AirAsia – Dato’ Tony Fernandes Announces Measures To Resolve Problems Faced By Disabled Passengers

AirAsia Press press conference backdrop at LCCT-KLIA
AirAsia Press press conference backdrop at LCCT-KLIA.
Photo by Wuan.

It is difficult not to love Dato’ Tony Fernandes, Group Chief Executive Officer of AirAsia, especially if one is a disabled person. Immediately after the protest by the Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT), Dato’ Fernandes personally met with members of BEAT to discuss the ways to resolve issues faced by disabled persons wanting to book seats to fly with AirAsia.

AirAsia GCEO Dato' Tony Fernandes giving his speech at the press conference at LCCT-KLIA
AirAsia GCEO Dato’ Tony Fernandes giving his speech at the press conference at LCCT-KLIA.
Photo by Wuan.

Following that meeting on July 20, AirAsia held a press conference yesterday (August 4, 2007) to officially announce the measures taken by the company to ensure that disabled persons will be able to fly with the airline. Dato’ Fernandes told members of the press and about 50 BEAT members who were present at LCCT-KLIA yesterday that AirAsia has purchased 2 ambulifts – one for LCCT-KLIA and the other for Kota Kinabalu International Airport – to ease the boarding and disembarking of people with reduced mobility and disabled persons.

Members of BEAT at AirAsia's press conference at LCCT-KLIA
Members of BEAT at AirAsia’s press conference at LCCT-KLIA.
Photo by Wuan.

He also announced the current fleet of AirAsia’s Airbus 320 planes and all planes in the future will be equipped with at least one aisle chair for the mobility of passengers. All toilets inside the aircrafts will be affixed with handle bars for the convenience of passengers. After the press conference, members of the press and BEAT were invited to test out an ambulift similar to the two that AirAsia have purchased and will be operational in 3 months. As part of the program to sensitise AirAsia staff on disability issues, Dato’ Fernandes invited BEAT to work with AirAsia Academy in training on those matters. He has offered to employ 3 staff at AirAsia’s call centre and a few more in guest relations positions. That was not all!

BEAT Coordinator Christine Lee giving her speech at AirAsia's Press press conference at LCCT-KLIA
BEAT Coordinator Christine Lee giving her speech at AirAsia’s Press press conference at LCCT-KLIA.
Photo by Wuan.

Dato’ Fernandes has allocated space on the skin of AirAsia’s newest plane, the 50th in the fleet that we had the privilege to see yesterday, to prominently promote BEAT’s and disabled persons’ cause like what is being done with Manchester United and the Williams F1 Team both of which AirAsia is sponsoring. That is not all yet! He has also requested from BEAT a tagline, quote or slogan for the message to be carried by Rooney and Ronaldo, both players of Manchester United. How cool can that be?

Dato' Tony Fernandes posing with BEAT members applauding AirAsia for resolving issues faced by disabled passengers
Dato’ Tony Fernandes posing with BEAT members applauding AirAsia
for resolving issues faced by disabled passengers.
Photo by Wuan.

I was a skeptic – still a little skeptical until I see the ambulifts and fly with AirAsia – but I have to give it to Dato’ Tony for being the only public figure in Malaysia who has taken the problems faced by disabled persons seriously and openly addressed it immediately. He has set a standard for all other corporations and the government to follow in making Malaysia an inclusive society. I like most his attitude when he said to take a negative and turn it into something positive.

An ambulift similar to the one that AirAsia has purchased parked beside the newest aircraft in the fleet at LCCT-KLIA
An ambulift similar to the one that AirAsia has purchased parked beside
the newest aircraft in the fleet at LCCT-KLIA.
Photo by Wuan.

Syabas Dato’ Fernandes; Syabas AirAsia; and most of all Syabas to my fellow advocates in BEAT, especially Christine and Ragu for making this happen. The journey may still be long but this success with AirAsia has shown us all that with the right attitude, anything is possible and the sky may not even be the limit.

More photos:

Ambulift docking beside AirAsia's newest Airbus 320
Ambulift docking beside AirAsia’s newest Airbus 320.
Photo by Wuan.

BEAT members watching a demonstration of the ambulift at LCCT-KLIA
BEAT members watching a demonstration of the ambulift at LCCT-KLIA.
Photo by Wuan.

BEAT members testing out the ambulift at LCCT-KLIA
BEAT members testing out the ambulift at LCCT-KLIA.
Photo by Wuan.

Peter Tan tranferring from plane seat to the aisle chair
Peter Tan tranferring from plane seat to the aisle chair. Holding the
chair from behind is AirAsia Executive Vice President Bo Lingam.
Photo by Wuan.

Peter Tan trying to get into the toilet in AirAsia's Airbus 320
Peter Tan trying to get into the toilet in AirAsia’s Airbus 320.
Photo by Wuan.

AirAsia's boarding stairs at LCCT-KLIA
AirAsia’s boarding stairs at LCCT-KLIA.
Photo by Wuan.

Read also:
AirAsia Still Practices Discrimination Against Disabled People
AirAsia, BEAT And What Disabled People Really Need

AirAsia’s Dato’ Tony Fernandes Promises To Resolve Problems Faced By Disabled Persons

The Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group (BEAT) met with AirAsia Group Chief Executive Office Dato’ Tony Fernandes this morning. 16 representatives from various NGOs attended the meeting that resulted from the protest at LCCT-KLIA. From the word go, Datuk Fernandes informed us of his airline’s plans to remove many of the barriers and conditions that are preventing disabled persons from flying with AirAsia.

