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AirAsia Group CEO Tony Fernandes has apologised over a video showing luggage being mishandled. Photo: The Straits Times/Facebook video

AirAsia CEOs post personal apologies over luggage hurling video

Video showing ramp staff tossing luggage onto a conveyer belt attracted more than 3 million views in two days

Aviation

By Jessica Lin

Rough handling of luggage at airports is not uncommon.

But it is rare that the top honcho of an airline would step forward to personally address a single case of baggage mishandling.

AirAsia’s Group CEO earned some points for personally addressing an online video showing AirAsia ramp staff hurling passengers’ luggage from a conveyor belt.

The 27-second video uploaded on Facebook on March 21 quickly went viral and garnered more than 3.1 million views in two days.

“Thanks AirAsia.. you broke my bike,” Fen Lim, who travelled on flight AK171 from Kaohsiung to Kuala Lumpur, wrote in her post.

In his Facebook post, Tan Sri Tony Fernandes said the airline was taking “full responsibility” for the two men’s actions.

“After meeting all my ramp boys and girls I’m really disappointed,” he added, while also explaining that the airline’s luggage handling is conducted via a joint venture with a company called GTR.

He also assured that the airline’s CEO Riad Asmat would “be in touch and make sure no damage” to the bicycles being handled in the video.

A couple of hours after Fernandes’ statement, CEO for the airline’s Malaysia-based operations Riad posted an apology video via AirAsia’s Facebook page.

“As a cyclist myself, I was pretty disturbed when I saw the actions of our ramp staff.

“Rest assured, we’ve taken action. We are looking into the matter very seriously, and stern action will be taken accordingly,” the 46-year-old said.

He added that AirAsia will be waiving all bicycle transportation fees on its flights.

Lim later thanked Fernandes for taking action to address the matter.

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