Malaysia Airlines operates a large fleet of Boeing 737-800 aircraft on regional routes. Pre-COVID, I used to fly regularly on regional flights in Asia – largely with oneworld airlines. I was keen to try out Malaysia Airlines once again, flying in business class on the Boeing 737-800. This was a good flight, but unfortunately, the new seats and cabin design seem like a step back.
Malaysia Airlines KUL to DPS
I was booked on MH853, an afternoon flight from Kuala Lumpur to Denpasar (Bali). Malaysia Airlines seem to have quickly ramped up its flights on many routes – it now flies this route three times daily. Given the light loads on this flight (and the fact it is low season in Indonesia), this may have been premature.
Malaysia Airlines operates the Boeing 737-800 and Airbus A330 on its regional routes. Denpasar currently has one A330 flight scheduled daily and two using the 737. This flight was on the 737-800.
Arrival and airport experience
Arrival at the airport was easy using the Kuala Lumpur Airport Express train. This had only just resumed full service a few weeks before, but the useful in-town check-in service was still closed.
At the airport, Malaysia Airlines has a large separate area for business class and oneworld elite members to check in. This was quiet and efficient (although my paperwork for return flights from Denpasar etc was strictly checked). Kuala Lumpur is one of the few airports that has business class priority lanes for immigration on both arrival and departure. Security screening takes place at the gates as well, so getting through to the departure hall initially is very fast.
Kuala Lumpur International is a modern, spacious airport, but not as impressive (or entertaining) as Hong Kong or Singapore. I was quite taken with the large display of aircraft models in the center of the main hall, though. A great idea to display the models likely given by the airlines – even if they are all of very different scales!
The airline business class lounges were now fully re-opened, and I used the Malaysia Airlines Golden Regional Lounge. There is a larger lounge located in the satellite terminal, typically used for longer flights. You can access this by taking the train to the satellite and returning easily, but I actually prefer the regional lounge (as long as it’s not too busy, which it wasn’t at this time). It has everything you need and offers better apron and runway views. For racing fans, you can see the entrance to the Sepang Circuit too!
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There is a buffet and a chef station preparing laksa and noodle dishes, and a full-service bar. The only real addition at the larger satellite lounge is a first class area with restaurant service (although this is still to re-open as of February 2023). oneworld Emerald cardholders may want to try this.
Luckily my flight departed from a nearby gate, as I ended up shuttling backward and forwards to check on the flight status. We were ultimately delayed about 90 minutes and had the departure gate changed, but this was frustratingly done repeatedly just before departure. Lounge staff also seemed unwilling to support or keep passengers updated, necessitating several trips to the gate to check.
Business class on the Boeing 737-800
Pre-pandemic, all the airline’s Boeing 737-800 aircraft had the same configuration and seats. This was an old-style seat, similar to that used on many of the large US airlines. Malaysia Airlines introduced a new product during 2022, although rollout across the Boeing 737 fleet has been slow. I was unsure if my flight would have this (you can tell from the seat map, but as I booked through a partner airline, I could not access this). I was pleased (for review purposes only!) to find that it did.
Like many such “enhancements,” it is hard to find the benefits, and I prefer the previous cabin. The seats are smaller and slimmer (lighter for the airline) and not as padded or comfortable, legroom has been reduced in business class by around by three inches, rows are reduced from four to three, and the entertainment system and screen are gone. The color scheme is certainly interesting, too – it makes full use of the Malaysia Airlines colors, It looks fresh, but perhaps a bit blue!
Flight and service
I had taken a Cathay Pacific regional business class flight to Kuala Lumpur the day before, and compared to that, Malaysia Airlines is far behind. It feels like Cathay has improved over the past years, while Malaysia has gone the other way. This is worth bearing in mind if you are paying directly for such flights (Cathay is usually more expensive), but if you are using oneworld miles or making an international connection from another airline, you often have a choice.
There was a good selection of food (although the basic salad starter and blueberry cake dessert were quite bland), and everything is served on one tray.
Alcohol was offered (there is no menu, but the crew will provide beer and wine on request). Surprisingly for a full-service airline, Malaysia Airlines only offers this in business class on flights over three hours – so many regional flights will miss out.
The flight to Bali was around 3.5 hours. With a quick, single-tray meal service, there was plenty of time left. With no IFE, and a terrible wine offering, I just had a coffee and used my laptop. WiFi was offered – but only to connect to flight information and limited streaming options. There is no internet access on any of the Boeing 737 aircraft (there is on the A350 and some A330 aircraft).
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Arrival into Denpasar / Bali
With the delay on departure, and a slightly longer than booked flight time, we arrived into Depasar/Bali around two hours late. I had heard of very long delays at the airport, but it was pleasantly quiet. The mid-evening arrival time likely helped this. There was minimal wait for visa on arrival, immigration, and customs, but it still took around an hour to get through the various sections. Many countries can now apply for electronic visa on arrival before departure, and complete an advance customs declaration to obtain a QR code – it is a good idea to do this.
Overall, this was not a bad regional business class flight (especially if compared to offerings in Europe), but it does feel like Malaysia Airlines is cutting back wherever it can. This is understandable given the tough low-cost competition, but it is a shame. Have you flown Malaysia Airlines recently? Feel free to share your thoughts and experiences in the comments section.
This content was originally published here.
