Privileges of MAS staff

One of the best thing about working in the aviation industry is getting cheap air tickets. I'm sure many of you have heard of such things b4? Indeed it's true that we get these great discounts, but it's only applicable to Licence Aircraft Engineers, Pilots, cabin crews and the higher management staff. It doesn't mean that as long as u are working in the airport or under MAS, u'll be getting the privilege. If so, then all cleaners or security guards in the country would be working in the airport then! hahaha...

Besides getting the special rates, i'm eligible for 1 free ticket annually to any part of the world where MAS flights reaches. And the same goes to 3 or 4 direct family members of mine.

The discounted rate goes something like this. However i'm not really sure and cannot confirm the exact percentage, but this is the approximate.

work >5 years - pay only 20%
work >10 years - pay only 15%
work >15 years - pay only 10%

Nothing lower than 10%.

So, let's say after working for 15 years, and i buy a round trip ticket (to and fro) to London, which will cost around RM4000, I would only be paying RM400? Now does that sound good? =P And all my 'direct' family members are eligible of getting this rate. What i mean 'direct' here is my father, mother, and siblings, that's all. NO grandpa grandma uncle auntie cousin. And IF i get married, then only my wife and my kids will get the special rate. hahaha... and therefore my mum has been scolding and warning and lecturing me.

Mum : "i'm telling u, next time u better not marry so early!"
Me : "why la? why suddenly talk about marriage? i dun even have a gf."
Mum : "After u get married, then I won't have free tickets already. Then you only sayang your wife, no more sayang your mother"
Me : "Aiyooo meeee, why u so worried la!"
Mum : "You see auntie Chan(my neighbour), the son only graduated 1 year(he's with MAS too), and after 1 free trip, he got married, auntie Chan so sad and geram."

*falls to the floor and laugh...

My mum my mum.... hahaha! Parents are like that i guess? but i told her not to worry so much, even though i get married, I'll still grant her wish to go anywhere she wants. Any 7 continents of the world also can. She had a smile on her face later on.

HOWEVER there is the cons behind the discounted rate. All tickets purchased with the special rate are standby tickets. Which means the tickets are not confirmed. You have to reach the airport early and tell the check in counter your status. Then, 30 minutes b4 take off, IF AND ONLY IF there's empty seats on the plane, then only i'll be allowed to board the flight. So, this the the major disadvantage.

This case happened to my roommate yesterday. He was in Kota Kinabalu with his family, taking the special rate tickets. So they reached KKIA around 1pm, and requested for standy ticket at the counter. Waited and waited and waited... till 7pm(the last flight, there were many flights between 1-7pm) , still there were no empty seats for them to board the plane. Well, they couldn't do anything, but to wait till today's earliest flight at 5am back to Kuala Lumpur. (they ended up in the airport hotel the whole night)

See.... it's not as good as it seems ya? especially if u have an emergency and need to be punctual. As for the 1 free ticket anually, ahhhh that's a confirmed ticket. hahah just 1 ticket confirmed a year. I guess the reason behind the standby ticket is because passengers pay such high amount for the ticket, so they would rather earn more from them than to rugi to their own staff, haha!

If u have anything u wanna know about aviation, do leave your queries to me.

ANYONE WANTS TO MARRY ME? =P