Malaysia Airlines (MAS) and AirAsia have to review their fares for routes linking Sarawak and Peninsular Malaysia as the current pricing is generating huge profits to the companies at the expense of the people, said Kuching Division Consumers Association president Bujang Ulis.

"MAS fares now are extremely high and AirAsia's is no exception especially during peak seasons, and many people are travelling in the so called low-fare airlines paying more than MAS passengers," he said, adding that most of the victims are desperate people who are in a rush.

Urging both companies to stop hiding behind the abused phrase of "buy earlier to get cheaper fares", Bujang challenged AirAsia and MAS to be transparent on how many seats are actually allocated to the people on such arrangements.

"It is not fair to expect people to do advance bookings all the time before giving them cheaper fares and slaughter them when they are forced to buy tickets last minute as we are all humans who cannot schedule our lives perfectly and are subject to external and natural factors apart from act of god," he stressed.

Senior citizens

At the current price rate, Bujang said the lower income groups perhaps would be made to swim from Kuching to Johor Baharu if they miss the opportunity to buy discounted fares.

"Even the night tourist flights that take off in the wee hours are now charged exorbitantly like the ordinary travelling times," he lamented.

Bujang, however, was grateful that the government has finally instructed MAS to allow senior citizens to buy discounted air tickets at the counter without having to do one week prior bookings.

He demanded AirAsia to follow suit and be more responsible by adopting the internationally acknowledged treatment of giving senior citizen discounted fares.

"There is no point spreading hundreds if not thousands of advertisements on discounted fares when in actual fact, the price extended to the needy people in emergencies is far from reasonable," he said.

Bujang also hoped MAS should consider upgrading former statesmen who have contributed immensely to the country from the economy class to business class in recognition of their contributions.