Updates @ 3 pm 7-1-2014: A disabled person called yours truly to publish the actual cost for using the wheelchair per trip so that the Government and the Ministry of Transport will be made aware of how AirAsia treated its disabled passengers. He was hoping that the Government will put a stop to this high charges as a form of indirectly discriminating against disabled person from travelling on AirAsia flights.
It cost a disabled person
YB Wee
Instead of shooting from the hip, as you are wont to do, why not check the facts?
First, it’s not the business of an airline, be it full service or low cost, to provide wheelchair assistance to it’s passengers.
That is the responsibility of the airport authorities and the airline’s ground handlers.
You need go no further than Changi Airport to see how this works.
SIA, Silkair and Tiger Airways don’t provide wheelchair assistance at Changi. All requests for wheelchair assistance are directed by the airlines to their ground handler at Changi, which in this case is SATS.
SATS then liaises with the airport authorities (CAG) to provide the required assistance.
So, what point are you trying to make here?
If it is the service of airport authorities, then what the heck that Air Asia wants to charge RM 60 for using the wheelchair? Am I missing something?
Giving equal access should not be a business decision but a moral obligation if we want our society and nation to grow as a whole.
Sam
Looking after the disabled is also a corporate responsibility. Disabled persons need more help.
Don’t talk about moral to Tony. It is not his vocabulary. He is only interested in profits at all costs. The only way to teach him a lesson is for the public to stop using AA. Let use Malindo and MAS instead of that low caste airline. Teach that pariah a good lesson. He will only learn when it affects his pocket.
There is no option to boycott AA since they are still the cheapest in the market to enable me and my family to fly.
Still the “cheapest” with hidden cost! Any refund will take months to get. Telephone call to AA office will take a long time to be attended too. Zero service. Tony Fernandes had said that “if you price the ticket low enough, Malaysians are prepared to risk their lives”! Best of luck to you and your family.
Wheelchair service should be free if AirAsia is disabled friendly. What is the point of taking photo with the (disabled) protesters and promised them with facilities. A few years later charge them RM60 for the use of wheelchair. RM60 is a lot of money to the disabled and elderly persons. I agree that no point to talk about MORAL to Tony Fernandes, his only interest is MONEY and nothing else.
The Pariah should read the link below and learn to be a good corporate citizen. We must learn to be disabled friendly and not profits. http://www.nst.com.my/opinion/columnist/determination-and-human-spirit-1.456520
The NST readers were so touched. They were all asking about how to go about giving assistance to Nur Damila who is a disabled kid. Of course, the pariah will think that we are stupid to care for the disabled. He and his organisation must be thought a good lesson. Lets fly MAS or Malindo. You will be surprised the difference in the fare between AirAsia and them are not that much when the hidden cost like wheel chair service and etc are taken into account.
RM240 for wheelchair service is daylight robbery! God forbids! Is this how an airline treated its disabled passengers? Was this what was promised by Tony Fernades in 2008 when he meet the disabled person protesters at LCCT? YB please demand from the Government to take actions against AirAsia over this high charges for wheelchair service. This Tony lacks of moral duties.
RM240 service fees for wheelchair used by disabled person is more than daylight robbery! How could the Ministry of Transport approved such a high fees that will no doubt bring hardship to the disabled persons? It is never too late the Government must step in now and stop the charge of RM60 and to order that the low caste airline to refund all such charges collected to its passengers. This is in line with Rkyat diDahulukan!
In short, if you are a disabled, don’t you try to fly with AirAsia ok unless you pay through your nose the exorbitant service fees of RM60 per trip. This is how disabled friendly AirAsia is. Don’t ever trust that Tony. He will say anything and renegade later. Every corporation try its best to be disabled friendly by providing special ramp to its office or outlets, special toilet, special service at no cost for the disabled except AirAsia. The only company is having problems with such important service to the society.
sorry sir, but some people want to travel low cost airline.. but still want the free benefits of full cost airline! if you find airasia ripping you off then travel MAS lah… btw I’m MAS staff
Hello Drizzt
Why don’t you check your fact. Who is the ground handler for air asia? isn’t it air asia? At changi the ground handler is not the airlines. Who pays for the wheelchair – passenger or airlines? the ground handler is organising the availability and the logistics. at klia the ground handler for mas is mas and the ground handler for some foreign airlines is klas.
Corporate social responsibility is an obligation. For Tony Fernandez and AirAsia, it has never been a case of corporate social responsibility. It is all about personal gain and profit – ruthless and without scruples.
No want to use aerobridge? Tell that to the airports in Singapore, Australia and so on that it is not their business model! They will rant and bully only in Malaysia.
You don’t talk to Tony about corporate responsibility to our society especially for the disabled. He only know how to spin stories to suit the situation and corporate profit period. He has been enjoying good run when Slumberjack was in power. Now he had to compete with Malindo and MAS. The end is near with debts of more than RM5 billion and few hundred airbus on order. There will be a time where creative accounting will not work no more.
Th government must do something about this fella.He must be thought a good lesson by the passengers for taking them for granted.
Airlines making use of Malaysian airports must be made to have social responsibilities towards the disabled including the handicapped, elderly, young children and pregnant women. The Ministry of Transport must constantly monitor AirAsia on its so-called business model that put money above everything including disabled persons and safety.
Had a brilliant time at the Nepean Expo – great to see so many people and hear so much positive feedback! Can’t wait for the next one!
Just my $0.02, AA doesnt charged for disabled pax with OKU card but the fee is for those without it but request for the service. Needless to say, those who will be charged is the ones that actually can walk even a bit feeble, slow pace but still can walk. In a way it’s also to deter from people abuse the service.
Of course the system use in Malaysia and Singapore is different therefore we cannot compare apple with orange. If Im not mistaken charge at Changi aiport is $30. (SATS is charging pax not AA)
As of this week, nothing has changed. Air Asia still charged my elderly parents a fee for wheelchair service. This is a disgusting and immoral policy, and should not stand in this or any other country. Sir, this obviously effects a great many of our citizens, including veterans like my father. It is tremendously appalling that, they are able to treat veterans who have sacrifice so much, this way. Since Tony Fernandez, and Air Asia refuse to budge on this policy, is there anyway, Parliament can enact a law that make such discriminatory practices illegal?
Here’s what we need:http://www.fly.co.uk/service/flight-guests-with-disabilities-limitations-for-elderly-passengers
Thai Airasia Flight Chiang Mai-Phuket last wednesday in the evening. The flight did not use the aerobridge in Phuket, and I was carried down the stairs by four people. I was very very scared.
Even no aisle chair if during the flight I needed the toilet.
It doesn’t make sense : how many people would need an ambulift? One out of 10,000? Even if the cost for airasia would be 1,200 ringgit, it would be sufficient to spread the cost on all passenger increasing the fare by 12 sen, let’s say 1 ringgit.
Nobody would even notice.
Hi, I want to know ist free wheelchair in klia 2? Taking malindo flight.
You will understand the pain if you have a family member or friend who needs the assistance of wheelchair service. Looking forward to the day when this value added service is provided on FOC basis and that we the society as a whole do care and look into the needs of the less privilege.
Well said bro. But when profit is the only thing in life then there will not be any social responsibility. Regards