What was meant to be a joyful New Year reunion almost turned into a travel nightmare for a Malaysian passenger at Kota Kinabalu International Airport (KKIA), after a third-party flight booking issue caused a failed check-in and a missed boarding window.
Image credit: Murray Leo Graham (Facebook) and Brett Sayles (Pexel)
Online check-in fails hours before departure
The traveller had purchased a Batik Air ticket from Kota Kinabalu to Sandakan via third-party platform Airpaz at around 8am. The flight, OD1736, was scheduled to depart at 1.20pm — a direct and early option chosen so the traveller could spend New Year’s Day with family.
However, despite receiving a booking confirmation, the online check-in attempt at 9.30am failed. The system indicated that manual processing was required, triggering immediate concern.
Rush to airport ends in disappointment at counter
With time ticking away, the traveller rushed to the airport but was delayed by traffic. By the time he reached the check-in counter, it was just 10 minutes past the cut-off time.
That short delay proved costly. The check-in counter rejected the passenger, the ticket was voided, and boarding was denied. When questioned, staff explained that because the ticket was purchased via a third-party platform, the issue fell outside the airline’s direct responsibility.
“Why must the passenger pay for a system failure?”
According to the post, the traveller questioned why the burden of a technical failure had to fall on the customer, especially when the travel timeline was otherwise reasonable.
Rather than escalating the situation emotionally, the traveller chose to seek clarification — not a refund — and headed to Batik Air’s inquiry counter on the airport’s second floor.
At the inquiry counter, Batik Air staff member Mr Kamarul explained calmly that such issues were not uncommon with third-party bookings due to system integration delays. Initially, he informed the traveller that boarding was no longer possible as the flight was close to departure.
Moments later, however, the situation took an unexpected turn.
Staff member worked miracles when all seemed lost
Just as the traveller turned to leave, Mr Kamarul hailed him down and offered a last-minute solution. Through manual processing, he cleared the passenger to board the flight, personally escorting them through manual scanning, issuing a handwritten ticket, arranging luggage handling, and guiding them to the gate.
The traveller later apologised to airport staff for the inconvenience and thanked everyone involved for their patience during the last-minute scramble.
A Cautionary Tale for Travellers
The experience ended with a clear warning to other travellers: whenever possible, book flights and complete check-in directly through the airline’s official website or app. If third-party platforms are used, passengers should double-check check-in procedures early to avoid last-minute surprises.
The traveller also called on Batik Air to address system integration issues with third-party ticketing providers, stressing that customers should not suffer the consequences of technical failures beyond their control.
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