Should you have known beforehand? Probably. One should never take advertising at its word. Bargain offers in particular should not be trusted under any circumstances. Because there is always a catch. Either the quality is miserable, there are hidden costs or the offer is only valid during the full moon for left-handers born under the zodiac sign Aries. And that’s only on Tuesdays.
Air Asia is a low-cost airline based out of Malaysia. The state is large, it is mainly divided between the Malay Peninsula and the island of Borneo. For example, if you want to travel from the capital Kuala Lumpur to Tawau, you can hardly avoid flying. Air Asia has been promising for some time that it will make flying affordable for everyone: “For everyone” is the airline’s brand claim. Actually for everyone?
Last week, a plane coming from Kuala Lumpur with the destination Tawau landed in Kuching. That is around 900 kilometers from Tawau – a town that is also becoming more and more relevant for tourists, because from there you can reach the Danum Valley rainforest area, for example. The reason for the early landing: There was a stowaway on board that neither the crew nor the passengers wanted to tolerate.
Now only large spiders with hairy legs probably cause more panic among people than snakes. But why cancel a flight right away? Especially since it is said that you are a transporter “for everyone”? It is a reaction as petty as it is rabbit-footed. Especially since the snake had made itself comfortable in the overhead lighting. Probably because it was nice and warm there and they didn’t keep rousing her there.
The airline pulled off the full program: landing at the earliest opportunity, passengers disembarked, the cabin smoked out and disinfected, the snake – whether dead or alive, was not to be found out – put in front of the door. What kind it is, also remains the secret of Air Asia. The airline is probably too embarrassed to admit that it was a harmless specimen. And the passengers? Hopefully didn’t plan on doing a jungle tour. Even if they get the chills at the sight of a single snake behind Plexiglas.