Racheal Kaur, an assistant manager in finance operations at Malaysia’s AirAsia. (image-LinkedIn/Racheal Kaur)
Malaysia: Meet Racheal Kaur, an Indian-origin woman who boards a flight five days a week to travel to work. Yep, you read that right. While most people sit in buses and metros to cover long stretches of distance just to get to work, Kaur reveals how taking a flight every day has been a game changer for her, especially when it comes to money.
In an interview with Chanel News Asia (CNA), Kaur shared her seemingly hectic but surprisingly cost-effective routine.
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Dubbed as “Super Commuter,” Kaur revealed that she used to rent a house in Kuala Lumpur near her office and travelled back to Penang, a state in Malaysia, once a week. But staying away from children made it difficult for her to maintain a healthy balance between work and family.
The mother of two works as an assistant manager in finance operations at Malaysia’s AirAsia.
She told CNA that she was struggling and decided to make a big decision.
In 2024, instead of taking a flight once a week, she decided to do it every day for five days a week. Surprisingly, the decision worked in her favour because not only was it convenient for her but also cost-effective.
“I have two kids; both are growing. My oldest is 12, and my daughter is 11. With them growing up, I feel the need for a mother to be around more often. With this arrangement, I’m able to go home every day and see them at night,” she said in the interview.
Taking a flight every day is nevertheless a tiring task. Kaur wakes up at 4 am and leaves home by 5 am. She drives to Penang Airport to take the 6:30 am flight to Kuala Lumpur. She reaches her office by 7:45 am. After work, she returns home by 8 pm. In total, the distance she covers five days a week flying is roughly around 700 km.
But the method is cost-effective.
While she used to spend nearly $474 (approx. Rs 41,000) monthly on rent and others, her monthly travel expenses have reduced to $316 (approx. Rs 27,000).
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She also revealed that when people hear about her daily routine, they call her “crazy.” But she remains committed to her routine despite the many challenges.
Kaur even manages to get some me-time along with a 5-10 minute walk (from the airport to her office) during her travel. But she does confess that waking up this early every morning is exhausting. However, she adds that returning home and seeing her children makes it all worth it.
