A backpacker’s travel plans in Malaysia hit a snag when her pre-booked bus from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, costing RM44, was found to be overbooked.
The incident, which she shared on XiaoHongShu, involved a tearful moment when she was denied boarding, despite having confirmed her seat the day before.
The situation left her stranded, with a crucial flight to catch from KLIA at 9:30pm that night.
Despite securing her ticket a day in advance, she was informed only at the last moment that her seat was unavailable.
“Because of the overbooking, they forced me off the bus,” she said, tearing up in the video.
The counter suggests to book again
The bus counter’s suggestion was a late afternoon bus at 4pm or attempting to “negotiate” with a 2pm bus using angpau, both of which were impractical given her tight schedule.
Speaking with WeirdKaya, the backpacker detailed the confusion that ensued.
“There was a lengthy dispute, and by the time it was resolved, it was already past noon. I immediately purchased a 12:45 bus ticket to Ipoh, hoping to catch a KTM train to Kuala Lumpur, in case someone canceled their ticket,” she shared.
Left with no other option, she contemplated re-purchasing her flight ticket for the next day, a costly endeavor, or scouring for a last-minute train ticket to Kuala Lumpur.
Eventually, she opted for an alternative route: taking a bus to Ipoh and then hiring an e-hailing service to Kuala Lumpur.
Thankful to kind driver who drove from Ipoh to KL
The journey from Ipoh to Kuala Lumpur turned into an unexpected silver lining.
The car driver, who took her on a 3-hour drive to KLIA for a fare of over RM200, shared stories about his family, making the journey less daunting.
Regarding the overbooking, she said: “Someone tried to explain the overbooking situation to me in Malay, which I didn’t fully understand. It was mentioned that the company I booked with doesn’t actually exist and had merged with another company. However, a kind Malaysian later clarified that it simply meant two buses were combined into one.”
She told WeirdKaya she has been backpacking across Malaysia for a month, with her journey aiming to culminate in a hike up Mount Kinabalu in Sabah.
Her story of being bumped off an overbooked bus from Penang to Kuala Lumpur, which jeopardized her travel plans, has struck a chord with netizens.
In response to the outpouring of support and empathy from Malaysians, she expressed her heartfelt thanks. “Thank you for your kindness! It really warmed my heart, and I’ve been touched by the friendliness of Malaysians,” she noted in her post.
“Malaysians are really friendly! Even though we have language barriers, it doesn’t hinder our communication. Thank you for cheering me up and helping me feel at home.”
