MAS has responded. They actually replied pretty promptly, late in the evening on CNY eve but I was too tied up with reunion to update yet.
I actually asked if they could set up a special hotline or email address or something specifically catered to passengers who encountered flight problems this Chinese New Year. But they said that anyone who was affected this festive period can go through their regular channels instead as mentioned above. To make it easier, I’m putting them down here.
MAS website
Email :customer@malaysiaairlines.com
Facebook
Twitter @MAS
They have pledged to sort out the cases whose passengers were affected this festive period the soonest so let’s give them another chance. Please direct your complaints there and I hope MAS will be accountable for their issues.
Taken from the MAVCOM website (Malaysian Aviation Commission).
These are your rights if you’re ever denied boarding. Good cos I myself didn’t know this until this incident either. Please take note guys if any airlines try to pull a fast one on you again.
There were a few people who condemned me for overreacting. One remarked he hardly thought that this Malaysia Airlines mess ‘ruined my Chinese New Year’ and that I overreacted over a small issue. He said I caused a lot of PR damage and named me a keyboard warrior. (Hmm funny I thought keyboard warriors were usually anonymous.)
Another reader, who after accusing me of ‘cyber bullying MAS’ – really? I didn’t think I was more famous than MAS to be able to ‘use my influence to bring them down’ – told me my rant made me look like ‘a short tempered lady’ and nothing would come out of my blog post; all it would serve is make me look bad. In fact, I was baffled when she asked me, “I’ve also had bad flight experiences. Since I don’t have a blog, should I write in to the newspapers about it?”
Huh??? Is she really asking this question?
YES. The answer is YES YOU SHOULD.
You know what guys? If I hadn’t written that post, maybe MAS would have continued ignoring us all. If I didn’t cause “a lot of PR damage”, maybe this issue (which also affected so many other passengers) would not have escalated high enough for action to take place. Six months from now, we’ll all probably be still banging out angry follow up emails, or dialing in to their hotlines trying to speak to a human customer rep.
For those of you who say “Nothing good will happen la. All you achieve is making yourself look like a spoiled brat.”
I beg to differ. The emails above happened. All I have to say is, you don’t try, you never know. Never stop yourself from standing up for what you think is right just because you’re scared of how it makes you look. Every hero in history stood for their beliefs and for the truth. Galileo, Thomas Jefferson, Rosa Parks, Martin Luther King, Mahatma Gandhi… I seriously doubt they cared about how they “looked” wtf.
I’m not saying I’m that level la OMG far from it. -_- All I want is my dues and for everyone else who got stranded thanks to bad customer service. But if anyone says, “don’t do it cos you look stupid!”, this should be your rebuttal to these unfathomable people.
Anyway, I really for those who were treated poorly by MAS this festive season or if you know any friends or relatives who were, please please contact MAS through their official channels. I sincerely hope they will sincerely fix their customer problems. Feel free to share this information and leave a comment to let me know if MAS have been keeping to their word. I hope they do cos I honestly did like our national carrier before all this happened.
Thank you and Gong Xi Fa Cai, everyone!
Audrey.
Comments (21)
Teh Tarik session with Peter Bellew. MAS only respond to selected group of customers. The rest who faced same problems and filed a complaint, got the middle finger in return. This is double standard from MAS.
That’s why I told them I don’t want to be singled out for compensation. You may be right but since they have promised this, let’s give them a chance to fix public perception.
*thumbs up
Thank you, Audrey, for speaking up, I have lodged my case with both MAVCOM and MAS customer care, still waiting for their reply on my case.
I live in Melbourne and I don’t usually fly with MAS because my hometown is in jb. I read your blog post and I want to thank you for telling your story to everyone and possibly to many others overseas. That is how a system can improve, by having people lodging complaints and pointing out mistakes and incompetencies. If everyone just sucks it up and have the mindset of “it’s how things run, don’t make a big fuss”, how can a system, a nation, a government improve? So thank you for voicing out, for making a difference. I’m sorry your cny started out being stressful but hey look at what they are going to do now (or at least trying to amend). Don’t let those negative comments affect you, a spoilt brat will not do something like what you have done.
Gong xi fa cai to you and family!
i wonder, if you never blogged about it… would they ever reach out for you?
And wishing you and your family a prosperous Chinese New Year
I believe a lot of ppl filed a complaint, it is just that those complaints are being ignored. simple as that. this gets a respond because she is a popular blogger. that’s the advantage.
All the best to you! Hope it works out.
Honestly, I don’t think so.
looking at the bright side, Thanks to you, those victims from mas at least now can get some compensation… Else i highly doubt they will investigate into this case (as i know most cooperate will just sweep under the carpet)
Hi Audrey,
Happy Vhinese New Year!
