Malaysia Airlines Business Class Review

The Airline: Malaysia Airlines

The Flight: Sydney-Kuala Lumpur (MH 140) Kuala Lumpur-Paris CDG (MH 20)

The Equipment: Boeing 777-200 (Sydney-KL)

The Cabin: Business

Date: 21/8/2011

Overview:

Along with other Asian carriers like Korean Air and Asiana Airlines, Malaysia Airlines have been trying to capture the Australian market (with its strong dollar) on flights to Europe through Kuala Lumpur. They occasionally offer special deals on prices in business class which are well worth looking out for, and economy one way from Sydney to KL can be bought for under $1,000.

Check In:

Flight Departs 9.40pm from Sydney arriving in KL 4:20am. Priority boarding for business class meant an swift and efficient check in with priority immigration and boarding which all made for a hassle-free experience. The Golden Lounge at Sydney Airport is tucked away but the food selection was decent with a mini-menu of made-to-order noodle and stir fry dishes, and French champagne was served along with a good drinks selection. The Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge is closed for refurbishment from May 9, 2012 to June 18, 2012. The airline has made alternative arrangements with the Regional Lounge in the main terminal building and with China Airlines on the Mezzanine floor in the Satellite Building near gates 31-37.

The Service:

Crew were friendly and attentive and addressed everyone by their surname and nothing was too much trouble. Drinks were replenished regularly and there was always a crew member checking on all guests throughout both sectors of the flight.

The Food:

If you love traditional Malaysian cuisine then this it’s worth flying Malaysia Airlines just for this. Satay sticks and Nasi Lemak were outstanding - there was traditional western cuisine on offer but most people opted for the local food. Wine and beverage selection was solid without being outstanding.

The Seat and Entertainment:

Had pod seats on both legs which were good - the equipment on the Sydney-KL leg was a bit older and was an angled lie-flat, but the KL-Paris seat was a proper 180 degree lie flat seat in a much newer aircraft. Cabins were kept clean and pristine throughout both flights. The inflight AVOD entertainment is okay with some new release movies the pick of the selection.

The Verdict:

If you can score a good deal on a business class seat, Malaysia Airlines is one of the best flights for getting through to Europe and makes the long journey quite a pleasant one. The layover in the Golden Lounge in Kuala Lumpur was a joy and it’ll be interesting to see how much better it can be once it’s been refurbished.

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This review has been updated. To read the latest version, click here