‘Respect the hustle.’ People admire ‘Super Commuter’ who flies from Penang to KL daily

SINGAPORE: A video about a woman who flies from Penang to Kuala Lumpur and back every day because of work has received a lot of attention, reaching over 270,000 views less than a day after it was posted on CNA Insider’s YouTube channel on Tuesday (Feb 4).

The video shows a day in the life of Racheal Kaur. The mum of two began life as a “Super Commuter” last year after having worked remotely during the pandemic, starting her day at 4 am and returning home by 7.30 pm.

While she admits that it’s tiring, she says when she gets home and sees her 12 and 11-year-old son and daughter, it’s worth it.

Her round-trip plane ticket costs her just RM50 (S$15.25) per day. Her fare is low because she works as an assistant manager for finance operations at AirAsia. Hers is a waitlisted ticket, however, which means she can get bumped off at certain times of the year when flights are fuller.

She can be a  “Super Commuter” because she works at the airport itself.  She can get a to her desk within a few minutes of deplaning because she does not face any traffic.

Living in Penang as opposed to Kuala Lumpur also means she’s saving money due to lower food and accommodation costs. Though she could still work remotely, she has chosen not to, because she can focus on her job better at the office.

Commenters on the video expressed admiration for Ms Kaur. One wrote. “I respect the hustle… I’m proud to see a hardworking mom doing their best to see their kids every day.”

“She is hard working and willing to go the extra mile for her family. Great respect,” wrote another.

One YouTube user speculated that Ms Kaur only has around one hour to spend with her family as she probably needs to rest early to wake up at 4 am. In response, many defended her.

“At least she has an hour to spend time with her family. Compared to none at all,” wrote one, adding that those who commute between Singapore and Malaysia every day are likely to be in the same situation.

Others wrote that those who have to endure the traffic in Asia’s big cities have a longer travel time than Ms Kaur does.

“She has weighed out her trade-offs and concluded that it’s worth it. Hence all power to her for making tough choices and wishing her all success,” another chimed in. /TISG

Read also: Kuala Lumpur International Airport to add fourth runway and several new terminals, says Transport Minister