Kuala Lumpur to Barcelona- In Economy

If you are flying from Asia to the UK it is often worth looking for flights that start/finish in Europe rather than the UK. Tickets are often substantial cheaper, in all classes. This was the return leg of a trip booked almost a year previously for around £440 return, with on of the long haul legs in World Traveller Plus.
As I have noted before the BA KL service is using relatively old 777s at the moment, and this is particularly noticeable in Economy and with the in flight entertainment system. That having been said, service and food were both good and as I was travelling with my two children we had a row to ourselves. Night flights in Economy are not great, but when you don't have to sit next to strangers I can just about mange them, if I have to.
Unfortunately when I booked these tickets (over a year ago) I did not look carefully enough at the transit time in Heathrow. With 8 hours to kill in Heathrow we all had showers in the Terminal 3 BA lounge. The lounge is fine- and we were there so early it was actually quiet. We then headed out of the airport to do some shopping in Hounslow. A short flight to Barcelona was uneventful, and the catering in economy limited to a sandwich- which was of very good quality.

BA is up against Malaysia Airlines A380s out of Heathrow. If there is a straight choice I'd go on the A380. However, by looking to start your journey elsewhere in Europe the BA flights can be very affordable. Consider looking at Barcelona, Paris, Marseille, Franfurt and Amsterdam as starting points.

British Airways Club World London to Kuala Lumpur

This route is currently flown by an older 777. As a result it is a bit noisy and dated. However, this is less of a problem in Club World than in World Traveller or World Traveller Plus. The entertainment system is OK, though not great by Business Class Standards. I also find the BA programme/movie range not really to my taste. Perhaps I am a bit picky. These days an alternative is to watch downloaded content on your tablet. Unfortunately there was no USB point, and so I had to use my laptop as a power source.

The service was fine and the food provided of a very good standard. However, if I had a choice I would travel with Malaysia Airlines on their A380. I have not quite got to grips with the Club World layout. If you are travelling with a companion side by side is surely better- this can be done on BA, but you are then trapped by the feet of other passengers if the seats are used.

Travelling alone, I also don't think the layout works. To avoid invading the personal space of another passenger you need two seats to be free (the one next to you, becuase when that divider goes down you are face to face, and the one which needs to climb over you to get out of their seat when you are sleeping) whereas on Malaysia Airlines you only need the seat next to you to be free. (it normally is when flying to Paris, London perhaps less so!)

As I have written before, it is great that there is now the choice of two A380s and one 777 flying between KL and LHR. Long may it continue.

Britiah Airways World Traveller Plus

BA's Premium Economy Product is an interesting one. It is certainly an improvement on Economy, the extra leg room and very slightly wider seats do make a difference. The small cabins do make the experience a bit more bearable. However, some of the frustrations of Economy are still present. One that sticks in the mind from a recent flight is the queues for the loo. As is often the case it very much depends on which plane you are on. The A380 World Traveller Plus cabins are very impressive. There are lots of convenient storage spaces and the seats a re comfortable. The older 777s are less good. The entertainment equipment is poor and the middle east airline's economy entertainment systems are far superior.


One other disadvantage can be that it can sometimes be full, because the cabin is quite small. However, this was not the case on my most recent flight.


World Traveller Plus does have a role to play. If you are flying economy, and there is a cheap upgrade available it can be worth it for the tier points alone. It can also be worth booking with the view to picking up a cheap or avios upgrade to Club World at a later stage. Sometimes, if all the cheap economy tickets have gone, it can sometimes be cheaper to fly in Premium Economy (This seems to happen quite often on the Hong Kong route.

Malaysia Airlines A380s- Can they be made to pay their way

Travellers want low fares, exceptional service and bucket loads of frequent flyer miles. Unfortunately the reality is that airlines have to pay their way at some stage. The alternative of course, is loss making state owned carriers burning through huge amounts of cash that could be spent more wisely. (Perhaps on some more nurses or teachers, rather than on Dom Perignon 2004 for first class passengers.

However, lets forget reality, and see if we can come up with a plan to keep Malaysia Airlines A380s in the air, and flying between KL and London (and maybe even Paris)

Unfortunately, in general, the number of journeys made between cities decreases with the distance between them, and the loading and unloading time of A380s mean they are not planes for short hops. Malaysia need to look to compete on well used city pairs with over 5 hours of flying time.

