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.

Malaysia Airlines Brunei to KL

Malaysia Airlines fly to and from Brunei from KL four times a week. They go on Mondays, Wednesdays, Fridays and Saturdays. (I wish they would go everyday) The flight is often busy, with lots of workers connecting through from other parts of the Malaysia Airlines network. I rate Malaysia Airlines Regional product quite highly and the Brunei route is no exception. Relatively modern 737-800s with spacious 4 row 2X2 seating in Business Class. The food is pretty good, there is usually a choice of three meals and there is a limited bar available as well. Business Class also gets you off the plane quickly- which can be very useful in Brunei.

Business class tickets can be quite steep on this route- almost £200 each way. Sometimes there are promos that bring it down to about £100. (Economy is about £60 each way). If using avios it is worth the extra 7,500 to get in the front. If you are offered MH upgrade it could be worth putting in a low bid (I have never not been successful) though don't forget you may lose the tier points and avios you may have earned on your economy ticket.

Royal Skies Lounge Brunei

The Royal Skies Lounge was refurbished recently, and it offers a quiet and pleasant space to passengers. The food on offer is quite reasonable, though the lack of passengers suggests that turnover at the buffet is not so great. There is a good range of soft drinks and quite good coffee. The wifi is reliable (I love the note on the agents desk- do not unplug the wifi to charge handphones!) There are also a number of computer terminals hidden away nicely if you have work to do.

I get access to this lounge when flying on Malaysia Airlines- either in Business class or as a sapphire member of the oneworld alliance. Of course, it is also available to those flying in Business class on Royal Brunei and to passengers who have status in their loyalty programme "Royal Skies". (Silver members of this programme get access to this lounge, Gold members get access to lounges in other airports aswell.

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.

KLIA Satellite Lounges....again

A one world member who is flying Business Class, or that only has Sapphire status in a one world programme has a choice between the Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge or the Cathay Pacific Lounge. The Golden Lounge is more spacious and has a greater range of food on offer- the food is OK (but I think the regional golden lounge is better). The wash room and shower facilities are certainly more extensive than Cathay have- as would be expected. However, the wifi in the Golden Lounge can be a little inconsistent- and today the Cathay Lounge came to the rescue and allowed me put through an urgent click and collect order before being stuck on a plane for 13 hours.

Don't forget they also serve Heineken or Tiger rather than Carlsberg. The Cathay Lounge is well worth a visit.

Legoland Johor Bharu

Legoland Johor Bharu is amazing. It has (almost) everything that Legoland Windsor has except the queues. I have been many times, and it has never been busy. The new water park is also fantastic. I cannot recommend it highly enough. Although expensive for Malaysia, it is not compared to Windsor or indeed Universal Studios in Singapore (which is also fantastic, but frighteningly expensive.)

There are a number of options for getting there. I have driven from KL before, it takes 3-4 hours. Malaysia airlines operate inexpensive flights from KL to Johor Bharu. You will pick up 10 tier points in economy- though not if you book a "promo" fare. However, you may want to consider flying business class. These flights are often around 350MYR and will collect you 40 BA tier points at less than £2 a point.

There are an increasing number of accommodation options. I use the renaissance, (because of marriott status) but it is some distance from the park. There is a traders much closer (and next to Hello Kitty Land!) I have not tried the legoland hotel- it can be quite pricey. I am told a new development across the road from the park will include a global hotel brand so that may be a good option in the near future.

MH Upgrade Test Update

I recently wrote about the dangers of using MHupgrade- it is unlikely that you will secure tier points or avios/miles due for a business class ticket, and possible that you will lose the points due on your economy segment.

I am currently waiting to see if I get credit for a return flight where I used MHupgrade on one leg. I wrote about it here. There is no sign of these flights in my account yet. I'll put a missing avios claim in soon, I'll keep you posted!

Malaysia Airlines Lounge Satellite (Long Haul)

In the satellite building of Kuala Lumpur International Airport you will find both a Business Class and a First Class Malaysia Airlines lounge. The Business Class lounge is big, and offers a variety of hot and cold food that can be quite good. There is a very quiet and well equipped business centre, and the staff are happy to help you with printing if required. The bar is also very attractive. A range of wines, including champagne are available, as with the regional lounge, the beer choice is limited to carlsberg There is usually some sport to watch on the big screen. The washrooms and showers are fine, though at peak times it can be difficult to get access to the showers.

That is not the case in the First Class lounge. Here the showers are usually available, and they are quite impressive. The lounge does have a more sophisticated and quieter feel, as you would expect. On the other hand, the buffet food is no better than next door. However, there is also a table service section- I have not tried this, nor do I know if there is a more extensive choice of beer!

