....to a flat solid wooden panel that had not even a grain of sympathy or apathy or compassion or what not for travellers in crisis.

The first thing he said when he opened his mouth was "Plane flew off already!". I told him Airasia thai side has informed Malaysian side and so they will wait for us and please help us by letting us clear fast and not queue.

"Show me your airtickets" was his next sentence......but i couldnt coz Eld Boon took them with him to precheck in for us. I explained to him and his reply was "Plane flew off already!" I literally felt like slapping this man or shaking to wake him up but i was controlling....never had this urge before. I asked him to let me see the Airasia staff and he said go and find him of which i blurted "You go and find him and bring him to me". How to??? Didnt he have the brains? I cant clear the immigration yet and i dont know the airport well. He has his walkie talkie or hp, i am sure he knew a faster way. He went off and was back in 1 min with the Airasia staff.... what was his name???? I totally forgot but another incompetent staff....BLAH!

The first thing he told me was my flight AK131 is flying off at 7pm and not 5pm as i had claimed. He was so positively sure that i made the mistake and told me to queue like everybody else coz i have more than enough time in the world to catch this flight. The Mr Ramli smiled at this suggestion. With all the memory bank working on tip top condition, i insisted he was wrong and asked him to check again. He did and came back sheepishly telling Mr Ramli in MALAY that he saw the flight number AK 132 as outbound flight. It was the incoming flight due at 7pm. He thot i didnt understand Malay???? Of all the times i couldnt speak or understand Malay, this was THE time i comprehended fully. As i looked at him when he was conversing with Ramli, he totally had no guts to turn and say sorry for the wrong details..... Hello??? He first told me i was wrong and now i was proven right, no courtesy to apologise or at least clarify???? Oh man, I couldnt even bother to tell him i understood all that he said quietly to his friend.

What next? Ramli did it again.... "The plane flew off already". Was that all he could say? As a security supervisor or head on duty, you could only offer that much? I also know how to say this line. Even a kiddo can do that too! POOH!!!

I asked him firmly but politely "Please help us to clear the immigration without queueing. Never mind if plane flew off. Please help us." I said that to the Airasia staff and also asked him if Thai side has informed him to wait for 19 of us only to hear him say "As far as i know, no one called us about the 19 of you"......argh...... Then i pleaded with him to ask Mr Ramli to let us clear first. His reply.....

"You got to ask him"

I said, "I did but can you help to put in a good word or something"

"I cannot because i am not from immigration department"....DUD.....i know that

"BUT you all are colleagues"

"No, we are different company".....Darn right you are... i know that too

"BUT you are working in the same airport and you know each other"..... I was just sooooo short of telling him "you are from the same race and so can talk better".

"I dont know him. He is not my friend"

I TOTALLY GAVE UP!!!!

I turned to Ramli and asked again. He finally uttered something different....."Where are your people?" I pointed to him the group of people queueing about 50-60m away (couldnt really see them from my angle as there were other passengers queueing). I told him 18. He opened his eyes big as if he just woke up "18?"...... something like "no way... too many people... 1 or 2 i can help...." kind of reaction. I wished i didnt have to deal with him nor begged for his help coz i really couldnt tolerate his nonsense further. Totally appalled by these two staff nonchalant attitude but i bit my lips and uttered, "Please help us".

"OK, you come and show me your people". We walked over to the youths and then i discovered they had already reached the front of the queue....after all this ding dong to and fro with Ramli and Airasia man. ARGGHGHH.......i knew what he would say next......

"Oh your people reach the beginning already. Now no need to wait too long." This was another instance i felt like strangling him..... throughout our conversation he had never taken any proactive steps nor counter suggested nor be seen willing to help.


I closed my eyes and prayed, "Lord, Thine will be done and may we be given the seats to catch the next flight out". Though i was hopeful for a miracle intervention from the beginning, i was prepared to wait for next flight but not without a fight or at least trying to catch it. Received a call from Eld Boon, they were not going to wait for us and they had put us on the next flight due for departure at 7.50pm....2 hours and 50 minutes wait.......oh man....... He told me to quickly collect our luggage and proceed to counter 10 to check in.


I gave up hope talking to Ramli and Airasia guy and cleared the immigration to the belt area. It was pathetic lor! Two small areas, as in 2 belts. One with a sign that indicated another flight number. The other had no signage and a lot of Banglas were there. We couldnt even move near to the belt. IT was confusion. No trolleys too!!! Our people had to go and find trolleys.......

Finally, after what seemed like 10mins or longer, our flight number was flashed at the first belt butthere were a lot of people, like 3-4 layers queueing round. The boys tried to squeeze in and dished out the bags while the girls waited and loaded up the trolley. Before we could finish retrieving, the same belt area flashed out another flight number, from Macau, and more people swarmed in. It was jam-packed.....took a pic with my hp and see for yourself.....




Made our way out of arrival hall and joined Eld Boon at the check in area. It was rather brisk and uneventful. Took our dinner at the food court before heading home.

One more hiccup to end the travel woes.....Elton lost his passport, together with the sling bag!!!! A small group of us had started walking back to the departure hall when Shing caught up with me to inform. I told him to quickly walk ahead and inform Eld Boon while i went back to help him find. While walking back, i suddenly thot of perhaps his bag was in one of the first few trolleys we pushed. Tried to make a call to Shing when Ji Sheng caught up with me to say it was found at where i suspected. Whew... thank GOD. I thot Elton couldnt make it home.

We hurried to clear the immigration one more time and it was like 7.25pm or so, the people hurried us to board the plane. No one was queueing at the gate but instead an officer kept shouting out "Singapore, Singapore". I ushered the youths to the gate as they cleared the bags scanning area. Then came all our names over the PA system......hahaha.....all except mine... coz i think they didnt know how to pronounce Alen and Thum. LOL!!! Jamesy name "Tan Tat Yong" sounded as he cleared the bag scan area... so slow.....with his laptop and stuff.

We walked for about 200m to the air craft and i was the last passenger to board the entire plane....hurray!!! hahaha.....what an achievement!

We sat all the way to the back of the plane and i didnt care. I just wanted to return home to Singapore and indulge in our tip top comfy airport, nevermind if it were just merely 10-15mins......it was worth it all :)

Thank God for safety in travel and bringing us home. Will write next about our NTM and adventure. It will take a while so hang in there.