Cry baby syndrome!

Lady's Bleeding Ear Blamed On Speeding AirAsia Flight

An AirAsia passenger has claimed that she's been left almost deaf in her right ear because a pilot allegedly increased the speed of a flight from Guangzhou to Kuala Lumpur to make up for lost time.

KL florist Wong Chan told Guang Ming Daily she now has only five percent of her hearing in her right ear and blames it on a bumpy flight on the low-cost carrier, which at one point included flying through turbulence.

She said the turbulence caused the passengers, including her husband and her son, to cover their ears to ease the discomfort from the cabin pressure.

She also said the flight on 8th May was delayed 40 minutes, departing China only at 9:30PM but arriving at the LCCT at its original time of 12:55AM on the 9th, which makes her believe the pilot flew the plane faster to catch up on time.

She said the pain in her ear lasted until she got home, and then her ear started to bleed. She told the paper she went to a clinic where she was given antibiotics, but when her condition stayed the same, she turned to a specialist.

"The doctor said my right eardrum was injured under the air pressure and I have to be treated for half a year, to observe whether it will heal by itself. If not, I would have to undergo a surgery to mend it," she said.

On top of the hearing loss, she said it feels as if her ear is always blocked and that it hurts whenever she coughs. She said because of her condition, she's unable to work and has to rely on painkillers and sleeping pills every night.

She said she was told to avoid flying for six months, meaning her travel plans to Bali, Phuket and Taiwan have been grounded. She said her son had bought her tickets as a Mother's Day gift and estimates the loss at around RM1,300. 

"I hope AirAsia can compensate me, be it for my medical bill or the psychological impact caused by the incident," said Wong, 59, adding that she has sought the help of Teratai state assemblywoman Tiew Way Keng because she didn't have any flight insurance.

AirAsia has reportedly confirmed receiving the complaint, and a spokesperson issued a statement saying the airline "welcomes other passengers who face similar situations in the same flight to provide us with details". 

Source: Guang Ming daily

Published: 3rd June 2013