AFP file photo for illustration purposes.
BINTULU (April 18): Costly flight fares during festive seasons have been described as burdensome and merely taking advantage of the people, according to some university students who are not able to return to their hometown this Hari Raya Aidilfiltri.
Muhammad Azli Yusof Nor Azman
Muhammad Azli Yusof Nor Azman, 21, who hails from Kuala Terengganu and currently studying at Universiti Putra Malaysia Bintulu (UPM) Bintulu campus, is one of the affected students.
“The increased flight fares during festive season is very inappropriate and is considered as taking advantage as most people want to return home for Hari Raya,” he said.
He added the most affected group would be students whose families fall under the B40 category.
Citing the price of a flight ticket from Bintulu Airport to Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) which has now reached close to RM2,000, Muhammad Azli said he has decided not to return home for the celebration.
He suggested the relevant parties look into the matter and for domestic airlines to review the pricing of tickets.
“It has been almost two years since we could return to our hometown to celebrate Hari Raya due to the Movement Control Order in 2020 and of course, it feels so sad to not be with my parents and family,” said Muhammad Azli, a second semester undergraduate of Bachelor of Science in Industrial Chemistry.
Mirrah Fasihah Rahim
Mirrah Fasihah Rahim, 21, who hails from Kluang, Johor described the price increase during festive season as normal due to the concept of ‘supply and demand’, but opined that university and higher learning institutions (IPT) students should be given special rates.
“University and IPT students should be given discounted student rates, and I believe the most affected group would be those from the B40,” said Mirrah, who is majoring in Bachelor of Human Development Science.
“What is the fate of those B40 students if no initiative is taken?” she asked, adding that these students also have families who are waiting for their return after two years of not being able to celebrate Aidilfitri together.
Mirrah also questioned the rationale of the sudden increased in flight fares this time around, claiming the fares were comparatively cheaper during the previous Chinese New Year celebration.
“My hope is that the government or airlines will come up with the necessary effective ways to help ease the burden of students. As students, we do not ask for free tickets. We only ask for justifiable affordable price.”
Although Mirrah was able to return home for the celebration this year, most of her university mates from the peninsula, however, could not return to their villages due to expensive flight tickets.
Adika Rahmat Kadondoig
For 22-year-old UPM Student Representative Council member Adika Rahmat Kadondoig from Sandakan, Sabah, he viewed the hike in flight tickets prices as extremely burdensome.
From his own experience, he would normally pay less than RM200 for a one-way flight from Sarawak to Sabah but for this time around, it cost him almost RM900.
Adika, who is in the Semester 4 of Bachelor of Bioindustrial Science, applauded the government’s move to allow Aidilfitri to be celebrated as the nation has transitioned itself into the endemic phase.
“Everyone, especially the students who are far from home would not want to miss this opportunity to return and meet their family,” he said, adding that he could foresee most students who had earlier purchased the expensive flight tickets to face more financial issues when they return to campus.
“These students who return home on expensive flight fares would later be broke and have to cut their expenses when they return to campus.”
Vennesa Anne Brown
Meanwhile, Vennesa Anne Brown, 19, from Kuching said the increase in flight tickets ahead of the festival was rather worrying and burdensome for students who do not have source of income and are completely dependent on their parents.
“I hope the government, airlines and relevant agencies will re-evaluate this,” said the undergraduate majoring in Animal Health and Livestock.
For the upcoming Gawai Dayak celebration, she said she had already bought a flight ticket to Bintulu two months in advance, which she believed would be considerably cheaper compared to buying a ticket less than a month or days before the celebration.
from Borneo Post Online https://bit.ly/38LzjMv
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