Airasia Lcct

This evening we were at lcct to send off our daughter and nieces to melbourne. It is our daughter's first flight to melbourne. We expected pandemonium with the announcement by airasia that they are going manual for 3 days due to their computer upgrade. So we got there 4 hours ahead of departure time.

When we went to the check in counter to queue, a non uniform airasia personnel came to inform us that the counter will only open 3 hours before departure and that we don't have to stand in queue so early and he assured us that the manual system is working smoothly.

So we went to McDonalds to hang out. Sadly the airconditioning at lcct didn't seem to be fully functioning. We checked out Chocolate Lounge and all the way down to the Old Town Coffee but everywhere it was warm and humid. Why is the lcct air conditioning not working properly eventhough the terminal seems to be doing well with a lot of passengers and with many shops opening up.

Then it was time to queue up for checking in. For one flight to melbourne, airasia had opened up like 6 counters and while we were waiting they opened up one more. Amazingly, the queue moved faster than on normal days. Eventhough everything was done manually, and the airasia staff had to check through a physical list of passengers to tick off the names of the list and then paste a sticker onto a manual list the staff was very polite and appeared focused on the job. The ticket was printed off by one staff who then calls out the name to the staff at the counter. Checking in was a pleasant and smooth experience. We were impressed with airasia's staff appearing to be well trained and coordinated and its ability to deliver good service eventhough their computer system was down. That was impressive and the kids also made the same observation.

After checking in we had 1.5 hours of waiting before the girls went in to the departure lounge. So we decided to take our chances with Chocolate Lounge. It did get very marginally cooler after we sat for 15 minutes or so and had a cold drink. But it did still leave a lot to be desired in terms of the airconditioning. Could the lcct terminal ever be better? It is sad that 27 years after I first boarded a flight to melbourne departing from kuching I still can't say now that we have anything to show when we a flight is taken from the lcct. Why can't the klia be used until a proper terminal is built for lowcost aircrafts. I just can't get over the makeshift feeling of the lcct terminal. And I can't help feeling why airasia's passengers need to be so badly treated in Kuala Lumpur by Malaysia Airports. Only in Kuala Lumpur. When we arrive or depart from any other destination besides kuala lumpur using airasia, the airport facilities are satisfactory and of a much better standard than lcct. It saddens me each time I am at lcct. Airport terminal is the pride of the country and the first impression a traveller gets. I thought that was the explanation for spending so much money on klia. But why leave so many travellers in the discomfort of a terminal like the lcct. I feel disgraced to be host at such a terminal. I was prouder of our small kuching airport then 27 years ago.