Air Asia Shame On You

[Lite Beer]

A post flamming another member has been deleted.

[tigerbeer]

did i mention that them air hostesses on AA are surely lovely looking? especially on the malaysian flights

[BigSnake]

This is not a full service airline and they may not use terminal gates at all locations so suspect that it is there policy; at least for connecting flights on that route. There terms are as below:

7.3 Special Assistance: Acceptance for carriage of incapacitated persons, persons with illness or other people requiring special assistance is subject to prior arrangement with us. Passengers with disabilities who have advised us of any special requirements they may have at the time of booking of the Seat and been accepted by us, shall not subsequently be refused carriage on the basis of such disability or special requirements. We may charge a fee for providing these special requirements.

policy seem fairly clear to me, some better planning should be made for those needing special assistant.

[el jefe]

I fly Air asia about 10 times a year. It's the bus with wings.

But it's hard to beat their fares:

700B CNX-BKK

1000B CNX-KUL

3000B KUL-Beijing

Sometimes I require special services like excess baggage. They always charge exactly what it says on their website. I've never had a negative experience.

Anyone who compares it to Singapore Air, Cathay Pacific, etc is clueless as to how airlines operate.

[WaiWai]

I fly Air asia about 10 times a year. It's the bus with wings.

But it's hard to beat their fares:

700B CNX-BKK

1000B CNX-KUL

3000B KUL-Beijing

Sometimes I require special services like excess baggage. They always charge exactly what it says on their website. I've never had a negative experience.

Anyone who compares it to Singapore Air, Cathay Pacific, etc is clueless as to how airlines operate.

Please see Harrry's comments ... perhaps you mean to say something about the operation of regional values towards the physically handicapped?

Of course, the mentally handicapped can board without problems. One begins to suspect this group is encouraged .

After asking about the schedule, to Jakarta, they asked my friend, "Jakarta, can you walk" . After answering "no", the young lady boldly and unashamedly said to my friend , " I'm sorry but we cannot take you"

.

Seems there was a difficulty booking online. Seems the "young lady" thought her red uniform made her better than the potential customer. Did she take any trouble to help the person in question solve the difficulty ? No.

I think the OP has been remarkably restrained. If I ever begin to agree with some of the responses here, I will know I have been "too long in Asia".

[Maestro]

Another flame, and the replies to it, have been deleted.

--

Maestro

[britmaveric]

Air Asia is a good airline for short flights - plain/simple however there is a caveat to using them - anything extraordinary you might expect with a full service airline isn't going to happen with Air Asia. If you have a problem with Air Asia simply do not use them, however the majority of us will continue to do so happily I might add.

[WaiWai]

Air Asia is a good airline for short flights - plain/simple however there is a caveat to using them - anything extraordinary you might expect with a full service airline isn't going to happen with Air Asia. If you have a problem with Air Asia simply do not use them, however the majority of us will continue to do so happily I might add.

"Britmaveric", your point has already been made several times.

With (some) respect, I think the real point is shooting over most people's heads' like a jet plane.

[britmaveric]

As I said most of the time they do not use jetways - so you can understand the problem that might cause for those who can't walk especially up/down steep set of stairs. I think this has shot over people's heads like a jet plane too.

[WaiWai]

As I said most of the time they do not use jetways - so you can understand the problem that might cause for those who can't walk especially up/down steep set of stairs. I think this has shot over people's heads like a jet plane too.

I guess you did not read "Harrry"'s posts.

[dantilley]

Of course, the mentally handicapped can board without problems. One begins to suspect this group is encouraged .

If they can walk up stairs then, yes, of course they could go on.

Did she take any trouble to help the person in question solve the difficulty ? No.

I don't really see what possible help she could have given. The plane is boarded via a steep set of stairs. Short of physically carrying the wheelchair-bound passenger up them, how else could he have got on the plane? And I've never heard of anyone being carried into a plane, and I doubt if any passenger would agree to such a boarding method anyway.

You could argue that they should put in some extra measures to help the disabled. Perhaps pay a huge amount of extra cash to use a jetway instead of stairs, thus increasing their fares and probably no longer be considered a low cost airline. Or become the first airline in the world to use lifts to access their planes. But, even if they should be making these drastic changes to their service, at the time the OP was at the airport they didn't, and so it was physically impossible for him to board the plane. It's as simple as that.

[WaiWai]

Of course, the mentally handicapped can board without problems. One begins to suspect this group is encouraged .

If they can walk up stairs then, yes, of course they could go on.

