Disabled passengers from BEAT 'The Barrier-Free Environment and Accessible Transport Group' protested against the airline for its refusal to fly passengers who were completely immobile.[12] The protesters, headed by the group's co-ordinator Christine Lee, asserted that the disabled were discriminated against when booking AirAsia tickets online, where an icon would appear on the website asking if the ticket purchaser would require “special assistance”. According to Lee, the passenger clicked 'yes', then they would not be able to proceed with the booking. Lee also said that AirAsia charged RM12 for renting out a wheelchair, which a passenger could use to go from the ticketing counter to the departure hall. When interviewed by Malaysia's Daily Express, AirAsia Chief Executive Officer Datuk Tony Fernandes denied that the low cost airline turned away wheelchair using passengers.
He said, the airline's ground staff take the disabled to the aircraft and physically carry them onboard, "We do not even charge for this service and there is certainly no discrimination against them," he claimed.[13] AirAsia's 'Service Fees' post a charge of RM12 Malaysian Ringgit [14] for wheelchair service fees. Several consumerist groups have rallied behind the disabled and wheelchair-using travellers, lobbying to bring about changes in Malaysia's anti-discrimination legislation; among them the 'Fly Air Asia? Not Me' website [15] utilizes viral advertising to pressure legislators. In 2007 the activist group used AirAsia's sponsorship of the Williams Formula One Team and the fact that team owner Sir Frank Williams uses a wheelchair [16][17] to garner public attention and apply pressure upon legislators and the carrier. It is unclear whether such groups have had any measure of success. AirAsia has provided two ambulifts, however, one in its LCC Terminal hub at Kuala Lumpur and another in its