For most people, they would either drive or take public transportation to work. But what about getting to the office on a plane on a regular basis?
Meet Racheal Kaur, a woman who’s standing out from the crowd due to her unusual mode of transportation to her workplace in KL from her home in Penang — an airplane.
M’sian woman flies from Penang to KL for work
In an interview with CNA Insider, Racheal shares how she gets to work by taking a flight to the office, a routine which she does five days a week.
At the start of each day, she wakes up at 4am and leaves the house at 5am after she’s dressed for work so that she’s able to board the plane at 5.55am.
Upon boarding the plane, the journey takes approximately 30 to 45 minutes before the aircraft lands at KLIA, where she then makes her way to the office and arrives there no later than 7.45am.
Previously, I rented a house in KL and would only drive back to Penang on the weekends, but I decided to make this change so that I can be with my children more.
“With this arrangement, I’m able to go home everyday and see my children at night and help out with any last minute homework they might have,” she explained.
Although Racheal is an employee of the low-cost airline company AirAsia, she pays for her flights with her own money, where it costs her RM50 daily with her staff discount.
“After work, I’ll pack up and get ready for my flight back to Penang. Usually, I’m able to reach by 7.30pm, but that can get tricky during peak periods or festive seasons as commercial passengers are given the priority.
“While it can be challenging, I’m still able to go home at the end of the day so it’s not a problem for me,” she said.
Able to save on living expenses
Despite Racheal having to pay for her own flights, she shared that her current work arrangement actually allowed her to save on other aspects.
“When I was renting in KL, I was paying RM1,500 in rent every month. But now, I’m only paying for my house mortgage in Penang, which only costs RM1,000.
“As for food, if I were to stay in KL, I would probably spend around RM500-RM600 on a monthly basis. When I’m here (in KL), I only spend on my lunch, which would be RM300 on average.”
Better work efficiency
Aside from saving from her living expenses, Racheal says another reason why she favours flying to work everyday is due to the fact that she can discuss work matters with her colleagues more efficiently.
“Being surrounded by people, it’s easier to get the task done when you’re able to communicate with people face-to-face.
“The company was very open and they allowed me to have a work-life balance, where I’m able to focus 100% when I’m at the office and focus 100% on my family when I’m at home.”
‘It’s tiring, but worth the sacrifice’
While Racheal acknowledges that her commute to work is exhausting, she firmly believes that it’s still worth the trouble at the end of the day.
“It is exhausting to wake up at 4am everyday, but the moment I reach home, I get to see my children and all that exhaustion is just gone. It’s just wonderful,” she said, adding that she plans to continue this arrangement for the foreseeable future.
Watch the full interview here:
What do you think of Racheal’s unusual commute to work? Share with us in the comments!
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