KLIA2 and Tony Fernandes — Tam Yeng Siang

November 30, 2011

NOV 30 — Reading the two reports, New better KLIA2 takes wings and AirAsia will not use aerobridges at the new LCCT, I feel that these two parties, viz., the MAHB and AA are taking their conflict to the stage of public opinion, and hope that the people’s interests will hold sway.

I also feel this discussion about the aerobridges have gone on for too long, and either party may have good reasons to continue to follow its conviction and do what is right for the party they represent.

As a retired person, who have travelled quite a bit, and who has made use of AirAsia’s flights since its inception, has also contributed to a few of its improvements through feedback, (which has been acknowledged) I would like to ask Tan Sri Fernandes a simple question, which I observe, he has been studiously avoiding, in his condescending comments on not using the aerobridges at the new LCCT, apparently for profit reasons and turnaround times.

Can AirAsia then tell me if by this move, they are in fact telling us, the travelling customers, that Asia’s best low cost airline is not keen to get or even encourage travellers who aredisadvantaged, disabled, the old, the weak and the pregnant and even children to travel on its cheap airline? As the attached picture from a fan of my blog has shown, it can be quite dangerous for a wheelchair bound traveller to embark and exit manually from the airline! Not to mention some loss in personal dignity!

Personally, I have very bad knees and a bad back, and nothing beats being able to walk from the gate to the airline in safety and comfort, and dry!

Further, I also feel that Tony Fernandes’ example of the Singapore budget airline not using aerobridges is a bad one. Sorry, but the Singapore Government has not been well known for caring policies, and do we want to emulate them?

C’mon Tony, don’t be so arrogant…

* Tam Yeng Siang reads The Malaysian Insider.