I WISH to draw attention to how my son’s Malaysia Airlines flight delay was handled, or rather the way it was not.

1. My 12-year-old son was booked on Flight MH122 from Sydney to Kuala Lumpur on Dec 30 as a “Young Passenger Travelling Alone” and to connect with a Kuala Lumpur-Penang flight (MH1168) and arrive at 11pm.

2. There was no sign of my son after everyone on MH1168 had disembarked by 11.40pm

3. The person at the information desk at Penang International Airport just shrugged her shoulders and said “Sorry, but we cannot check on the flights coming into KLIA, just those that come into Penang International Airport”.

4. There was no Malaysian Airline reservation staff on duty anywhere to be seen, hence I was left to worry and fret.

5. It was only after calling KLIA directly that was I told that the MAS flight from Sydney was delayed and had only arrived at 11.15pm – which is a good 2 hours and 15 minutes for ground personnel to contact me and inform me of the situation.

6. KLIA airport information could not say if my son had managed to get onto the flight to Penang. They could not even put me through to a MAS check-in counter, but instead gave me three telephone numbers, two of which was not answered even after numerous rings, and the third a number that was not even valid.

7. When my son finally got to Penang on MH1194 at 12.35am, I asked the ground staff who accompanied him as to the “standard” procedure in such a situation and was informed that the parent/ guardian would be contacted

8. I informed her I was not informed and was unable to get any information on my son’s situation.

9. She assured me that she would follow up on the matter and confirmed my contact details.

10. But until today, I have yet to hear from anyone at MAS on the matter.

DEBRA G. RODRIGUES,

Penang.

Source: The Star – January 22, 2008