KUCHING: University students from Sabah and Sarawak eager to resume classes after the Hari Raya Aidilfitri break found themselves stranded as their flights were cancelled following the Mount Ruang volcanic eruption.
Trinity Bungan Tajang was all set at the airport when she found out about her flight from Kuching to Kuala Lumpur had been cancelled.
“After learning my flight had been cancelled today (April 18), I quickly booked a Malindo flight for the next day since there were no other flights available for today.
“However, there is also a chance that flights on the next day will not be operating due to the current condition,” she told the New Sarawak Tribune.
Noting how airlines are not providing affected passengers with any estimated time frame for when flights will resume, Trinity expressed hopes for timely updates and information to be provided by airlines.
“When I went to the Malaysia Airline’s service counter, I was informed that they will assist in getting me on the next available flight or offer me a refund.
“I am hoping for the situation to improve soon so I can return to campus.
“The new semester recently started for us, I am sad that I will have to miss my classes for Arabic and Introduction to Sociology.”
Trinity, who is a final year student at Universiti Utara Malaysia (UUM), said she is thankful that her lecturers are understanding of the current situation.
“The university has always been accommodating to Sarawakian and Sabahan students because they understand it is not easy for us to travel sometimes.
“As such, they try their best to accommodate us by having online classes, giving exemptions, and helping us catch up with our work.”
Meanwhile, Richie George Jr said he was glad that his lecturers are also understanding of the current situation as his flight with AirAsia from Sandakan to Kota Kinabalu was cancelled.
He thanked AirAsia for allowing passengers affected to have the option of rescheduling their flight within 30 days.
“From what I was told by AirAsia staff at the airport, it is very likely that the flights on the next day will be affected as well.
“I am planning to reschedule my flight for next week during the weekday or weekend instead.”
Richie, who is a student at Universiti Malaysia Sabah (UMS), said he is disappointed that he will not be able to attend physical classes on campus.
“Although this situation is unexpected, I am sad that I will be missing out on club meetings and gatherings on campus.
“I am glad that my friends are understanding of my current situation, and they have offered to help me catch up with things I will miss out on.”
As for Deandra Faith Dublin Unting whose flight is scheduled on Sunday (April 21), she is worried that it will be cancelled if the situation does not improve.
“At the moment, my flight is still scheduled to depart on Sunday however the unprecedented flight cancellations today have left me worried that my flight may be cancelled too.
“Hopefully that will not be the case, and everything will clear out by then.”
Deandra, who is a student at Universiti Malaya (UM), said she has yet to inform her lecturers on the possibility of her delayed return to campus.
She said if the situation does not improve within the next few days, she will be missing out on several classes and presentations.
“This will undoubtedly affect my class attendance. Hopefully, my faculty and the university will empathise with the situation and provide replacement classes for students affected by flight cancellation.”
Thus far, Malaysia Airline cancelled 19 flights while AirAsia has cancelled 16 to and from Sabah and Sarawak due to the Mount Ruang volcanic eruption in Indonesia for Thursday (April 18).
At the time of writing, airlines operating routes to and from Sabah and Sarawak have yet to announce whether flights will resume on Friday (April 19).
