RICHARD Low’s problems with his luggage while flying out of Kuala Lumpur International Airport (”Improve inspection system” - NST, Jan 18), prompts me to relate a similar experience involving my daughter.

My daughter flew from Los Angeles to KLIA on flight MH95 on Dec 21. About half the passengers on the flight waited for about one-and-a-half hours at the baggage claim without any MAS staff informing them that the accompanying baggage had been off-loaded in Los Angeles.

My daughter waited for five days before the lost bag was delivered to her. As she had been away from home for seven years, she had to buy new clothing and some essentials. All that MAS compensated her was a fixed amount of RM150.

None of the MAS customer service executives or senior managers extended a word of apology. The driver employed by MAS should be commended for delivering bags to travellers past midnight and apologising on behalf of MAS.

Her return trip to Los Angeles on MH94 was just as traumatic. On arriving in Los Angeles, my daughter found that the zip on her bag had been cut and her bag rummaged through. As a frequent flyer to the United States, she had been using a “TSA” luggage lock to allow US airport security officers to use a master key to open her bag for inspection.

The mysterious person obviously did not possess a TSA master key. My daughter had a handbag in her luggage in which she kept cosmetic jewellery items. The person had targeted that handbag.

What more can I say, except that Malaysia Airlines or the airport management should further look into their customer service and baggage-handling system.

YAP AH KOW, Kuala Lumpur

Source: NST – January 31, 2008