For my most recent trip report, I’ve already published a couple of reviews. I’ve documented my business class flight on Singapore Airlines from Mumbai to Singapore on their Airbus A380, followed by a short A350 flight from Singapore to to Ho Chi Minh City. In this post, I also highlighted how booking flights on the way back was a complete nightmare and how my Amex Platinum Card came to the rescue.
Singapore Airlines Business Class Review [Airbus A380-800: Mumbai to Singapore]
Singapore Airlines Business Class Review (Airbus A350-900 Medium Haul)
Malaysia Airlines Business Class Review
In this post, I’ve highlighted how I was able to successfully upgrade the Kuala Lumpur to Mumbai leg from Economy to Business Class. Since Business Class was sold out on the Da Nang to Kuala Lumpur leg, our first flight was in Economy, with a short 1 hour 15 minute layover at Kuala Lumpur International Airport.
Boarding
Since this was a very short layover, we needed to be be quick while changing planes. Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is massive and you have to take the train to switch terminals and then heading to your gate can be quite a walk. In this case, our incoming flight from Da Nang was on time. However, once we arrived at the gate to board, there was a bit of confusion.
For many airports in South East Asia, there’s security screening at the boarding gate. Our flight was about to board in less than an hour and there was no staff at the gate. Moreover, there were no clear announcements. Also, the airline wasn’t updating any of the monitors to show the latest information.
A lot of passengers connecting from various destinations in Asia Pacific, onward to India, were confused. About 45 minutes prior to departure, the security screening finally started and we were near our boarding gates.
The boarding area was really cluttered and there was no separate boarding area for premium cabin passengers.
Onboard Experience
The flight was almost full, so I was glad we got our upgrade. The aircraft was an Airbus A330-300 and my seat was right at the end of the cabin, just ahead of Premium Economy passengers. For a flight that was 5 hours and 30 minutes long, the seats were comfortable, had ample leg room for someone as tall as I am and also offered decent space to store small items or recharge your devices.
Pretty soon, flight attendants started pre-departure beverage service and I had a glass of Orange juice as I glanced through the menus that we were handed to us.
I started with some champagne after take off.
I’d already placed my meal order and had opted for the Vegetarian Satay (a local Malaysian delicacy) as the appetizer and I decided to go with a paneer based dish for the main course.
The dessert was a saffron flavored milk based Indian dessert and I must say, it tasted fantastic.
Overall, I found the taste and variety of Malaysia Airlines’ meals to be better than what I tried on Singapore Airlines while flying to Vietnam. Moreover, on this flight, I must commend the quality of onboard service. The flight attendants were extremely proactive and were happy to serve any dietary needs. We almost got to the point where we thought there there was just way too much food and drink on offer. However, the service during the entire flight was courteous, attentive and extremely professional.
The Pundit’s Mantra
While we were late to take off by just a few minutes, our flight arrived on time in Mumbai. We were greeted by clear skies and some really good winter weather, as the temperatures were in the high 70s.
Overall, I’d happily fly this route once again. This was the second time I flew the same route on Malaysia Airlines in two years. While the cabin was not swanky or stylish by any means, I’d say the Malaysia’s soft product was excellent. The food was warm and tasty, the beverage offering on cue and service was top notch.
What has your experience been like on your most recent business class flight? Tell us in the comments section.
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