Group photo of BEAT members with AirAsia GCEO Dato' Tony Fernandes
Group photo of BEAT members with AirAsia GCEO Dato’ Tony Fernandes.

For starters, AirAsia has agreed to purchase 2 ambulifts – one for LCCT-KLIA and the other for Kota Kinabalu Airport. No charges will be imposed for the use of the ambulifts. All aircrafts will be equipped with aisle chairs. Toilets will be equipped with handle bars for people who need to use it.

AirAsia GCEO Dato' Tony Fernandes presenting the cap to BEAT Coordinator Christine Lee
AirAsia GCEO Dato’ Tony Fernandes presenting the cap to BEAT Coordinator Christine Lee.

Representatives from BEAT were invited to sit in an advisory panel within AirAsia to give recommendations on issues relating to the handling of disabled passengers and acquisitions of equipment for such purposes, and also to provide training for airline staff assisting disabled persons.

The cap that AirAsia GCEO Dato' Tony Fernandes sealed his commitment to resolved issue brought forward by BEAT
The cap that AirAsia GCEO Dato’ Tony Fernandes sealed his commitment to
resolve issue brought forward by BEAT.

Overall, BEAT members were optimistic that we will be able to see changes in how AirAsia deals with disabled persons soon. I played the devil’s advocate and told Dato’ Fernandes that I was sceptical and is still sceptical if issues will be resolved soon until I see the end results.

Assistant BEAT Coordinator Peter Tan with AirAsia GCEO Datuk Tony Fernandes
Assistant BEAT Coordinator Peter Tan with AirAsia GCEO Dato’ Tony Fernandes.

This was because of the bad experiences with RapidKL who made promises that were never delivered and also the empty assurances given by various ministers to resolve the issues that we are facing. Nevertheless, his sincerity in coming to meet us personally was a first positive step.

AirAsia GCEO Dato' Tony Fernandes poses sportingly with Grace holding one of the banners that was used during the protest at LCCT-KLIA
Dato’ Tony Fernandes poses sportingly with Grace holding one of the banners
that was used during the protest at LCCT-KLIA.

To show his personal commitment that he will work towards sorting out the problems that disabled persons are facing with AirAsia, Dato’ Fernandes autographed the cap that he was wearing and presented it to BEAT Coordinator Christine Lee. The meeting ended in a jovial note. BEAT looks forward to seeing Dato’ Fernandes fulfilling all the promises that he made to us this morning.

Read also:
AirAsia Still Practices Discrimination Against Disabled People
AirAsia, BEAT And What Disabled People Really Need

Bernama – July 16, 2007: Govt Orders AirAsia, Malaysia Airports To Facilitate Disabled

Govt Orders AirAsia, Malaysia Airports To Facilitate Disabled

SEPANG, July 16 (Bernama) — Upset with the difficulties faced by the disabled at the Low Cost Carrier Terminal (LCCT) here, Transport Minister Datuk Seri Chan Kong Choy today ordered Malaysia Airports Holdings Bhd and AirAsia Bhd to sort out the matter.

“I am unhappy with this. I want to see solutions,” he told reporters after launching AirAsia’s Kuala Lumpur-Shenzen service here.

Chan said the government felt strongly that some kind of assistance should be given for the disabled to facilitate their travel via LCCT.

“We would like to see AirAsia and Malaysia Airports sit down quickly and sort out the necessary facilitation,” he said.

AirAsia chief executive officer Datuk Tony Fernandes, who was with Chan, denied that the low cost airline turned away wheelchair bound passengers.

In fact, he said, the airline’s ground staff take the disabled to the aircraft and physically carry them onboard.

“We do not even charge for this service and there is certainly no discrimination against them,” he claimed.

But he pointed out that AirAsia cannot cater to those with total immobility as the airline does not have the right facilities for them including the right kind of toilets that a full service airline could provide, wider aisles and detachable seats.

He said the physical limitations of AirAsia aircraft make it near impossible for the airline to cater to those who are totally immobile.

“As a low cost carrier we cannot do that as this will require us to change the whole plane,” he said.

Fernandes said the airline is trying to work out a solution with Malaysia Airports to provide an `ambulift’ that will cost RM1 million.

“But at the moment, we are still arguing with them about charges on use of this terminal compared to the facilities that the Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) has,” he said.

Unless Malaysia Airports reduces its charges on AirAsia, Fernandes said the lesser-equipped LCCT will not have an ambulift of its own and AirAsia staff will continue carrying these passengers.

“MAS charges totally immobile passengers three seats and have wide-bodied aircraft that can move them easily. We don’t (do that),” he said.

Asked if the only option for this group is full service airlines, he said: “We cannot cater to everyone, but we try to”.

“It breaks my heart to read ‘Now Everyone Can Fly, but not everyone’. But we also have to be real on what we can or can’t do,” he said.

Fernandes said the airline tries to find solutions and has even spoken to Airbus and the engineers to see if it can further facilitate travel for the immobilised, “but it’s near impossible”.

“The last point they (Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group or BEAT) raised was that they don’t think this airport is very friendly for the physically handicapped. I don’t own this airport, ask Malaysia Airports,” he said.

— BERNAMA