Kota Kinabalu is the gateway to Borneo for many travellers, and after a trip built around rainforest, islands and wildlife, we wanted the simplest route back to Kuala Lumpur before an onward long-haul flight. This Malaysia Airlines Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur Business Class review covers the airport experience, lounge access, seat, meal, service and whether it is worth booking over the low-cost alternatives.
Malaysia Airlines was the obvious choice. The alternatives were mainly low-cost carriers, and this felt like the safer bet for through-checked baggage, a proper meal and an easier connection. As a member of the oneworld alliance, Malaysia Airlines also has an advantage over the low-cost alternatives on this route, especially if you are connecting onto British Airways, Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific or another oneworld carrier beyond Kuala Lumpur.
In this review
Flight Details
Flight No: MH2641
Route: Kota Kinabalu (BKI) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Departure time: 15:00
Ticket Class: Business
Flight time: 2 hours 30 minutes
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800, 9M-MLK
Seat: 2F
Airport Experience
Kota Kinabalu started well. Malaysia Airlines had dedicated business class check-in desks and there was no queue when we arrived. The check-in agent was excellent and managed to link our separate onward British Airways booking to London, meaning our bags could be checked all the way through to the UK.
Business class passengers could use the Travel Club Lounge (review). It was busy but perfectly usable, with a hot and cold buffet, soft drinks and beer available on request from behind the counter. The toilets were clean, which always helps a contract lounge’s case.
Boarding & Welcome
Boarding was already underway when we reached the gate, but the priority lane worked properly. We were through quickly and straight down the jet bridge.
The welcome on board was friendly and unfussy. This was a domestic sector, not a grand long-haul departure, and the crew handled boarding with quiet efficiency.
Seat
Business class was arranged in a standard 2-2 recliner layout. The seat had a basic recline and was comfortable enough for a short nap, but this was old-school regional business class rather than anything remotely modern.
The cabin looked tired. The headrest doilies were missing, leaving visible Velcro patches behind, and the seatback pocket looked more like a fabric sack than a proper pocket. There was no USB charging, no mains power and power bank use was not allowed on board, which made the cabin feel even more stuck in another era.
The foot stools on both our seats would not stay up. The headrest also sat too low and could not be adjusted, so the overall effect was less “premium cabin” and more “comfortable chair in need of a service”.
What is the best seat on Malaysia Airlines 737 Business Class?
The best seats on the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 737 Business Class cabin are the bulkhead seats in Row 1.
These seats offer noticeably more legroom than the second row and make it easier to get in and out of your seat. You are also first to receive the meal service and can leave the aircraft more quickly on arrival.
The trade-off is that all personal items must be stored for take-off and landing, as there is no seat in front of you for storage. On our flight, that was more frustrating than expected. The front lockers were already partly full with airline equipment, and the remaining space filled up quickly, including with bags from passengers further back in the aircraft before Business Class had fully boarded.
See the seating plan on AeroLOPA.
Onboard Experience
The crew were the best part of the flight. Service was a little slow, which mattered on a 2 hour 30 minute sector because the meal took up a decent chunk of the flight. Still, it was warm, careful and thorough.
There was no Wi-Fi, no entertainment and no charging, so this was a flight for sleeping, chatting or relying on whatever you had downloaded in advance. In other words, bring your own 1990s survival kit.
Food & Drink
A full meal service came from a trolley around 25 minutes after take-off. There were three main choices: beef, fish or chicken rice dishes. The tray also included squid and mango salad, plus a warm bread roll or garlic bread.
Dessert was carrot cake, followed by tea and coffee. For a domestic flight of this length, it was a proper meal rather than a token tray.
Malaysia Airlines short-haul flights are also usually dry. On this flight, drinks were limited to water, juice, soft drinks and sparkling water.
In-flight Entertainment
There was no internet Wi-Fi on this flight, but Malaysia Airlines does offer wireless in-flight entertainment through your own device.
Once connected to the onboard network, you can access a selection of films and TV shows on your phone, tablet or laptop. There are no seatback screens in Business Class on this Boeing 737, so it is worth having your device charged before boarding.
The system worked well enough for a short domestic flight, but with no charging at the seat, it is still sensible to download something in advance. Think of it as BYO entertainment, but with a small Malaysia Airlines safety net.
Arrival
Arrival into Kuala Lumpur was made much easier by the excellent check-in work in Kota Kinabalu. Our bags were checked through to London, so we did not need to collect them in KL and start again.
BG1 Verdict
Malaysia Airlines got the hospitality right and the hard product wrong. The crew were friendly, the meal was substantial and the Kota Kinabalu check-in agent was superb. However, this older 737 business class cabin badly needs attention.
As a Malaysia Airlines Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur Business Class option, this flight still made sense over AirAsia, Batik Air or Firefly for the full-service benefits, through-checked baggage and proper meal. We just would not board expecting a modern business class seat.
BG1 Tip
Choose 1A or 1C if available, bring fully charged devices, download your own entertainment and pre-order any vegetarian meal at least 48 hours before departure. Board early so you get the locker space above your seat.
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