Malaysia Airlines recently boosted its capacity from Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Doha (DOH) by increasing their daily flights. This expansion is part of its strategic partnership with Qatar Airways. As a result of this partnership, our Qatar Airways flight was cancelled and we were re-booked onto a Malaysia Airlines operated flight from KUL to DOH. We were given the choice to accept or reject the change and in this instance, we accepted as we saw this as an opportunity to review Malaysia Airlines Business Class product. Honest opinion (and advice), don’t accept the change! Aside from the inferior product, there were a catalogue of frustrating things that meant we kept getting pushed from one airline to another…
Flight Details
Flight No: MH
From/To: KUL to DOH
Departure time: 21:20
Ticket Class: Business
Flight time: 7 hours 0 minutes
Frequent Flyer Points: 140 tier points. However, as a result of the change in carrier, we received 0 tier points on this flight, which we challenged with British Airways before being awarded the tier points
Aircraft: A330-300
Number of classes: 2
Number of seats in flying class:
Seat: 5K and 6K
Position: forward
In this review:
Airport Experience
Once we accepted the change from Qatar Airways to Malaysia Airline, we were in limbo, where both airlines took no responsibility for us. For example, we weren’t able to choose our seats… as Qatar Airways wiped their hands clean, and said it’s now Malaysia Airlines’ problem. When we spoke with Malaysia Airlines, they directed us back to Qatar Airways because our ticket is with them. Persistent, we went to the transfer desk at KUL to try get our seats changed, so that we could sit together, and we were greeted a surly transfer desk attendant who basically said “Go away, there’s nothing we can do for you”. We were prepped for sitting apart from each other on the flight.
Golden Lounge
Bruised by not being able to change our seats we made our way to the KLIA Golden Lounge, located at the Satellite terminal to drown our sorrows. The lounge is divided into two areas: a standard Business Class lounge and a Platinum Lounge reserved for First Class and passengers with Gold / Emerald status. The Platinum Lounge offers a fine dining restaurant, private showers, nap rooms, and a spacious seating area. We were impressed by how spacious the lounge was. Perhaps our expectation were low at this point! We had dinner in the fine dining room, which was OK. I was disappointed that the airline primarily served Western dishes on the menu. Personally. I thought local cuisine options would’ve created a better dining experience for passengers.
The Business lounge was spacious but busy. Food is served as a buffet. Alcohol is served at the bar, offering a small selection of spirits and wines.
Boarding & Welcome
Boarding was chaotic. An additional security check before boarding meant that you must discard all your bottles of water purchased at the airport. Yes, that’s right. You can’t bring bottled water on the plane, even if it was purchased at the terminal.
The boarding area was crowded and lacked organisation. Once you figure out which queue to join you’re on a dedicated Business Class bridge to the plane doors. We were directed to our seats and offered water or juice by the cabin crew. Before take-off, the purser greeted us with small talk. Weirdly, we were the only ones on the flight that got a special welcome. We figured it was because of Gold status. While it was a pleasant gesture, it didn’t make up for the business class experience.
Seat
The layout and design of Malaysia Airlines Business Class seats were impractical and not passenger-friendly. The tear-drop shaped tray table was awkward, the three-point seat belt was uncomfortable, and the tight seats and lack of storage made it uncomfortable. If you are seated next to someone, there’s hardly any storage space for you in the seat area, aside from a tiny net thing. Not designed with the passenger’s comfort in mind!
The width of the seat is narrow. The distance between the arm rests is a little too wide and at an odd angle when compared to the orientation of the seat. I think this is because the outer armrest is aligned to the aisle rather than the angle of the seat.
Although there were no storage bins above the middle seats, the window seats on either side had enough space in their bins. Under the armrest, there was a small storage area and a cubby under the footrest for shoes. Access to the seats was convenient due to the 1-2-1 all aisle access configuration. However, the aisles were not particularly spacious, and the gap between the seats was narrow, at just over 50cm. Nonetheless, the armrest could be lowered, which made it easier for people with mobility issues to sit from the aisle and twist across.
Sleeping
There is a fully flat bed for sleeping, however, I did notice a slight constraint in space. When reclined into a flat position, the foot cubby hole seem to only accommodate shorter people. I personally found the seating and bed configurations to be comfortable but snug. There’s not much room to move around.
Cleanliness
The seat and the area around it were generally clean. There was a fair amount of dust blowing around the cabin that got trapped between the external and internal window panes.
What is the best seat on Malaysia Airlines Business Class cabin?
If you even get to choose your own seat on this flight, and travelling alone, aim for the seats in rows A, 4K or 6 K. It means you’re not sharing with others and have your own throne seat.
See the seating plan on SeatGuru.
Onboard Experience
The service was functional, and a far-cry from the hospitality that you see on Qatar Airways. It felt like the aim of the crew was to get the job done, and it didn’t matter if you were having a nice time or not. You’re given an Aspinall amenity kit with Payot creams.
Food & Drink
The meal service was functional, but it didn’t seem like much thought was given to the passenger’s experience. For example, being a night flight taking off at 9:20pm, we through there might want to consider passengers who may want to sleep on the flight? But the lights were on at its maximum throughout the long-drawn out meal service. The cabin crew came round with a satay pre-starter for everyone, and the choice available was reasonable with a choice of chicken, beef to fish.
The food was average and actually quite unmemorable. So much so that when writing this blog, I’d had to look at photos of what I ate. The drink selection, well, if you’re expecting a nice bottle of wine, don’t. You get a choice of red or white wine.
There’s also a “dine anytime” option, which is the lighter option you can have before landing. We opted not to endure ourselves to this before landing, and as we’re landing into Doha, we knew there would be a much better option in the lounge there.
In-flight Entertainment
The in-flight entertainment system in Malaysia Airlines Business Class left much to be desired. The touch screen proved to be frustratingly unresponsive, adding an element of inconvenience to the overall experience. Furthermore, the system appeared dated, lacking the modern responsiveness expected in premium cabins. The limited selection of films meant we forego the entertainment altogether and choose to sleep instead.
BG1 Verdict
The drama doesn’t end after the flight is over. Once you’ve landed into Doha, you’re ushered to another passport check. It’s almost like the Qatari officials don’t trust their flight partner. Even though we were transiting, our documents had to be re-checked, which took 50mins before we were allowed into the terminal.
When booking with Qatar Airways, just be cautious if they suggest an aircraft change. Also, double-check and confirm the operating airline for your flight before booking, especially when traveling to Malaysia. You could easily find yourself on a Qatar Airways ticket with the flight operated by Malaysia Airlines. Be prepared for a subpar experience if you’re on Malaysia Airlines Business Class. It’s sad, as being from the Far East I have very fond memories of the airline. With the catalogues of unfortunate flight mishaps with the airline, you’d think they’ll be trying super hard to regain trust and confidence from its customers.
BG1 Tip
Avoid accepting an aircraft change if you’ve made a reservation with Qatar Airways. It will impact your travel experience, and don’t expect the premium service and comfort expected from Qatar Airways. In the event that you find yourself traveling with Malaysia Airlines Business Class, it’s advisable to secure one of the throne seats for a more spacious experience – that’s if you can make any changes to your seat selection!
Be aware that due to the confusion about the service provider for the flight, Tier points are not automatically awarded. If you discover missing Tier points, submitting a request may not guarantee a straightforward resolution. In our case, Malaysia Airlines rejected our eligibility, and Qatar Airways disclaimed any responsibility. We had to persistently push British Airways customer service before finally being awarded the points. This became crucial for us as we were requalifying for Gold status. A valuable tip is to persevere in similar situations and keep pushing for a resolution.
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