Did she take any trouble to help the person in question solve the difficulty ? No.

I don't really see what possible help she could have given. The plane is boarded via a steep set of stairs. Short of physically carrying the wheelchair-bound passenger up them, how else could he have got on the plane? And I've never heard of anyone being carried into a plane, and I doubt if any passenger would agree to such a boarding method anyway.

You could argue that they should put in some extra measures to help the disabled. Perhaps pay a huge amount of extra cash to use a jetway instead of stairs, thus increasing their fares and probably no longer be considered a low cost airline. Or become the first airline in the world to use lifts to access their planes. But, even if they should be making these drastic changes to their service, at the time the OP was at the airport they didn't, and so it was physically impossible for him to board the plane. It's as simple as that.

Darwinism rules in Asia, when it comes to physical/financial aspects. No surprise there.

It's as simple as that.

Agreed -- a very simple way of looking at such a situation. Long may it benefit you.

[dantilley]

OK, so please explain how it could have been possible for the passenger to fly with Air Asia on that day, and what the staff could have done to help him? Personally, I don't see any way around the problem that the stairs present to a wheelchair bound passenger. But perhaps you know of another way he could have boarded the plane?

[el jefe]

I fly Air asia about 10 times a year. It's the bus with wings.

But it's hard to beat their fares:

700B CNX-BKK

1000B CNX-KUL

3000B KUL-Beijing

Sometimes I require special services like excess baggage. They always charge exactly what it says on their website. I've never had a negative experience.

Anyone who compares it to Singapore Air, Cathay Pacific, etc is clueless as to how airlines operate.

Please see Harrry's comments ... perhaps you mean to say something about the operation of regional values towards the physically handicapped?

Of course, the mentally handicapped can board without problems. One begins to suspect this group is encouraged .

.

Harry posted 3 times. The first was about the the law in Australia. Tell Harry we're in Thailand. The second was about CMU. Tell Harry that has nothing to do with Air Asia. His third post was about another thread. I have no idea where that is or how it's relevant.

My post was in response to people who are comparing full service airlines to budget airlines, and to those who can't be bothered to read the rules as posted on Air Asia's website as others here have pointed out.

What is it you don't understand, Waiwai?

[WaiWai]

What is it you don't understand, Waiwai?

Why some of you cannot imagine better standards and attitudes in Asia.

(I know many Asians who think likewise.)

Edited March 1, 2009 by WaiWai

[britmaveric]

OK, so please explain how it could have been possible for the passenger to fly with Air Asia on that day, and what the staff could have done to help him? Personally, I don't see any way around the problem that the stairs present to a wheelchair bound passenger. But perhaps you know of another way he could have boarded the plane?

Conveyor belt loading the cargo? (besides that can't think of anyway apart from carrying someone - dead weight is hard even for the strongest on a flat surface - carrying up steep stairs is another matter all together)

[WaiWai]

OK, so please explain how it could have been possible for the passenger to fly with Air Asia on that day, and what the staff could have done to help him? Personally, I don't see any way around the problem that the stairs present to a wheelchair bound passenger. But perhaps you know of another way he could have boarded the plane?

Conveyor belt loading the cargo? (besides that can't think of anyway apart from carrying someone - dead weight is hard even for the strongest on a flat surface - carrying up steep stairs is another matter all together)

Do please refer to Harrry's comments .... WHOOOOOOOOSH!!! ... ZOOOOOOOOOOOOOOM !!!

[dantilley]

Conveyor belt loading the cargo? (besides that can't think of anyway apart from carrying someone - dead weight is hard even for the strongest on a flat surface - carrying up steep stairs is another matter all together)

That wouldn't get him up high enough though, you'd still need to carry him up the stairs, which as you point out would need probably three or four people to do it and would be very dangerous up the stairs.

Why some of you cannot imagine better standards and attitides in Asia.

I certainly can, and I think it's appalling some of the lack of consideration for wheelchair bound people in Bangkok. E.g. even the Skytrain is inaccessible, apart from about three or four stations.

But, if you were disabled and tomorrow morning you were to go to Ploen Chit BTS station and demand that the staff let you in to board a train, you would be justified to complain that the lack of wheelchair access is shameful, but there wouldn't be much the staff could do at that time to help you in there. Just the logistics behind it wouldn't work.

[NancyL]

I've flown while temporarily disabled. I was on crutches and couldn't put any weight on one foot. Also, another time, I flew with my Dad toward the end of his life when he was wheelchair-bound.

