Thursday 28 Mar 2024
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KUALA LUMPUR (Jan 6): Malaysia Airlines passengers are crying foul over the national carrier’s abrupt decision to impose baggage limits for its Boeing 777 flights to Paris and Amsterdam yesterday and today.

French national Henry Baralt and his wife, Marry, said they neither received any notice on the new rule nor an explanation.

“We didn’t get any notice from Malaysia Airlines, we only knew when we got here. And now we can’t change our flights or stay another night because we don’t even know whether other carriers are facing the same problem.

“We don’t know why Malaysia Airlines has to take such a long flight path. They didn’t explain anything to us, we’re just left asking questions,” said Henry.

The couple, who came to Malaysia to visit their child, said this was the first time they have experienced such a situation.

“We’re really disappointed because we don’t even live in Paris. Our flight is headed to Paris but we live in the southern area. We have to take a train to get there once we land, and we’ve already booked and paid for the train tickets.

“We might miss our train because of this. We can’t change to a different train because these tickets are not exchangeable or refundable. Our baggage will arrive several days later. This is a terrible situation.”

Henry said they had to follow the instructions and hoped that their luggage would be sent to them within two days as promised.

MAS yesterday imposed a temporary limitation on baggage allowances to its European destinations because of unseasonably strong head winds, which limited the airline’s ability to carry baggage and cargo.

It later said the A380, which plied the Kuala Lumpur-London route, would not be affected.

Sales director Azahari Ismail said he only learnt of the baggage limit when he was on his way to KLIA to catch his flight to Paris.

“My taxi was already moving when my friend messaged me on WhatsApp saying that I could only bring 7kg of baggage. I had no choice but to turn back and leave half my things behind.”

Azhari said the MAS announcement that his baggage would be sent to him in two days left him worried.

“I’m angry because I’m going on a working trip and I’m transiting in Paris before heading to New York for two days, and I’ll be going to Las Vegas after that.

“So if I don’t get my baggage within the two days I’m in New York, I won’t have anything to wear.”

He said Malaysia Airlines had also failed to provide a written guarantee that the baggage would be safe.

However, checks by The Malaysian Insider found that the situation at the MAS counters in KLIA was still under control, even though passengers expressed frustration over the situation.

A British Airways employee said that the airline did not impose a similar baggage limit.

Many took to Twitter to criticise and question MAS’s temporary baggage limit, tagging the national carrier with its Twitter handle @MAS in their tweets.

“@MAS is not allowing check in luggage to Europe destinations temporarily. How if its students going to study? Mothers with milk for kids?” asked Twitter user Nicholas Cheng at @nichocheng.

Wan Zamaniah, or @zamachi, said: “@MAS ok im not flying with MAS anymore...haihh.”

“Whats interesting is @MAS cited difficult headwinds as part of the problem. Why no other airline doing this then?” asked Joe Pesek @joesworldtravel.

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