PERSPECTIVE: This is a section for "Guest Post". Guest write on any subject or issue they choose. And what they write is posted as received. Today's guest is LIM Yu Book.
A Contrast in Two Service Cultures
I flew back from Melbourne on MH148 on October 20. I usually have two mobile phones with me – one for a Malaysian line and the other, an Australian line.
Flight safety requires that passengers’ phones be put into flight mood when a plane is flying. I promptly did that when it left the gate and stowed the one meant for Australian line in one of the small compartments in Seat 1A. I kept the other for inflight time-killing – with its off-line Mahjong app.
Upon arrival in Kuala Lumpur, I totally forgot about the “other” phone. I didn’t realise my carelessness until I was trying to make a bank transfer a couple of days later.
I submitted a request form to Malaysia Airlines. A standard reply came. Strangely, it addressed my wife instead of me, when all the particulars were in the form. I responded to correct them. Until today I still have not heard from them.
Two days ago, I received an email message from Taipei’s Taoyuan International Airport saying that they had obtained my email address from an item found “there”. I was very skeptical of the message, thinking that it might be just another scam. My wife also thought so. However, the curiosity part of me drove me to google the airport’s contact information. The number given was the same as that was provided in the email.
To play safe, I responded to their email via a different mailbox, explaining to them my fear. To my pleasant surprise, they replied quite immediately. Indeed, it is a genuine lost and found issue and help was offered.
Fortunately, I have a friend who happens to be in Taipei. He has agreed to collect it from them.
What has Malaysia Airlines done? Still groping in the dark about the issue?
The plane must have been routed to Taipei after its arrival. Maybe nobody occupied 1A and upon arrival in Taipei, the cleaners must have found it and turned it over to the lost and found people.
Service culture, service culture, service culture!
Or attitude, attitude, attitude!
I fly Malaysia Airlines out of convenience, not for any love of it. I must say that their cabin crew are usually very attentive. But their office people are “teruk”. My wife’s return flight Melbourn-Kuala Lumpur was cancelled. A couple of months have lapsed, and we have even gone to MAS’s office in KL Sentral to enquire. We are still waiting for a refund or their resolution!
Not surprising with MAS. I was left in the lurch recently. My flight from Xiamen was cancelled without any alternatives just 2 days before the flight. No assistance was rendered. We couldn't get thru to MAS for any help. The hotel couldn't extend as they were fully booked for the autumn festival. Luckily, we managed to get a flight out on Xiamen Airlines. Our inquiries are still not answered. Go figure!