AirAsia urges earlier airport arrivals for year-end travel
The airline says monsoon rain could disrupt flights and road journeys, and advises passengers to check flight information before setting out.
AirAsia is advising year-end travellers to build extra time into their plans as passenger numbers rise and bad weather threatens journeys. For international services, it recommends arriving at least three hours ahead of departure; for domestic services, two hours.
In a statement on Nov 2, the airline linked the weather risks to the Northeast Monsoon (MTL), which started on Oct 27. It said lengthy spells of heavy rain were possible, particularly from November to January, with flooding and thunderstorms potentially affecting flights.
AirAsia recommended consulting its website for flight updates 24 hours ahead of departure, followed by another check before starting the airport journey. Rain, flooded roads and congestion could lengthen transfers, it said, suggesting the Express Rail Link (ERL) as an option for reaching KLIA Terminal 2.
Passengers can check themselves in using airasia.com or the AirAsia MOVE app, with the service opening 14 days ahead of departure and closing one hour beforehand. The airline encouraged group-booking passengers to use it too. Kiosks at the airport provide baggage tags for passengers using self-bag drop.
For Malaysian passport holders heading overseas, AirAsia recommended downloading MyNIISe or MyBorderPass before travelling to help with immigration clearance at KLIA Terminal 2. Wheelchair assistance can be booked during reservation or through AirAsia MOVE under 'My Bookings', with at least four hours' notice before departure.
The airline asked passengers to keep booking email addresses and mobile numbers current so operational notices reach them. Anyone facing a flight disruption should consult email updates for applicable self-service arrangements or seek help from its chatbot, Bo. Travellers visiting weather-affected destinations were also advised to consult local forecasts and heed directions from the authorities.