First opportunity: Look to exploit 5th freedom rights to compete on the key world aviation routes. Could the two landing slots at Heathrow be used for a flight from KL that then goes on to a key US city rather than two flights from KL? How about Paris. There is potential the other way, to Los Angeles or San Francisco perhaps via Japan

Second Opportunity: Explore a tie up and code share with a Gulf carrier. The connections available from Emirates, Qatar or Etihad could mke it  possible generate enough traffic to the middle east.

Third Opportunity: Stop flying with empty premium cabins.

Three easy steps to ensure this happens:
1. Increase reward flight availability. Substantially. Why not offer 4 seats in First and 10 in Business Some revenue is better than none.
2. Offer full miles and tier points (or qualifying miles) for upgrades purchased at the airport or via the auction option. This will increase the offers from the auction and increase the uptake of instant upgrades.
3. Actively sell instant upgrades in Business Class Lounges prior to the flight. For example if you have a Sapphire one world member flying economy in the business lounge, identify who it is and try to sell them an upgrade- don't be pushy, just make sure they know the option is available if they would like to upgrade.

Would any of these be enough to save the A380s in Malaysia's fleet. Perhaps not. But it would be great if they could keep them!

Kuala Lumpur to Paris (and London) in A380 Economy

Since Malaysia airlines joined one world and bought some A380s, I have made extensive use of the KL-Paris and KL-London routes. I have flown the sector in Economy from KL to both Paris and London, and the return sector from Paris to Kuala Lumpur. Economy on an A380 is not too bad at all. The relatively high cabin coupled with the twin aisles gives a good feeling of space. The service is fine, Perhaps I am spoiling the surprise, but trays of plastic classes filled with lager brought around after take off are an interesting service innovation. There are currently two flights to London, one night flight leaving just before midnight and one day flight leaving at 10:10. 13 hours is a long time to spend in Economy, and so I am often tempted to look again at a routing through the middle east. I also found that there is a long gap between the meal services. I have become quite hungry on these flights.

It is great these flights are available and it will be sad to lose them if Malaysia Airlines sell their A380s. If I am buying tickets for my whole family, these flights have become an inexpensive direct routing to Europe. A few prices differences made a stop in the Middle East or Hong Kong almost essential. In the next few months I will be flying this route, all be it on BA, a number of times, both in World Traveller Plus and in World Traveller. (As written about here) I'll see how they go, but, given the length of the direct flight, I am currently tempted to split the journey and to look at Qatar, Emirates, or Etihad if I have to use Economy.

Malaysia Airlines A380 Business Class

With the news that Malaysia Airlines has put its A380s up for sale, this could be a bit of a wasted post. However, if you are travelling to or from Europe in the next few months the MH A380 Business product is very high quality. The lounges in both KL and London are of a good standard. The lounge in Paris is not. However, once on board the plane you are assured a warm welcome, a spacious cabin and a comfortable seat. The cabin is in 2X2X2 formation, which is great if you are travelling with a companion, less so if you are alone. The food served is very good, especially out of Paris. I have not successfully used the chef on call service. I did book it once, but I slept the whole way to London, and didn't fancy steak for breakfast! However, chef on call is an interesting innovation number of carriers are using. It gives the passenger a wider choice of meals, and cuts out the waste and cost of carrying reserve meals. However, I do not always know what I am going to want to eat in the future!

If paying cash for this flight, and you do not mind including a connection, it is worth searching for prices from Phuket and Bangkok. The fact that you are going back on yourself does bring the cost down- sometimes significantly. Another starting point worth looking at is Bali. If you are using miles or Avios, then availability is often better to Paris.

Malaysia Airlines A380s for sale

The news that Malaysia Airlines has put its A380s up for sale is not unexpected, but is disappointing. The service between KL and London and Paris has been of a good standard and very convenient for a number of years. Two of the planes appear to be listed as available immediately. It is possible that some of the European routes could be axed or changed to a 777-200 soon. Perhaps London will go to one flight a day. However, I would be more disappointed (and I think it more likely) that Paris will either be served by a 777-200 or scrapped altogether.

