Today, I cut up and returned my AirAsia MasterCard to RHB Bank. And frankly, I am not unhappy I did so.

About four months ago, I received a telephone call from a KL-based telesales agent from RHB Bank who asked me to take out the AirAsia MasterCard. She explained that if I did so, I would earn 10 percent in points for every ringgit I spent purchasing AirAsia tickets using the AirAsia card.

She also explained that I could then translate these points (called AirAsia Ringgit AARMs) into free flights with AirAsia. Thinking that this was very much a part of AirAsia's refreshing avant garde approach towards doing business in Asia, I happily did so. After all, everyone can fly, right?

So, I started spending, using my AirAsia card to purchase my AirAsia flight tickets. I even told all my friends about this fantastic scheme in which one would earn 10 percent of AARMs for every ringgit spent buying AirAsia flights using the AirAsia card. And so what if AirAsia flights were delayed now and again? After all, it's cheap and you get AARMs.

Today, my flight of fancy crashed to earth. And I regret to admit my gullibility at believing all that telesales agents tell you about the schemes their participating banks and AirAsia cook up without my first checking and reading the fine print.

Not that I did not try checking AirAsia points scheme. I did. Indeed, I surfed AirAsia's website looking for AirAsia's explanation about how AARMs are awarded if one purchases AirAsia tickets using the AirAsia credit card.

But I never managed to find any such information. Instead, the only information available is information pertaining to AARMs gained by cardholders if they made purchases from the 'exciting range of merchants that offer the best in dining, beauty, fashion and more!' But nothing on how many AARMs one gains when making AirAsia ticket purchases using the AirAsia card.

Today, I finally realised why there is no such information on the AirAsia webpage. When I called up the RHB Customer Service Centre in Kuching, I was told that AirAsia cardholders only earn five AARMs for every RM1,000 spent buying AirAsia tickets using the AirAsia credit card!

When I expressed my surprise and protested my indignation at this discrepancy, the RHB Bank customer service agent politely informed me that this was AirAsia's method of ensuring that 'not many people can take advantage of their free flights offer'!

Otherwise, if AirAsia truly offered 10 percent in AARMs for every ringgit spent on ticket purchases via its credit card, it would mean that too many Malaysians would happily fly on AirAsia for free since the tickets are already very cheap, she explained.

Thus, the AirAsia offer of only five AARMs for every RM1,000 spent on ticket purchases via the AirAsia card. My only stupefied response to her was, 'Oh, really?'

Today, I cut up and returned my AirAsia MasterCard to RHB Bank.