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Phuket International
I was driven to the airport by the Le Meridien Hotel Limousine and dropped off at the terminal with one and a half hour before scheduled departure time. Like in many airports, the luggage is x-rayed a first time before entering the terminal; this applies to hand luggage and to be checked luggage.
I quickly located the counters of Malaysia Airlines. Three counters for Economy Class were used and one counter for Business Class and one drop off luggage counter for those. The later is a bit strange, since as far as I know, Phuket is no destination, where online check in is possible. At least, I was unable to check in online in the morning at the hotel. The Economy Counter had very long lines, but Business Class counter was not busy and only one person queued ahead of me.
As I approached the desk, which was also the one used for elites in the oneworld frequent flyer programs, I was asked if I was travelling in Business Class or had elite status and a I confirmed it, was directed to the available agent at the drop off counter. I asked the luggage only to be checked to Kuala Lumpur, where I had an overnight transfer making use of the 24 hours transit rule which applied to this ticket. I was given a voucher for the Coral Lounge, which is also a Priority Pass Contract Lounge and used by other airlines as well. My luggage was checked and the agent showed the print for the label to be attached to the luggage and gave me my boarding pass. She also mentioned I should wait as I would be escorted through security.
Together with another passenger I was escorted to security and he dealt also with all papers and we could use the crew / VIP / Diplomats / APEC counters and also received a VIP treatment at immigration. This saved some time and I truly felt a little bit like a HON at one of Lufthansa Gateways where HON Service is available for the very top tiers of Lufthansa Frequent Flyer Program. You get some strange views from other passengers, but if you can live with that, you could pass immigration much more relaxed than the regular customer. We were escorted to the lounge. The lounge agent showed us the facilities of the very small lounge, which would be our place to relax for the next 70 minutes or so. A neck and shoulder massage was also offered free of charge, but I passed on this offer, while another guest asked to receive the treatment.
The lounge offers free WiFi and a quite extensive buffet given the size of the lounge with several cold and warm dishes as well as beer, juices, soft drinks but no wine. The selection of magazines and newspapers is also a bit limited, but it is of course much better than the crowded terminal. Phuket is a small but busy airport and also used by several wide body flights, even to Europe and the Middle East. The down of the lounge is that it does not offer a rest-room; one has to leave the lounge and use the ones in the main terminal.
I could see the plane arriving at the gate at 13:10 and we were told the boarding would start around 13:35 for the flight. There would be an announcement if boarding was about to begin. As the announcement was made, that boarding for our flight would start in five minutes, I left the lounge. The gate was close to the lounge and the area quite busy.
Boarding started with passengers travelling in Business Class as well as elites of the frequent flyer program of Malaysia Airlines and its oneworld partners before families with children were invited to board the plane. The rule was enforced and two other passengers were turned away and directed to the separate Economy Class Line which already had formed. It is nice to see, that the rule is enforced, because otherwise it does not make any sense.
15 May 2014
HKT – KUL
[Phuket International – Kuala Lumpur International]
MH 795; Boeing 737-800 (9M-MLK)
Gate 5
14:05 – 16:35 [effective 13:59 – 16:32]
Business Class
Seat 03 F
I was the second passenger to board the aircraft and the first passenger in Business Class.
But before I went on to discover the seat, I stored by belongings in the overhead compartment and under the seat in front of me.
Our Boeing 737-8FZ (WL) was leased from BBAM and delivered to Malaysia Airlines as new plane on September 21, 2011. Like the majority of the 55 737-800 in the fleet of Malaysia Airlines it was equipped with CFMI56-7B26 engines.
The cabin was equipped with different seats than the one on my previous flight, especially they had no in-seat in-flight entertainment system and the seats looked older and were not upholstered with leather but with some cotton sort fabrics. It might be, that this flight should be delivered to another customer, I am not sure, as my research does not lead to any answer.
Like on the previous flight, blanket and pillow were already placed on the seat, while the newspaper was in the seat pocket. Not headphones were available on this short flight to Kuala Lumpur. A pre departure drink was offered and I went for the water. Soon later a cold towel was brought. Boarding was still underway as the crew made several announcements placing larger carry on items in the overhead compartment and smaller one under the seat – much like it is standard on US airlines.
Pre Departure Drink
Sparkling Water
The safety video was shown on the overhead screens while we were still at the gate. Business Class was not fully booked and the last row of the cabin remained empty with couples being seated together while single travellers had a free seat next to their own seats, which was of course nice to have. Overall 7 out of the 16 seats were taken; in so far the cabin was not even half full. On this shorter flight, no printed menu was offered.
Push back was ahead of schedule and again “I just called to say I love you” was played while we were pushed back and taxied to the only runway of Phuket International airport. The taxiway does not lead till the end of the runway, so the plane has to taxi on the runway for the last meters and make a U turn to be able to use the full length of it. At 14:07 the first officer who was in charge of flying the aircraft as earlier told by the flight deck pushed the thrust lever and we accelerated over the runway towards the Andaman Sea and climbed into the partly cloudy sky. Shortly after we took off we made a turn toward the South flying over the Island of Phuket and get nice views to the many resort hotels at the beach.
Round about seven minutes after we had left the seat belt signs were turned off. One flight attendant closed the curtain while the other one came through the cabin, laid the tray tables with lines and asked what we would like to have as our choice of main course and our preferred drink. The options were a Malaysian dish and beef. I went with the later choice as the Malaysian dish included fish and I was not in the mood for fish. I asked to have a glass of champagne with the main course. Meal orders were taken row by row and it seems there was enough food on board to serve all of us our choice, since as far as I noticed everybody was taking the beef.
Beef with steamed vegetables and potatoes
Champagne Dappier Brut Carte D'Or NV
The flight attendant began to serve the meals five minutes later by delivering the trays row by row together with the choice of beverage. After he delivered every meal he came around with the bread basket which included garlic bread, rolls and croissant. He also offered refills of the beverage and brought me later some more rolls. The food was okay, but not the best I have had on all of my flights with Malaysia Airlines.
Coffee and Tea were also offered.
The trays were cleared individually, once a passenger had finished his meal or asked the tray to be cleared. The flight deck gave us an update of the weather situation in Kuala Lumpur and the expected arrival time. We should also expect a few bumps during our approach. He announced the descend also soon to begin and asked the cabin crew to prepare the cabin for our arrival.
In Business Class the crew did not start the preparation immediately but only after we already had begun to descend. The remaining items from the meal service and glasses were collected. We passed the airport and I could also see the formula 1 circuit close to the airport. The approach was indeed a bit bumpy as we passed through the clouds.
At 16:27 the wheels were down on the ground and we taxied for our gate at the far end of the A gates, where we arrived at 16:32. Like on the previous flights the curtain between the Economy and Business Class was closed.