I am facing the same issue here and i have write in a feedback email to them immediately after i been denied to board.
However i never receievd any response from them untill today, and of course, i missed the reunion dinner waiting for their next available flight. Have they compensated or promised anything to you yet?
Thanks.
I was not informed of flight MH 1149 on Feb 2 being cancelled, until I tried to web check-in.
Following are the record of my encounters:
Feb 1, 4pm:
MAS toll free – Ian: I’m sorry but your flight is cancelled.
Me: Why?
Ian: We don’t know but we’ll put you on other flights, will MH1145 at 12.40pm be ok for you?
Me: When can I receive the confirmation of flight change details
Ian: Tonight at 10pm
Feb 1, 10.30pm:
MAS toll free: We are still waiting for confirmation
Me: I’m flying tomorrow and you still can’t confirm my flight when it is almost midnight?!!
MAS toll free: Let me try to arrange something can you please hold on to the line?
After 15 minutes…
MAS toll free: Can you please hold on longer as I am still trying to confirm?
After 30 minutes…
MAS toll free: I found an available flight out from Penang to Kuala Lumpur at 7.55am, do you think it is ok?
Feb 2, Penang airport:
Me: Do you know why my flight was cancelled and I was not informed at all?
Check-in counter in Penang: No idea, the flight was just cancelled, check with ticketing counter.
Feb 2, KLIA Ticketing counter:
Me: I would like to ask why my flight was cancelled.
Counter staff: Ask officer in-charge at C18.
Officer in charge at C18: Don’t know why cancelled, don’t know why nobody informed you, write email to customer care.
Instead of a 10 hours, I spent almost 20 hours flying from Penang to Beijing.
If I had not call MAS, I would have missed my flight on February 2, from
Kuala Lumpur to Beijing not knowing when I’ll get a flight back to
Beijing since it is all overbooked.
Let’s see how they’ll respond.
Just wondering what is the ending?
Yeah, I do support what you are doing. MAS should responsible for what they are doing. Business are all about reputation. You should deliver your best and handle tough situation in smartest way. I have bad experience with some company but unable to do anything to get them compensate. You give reasonable rant but may contains some vulgarities. No offence
Came here looking for info on how to escalate problems.
1) Used the online enquiry on the Enrich site 3 weeks ago – got automated response but never contacted by MAS.
2) Twitter DM more than a week ago – no reply
3) Public Tweet to @MAS – no response.
Mr Bellew can only do so much himself but it will be a complete waste of time while the rest of his customer service staff appear to be sabotaging him. How can a “full service” airline not actually provide any service? I’ve been an Enrich member for 10 or 15 years and never seen customer service as bad as it has been lately.
You are luckier than me, I only found out MH1149 was cancelled when I was at the airport 26 Jan. My sis, my mom and myself had to cancel our CNY holidays to Bangkok, and we had to pay one night for hotel due to late cancellation. I thought Malaysian Airlines service is reliable and I didn’t do web check-in because I was working late the night before to close things out for CNY long break. Very sad and frustrated.
My parents and I got denied boarding as well a few days before CNY on our trip to NZ. I have emailed a complain to Malaysia Airlines and it has been 3 weeks. I have also messaged them in their fb page but no response at all. I’m really really frustrated and disappointed. They have not kept to their word and are treating us as fools. If you have some form of influence, can you please make a fuss on our behalf please? Reading the comments below, I’m not the only one facing this problem.
I have just sent in my email twice to them regarding a flight delay issue on my flight to UK. The delay has caused so much inconvenience, missing my train tickets and not to mention paying extra for taxi. No reply at all! Gosh!
I have been having issue with my booking with MAS and it’s really screwing up my birthday trip before I even embark on it! I have tried emailing customer@malaysiaairlines.com and also gccc.reservations@malaysiaairlines.com, as advised by the call centre, but it’s been dayssss and neither replied. I just wanna know if there’s anyone that I can contact directly. Someone who is actually working and replies. Thanks! (:
I had similar overbooking issues with MAS 2 years back in Melbourne-KL bound flight, we had our seat secured as checked in earlier online, upon baggage drop, we being offered to give up our seats with good amount of compensation, which we agreed to take it since we were not in rush. The biggest mistake was I did not request a written statement, everything was verbal without any written statement, we were asked to wait till they have settled the crowd for the compensation process. Lastly 5 mins before departure we been ordered to get on board immediately as there were still available seats! I was threatened to get on board immediately as they will not compensate any loss to us. We were asked to rushed through all custom checks n boarded within splits of seconds. It was a total traumatized session to me, ad I was 6 months pregnant with my son and parents, and we were urged to run through all gates and get boarded! this was totally unacceptable for such as unfair treatment from a national carrier. To the best, the customer care is useless and unsincere apologize for the incidence happened was the only they will feedback to you! Shame on MAS!
