Flight cancellations: Pending rep wants KIA to improve communication
The Kuching International Airport (KIA) management and the airlines share the responsibility to provide clear and accurate details on flight delays or cancellations to all stakeholders to minimise any impact and ensure customer satisfaction, said Pending assemblywoman Violet Yong.
She said this following the mass cancellation of flights in Kuala Lumpur, Sabah and Sarawak yesterday following the eruption of Mount Ruang in Indonesia.
Some 18 departing flights were cancelled by major airlines such as Malaysia Airlines, AirAsia and Batik Air, with only several AirAsia and Brunei Airlines flights seen flying out of KIA – all of which did not cross the South China Sea.
Another 17 flights which were expected to arrive at KIA were also cancelled as of 2pm yesterday.
Yong, who was at KIA at that time, said the lack of announcements had caused considerable confusion and inconvenience to the passengers.
“During my approximately 10minute stay here (KIA), I didn’t hear any announcements, which led me to wait and hope for more updates from the airport management.
“There’s a sense of confusion among passengers, and I myself am unsure due to the absence of announcements.
“It appears that the individuals must take the initiative to seek out the information themselves,” she said when met by reporters at KIA.
“As I was unsure and wanted to confirm whether my flight was really cancelled, I had to make another trip to the airport to verify. The AirAsia staff confirmed the cancellation and assured me that we would receive an email within 30 days to facilitate rebooking,” she said.
An airline ground staff, meanwhile, said that the flight cancellations were impromptu and they themselves had to wait for further notice from their airline companies.
“We did not know anything about the flight cancellations until we reached the airport to go to work today.
“I wish I can reveal more information but we are not allowed to speak to the media regarding any matters related to the airline’s operation,” said the staff member, who declined to be identified.
The Borneo Post also spoke to several passengers stranded at the airport, among them tattoo artist Nicholas Jenta, 23, who was already in the boarding room for his flight to Kuala Lumpur when he learnt of his flight’s cancellation.
He said he was supposed to meet his client in Kuala Lumpur but had to postpone his appointment to a later date.