A netizen named Ardee Jay Avanceña Saniel posted an open letter to Air Asia on Facebook, recounting his experience of helping three soldiers with their excess luggage at the airport.

Saniel said he was on queue for his flight bound to Davao on July 18, 2023, when he noticed three soldiers ahead of him who had trouble with their luggage weight. He said the Air Asia staff did her job efficiently and followed the airline’s protocol, but the soldiers still had a 7-kilogram excess in one of their bags.

Saniel said he was curious about the soldiers’ destination and started to chat with them. He learned that they were heading to Cotabato and Marawi, two conflict-ridden areas in Mindanao. He said he felt the need to talk to the supervisor and ask for some consideration for the soldiers, who were risking their lives for the country’s security, peace, and freedom.

However, before he could do that, he said other passengers started to offer their extra weight for the soldiers. He said he was touched by the generosity and kindness of the passengers, who showed the spirit of bayanihan (community cooperation). He said he also helped by putting the soldier’s shoes in his rucksack, which had an extra 2 kilograms of free weight.

Saniel said he was blessed to help the soldiers with their luggage, and that was a little thank you for the bigger job they were doing. He said he was also grateful for the soldiers, who were ready to die for the country’s freedom and land. He said the soldiers remained humble and followed the simple airline rules, and they were true heroes not just in war, but as abiding citizens.

He ended his letter by cheering for the soldiers and asking all airlines to give some consideration to them who sacrifice for the country. He also said, “God bless, The Philippines!”

Saniel’s post has gone viral on Facebook, with over 10,000 reactions, 2,000 comments, and 5,000 shares as of this writing. Many netizens praised Saniel for his gesture and expressed their support and gratitude for the soldiers. Some also called on Air Asia and other airlines to grant some privileges to the soldiers, such as free or discounted luggage fees, priority boarding, or complimentary meals.

Air Asia has not yet issued a statement regarding the incident, but some netizens said they hope the airline will take notice and act accordingly.