The important point to note is that the Malaysia airlines 777s do not have flat beds in Business Class. It is a specious cabin, but it does not compare well to the A380s. It is certainly something to watch over the coming months. I fly between Europe and Kuala Lumpur regularly. It looks as though I will be travelling via the Middle East or Hong Kong before too long- as I was before the A380s arrived in Malaysia's fleet in 2012

Tim Clarke, president of Emirates airlines, calls the A380 a passenger magnet. It is a shame that Malaysia Airlines is not able to make this work.

Malaysia airlines still has much to offer travellers within and to and from ASEAN. The regional shorter routes (and domestic routes) served by 737-800s have a sound Business class product that puts many European carriers to shame. Malaysia Airlines is also a source of Tier Points (or status miles) in other one-world frequent flyer schemes.

Paris to Johor Bharu: Malaysia Airlines First Class

I have flown the Malaysia Airlines A380 service between Paris and Kuala Lumpur many times as described here. I have used all three cabins. Most recently I flew in First Class from Paris to Johor Bharu. This was a reward flight- it cost 99,000 Avios. 90,000 for Paris to Kuala Lumpur and then 9,000 for the hop down to Johor Bharu in Business.

I currently only have sapphire one-world status. This means that I am not able to use first class check-in desks unless I am flying first class. Unfortunately when I tried to check in the first class desk was busy and I was ushered to a Business Class desk. I was checked in without delay, but I was a little disappointed not to have been at a first class desk (ridiculous I know). I had two suitcases and two carry on items. I tried to check the carry on items, but wasn't allowed because of the two piece rule. A little frustrating- and if I had paid £4,000+ for my ticket I may have been bit more irritated.

The lounge used by Malaysia Airlines in Charles de Gaulle is very disappointing- but this was not unexpected as the the other lounges in terminal 1 are also not great. In the past I have struggled to board this plane on time- there are only two security channels to get through to the gates. If there is another plane going at the same time it can be chaos. I asked the lounge staff if there was a fast track system for first class passengers. Their response- "this is Paris sir". Suitably chastised as a capitalist bourgeois  pig, I headed to the gate, to find no queue at all. I breezed through security and on to the plane.

The First Class cabin on the A380 is very spacious, the seat is huge The crew were excellent as was the food. Dom Perignon 2003 was served. The caviar and salmon starter was fantastic. There were only two other passengers in first class. Business class was also significantly less than half full. I do worry for the future of this service especially as  Malaysia Airlines has now put its A380s up for sale.

I regard Malaysia Airlines A380 Business class very highly. First class offers more space, but not many other significant benefits. If travelling with a companion I will continue to fly Business class. If alone, the extra 30,000 avios for First class could be worthwhile, because of the individual seating. That having been said, loads on this route seem low- perhaps you would be unlucky not to have an empty seat beside you in Business Class.

Malaysia Airlines Kuala Lumpur to Paris

I have used the Malaysia Airlines flight from Kuala Lumpur and Return quite regularly. It is a useful route even when travelling to the UK for a number of reasons:

1. It is cheaper than the flight to and from London (I imagine because of lower airport taxes and less demand) and they use an A380.
2. There is often Avios availability, either in Business or First Class.
3. The night flights (BA and Malaysia Airlines) arrive very early in the morning at Heathrow. I am not one for going straight to meetings, and so usually have a day in London first. As a result I find myself waiting to check in at my hotel. Arriving in Paris gives me the opportunity to refresh in the excellent American Airlines lounge at Charles De Gaulle before hoping across the channel and arriving in London at a more reasonable hour.

I have also found that this flight is often quite empty- which makes the journey a little more pleasant in all classes.

It is certainly one to consider if you are flying between Europe and Asia. If you add an Asian Leg in the Business Fare can be very competitive. For example Phuket to Paris and return via KL with Malaysia Airlines can often be booked for around £1,100. This will earn you over 17,000 avios and 360 tier points.

Its not all perfect though. The lounge for both business and first class passengers in Paris is rather feeble. The 50KG first class weight limit is fine, but the two pieces rule was enforced (on me anyway) the last time I flew the route- which was a pain as I ended up flying with two pieces of hand luggage.

There may well be a question mark over this route going forward. I'll continue to do my bit by flying it when I can! (edit: Courtesy of headforpoints.com I discover that Malaysia Airlines has put its A380s up for sale. It seems the threat to this route is very real indeed)

In forthcoming posts I'll review my experience of each of the cabins on this service.