‘Missing’ luggage blues for senior citizens
> Malindo Air passengers see red after being left in the cold in India
GEORGE TOWN: A group of senior citizens are feeling very annoyed with a regional airline after their luggage did not arrive with them during a holiday to India last month and the lack of explanation over what happened.
Society of Active Generation of Elders president Chin Sek Ham said 39 out of a group of 42 persons were shocked when their luggage did not arrive on March 8 at the airport in Amritsar after taking a Malindo Air flight from Penang.
He said they tried to get assistance from the airline office there but it was closed and calls to the office there and to Malaysia were left unanswered.
He said those without their luggage were then forced to purchase clothes, medicines and toiletries as they had no choice due to the cold weather with temperatures hovering around 12 degrees Celsius then.
“This has cost us some unnecessary spending and worry,” he said at a press conference yesterday together with several others who went for the holiday.
Chin said their luggage finally arrived on March 11, four days after they arrived in India.
To add to the bad experience, he said the luggage arrived at their hotel at about 3.30am and they had to wake up to claim their belongings at the hotel lobby.
He said he has since visited the office of the airline at the Penang International Airport (PIA) several times after returning on March 16 and has emailed the airline but there has been no response so far.
“There should be an explanation, an apology and compensation from them,” he said, adding those who travelled then were about 60 to 80 years old.
Meanwhile, S.S. Kiew, 66, said one of her friends was left without fresh underwear to change into due to the undelivered luggage.
“Luckily, the hotel had bathrobes one of which she used to sleep in,” she said.
Another one who was affected was K.K. Leow, 69, who said he suffered from cough and cold as well as losing his voice due to lack of warm clothing and cold weather.
He said it has already been four weeks since he returned from the trip but has yet to fully recover.
A Malindo Air officer when contacted by theSun said those affected can email the airline at baggage@malindoair.com to submit their claims for compensation.