We were at KLIA on the early evening of September 13 to see Ya (Wan Nor Shaheera Wan Hanafi), my niece, off to Cairo for a four year degree course in Arabic language. The 5th floor check-in level was indeed crowded with students and family members sending them off. Ya and the group from Kelantan had flown in earlier from Kota Bahru airport. They came in two batches, by the early and late afternoon flights.
I left the office earlier than normal (with permission) for home to see Ya off. We are to also deliver her excess baggage (by local flight standard) that was sent by bus yesterday. Since Ya came in the early flight, I know she should be panging for rice. I prepared nasi goreng kampung for her and friends. It was around 7 pm by the time we arrived at KLIA. We managed to locate Ya (thanks to mobile phone technology) and get her and friends for early fried rice dinner. They had their picnic on newspapers on the airport floor. The fried rice was thumbs-up and they recommended that I go into the catering business after retirement!
After the 'picnic', we ushered them to the nearby surau for their Maghrib and Isya' jama' prayers. What a crowd. We can literally see people solat one on top on the other. Luckily for me that I performed my ablution at home, else the que would be worse than trying to get a ticket for the local football Premier Cup.
Then the wait begins. It was supposed to be a group check-in, and we waited and waited. As my knees would stand no longer I moved on to be seated and be away from the crowd. I had time to get into the airport bookstore for a copy of Fatini Yaacob's Natrah: In the name of love. So I have a reading material to while away my time.
By then it was 9:30 pm but the group check-in line had not moved much, and that was for a flight that is to take-off at 10:45 pm. It dawn on to us that Cairo is not to be for these kids tonight. Soon the kids were called to assemble at their first meeting place. The truth has to be told. It turned out that the travel agent had delayed making payment to EgyptAir. Poor kids, the excitement were wiped off from their faces. I was in a state of disbelieve. By then the travel agent representatives were no where to be seen (good move, else some relatives would go after them with their pent-up frustration).
Luckily for the kids, the Kelantan Islamic Foundation representatives had by now took charge. We also spied a YB around who is also on the Foundation Board. They managed to secure rooms at KLIA Concorde Hotel for the kids to spend the night while waiting for tomorrow's promised flight. Once things are secured for the kids, we baded Ya and her friends good night, goodbye and good luck and headed for home. What a service from the travel agent. They can rest assured that the business with the Foundation will not be theirs for years to come!!!
Ya and some of her friends finally left for Cairo last night (14 Sept). She called in at about 8:30 pm telling me that once she had checked-in her baggage. Not everybody was lucky. Some of them from the group are made to wait another day for the next available flight.
For better or for worst, this served as a lesson to all concerned.
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