Is it true that budget airlines mean being uncaring and unruly? Or is it just AirAsia? I've had a terrible experience with AirAsia's ground service recently when both my sister-in-law's family and mine (nine passengers in total) were on our back to KL from Kuala Terengganu (KT) after holidaying in Redang.

What was supposed to wrap up an excellent holiday in Redang turned out to be a nightmare (thanks to AirAsia's ground service at both KT and the LCCT). We were all exhausted but happy on April 25 when we checked in at the KT airport for our flight AK6337 which was departing at 9.20pm.

As usual, when the call for boarding was made in the departure hall, there was a mad rush to the mentioned gate. Granted, Malaysian generally discard any form of refinement for 'free seating" or when there is a correlation with anything that is remotely linked to the term 'free'.

It was a nightmare just trying to get the children and elderly to the front of the line (as all airlines' boarding procedures entail). It was a full flight and you can imagine a pregnant AirAsia ground staff trying to enforce this ruling onto this unruly crowd of passengers.

My two-year-old daughter, my son and nephew (both 11-years-old) were obviously squeezed up in front of the crowd with quite a number of other children, their mothers, guardians and senior citizens. To my horror, when the aircraft door was finally opened, the crowd at the back started to push their way to the front, with very little effort from AirAsia ground staff to control the crowd.

The inevitable ensued - my nephew was crushed at the front corner near the door with no room to move and was trampled upon by passengers and their luggage in the rush for 'good seating'. He fractured his toe and sprained his ankle.

He was literally carried into the aircraft crying in pain. Fortunately, both my sister and brother-in- law are doctors and could administer the necessary emergency procedure. The crew onboard deserves kudos though for despite the aircraft's first-aid box not being equipped with bandages, they continuously supplied the ice for my nephew (to reduce the swelling and pain) and ingeniously used the triangle sling gauze as bandage.

Due to the unrealistic walking distance between the parked aircraft and the terminal at the LCCT, a wheelchair was arranged for my nephew upon the advice given by the cabin crew. I was very touched by the cabin crew's thoughtfulness.

But wait for the best part - upon wheeling my nephew (by one of the terminal's ground staff) into the terminal, we were presented with a RM12 bill for the use of the wheel chair! I was floored.

When we queried a AirAsia ground staff, he just shrugged his shoulders and said: "We can't do anything. AirAsia has contracted this service to a contractor. You can write in to AirAsia to complain."

I can understand that AirAsia is a budget airline and the LCCT a low-cost terminal, but my understanding of a budget airline it that it is supposed to be a 'no frill' airline not an 'inconsiderate and no compassion' airline. I cannot recall AirAsia propagating a 'don't care, no safety' motto in their marketing strategy. So how did this happen?

Please explain to us if the 'no frills' budget airline that AirAsia is, also translates into 'no ground safety, just make money' airline. This would then be very sad, as AirAsia is a Malaysian entity (albeit, privately owned) and should above all demonstrate the warm hospitality that is quintessence of being Malaysian - budget or not.