DISABLED PASSENGERS BEWARE

I have been traveling to and from Malaysia for over thirty years and now reside here with my wife and child. I have businesses in the UK and Malaysia and still clock over 200,000 air miles a year. I have traveled Air Asia on several occasions over the past few years and received the service expected from a budget airline.

Unfortunately my trip to Laos on the 19th of February 2009 with Air Asia turned out to be one of the most disastrous and humiliating experiences of my life. Being disabled I made sure that I informed the ticket center at least 48 hours prior to my departure that as I am unable to climb stair that I would require the service of their “Ambulift”. The gentleman at your call center confirmed that a note had been put on my reservation and told me that I should report to the two desks that would handle my request and a wheel chair. When I arrived at the airport with my wife and son, we checked in and went to a desk which was right at the end of the check-in desks and was, I believe numbered sixty something. The Malay guy at the desk confirmed my request for the “Ambulift” and then told me to go to desk 41 for a wheel chair, which I did, also telling them that I had requested the “Ambulift”.

After going through passport control I was pushed to the gate only then to be told that the Ambulift was not available. This was some 5 minutes before boarding and at no time prior to this was I informed that it was not available. To add insult t injury I was then questioned as to weather I had even requested it.

To get me on board the aircraft 3 of the ground staff carried me and the wheel chair up the stairs which was not pleasant for me and most strenuous for them but I was on board an we flew to Vientiane only to find that I had an even worse problem there.

After several attempts it was decided that I was too heavy to carry down the steps in the wheel chair and one of the ground staff then grabbed me and attempted to carry me on his back which resulted in me on the floor of the aircraft after he dropped me. I suffered severe chest pain and it was only when the air crew came to my rescue that I was able to stand back up again and get my breath. To cut a very long story short, there was no way that the staff were able to get me down the stairs and I ended up crawling down to the runway on my hands and knees. To add insult to injury several people boarding another aircraft stopped to film my decent on there video camera’s. With apologies from the aircrew who seemed to be most embarrassed, I was wheeled in to the terminal with my suit covered in dirt and dust and my hand filthy.

I can honestly say that I have never been so embarrassed and humiliated in my life.

Air Asia had over 48 hours to advise me that A. The Ambulift at K.L. was not available and B. That there were no facilities in Vientiane for disabled passengers.

I sent a complaint to Air Asia on the 4th of March 2009 and every week since but have yet to receive a reply.