I wish to congratulate AirAsia (AA) for having achieved a record of sorts on Dec 5 by changing its Johor Baru-Penang flight time six times within a day. Truly, in all my years of traveling I have never been treated to such an unique experience by an airline.

I had, through a friend, booked online on Nov 1 a ticket with AA for a JB-Penang flight on Dec 5. Initial information through the airline's e-mail had indicated that the flight on that day was scheduled at 3.25pm.

On Nov 23, AA phoned to inform that the flight was changed to 10.35am. Then, on the morning of Dec 5, my friend called me from KL informing me that she had received an SMS from AA saying that the flight had been postponed to 1.35pm.

All packed up and ready to go to the Senai Airport, I received another SMS from my friend again which said that the flight had been rescheduled to 3.30pm. Just as I was about to leave for the airport, I received news that the flight was 're-timed' yet again to 6.35pm.

I was very impressed by the SMS service of AirAsia. My heart went out to those who did not have handphones. How would they get to know of the changes, I wondered.

On reaching the AirAsia counter, I was informed by their nervously-smiling staff that the 6.35pm flight had been retimed to 8.30pm.

The official story was that one of their planes was 'grounded'. They had to buy a spare part from overseas (spare us the excuses, please). The part had to be flown in through Singapore. There was an unexpected delay at the Customs (how convenient) and of course, the standard 'We apologise for the inconvenience caused'.

"What about other planes? You mean to say that AirAsia has only one plane? If you can't even handle the local flights then don't talk about expanding overseas. Please tell your boss this!" a lady roared at 'Raj' at the counter.

"I have had to return to the airport four times today and now you tell me the flight is delayed again?! Is AirAsia going to pay for my petrol? What about those who have nowhere to go and who have been here as early as 8am to catch the supposed 10.30am flight?" another raged at Raj.

I met Singaporeans who shared that they were at the airport since early morning. Some had left Singapore as early as 5.30am that morning to avoid possible jams at the Causeway and to be early for the supposed 10.30am flight.

The AA manager at the Senai Airport, a Mr Lee, who had so 'selflessly' hid behind the scenes and allowed his staff to receive the 'accolades', agreed to provide the passengers dinner (which turned out to be a box of mee goreng) after we had given him an education on the norm of who provides the food.

Then all of a sudden, the flight schedules board and the TV monitor screens at the airport showed that the 8.30pm flight was re-timed to 10.05pm - the fifth change of the day, no less. Lee, who was stumped, and who struggled and stuttered to explain, told everyone that he was very sure that there will be a plane and we will be able to leave at 10.05pm.

"Just as you were very sure of the 10.35am, 1.35pm, 3.30pm, 6.35pm and 8.30pm flights? And what if the plane does not arrive and we do not leave at 10.05pm, what are your contingency plans?" I asked.

It was very obvious he had none. There was no PR personnel to give an update. There was no crisis management team even though it was very clear that AA had a crisis in their hands. Every AA flight on that day had been re-timed - the latest (or earliest?) - a JB-KL flight at 4.25am!

Children cried. Adults cursed. Lee crawled quietly back to his office downstairs. At times we had to go downstairs to force him to call KL to find out what was happening. Every red-black uniformed staff of AA cringed when passengers approached them.

There was no flight at 10.05pm.

We were told that it was re-timed to 11.20pm. Everyone had only the energy left to make a vow never ever to travel by AirAsia.

Finally, at 11.20pm, we took-off. When we reached Penang International Airport, there was a long line of very angry people waiting to board the plane.

I approached a steward and told him to tell his boss that what had happened and the manner in which AirAsia had handled flight AK630 was indeed very shameful. The people around rushed in to add in their comments to the steward.

AirAsia lost many clients that day.