When the allegations against AirAsia for discriminating against the disabled persons had quieten down, 6 years later AiraAsia started to charge disabled passengers RM120 for one way and RM240 return for wheelchair services, HERE.
AirAsia’s website has clearly showed the RM60 charge for wheelchair service. Please see The Mole’s report in HERE.
Below was the reply from AirAsia where it tried to justify the RM60 for wheelchair service:
“AirAsia would like to clarify that usage of wheelchair on all AirAsia flights is complimentary for all disabled guests (OKU). Disabled guests only need to key in their OKU / disability card number during the online flight booking process and present the actual card upon check-in at the airport. They will be fully assisted from the wheelchair counter to the aircraft, and the ambulift will be used to board the disabled guest.” Please read HERE.
It has also reported by the Mole that Ministry of Transport is probing into the high charges of RM60 for wheelchair services for the disabled, HERE.
There are enough complaints about AirAsia’s poor services, problems in refunding money, flight delays and etc. Please read in HERE.
The above reply by AirAsia was just another poor attempt by AirAsia to spin its way out of the problems. It has forgotten what it told Malaysians in 2007 with regards to disabled passengers.
After the disabled persons protested in August 2007 AirAsia was obviously under public pressures to come out with the following press statements:
On 7-8-2007 responding to protests by the disabled, low-cost carrier AirAsia said it would spend RM6mil to provide ambulifts and aisle chairs for wheelchair-bound passengers. There will be no additional cost for disabled passengers, the airline said. Please read HERE.
In 2007 it did not define what it meant by “DISABLED” person. On 9-1-2013 it has defined disabled person as “someone with disability card number”.
In another words, to qualify for the free wheelchair service in AirAsia one had to be registered with Social Welfare Department, HERE. The elderly, pregnant women and persona with mobility problems are not qualified under its free wheelchair service.
From this we can see clearly that AirAsia will say anything when it is under pressure and when all is well it will start to do otherwise.
When one talks about “disabled persons” it includes the handicaps, elderly, pregnant women, sicks and persons with problem of mobility. The Oxford Dictionary offers the meaning of “DISABLED” as “lacking one or more physical powers, such as the ability to walk or to coordinate one’s movements.” Yours truly believes that this is the universal meaning of disabled to corporations which value its corporate’s social responsibilities to society.
MAS and Malindo Air provide its passengers with wheelchair service free of charge. There is no condition attached to it. We should applaud MAS and Malindo Air for being disabled firendly to its spirit. Let us all support MAS and Malindo Air for being disabled friendly. Their respective fares are very competitive these days. We must avoid at all cost airline with track record of not disabled friendly. Please check out MAS and Malindo Air when you are planning your travel, HERE & HERE.
AEROBRIDGE IS NOT A LUXURY BUT NECESSITY
On 15-12-2013 Group of NGOs representing disabled persons met the then Minister of Transport YB Datuk Kong Cho Ha to welcome the decision made by Malaysia Airports Holdings Berhad (MAHB) to install aerobridges at KLIA2 for all including people with reduced mobility, elderly, pregnant women and children. We thank MAHB for listening to and taking into consideration the voices of the people including us, persons with disabilities, in arriving at the decision. Please read HERE.
The said meeting between the then Minister of Transport and the group of disabled persons came about because AirAsia was demanding that MAHB shoud not build aerobridges for KLIA2 because aerobridges are not part of its business model. Please read HERE, HERE & HERE.
You will recall that a few years ago Tony Fernandes had been quoted to have make public statements that AirAsia will not move from LCCT to KLIA2 and that it will move its headquarters to Jakarta. Of course, Ms Aireen Omar, the current CEO of AirAsia had done an about turn and said that AirAsia will move to KLIA2 afterall.
It is unknown whether AirAsia headquarters is still in Jakarta or just a very small set up remains in Jakarta. Well, when AirAsia owed airport taxes in Indonesia, its aircraft was immediately grounded, HERE.
Other airlines including MAS and Malindo used aerobridge without any complaint. The cost of aerobridge is only RM80. If one were to divide the cost per passenger it will be less than a Ringgit each. Why kick a bit fuss about aerobridge when modern airports in the world are using aerobridge for embarkation and disembarkation from aircraft.
Unlike in Malaysia, during the Sleepy Era AirAsia has the immunity to owe airport taxes to the tune of more than RM120 million, HERE.
A pertinent question had to be asked:
Why AirAsia and/or its top executive have been so daring to take on the MAHB, indirectly the government?
May be the high ranking officers in Khazanah could assist us with the appropraite answers!
Yours truly hopes that the Ministry of Transport will strike down the wheelchair service charges of RM60 by AirAsia.
Yours truly also hope that the Ministry of Transport will walk the talk of “Rakyat DIdahulukan” by making it mandatory for all airlines to use the aerobridge when KLIA2 is in full operation in May 2014. The Ministry of Transport must not be seen to be dancing to the tunes of AirAsia and/or Tony Fernandes.
