JOY OF SHORT PUASA ON A LONG HAUL CX880

Its 2.00pm Monday afternoon 15th September '08 and the typhoon is brewing in the air at KLIA Departure Terminal. I confronted a MAS officer on my flight MH094 with my boarding pass and printed travel itinerary. They now looked bewildered and loss for words. After some serious arguing with MAS Airport people on my being left behind MAS Flight 094 rescheduled 12.30pm flight to Los Angeles International Airport (LAX) via Taipei on the 15th September 2008. I stood my ground and they could not find answers to my having a boarding pass, thus my name on their system and was not contacted and accounted for.

A few officers later, they agreed to put me the next available 6.40pm flight MH074 to Hong Kong and drew me a skimpy itinerary on computer print out. I was put on a connecting flight Cathay Pacific CX880 from Hong Kong - LAX. I thought i was on may way and the worst was over. The flight KL - HKG was uneventful except the ever curious Hong Kong girl next to me and for the kind attention of MAS stewardeses when knowing that you are going a long haul trip on Cathay and fasting. I was given extra 'kurma' and 'bekal' from MAS for my Cathay trip. I does help to pacify a bit the the typhoon category4 to categrory 1 in me. Hey! MAS your international flight crew saved the day for your airport ground staff blunder!.

CX 880 was a 12 hour flight mostly through the night, thus enable me to eat and refereshed during this Ramadhan trip. I had the shortest 'puasa' aboard the flight when 'fajr' or sunrise was around the International Date Line over the Pacific and 5 hours later began landing in LA at around 9.30pm local time Monday 15th. thus my shortest puasa 'breakfast' or berbuka.

The joy of flying ended immediately upon landing and face the American Immigration, where your photo and finger print taken and everything else goes through the scanners - bags, laptops, handphones, shoes, and belts . It gave you the impression of the high 'sense of insecurity' that thay havein the US.....that triggered my next Nightmare!



hamid
alor setar