Both situations were with smaller regional airlines in the U.S. that took passengers from the gate in a van to the airplane, which was boarded via a stair-ramp. In both cases, the airline staff moved the handicapped passenger into a very narrow, straightback chair with small wheels. The passenger is strapped in tightly and two airline employees physically carry the passenger (and chair) into the flight. Then the passenger is transferred into the airline seat. It wasn't very dignified, but at least the passenger wasn't expected to put their arms around someone's neck to be carried up the stairs.

Of course, this had to be arranged in advance and they asked about the approximate weight of the passenger. In both situations, the airline blocked the seats next to the handicap person, saving them to assign to other passengers last (they weren't needed). I don't know what would have happened in the case of an emergency landing. I could have ignored my broken foot and gotten out of the plane, but I didn't want to think about what would have happened to my poor feeble Dad if everyone had to leave the plane in a hurry.

[WaiWai]

Conveyor belt loading the cargo? (besides that can't think of anyway apart from carrying someone - dead weight is hard even for the strongest on a flat surface - carrying up steep stairs is another matter all together)

That wouldn't get him up high enough though, you'd still need to carry him up the stairs, which as you point out would need probably three or four people to do it and would be very dangerous up the stairs.

Why some of you cannot imagine better standards and attitides in Asia.

I certainly can, and I think it's appalling some of the lack of consideration for wheelchair bound people in Bangkok. E.g. even the Skytrain is inaccessible, apart from about three or four stations.

But, if you were disabled and tomorrow morning you were to go to Ploen Chit BTS station and demand that the staff let you in to board a train, you would be justified to complain that the lack of wheelchair access is shameful, but there wouldn't be much the staff could do at that time to help you in there. Just the logistics behind it wouldn't work.

Quotes from Air Asia policy suggested help was possible.

Anyway, I am arguing from the position of a no-more-than-averagely humanitarian/"average person's reaction" (I'd hope).

Please don't think that all Asians regard cost-cutting at the expense of equal treatment for the physically disabled is desirable. They don't, in my experience.

[Chaimai]

Please don't think that all Asians regard cost-cutting at the expense of equal treatment for the physically disabled is desirable. They don't, in my experience.

That approach is commendable.

However, the fact remains that disabled people are disadvantaged - that is a fact of life. Even with the most stringent Disability Discrimination Acts (which are often a costly and time-consuming exercise one-size-fits-all exercise) life will still be more difficult for a disabled person.

You cannot suddenly create disabled access at BTS stations - I am sure how London Underground fare on this. Unless legislation requires all new buildings to make such provision then there will be some places that disabled people cannot go.

In this particular case assistance mayhave been available if the booking had been correctly completed. The disappointing Air Asia reaction at check-in is more of a service and attitude issue, rather than outright discrimination.

Edited March 1, 2009 by Chaimai

[el jefe]

If I show up at an Air Asia counter with 200kg of baggage. They can refuse to take it. If I show up without my passport, they can refuse to take me. If I show up with a wheelchair and I didn't notify them 48 hours in advance that I would be using it, they can refuse to take me. Air Asia is not discriminating against anyone except those that have become wheelchair bound within 48 hours of flying. Air Asia does take advantage of people who don't read the rules and think they can get something for nothing.

I have no idea what handicap accessability at BTS and Skytrain has to do with this, nor how Harry's comments about CMU apply.

Conveyor belt loading the cargo? (besides that can't think of anyway apart from carrying someone - dead weight is hard even for the strongest on a flat surface - carrying up steep stairs is another matter all together)

That wouldn't get him up high enough though, you'd still need to carry him up the stairs, which as you point out would need probably three or four people to do it and would be very dangerous up the stairs.

Why some of you cannot imagine better standards and attitides in Asia.

I certainly can, and I think it's appalling some of the lack of consideration for wheelchair bound people in Bangkok. E.g. even the Skytrain is inaccessible, apart from about three or four stations.

But, if you were disabled and tomorrow morning you were to go to Ploen Chit BTS station and demand that the staff let you in to board a train, you would be justified to complain that the lack of wheelchair access is shameful, but there wouldn't be much the staff could do at that time to help you in there. Just the logistics behind it wouldn't work.

Quotes from Air Asia policy suggested help was possible.

Anyway, I am arguing from the position of a no-more-than-averagely humanitarian/"average person's reaction" (I'd hope).

Please don't think that all Asians regard cost-cutting at the expense of equal treatment for the physically disabled is desirable. They don't, in my experience.