April 9 2011 Stansted (UK) to Kuala Lumpur, AirAsia X

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Drove to Stansted Long Stay Car Park. Pre-booked ticket didn’t work. The car park people said via intercom that they couldn’t download details for our paid-up information. She said when we leave, we should go to the cashier and show them our paid-up voucher, so that we can exit without paying.

We were very early before AA check-in opens. We had special all day breakst at Ponti’s. We tried the baggage weighing machine, paid 50p to weigh our larger luggage, 18,6kg. Relieve, when I paid for 20kg.

Scheduled check-in should open at 1425. We found out check-in area at about 1435. Went there at discovered almost everybody had queued up. Difficult to find the baggage drop counter but eventually found it. Alboust 15 people already in the queue, and after about 10 minutes, about another 20 people behind us.

AA was strict with baggage allowance. Check-in procedure was very slow, not sure why, but we guessed it’s mostly to do with people asking for pre-booked meals, comfy kits etc.. And also staff dealing with excess baggage. In the baggage drop queue, 1 in 3 people did not finish checking in; instead they opened their luggages and took stuff out to their cabin luggage, put in to a friend’s luggage, or somehow reduce the baggage weight. A lady was at the for a very long time, eventually the staff called somebody on the phone. And then the passenger (customer) walked away pretty swiftly without her luggage, presumably her baggage checked in and she was happy enough. Perhaps she had to pay excess fees, or some higher authority allowed her.

There is really not much point in argueing when all is so clear about AA excess baggage. As seen in many forums, if you don’t agree to AA’s policy, don’t use AA.

The 1725 flight was delayed. It was gate 6. After going through security, we had to take a shuttle train to a separate building for departure gates. As our boarding card says there may not be announcement made about boarding, but to check TV screen, it’s not obviously clear what’s the status of our flight. And many people went to the gate toask the staff, and at different times people started queueing up. Athough our seats were near the rear of the airfract, from previous experience, I prefer to board as soon as I can when my turn come, so that the overhead luggage compartment is not taken up by people from other seats (and then I have to use compartments above other peoples’ seats)

As AA says boarding closes an hour before flight, people became a bit agitated by about 1610 when there was no sign of boarding, or staff being seen to be ready. So several queues and ‘congregations’ became to form round the ‘gate’ that was not more than a 6m square office around when one end is the pair of ‘gates’ and the other end is the stairs and escalators going down.

At about 1700, a flight arrived nearest to what turned out to be gate 6. So this would be our aircraft. At this point, we thought we should join the queue, based on previous experience of boarding AA, that we should make our presence felt and be pro-active. At about 1705, the air crew that were also congregating at the gate entrance were allowed in. I wasn’t sure at this point where the plane was; but at least I know the air crew had some plane to go to, or at least they didn’t want to stay in the gate any longer for something better to do!

At about 1715, what seems like the first announcement from the staff (I can’t recall, but this seems to be the first announcement anyway) said that due to the fact that one of the air crew (the impression was ‘one’ but I didn’t she didn’t actually say how many) failed security clearance, and so they had to wait 10 minutes. We assumed it was one of the air crew for our flight – has to be, but who knows, it could be air crew of the previous flight, in relation to the actual aircraft, delaying the air crew of our flight entering the aircraft? We also assumed one of the air crew of our flight (if indeed it is our flight) that was breathalised (sp) as being ‘drunk’, over the limit. We thought maybe this involved calling up a staff on reserve.

At about 1730, a lady member of staff who had been patiently waiting for a good half an hour got a phone call and immediately sprang into 6th gear with registrating a passenger, who turned out to be the lady on a wheelchair to her proxmity, and then swiftly, 6th gear in readiness but not necessarily pace, accompanied (pushed) the lady passenger away, presumably to the lift and then to access the aircraft. I didn’t turn to see where they went but kept my eyes fixed on the gate staff; I am sure the lady passenger had been well taken (pushed) of.