Wow, Im so happy i found this blog. Your great Audrey for posting this, The world need to know how MAS is a big cheat and need to avoid in any ways. I had the same problem like you on the 26th Jan 2017, same day as you! I flew from AMS to KUL with KLM then from KUL to SGN with MAS. I always check in online but for some reason I couldnt check in on KLM and on MAS that day, At the aiport on 25th in AMS I had no problem getting my boarding pass from the ticket machine and was told to get my boarding pass in KUL when I arrived for my 2nd flight. Arrived at 7am I had to 2 hours before my next flight on 9am. I was trying to find a ticket machine and after I couldnt find one I was asking the helpdesk where i should get my ticket. They point me to one direction, so I just follow that and eventually came to a another help desk again. I ask same question and they point me back to the previous help desk. So i walked back and fort and ask again and they say I need to get my ticket in that direction, so i was really confused. Then I decide to go straight to the gate and try to get my ticket there. When I came to the gate there were a bunch of people waiting but no line, gate wasnt open yet until 8AM. So I just decide to stand and wait at the gate in first so I will be the first person in line if the gate opens. 15 minutes later gates open and I manage to get through the security without a boarding pass and explain there was an issue and I will get my boarding pass at the ‘gate check’. They were fine. So I went straight to the gate check desk and explain I have no boarding pass. Gate desk said dont worry, can you please go sit there and wait till we call you. I said fine. When I took a seat I checked the clock and it was 8:10AM and after 10 minutes waiting I ask if something was wrong. The girl said nothing is wrong, please wait. In the mean time that 10 minutes of waiting I have not seen her making any phone calls or talking with anyone. I was so worried and when it was 8:30AM I stand up and went to the girl and ask if there was any problems. She still say no problems, please have a seat we wiill call you . I had enough and I just stand there and said they need to fix asap because the flight is in 30 minutes. Then she start making calls and talking with a co-worker and then it was 8:45AM she said: Sir, sorry, we cant help you with the boarding pass, you need to go back to the ticket balie. The funny part was, the distant to the ticket helpdesk is already 10 minutes of walk to get there and 10 minutes to get back. I luckily manage to get on a luggage car by asking nicely to the driver and get there in 5 minutes. When arrived at the ticket desk I ask the driver ‘are you sure its here’ he replies ‘yes its here’. LOL, I thought WTF. I was here before and they send me another direction lol. I saw a line and was begging some ppl to go first if they are not in a hurry, some were nice and some were not. The line took forever and when it was my turn the time hit 9AM. I said I missed my flight, Im not gonna make it and asked when the next flight is. She said at 2.45PM. I already have in mind I have to pay for a new ticket because I think it was my mistake? Anyway, girl gave me a paper note written on it with something and point me to go to another helpdesk. Yes, the desk I was also before. Arriving there I give the note to the man and I said I need a new ticket. Somehow he understood right away and print me a boarding pass without paying anything lol. After waiting for hours I got in the airplane and you know what. I got an upgrade for my seat with lot of space for my legs. I wonder why they gave me such a nice upgrade lol. Then I figured out they just stalls me on purpose to let me think I miss my flight but they just didnt had a seat for me. Later that week I called up KLM asking if I get any troubles if I go back in 3 weeks and they say its still booked in the system so nothing wrong. I was just worried and cant miss my flight back. …….Later on……One week before my return flight I called MAS to double check if my flight was still in the system and they say everything was fine. Later on my return flight I tried to check in online on MAS my ticket didnt showed up, its not even exist or something. So I was a bit frustrated….So later on… I was at the SGN airport 2.5 hours before flight asking my boarding pass and they couldnt find anything at the MAS check in. I wasnt in the system lol. Luckily they were Vietnamese people and not Malaysians. I saw them making phone calls and put 2 other co-workers also on call and they were really trying to help me. After 2 hours they got me a boarding pass and I had to run so fast to get at the gate. Luckily I made it and my shirt was soaked from the sweats. Arriving in KUL an hour later I needed my boarding pass from my KUL to AMS with KLM. Funny thing was, I just went straight the KLM gate check in and I said I need a boarding pass. In less then 5 minutes they gave me boarding pass, so easy. So long story short. MAS is a pain in the ass. I will never fly with MAS or fly through KUL ever again. They obviously cheat their customers, so sad.