It is of no consequence to the Ministry of Transport that aerobridge is not part of AirAsia’s business model. But it is of the primary concern of the Ministry to put convenience and safety for all passengers before anything else. Let make our airports disabled friendly in the real sense of the words.
At the end of the day it boils down to dollar and cent. I booked air Asia for a family trip. The price discrepancy between air Asia and Malaysian airline is 4k. That’s rm four thousandsand why should I support malaysuan airline just because you hate air Asia?
well sir, it is your prerogative to use which airline you wish , after all this is a free country. your money you decide.
i’m sure those do not include food and luggage. and oher services. wait until you fly.
Not only that, what about foreigners who are disabled? Obviously they do not have the card. Then Malaysia will be known as a cruel society who charges exorbitant on people simply because they are disabled.
Even the elderly persons, pregnant women, women with children and persons suffered from temporary immobility could not registered themselves as disabled with the Social Welfare Department. Every good corporate citizen must learn to be disabled friendly. If they are not or trying to bullshit their way around then the consumers should act against them. The world has moved to become Disabled Friendly accept AirAsia. The authority in other countries would have stopped such rediculous charges of wheelchair service.
We should avoid patronizing any company which is not disabled friendly. AirAsia is known for taking the passengers for granted.
Such business model of AirAsia will not be tolerated in the developed countries. The government through the Minister of Transport must registered its disapproval of the high service charge for wheelchair by issuing an immediate stop order to AirAsia.
Shame on your AirAsia and Tony. why are you behave in such a way to penalise the disabled.
We must not tolerate a company like AirAsia. Being disabled friendly is the right thing. We all must act together. I agree with YB that we all must do our utmost to avoid flying AirAsia unless we had to other alternative. Boycott AirAsia.
Most probably that Red Indian does not understand what DISABLED means! Or he pretend not to know for the sake of profits. He is only interested in money. Look at the share suap and see for yourself what he had done to screw up MAS in front of the Khazanah big boys.
It is a clear case of discrimination by AirAsia against disabled persons. Why are the NGOs representing the disabled persons are so quiet about the service charge of RM60 for wheelchair imposed by the low caste airline?
Jaya Jusco, shopping malls and even the airport provide special parking spaces for the disabled. But this low caste carrier want to penalize the disabled persons with RM60 wheelchair service charge per trip. Oi! low caste Tony WTF you are trying to do to the disabled. Society as a whole must now penalize the low caste airline by boycotting it. Only a boycott for a few months will wake up that low caste fella.
The AirAsia’s reply on this subject clearly showed that the bunting it puts up at the airport was a mere publicity exercise for expediency. It is not sincere at all. Hence the RM60 service charge for the wheelchair. The Ministry of Transport must come down hard on AirAsia. Members of the public must also speak with one voice: boycott until it learns to respect the disabled persons. AirAsia must be made to pay for its disgusting behavior.
I also support boycotting it. It will only learn when it hurts the pocket.
The government must take firm actions against AirAsia for penalising a person just because he is disabled. All countries have move towards disabled friendly. withdraw all routes that have been approved and not flown by AirAsia. I believe that Slumberjack government has approved many routes for AirAsia and many have not flown because it is not ready. The government should not be friendly to such irresponsible company.
Look at how misleading is the banner used by AirAsia. This is typical of AirAsia. It will always take the public for a ride. Just beware when you deal with AirAsia.
AK at KLIA 2
YB, question now is whether AAsia will be paying the aerobridge charges at KLIA 2 or will they continue to delay or avoid paying as history would suggest. Secondly, will MAB act similarly so as not to annoy “Khazanah/MOT” as history would suggest by tolerating this sort of belligerent corporate behaviour or be as strict as the Indonesian airport authorities.
jack1960
MAHB top management has no balls to take actions against AA because they know that Tony is closed to Khazanah’s boss. Tony is very powerful that’s why MAHB dared not take action when AA owed more than RM100 million airport tax.
U all not business minded…u flying low caste airline then want everything free ka…. no free lunch la bro…. mr tony, after this lets charge rm 5 to use the toilet inside the aircraft and extra rm50 for the seat cushion…. can i have 5% profit from these idea??????
If Tony reads this, he will be jumping for joy. How about special fees for sitting on the chair in the plane? Say RM100. I would like to get a fee of 2% only for this small idea/
Thanks for your posting. Honestly I hated AirAsia not only they mistreated the handicapped badly but even they senior citizens as well.
Can you imagine? They even want to assault the senior citizen just because her hand luggage was 0.2 KG heavier?
After I saw this rude incident, i vow to Boycott AirAsia even if their tickets are tempting.
Malindo Air does have WheelChair Charges within MALAYSIA even if you are registered OKU
(up to 45 minutes before departure MYR 35. 00 and more than 45 minutes before departure MYR 85.00) refer to their website updated 12 August 2021