Malindo Air’s Business Class Experience: Luxury Meets Comfort (Part 2)
This is a continuation of my previous post on Kota Kinabalu daytrip on Malindo’s Business Class. Click here to read the first part or here to watch the video.
After completing all my “things to do” in Kota Kinabalu City, we had the chance to enjoy KK’s fresh seafood before heading back to the airport for our flight back to KL.
Quick shopping at the Pasar Ikan Masin, this box of dried seafood will be the star of my trip report 🙂
We found ourselves at Kota Kinabalu International Airport just 9 hours after we had touched down at the same airport. I just love the fact that most airlines including Malindo now have very early morning flight as well as late evening flights to Kota Kinabalu making daytrips possible.
Business Class check-in counter was once again used to process economy class passengers in line but the ground crew was fast to direct us to the next available counter once they saw us carrying business class itinerary. Good job.
We were greeted warmly with smiles from both of the staff manning the check-in counter. They took the effort to recommend to us the first row of the business class cabin which that has the best legroom. Nice little gestures.
The crew also politely remind us that the aircraft will land in the new klia2 terminal so that we can sort out our travel arrangements in advance.
Our only checked-in item, the 7kg box containing dried seafood box in which both the ground crew and us joked about it making history as one of the first boxes to arrive in klia2.
All set for OD1027. I’ve been on this flight a couple of times in the past 12 months and it usually arrives in KL around 10:30PM which is perfect but for this 1st May 2014 flight, I was made to understand that it was retimed to arrive beyond midnight to be one of the earliest arrivals in klia2. A fact that I was not aware initially but glad that I will be part of history 🙂
Flight OD1207 for the night was operated by 9M-LNG. A Boeing 737-900 powered by 2 CFMI CFM56-7B26E engines. Delivered to Malindo Air on 19th March 2013 (Source: PlaneSpotters.net)
Only four passengers in the business class cabin. Senior Flight Stewardess Karen Yap was in charge and she was quick to welcome us on-board at out comfortable leather seats. She was assisted throughout the flight by another flight stewardess specifically assigned for the business class passengers.
“En Azuan, may I offer you some coconut water?”
Pre-take off service was similar to the morning flight with the crew checking on our pre-ordered meals. Blankets were distributed without even having to request for one. Our push-back to KL was delayed for about 15 minutes to ensure that the flight reach KL International Airport beyond midnight.
Shortly after, we were on our way. Smooth take-off from RWY02 and after a few turns we settled down at cruise altitude of 38,000 feet.
Refreshments were served while waiting for the crew to prepare our dinner meals.
The Sony noise-cancellation headphones were distributed and I got the chance to finish watching the movie that I started watching on the earlier flight.
Mutton Briyani for me! Basmathi briyani rice served with succulent well-marinated mutton varuval. Served with a dinner roll, garlic bread, salad and cake. “Makan besar” at 38,000 feet!
Briyani Rice with Prawn Masala for my better half.
Malindo’s meals are specially-catered menu from its official cuisine partner, Original Kayu Nasi Kandar so it is no surprise that both our meals were delicious. It may not be lobsters or caviar often associated with premium class travel but this is Malaysian delicacies at its best.
Just as I thought that it could not get any better, senior FA Karen came to offer a selection of Haagen-Dazs ice-cream to go with a cup of tea. Perfect.
Cabin lights were dimmed after the meals service allowing the passengers to get some rest.
At one point I realised that the aircraft was making some turns as if that we were flying on a holding circuit. A quick glance at the flight map confirmed that we were indeed buying time as we were ahead of schedule.
After the flight, a friend shared a historical tracking of the flight from flightradar24 website which showed that we were indeed on hold above Straits of Malacca for quite some time 🙂
Finally at slightly 10 minutes pass midnight of 2nd May 2014, the aircraft landed at the brand new RWY33 of KLIA.The first scheduled flight to utilise this new runway.
As the aircraft make its way to gate K6, the captain made a special announcement welcoming the passengers to the new terminal as well as letting everyone aware about the water cannon salute at the gate.
The klia2 skybridge, the first in the region. #MalaysiaBoleh!
Seconds before the water cannon action.
Welcome Malindo Air to klia2, their new home.
After thanking the awesome cabin crew, we let a few other passengers passed us so that we would be able to escape the media waiting to greet the passengers.
I was wrong, despite letting them go first, the media and VIPs were still there welcoming everyone to the terminal.
To be honest, the continuous flashes from easily hundreds of cameras were just too much. I can’t even see a thing at one point and just kept saying thank you to everyone who said welcome to klia2.
I wanted to explore the terminal a bit but as it was full with media etc, we decided to just quickly check it out and leave.
Some shots that I managed to snap at “K” wing of the terminal. Beautiful!
Updated: more snapshots of klia2 can be viewed on my post here.
One for the album.
Our “dried seafood” was waiting for us on the baggage carousel, thanks to its “priority” status. Haha
Soon we were away from the media frenzy and on our way back via the Metered Taxi service at Gateway@klia2.
Overall it was an awesome experience for both of us, flying on business class for the first time and to be arriving at the new terminal is a very nice addition to our trip. I look forward to fly more on Malindo and I wish them all the best in their future growth plans out of this modern and exciting klia terminal. Special thanks to Malindo Airlines, crew and staff for the hospitality on-board OD1002 and Od1027 1st May 2014. For great deals including business class fares, check out Malindo Air’s website here.
Lion Air, in Indonesia is a poor one, with super delays (almost 200 flights are delayed each day). I don’t know whether its subsidiary in Malaysia does the same, or?
so far so good for Malindo 🙂
tu makan kat mana KK tu bang
Gayang Seafood 🙂
waaa..glamer ko bro. hanez $ur@y@ pun belum tentu dpt flash lights from camera cam ko.
hehe
Hahaha! siot je compare dengan Hanez Suraya. Dia 1000x lagi glamour and hebat bro 😛 aku kena flash sikit dah kelabu.