#trending: Customer claims AirAsia overbooked flight, forced family off plane 'like criminals'

KUALA LUMPUR, MALAYSIA — An AirAsia customer recently shared on social media that she was left feeling helpless and in tears after her family was "forcibly chased off" an overbooked plane at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport 2.

Facebook user Susan Yong said that she, her husband and their parents were due to fly with the low-cost airline from Kuala Lumpur to Chiang Mai, Thailand on Nov 19 this year.

They had bought tickets seven months earlier in April and faced no trouble doing so. Yet, when they tried to check in on the day of the flight, they were told that their flight had been overbooked.

After a frustrating sequence of events, Ms Yong and her husband were eventually told that seats had been arranged for them on the original flight and they managed to board the plane.

However, they were suddenly chased off by another staff member.

Recounting her shocking experience with the low-cost airline, Ms Yong writes in Chinese: "(The staff member's) attitude was very bad, as if we had done something wrong.

"(He) said we didn't have tickets, said we could not stay on the plane. Without a ticket, how would I be able to board the plane?"

Ms Yong alleged that the staff member wanted to "trick" her and her husband into getting off the plane to talk, but she was unwilling to be separated from her parents and mother-in-law, who had already been seated.

"I was worried that (when) my husband and I went out to talk, the plane would take off. What about my parents and mother-in-law who were on the plane?

"The three elders, thankfully, came out together with us... Otherwise, I would be even more worried..."

Elaborating on the incident in a later post, Ms Yong said that they had tried to check in on the mobile application in advance.

However, there was an error on the app and they had to wait in a long queue at the check-in counter, where they were first told that their flight had been overbooked.

They were then transferred to the service counter, where staff members offered them a replacement flight to Chiang Mai the next day. Ms Yong was not willing to accept it since they had already made hotel and car bookings.

The staff then suggested another flight at 8pm that day — but to the city of Bangkok instead, frustrating the travellers even further.

Finally, the counter crew said that arrangements had been made for them to board the original flight and directed them to check in their luggage.

Strangely, Ms Yong and her husband were given "handwritten tickets", and were told that their seats would be arranged later. Still, everything went smoothly up until they boarded the plane.

Checking the name list, the flight attendant found that Ms Yong and her husband's names were on the "no-show list". They then chatted with the attendant, who assured them that she would help to arrange seats for them.

This was when another staff member showed up and told them to leave the plane "with a terrible attitude".

Ms Yong claimed that the staff member declared that their handwritten tickets were not valid.

"Don't talk so much, you don't have tickets, please leave immediately or I will call security," the staff member apparently said.

The situation remained unchanged after security guards arrived.

"Nothing they said would solve our problems," Ms Yong added.

"They didn't want to listen to us, they didn't say anything about compensation, and they didn't say anything about the three seniors still on the plane."

Finally, she decided to notify her parents and mother-in-law so that they could all leave together rather than run the risk of being separated.

Ms Yong claimed that "at least six or seven security guards" soon came along to usher them off the plane, acting as if they had "caught criminals".

After getting off the plane, Ms Yong was too shocked and unable to speak. She said that she then burst into tears.

Her husband went on to make arrangements with the AirAsia staff members to retrieve their luggage and settle the night's accommodation and food.

In a separate post, Ms Yong provided photos and videos of the room, which appeared to be dirty and poorly maintained, without proper facilities such as a kettle for hot water.

"The accommodation was so bad, I won't say more," she declared.

Ms Yong confirmed that they went on to file a police report afterwards.

On the same day, AirAsia also sent an email stating that the company would compensate each of the travellers with US$100 (S$135) in their personal credit account.

However, she rejected the offer because she felt that the whole situation was handled extremely poorly.

"The point is, do I still want to take your planes? Are you really sincere in your apology?

"My mood was severely affected, even the elders said there was a shadow over me while we were on the flight... The vacation was shortened, and the entire itinerary was affected."

Ms Yong advised the airline: "When checking in, (you should) first communicate the situation directly, and immediately compensate us for the changes to our itinerary.

"At the time, because you were unwilling to take responsibility, the other passengers on the same flight were also delayed for an hour. Have you thought about whether they should be compensated as well?"

Her Facebook post recounting the incident was posted on Nov 23 and has garnered 5,500 reactions, 3,000 comments and 13,000 shares, with online users expressing outrage at AirAsia employees' treatment of their passengers.

This was not the first time AirAsia has been in hot water for poor customer service. Earlier this year, a paraplegic passenger was shown struggling to crawl across the plane cabin to get to his wheelchair.

TODAY has reached out to AirAsia for comment.