Near to the shared reception areas are a large number of lockers which can be very useful if you are travelling alone and do not want to carry any hand baggage wherever you go in the airport.

One world passengers could use the Cathay Pacific lounge in the satellite building instead, which is briefly reviewed here.

Malaysia Airlines Lounge Kuala Lumpur Regional

If you are flying internationally from Kuala Lumpur you have a choice of a large number of lounges. It is perfectly reasonable to get on the transit to the satellite building where a Business and First Class Malaysia Airlines lounges and a Cathay Pacific lounge are available to one world passengers. If you are flying regionally there is also a Malaysia Airlines Business Class lounge in the main terminal building. It is my favourite of the Business Lounges at KLIA. An escalator whisks you away from the hustle and bustle of the main terminal. A very pleasant water feature welcomes you into the main lounge, which has a good view of airport operations. The bar is a prominent feature, and wine, including champagne and a wide range of spirits are enthusiastically dispensed. The beer choice is rather limited (to Carlsberg). The food is often good, with some convincing hot and cold options. The lounge is well organised, with a large business centre with a number of PCs available for use, an area for children, an eating area as well as quieter space with comfortable seating. There is also a spa, which offers massages and other treatments if you have time. The washrooms and showers are invariably clean- and they appear to have solved the lack of hot water issue from a couple of years ago.

All in all, well worth a visit. Even if you are just popping in for a beer on your way to the satellite terminal for your long haul flight!

Malaysia Airlines Lounge Kuala Lumpur Domestic

The Domestic terminal at Kuala Lumpur International Airport has been recently refurbished with a larger range of shops added. Around the same time the domestic lounge also had a bit of a face lift. The lounge is spacious and rarely busy. The food offering is respectable, though nothing too grand. On domestic flights, and in the domestic lounge, there is no alcohol available. One of the changes in the update was the installation of soft drink fountains rather than cans in a fridge. All very well, but no low calorie drinks were included. fortunately, within days, cans of pepsi light appeared back in the fridge. The lounge is conveniently located very close to a number of gates, and is pleasant place to spend time in before a domestic flight.

One point to note, is that when transferring from an international flight to a domestic flight in KLIA there can be a long and slow moving queue as you go through immigration. If this is the case, you may find it more pleasant to go landside with those passengers who are remaining in Kuala Lumpur and then simply walk through domestic departures- there is almost never queues at the main immigration points, the only place that can be a problem is transiting to or from (but mainly to) a domestic flight.

Cathay Pacific Lounge Kuala Lumpur

One world passengers can also make use of the Cathay Pacific lounge in the satellite building. As you would expect this lounge is a lot smaller than the Malaysia airlines lounges in the airport. However, it may be worth a visit for a number of reasons. First, if you are not flying with Cathay, you are likely to find the lounge empty or almost empty. Secondly, if you are a beer drinker, they offer a better range- usually tiger and heineken, than the Malaysia Airlines. The food offer is well presented, and again, makes a change from what is on offer in the nearby Malaysia lounges.

The Malaysia Airlines flights to both London and Paris leave around midnight. However, my connecting flight to KL arrives around 18:00. As a result, I often have a lot of time to kill at the airport- for this reason I do visit the Cathay Lounge, really just for a change of scene. However, if you are only going to be in a lounge for a couple of hours it probably makes sense to choose the Malaysia Lounges. Of course, an emerald one world member has a potential "lounge crawl" if they wish. A visit to the regional lounge, the Malaysia Business lounge, the Cathay lounge, and then finally back to the Malaysia First class lounge will keep you busy for some time.

MHupgrade: a test

I have previously written about the problem with both MHupgrade (where you are invited to bid for an upgrade, and the decision made 48hrs prior to departure) and the paid for instant upgrade at check in or in the lounge- that is you are booked into I class and do not receive elite miles or tier points. It could also be the case that such as upgrade will cost you the economy tier points as well. The theory has been tested. A return was booked and flown in V bucket, and a successful MHupgrade bid made only on one leg (no bid was made the outbound leg). In an ideal world 10+40 tier points would be earned. Perhaps a fair outcome would be 10+10 tier points. However, I am expecting 10+0 tier points- meaning that paying for the upgrade has cost the price of the upgrade (£40) + 10 Tier points plus around 400 Avios.

The positive about MHupgrade is that it can get you into the very good domestic and regional business class offered by Malaysia Airlines very cheaply- but do factor in the cost of those lost tier points- especially if it means you end up having to do  tier point run later in the year.

