By: Ramon Farolan
A week ago, Fr. Mariano “Jun Jun” Agruda who recently left for Rome to assume his new posting at the Carmelite head office in the Vatican, sent me an e-mail on his experience with AirAsia.
Dear Tito Ramon,
Last Saturday I flew from Cebu to Manila on AirAsia Zest Flight Z2776. It was originally scheduled to leave Mactan Airport at 1240H. AirAsia sent me a text message the night before that the new ETD would be 1700H.
When I checked in just before 1600H, there was already a notice on the screen above the counter, that the new ETD would be 2230H. All this time no one could explain why the plane would be delayed. Good thing AirAsia served each of us a one-piece Jollibee Chicken Joy pack and water for supper. Meanwhile, all AirAsia had at the boarding gate counter was a lone member of the ground staff who could not answer our questions re the extended delay. We had to demand for the station manager to show herself or we would go to her office. She finally showed up at past 1900H.
People were restive because no plausible explanation was given. To make matters worse, one passenger had an international connecting flight to Riyadh that night. No assistance was given this said passenger. There were elderly passengers among the group, tired and cold, who had been at the airport practically since the morning. There was also one in a wheelchair. People were asking AirAsia to facilitate re-booking on any available airline. All to no avail.
At 2030H, there was still no plane in sight. Bad weather conditions in Manila were blamed for the delay. Funny thing was that other airlines (PAL and Cebu Pacific) continued to fly in from Manila and out of Mactan. Another change in the ETD was announced. The new ETD would be 2220H!
We were finally boarded at 2120H (20 minutes short of a ten-hour delay from the original ETD). The plane took off close to 2300H. We landed in Manila before midnight. It is interesting to note that the chief purser of Flight Z2776 offered no apology to the passengers for all the inconvenience caused by this long delay. I had to point this out to the chief purser, telling her they should have better manners.
Never again, AirAsia!
Fr. Jun Jun
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Perhaps, Tony Fernandes should check out his affiliate offices in the Philippines. They are giving AirAsia a terrible name with this kind of service.
What is sorely needed is a crop of managers with Fernandes’ “walk-around” style and work habit. It is surprising that no one from senior management was around to keep people informed and to provide some assistance to alleviate the frustrating conditions caused by the delayed flight times. When things do not work out as scheduled, people start to speculate and begin to ask all kinds of questions. Someone must be around to provide answers in an intelligent and convincing manner.
Unless a new attitude—one of service—is instilled in the minds of AirAsia Philippines personnel and staff, the AirAsia brand that Tony Fernandes worked hard to build will vanish over a short period of time.