Within about 1 minute, gate staff announced boarding of family with children, passengers who required assistance and all the usual stuff for priority boarding (including those who bought their priority rights). Maintaining civility, some family men and women without children accompaniment moved slowly to the gate too and staff mechanically let them through. We made that observation and didn’t want to lose the plot ourselves, so we let those around us usher us forward. My partner got through; just as the staff checked my partner’s document, the staff asked out loud (as they do talking to each other at this point, rather than being sarcastic, at least to my impression, or perhaps I was already in thick-skin or don’t-speak-the-language-now mode) are we still at premium boarding. I don’t remember if she did say ‘premium boarding’, but basically should they allow non-prioirty people on now. Another staff answered, yes, we are in premium boarding, while the first member of staff had me in front of her, and she then said I can’t proceed. My partner had gone through, and she was ignored by the gate staff. I mutter “one got away” to those around me, and they stayed motionless, speechless. Not that they were in awe, but it was those ‘too bad’ moment. I don’t think I spoilt the party.

Then, we realised noone was coming forward. Almost 20 seconds later, they announced the next group of passengers, those seated between this and that row can board. So I went back to the spot, and lady stayed where she was, I was legitimate by my row, even my rank, and she gave me a momentarily look and said “it’s alright”. Another occasion when I didn’t look back, headed down the escalators, and my partner was alone waiting for me.

When we got to our seats, hurray, only one lady was already seated – she was one who was led in much earlier on. In fact, just before we landed in Kuala Lumpur, an air crew led her right to the front of the aircraft. Not sure why, she didn’t look like she was deaf or had mobility problem, or medical concerns; perhaps she couldn’t cope with crowds, of close proximity. Anyway, we put our cabin bags to the compartments; the air steward said put it to the central compartment which had more space. See, when you are early, you have the luxury of where to put your staff. The staff told me to my stuff there, above other peoples’ heads.

Aircraft began moving at about 1750. Our flight delayed 25 minutes.

As reported by others, AA stewards rarely show themselves in the cabin when it is not ‘required’. In other words, they don’t come looking for problems (customers concern). Another observation is that they don’t enforce the “no other food on board” policy, and the captain / chief steward made this annnouncement once. Most passengers were drinking apparently, deliberately, in a non-AA manner with all sorts of branded and non-branded stuff. The family seated in front of us were eating blatantly out of third-party crisps, flapjacks, fresh fruits, mineral water and etc., with all evidence of packages lying around them.

Food was served about 1.5 hour into the flight. There was a period of air stewards inactivity and we wondered if we were supposed to sleep. Then the crew pushed their trolley out, which turned out to be serving the meals, and then an announement came on to say meals were being served, please get your boarding pass ready to “verify” your pre-booked meals. They checked your pass, and then crossed the relavent label out. Then gave you your meal. Our label “A” was crossed out, so presumably this means Asian meal. That’s meal from “Asia”, not “Asian” in British lingual which refers to India sub-continent.

The rest of the journey was extremely uneventful. Is this how the first inter-continental travels look and feel like? Nothing more than sitting in the plane and waiting to reach your destination. No movies or music to be entertained by, nor games to play. The seats don’t even have headphone jacks. While no power plugs were seen anywhere in ‘economy’ class, something that perhaps predates late 1990s, we were comforted by the duty-free trolley about 2 hours before landing. Yes, we are in 21st century, though further reassurance by purchasing these good was not necessary.

We had been wondering, whether we would be served another meal before landing, since we would have been on board for 13 hours by the time we reach the destination. Two hours before landing, an announcement came on to say that it’s time to “verify” our boarding pass meal labels. We were served the same food, exactly the same, Asian food, nothing near to India sub-continent which is fine as this is what it says on the tin in the rest of the world apart from Britain. By this time, the family seated in front of us probably came to the end of their will, and paid for what the air steward said “bagged tea” (or should it be “bag tea”). Multitasking between letting the plastic cutlery out of the transparent bag, and listening to their requests but without taking any interest whatsoever, I did not see what bag/bagged tea was served. But I thought what other tea choices could there be? What could be “bagless” tea? Surely Indian tea (tea from India, why did the British on this topic not refer this to Asian tea?) is bagged. Would they serve tea-leaves tea like Chinese and Japanese teas? I convinced myself of that without taking any evidence, and by then overpowered by the smell of my Asian meal. On AA online booking, this is “Malaysian meal”. So the label should be corrected. To what? There is already an “M” label, not sure what that refers to. So we are left at the moment with A for Asian.

Oh, it's now 10th April

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