By Kimberly Spykerman & Carolyn Quek 03 October 2009
They were all complete strangers, united by a common desperation - to get out of quake-devastated Padang as soon as they could.
About 40 tourists, including Singapore-based businessman Malcolm Davies, literally had to empty their pockets to get a ticket home.
They were supposed to have been on a Tiger Airways flight departing just before 1pm on Thursday afternoon.
But when they arrived at the airport, they found that the flight had been cancelled and the airline’s booth was completely deserted.
Mr. Davies, 42, the owner of a backpackers’ hostel here, told The Straits Times: ‘The Thursday flight, the day after the earthquake, was the first flight out, but instead of helping to evacuate, Tiger Airways cancelled its flight. The next flight out was not due to leave for another three days.’
He and a group of others then immediately put themselves on the waiting list for the next available flight on Air Asia to Kuala Lumpur.
Those carrying more cash chipped in to help others pay for the US$100 (S$141) tickets, as most of the money-changers, ATMs and credit-card facilities at the airport were not functioning.
Mr. Davies, who managed to fly out on Thursday’s 3pm flight, paid for two stranded Germans.
A group of Singapore photographers found themselves in the same situation.
Though they had arranged to fly home on a Tiger Airways flight this afternoon, they wanted to get out earlier.
Finding the Tiger Airways booth closed, they also bought tickets for an Air Asia flight bound for KL.
When contacted yesterday about why the flight had been cancelled, Tiger Airways said it would not be able to respond by the time of going to press.
However, it added that all affected passengers travelling to and from Padang within the next week have the option of a free flight change to a date within a week from the original departure date.
On Thursday, a Tiger Airways spokesman said that flights to and from Padang were suspended as the Padang Minangkakau Airport was closed to commercial flights.
However, other carriers such as Air Asia and Indonesia’s Lion Air were still flying in and out of the airport.
Air Asia’s two flights that day departed on schedule.
In fact, Air Asia yesterday announced plans to make a charity flight from Jakarta to Padang, so that anxious families can get to relatives there. It will also ferry relief supplies to the earthquake-hit region.
Said Mr. Davies: ‘Those left behind will have slept at Padang airport waiting for Tiger Airways to arrive, if it arrives at all.
‘It amazes me that in a time of need, when people need to be evacuated, they turned their back, they abandoned us.’
1 comment:
Tiger Airways ‘let us down’
Flight cancelled: Tourists fend for themselves
By Kimberly Spykerman & Carolyn Quek
03 October 2009
They were all complete strangers, united by a common desperation - to get out of quake-devastated Padang as soon as they could.
About 40 tourists, including Singapore-based businessman Malcolm Davies, literally had to empty their pockets to get a ticket home.
They were supposed to have been on a Tiger Airways flight departing just before 1pm on Thursday afternoon.
But when they arrived at the airport, they found that the flight had been cancelled and the airline’s booth was completely deserted.
Mr. Davies, 42, the owner of a backpackers’ hostel here, told The Straits Times: ‘The Thursday flight, the day after the earthquake, was the first flight out, but instead of helping to evacuate, Tiger Airways cancelled its flight. The next flight out was not due to leave for another three days.’
He and a group of others then immediately put themselves on the waiting list for the next available flight on Air Asia to Kuala Lumpur.
Those carrying more cash chipped in to help others pay for the US$100 (S$141) tickets, as most of the money-changers, ATMs and credit-card facilities at the airport were not functioning.
Mr. Davies, who managed to fly out on Thursday’s 3pm flight, paid for two stranded Germans.
A group of Singapore photographers found themselves in the same situation.
Though they had arranged to fly home on a Tiger Airways flight this afternoon, they wanted to get out earlier.
Finding the Tiger Airways booth closed, they also bought tickets for an Air Asia flight bound for KL.
When contacted yesterday about why the flight had been cancelled, Tiger Airways said it would not be able to respond by the time of going to press.
However, it added that all affected passengers travelling to and from Padang within the next week have the option of a free flight change to a date within a week from the original departure date.
On Thursday, a Tiger Airways spokesman said that flights to and from Padang were suspended as the Padang Minangkakau Airport was closed to commercial flights.
However, other carriers such as Air Asia and Indonesia’s Lion Air were still flying in and out of the airport.
Air Asia’s two flights that day departed on schedule.
In fact, Air Asia yesterday announced plans to make a charity flight from Jakarta to Padang, so that anxious families can get to relatives there. It will also ferry relief supplies to the earthquake-hit region.
Said Mr. Davies: ‘Those left behind will have slept at Padang airport waiting for Tiger Airways to arrive, if it arrives at all.
‘It amazes me that in a time of need, when people need to be evacuated, they turned their back, they abandoned us.’
Post a Comment