My Trip to Subang to catch Firefly (the airline)

It started to drizzle as soon as I am leaving my Head Office. That’s around 4.30pm, so early, must be able to catch my 8.00 pm flight on Firefly from Subang la. Go to the Taxi stand in front of my office. Starting to rain heavily now. Bloody hell, no taxi is willing to stop. I ve stand there for about one hour, getting drench, waiving my hand like I am trying to fly.

Shit, if no taxi wants to stop here, why you put a taxi stand in the first place. Decided maybe better to go to somewhere where there will be lots of taxi. Only KL Sentral comes to mind. By now, its already raining cats and dogs. But no choice, have to walk to the nearest LRT station. Getting really wet, carrying my luggage, and with a bad ankle (I sprained it badly the night before), walked almost 1 km to the nearest STAR.

When reach Masjid Jamek, and it is still raining, wanted to make a frantic dash to the Putra station. Shit, they moved the entrance. Resulting in me have to go all the way to the opposite direction. Its already 6 pm by then. Going down into the underground station, have to walk some more. Pity me la, my ankle hurt like hell already. But at least I am now out from the rain. As usual, during rush hour time, LRT is packed. Squeezed into the train. Don’t care already, late liau loh.

Reach KL Sentral, try to find the Taxi Terminal. Have to walk somemore. Saw a long queue outside already. In KL Sentral have to buy taxi coupon one, so go to the counter. Two notices had been put up “No Taxi Availabe, Have to wait for 15-45minutes”. The girl inside warned me that I might have to wait one hour. I ask her, if purchased, can I get refund if I don’t take taxi ah. Cannot. Now it is 6.15 already. Stupid Taxi, no wonder I never support their request for fare hike. If have to wait 1 hour, trip to Subang might take another 1 hour due to rush hour and rain somemore, I will miss my flight leh.

Saw a Airasia sales office there just now when on my way to the Taxi terminal. Ask whether still got flight to Penang or not later. Fully booked! Why so many people want to come Penang. No choice already, has to risk to Subang. Buy a taxi coupon. Queue there is around 10 people ahead of me. But rain is stopping. Time on my taxi coupon is 6.28pm. Luckily 5 minutes later my taxi arrived. One and half hour, got confident can make it.

Initially ride is smooth. Then when going into Federal Highway, bumper to bumper. I can only sit there looking at the Taxi’s clock as minutes passed by. By 7.30pm still trap in jam. Desperate already, still haven’t seen any signboard pointing to Subang Airport. Passed a toll. Worst still. Traffic langsung not moving. The taxi driver cursed Government for stupid planning. I also curse together in my heart. Pay toll to get stuck in traffic!! Marvelous.

7.40pm Take out my Firefly confirmation printout, want to see got phone number or not, want to try ask them to delay the flight. Try mah, nothing to loss. Suddenly realize my flight 8.50 who! At last, luck is on my side. After being in the jam till 7.55 traffic start to move.

Reach Subang Airport around 8.10. Cant recall whether I have been to Terminal 3 Subang. The place is practically deserted. But still got a row of taxis waiting. All shops inside are closed. Only saw three of four people hanging around. But have to walk somemore. My ankle still hurts. Go to check in counter, they issue me boarding pass. HAND WRITTEN one somemore. Only those boarding my flight are there. Around 20 of us. The plane is already there. Those on earlier flight is disembarking. The place is deserted. Toilet also cannot run down. I knowlah unfair to compare to KLIA but I saw cockroach leh!! (Most beautiful airport toilet still at Senai). Some lighthing also missing already. Saw another light aircraft and a private jet only.

Board the plane. Sitting near middle of the Fokker. When the place takes corner, the airplane’s body move. Stewardess definitely more cheerful than Airasia’s. Furthermore now the Firefly stewardess get to wear glamorous uniform, compared to only T-shirt and jeans when I flew with them for the first time. The old uniform makes them look like Indon maid only. Now got class a bit. Still the menu they have is still the photostat black and white one. Just like last time. But now the spelling correct for Teh already, last time it’s ‘THE’. The flight is ok, no complain.

Reach Penang 20 minutes earlier, but the long taxiing to the terminal resulted in we reaching inside terminal at 9.40pm

The things I do to save for my company. If I bought MAS, then no need to worry, no need to get wet, and can shopping for chocolate somemore. Next time I will think really hard to fly from Subang especially if I have to beat the rushhour.

Updates 16Nov07, somebody told me that its not the Federal Highway I am using. Federal Highway no need to pay toll. I thought Federal Highway because I saw a number of roadsigns stating Federal Highway. So the cab must used the other route which passes Eastin Hotel and Damansara Utama.