Miri airport lounge

Miri airport has a  lounge, which is accessible to oneworld emerald and sapphire customers travelling in Economy on Malaysia Airlines, as well as those flying on Business Class- though I have been unable to take a guest in. The positives are that it is rarely busy, and there are two PCs that offer a convenient way to catch up with work if necessary. Other than that, though, this must be one of the worst lounges in the oneworld network. The food offering is truly dreadful. and the drinks disappointing- there is never any alcohol in domestic Malaysia Airlines Lounges, but even the soft drinks here are a disappointment- mediocre coffee or local soft drinks out of two litre bottles kept in a luke warm fridge. At least there is water.

Do think twice before using miles/avios to take a business class flight from Miri- (Especially using MHupgrade, as you may lose tier points!) Certainly don't upgrade for the lounge. That having been said, once in the sky, Malaysia Airlines domestic and regional product is very good indeed- and far better than you would find most European Carriers. 

MHupgrade- is it worth it?

MHupgrade is Malaysia airline's version of last minute paid for upgrades. After you have booked an Economy ticket (or Business ticket, where first is also available) you sometimes (often) receive an invite to bid for an upgrade. I have made bids on a number of short haul routes- and even though my bids have been the lowest possible amount, or very close to it, they have always been successful. The new Business ticket is issued about 48hrs before departure, and does inlcude the increased luggage allowance. (The instant upgrades available at check in or in the lounges do not include the higher luggage allowance.)

The big drawback of MHupgrade is that it can cost you tier points (and avios) The same is true for the instant upgrade. For example, if you are booked into a v-class economy ticket on a short haul flight you will pick up 10 BA tier points. If you do an MHupgrade, or an instant upgrade you ticket usually changes to I class, which will earn zero tier points. So upgrading has actually cost you tier points and avios. As a result I no longer make use of the upgrade facility.

If you are doing an instant upgrade, perhaps at the lounge, I do wonder if the agent has some control over which booking class your ticket goes into. I have done two instant upgrades that did receive full tier points. The first was a long haul from London to KL- I was unwell and booked in Economy. I paid a significant amount for the upgrade to Business- and received the 160 tier points. The second time, I explained my frustration about the upgrades booking into I class to the agent- but, because I needed some sleep having flown in on a red eye I went ahead with the instant upgrade anyway. I was booked into Z class, and I received the 40 tier points- so it may be worth asking the agent if they can book the upgrade into Z class for you.

If I am flying the sector anyway (so it is not a tier point run) I am willing to pay up to £3 per tier point. So if they always gave full tier points for an upgrade I would be willing to pay £90 more than the usual £50 or so I offer- and I would bid for an upgrade every time. Its a shame they don't.

Malaysia Airlines Tier Point Run

Those members of the various one world frequent flyer schemes who are based on the Island of Borneo have usually found it best to get off the Island before looking at tier point runs. As described here there are often good options from Phuket. However, today I have been looking for Tier Point runs starting on Borneo. Infact, I was just looking for the hop from Miri to Kuching, which is, once a day, flown by Malaysia airlines (rather than MASwings- no tier points!). Whilst this came up, a much more interesting option for tier points also became apparent, that was Miri to Kuching via Kuala Lumpur and return. (MYY-KUL-KCH-KUL-MYY). This comes in at £253 at will earn 160 Tier Points in the BA scheme. (£1.58 per tier point- which is not so bad) and will earn 3706 avios for BA executive club members. One of the legs could be flown direct, reducing the tier points to 120, and the price to £233 which gets a better return of £1.47 per tier point). The direct flights come in at £223, a rather unattractive £2.87 per tier point.

If you are tempted to include Borneo as part of a tier point run, do make sure you are not booked on a MASwings flight- no Tier points will be awarded. If your run includes a stay in Kuching then I highly recommend the Pullman.

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 for Tier Point Runs

In order to maintain Silver status in the British Airways Executive club you need to collect 600 tier points in each membership year. (You also need to take four British Airways Flights). Silver Status is equivalent to sapphire One World Status and will get you lounge access across the one world network. In order to obtain BA Gold you need to earn 1500 tier points.

Flying on Malaysia Airlines is a good way to pick up cheap tier points. Ideally you are looking for flights just over 2000 miles as these pick up 140 tier points in Business Class. It is possible to find tier points runs that work out as less than £1 a tier point on Malaysia Airlines- though they can be awkward.

For example a return flight from Phuket to New Delhi via KL will earn 360 tier points (40+140+140+40) and can be purchased in June (and quite often) for approximately £351.

Perhaps you need fewer Tier Points to get you over the line to a higher status level. If this is the case then the domestic business class promotions are sometimes good value. You can often find Business Tickets from Kuala Lumpur to Johor Bharu or Langkawi for RM380, around £70. This will net you 40 tier points (80 return) for less than £2 a tier point.

People looking for Tier Point runs from Europe or Asia have spent years looking at American Airlines in the US with envy- Malaysia Airlines give us a chance to pick up those last few tier points almost as cheaply we could in the US.

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.