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Kuala Lumpur International
My last flight out of Kuala Lumpur International Airport on this trip and the second flight to Bangkok was about to start soon. I checked in at the dedicated Business Class counters of Malaysia Airlines. Like on my previous trips, I received an invitation to use the fast track premium line. The agent explained what he was doing and confirmed that my British Airways Frequent Flyer number was in the booking, this was an enhanced experience than on the previous trips, where the agent simply did it but not explained what she was doing.
My boarding pass was again checked before I was allowed to enter the departure hall. Nobody was queuing at the premium lane while several people queued at the regular immigration counters. Without any wait and after my fingerprint were taken again, I was in the terminal. At the first security checkpoint were longer lines and there is unfortunately no dedicated line for passengers in Business or First Class. But the lines moved quickly and the waiting time was not very long.
I went to the regional MAS Golden Lounge in the main concourse, which was not that busy. At the desk at the entrance my boarding pass was checked and I was welcomed in the lounge. I took a seat in one of the armchairs and grabbed a soda water from the fridge. I used the free WiFi in the lounge and checked my e-mails.
The lounge offers nice views to the concourse with the planes waiting there and also the runway used for take-off. Our plane has already arrived from Phnom Penh and was now scheduled to fly to Bangkok as a quick check on flightaware showed.
I left the lounge 40 minutes before scheduled departure time and went down to the gate. A signboard indicated boarding time to start at 14:37, which had already passed as I arrived at the gate. A couple of other passengers queued at the security checkpoint and I joined the queue, which moved quickly and I passed security without long wait. At the entrance to the gate area my boarding pass was checked and received the immigration form for Bangkok along with an invitation to use the premium channel at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi airport.
Boarding was about to start in the same moment as I reached the waiting lounge, which is located downstairs from the main concourse. Passengers in the last row were allowed to board and passengers in Business Class as well as oneworld elites were allowed to board on their own convenience.
19 May 2014
KUL – BKK
[Kuala Lumpur International – Bangkok Suvarnabhumi]
MH 782; Boeing 737-800 (9M-MSD)
Gate H 4
15:15 – 16:20 [effective 15:14 – 16:18]
Business Class
Seat 03 A
I walked down the air bridge and was welcomed by two flight attendants at the door of the plane. I had again chosen a window seat and stored my carry on in the overhead compartment and under the seat.
Blankets and pillow were placed on the seats and the printed menu was put in the seat pocket. A newspaper was also placed there along with the headphones. This plane had the blue leather seats and was only a year old as it was delivered to Malaysia Airlines on May 09, 2013. I was glad to find these seats, as I was in the need to charge my Blackberry and the new seats offered not only a 110 AC power outlet but also a USB port.
A pre-departure drink was offered followed by a cold refreshing towel. The plane was full in Economy Class but there were three empty seats in Business Class among those the one next to me, which allowed me to spread me out over two seats and use the free seat to place the blanket.
Pre Departue Drink
Guava Juice
The safety video was shown while we were still at the gate. The flight deck had already welcomed us on board earlier and informed us about the flight time to Bangkok and the flight path. He also let us know which weather we could expect in Bangkok. It was a quite extensive speech with much more information than on most of the previous flights.
We were pushed back right in time and taxied to runway 32 R passing a parked Malaysia Airlines Boeing 747-400 which had been parked there for a while. We also passed the two parked Boeing 747-200 of Air Atlanta Icelandic. One of these 747 was delivered to Philippine Airlines and being converted into a cargo plane in 2002. It was used with the registration of Air Atlanta Icelandic (TF-ARN) by Malaysia Airlines Cargo for a couple of month. It is stored next to another 747-200, which was the former Lufthansa Boeing 747-200 with registration D-ABYT, which was after ten years as passenger plane (8F / 50 C / 326 Y) converted to a freighter and acquired by Air Atlanta Icelandic in 2003 who operated the plane on behalf of MAS Cargo and also Saudi Arabian Airlines Cargo before it was stored finally at KLIA. So much about the history of the two 747-200 which are parked next to runway 32 R – now back to my flight to Bangkok.
We did not use the whole runway, which means we had not to taxi till the end of the runway. We took off ahead of a MH 777, which was waiting at the beginning of the runway, around 15:20.
I did read the menu, which was available on this flight 
(click on icon - opens new window)
As usual the first duties of one of the flight attendants after the seat belt signs were switched off were to close the curtain between Business and Economy Class. Shortly thereafter the tray table were laid with linen but unlike on the previous flight no orders were taken which we like to have for dinner. But one could already smell the garlic bread in the cabin, so it was for sure that this would be available.
Main Course
Smoked Salmon
with Waldorf Salad
Chicken Chettinad
Tender Chicken cooked in South Indian masala with basmathi rice and tempered cabbage
Carrot Cake
Champage Drappier Brut Carte D'Or NV
Ten minutes later the meal service started and this time the meal service was done using the cart together with the beverage service. It was done the way, that one flight attendant served the meal while the other was serving bread and the beverage. It seems that enough meals was catered as everybody seems to get their first choice. I decided to choose the chicken and have a glass of champagne with the food to celebrate this last flight with Malaysia Airlines on this trip. I also received two slices of Garlic bread and a roll and a glass of water. Trays were cleared individually by the flight attendant who passed through the cabin frequently.
My glass of champagne was frequently topped during the flight until I told the flight attendant that it was enough if I wanted to be able to get some work done on this flight.
The flight deck gave us an update during the flight. We flew along the West Coast of Malaysia and crossed the country slightly south of Langkawi passing the Gulf of Thailand towards Bangkok. The flight was smooth with minor turbulences as we were over the Gulf of Thailand.
At 16:40 Kuala Lumpur time we began our descend into Bangkok and the crew began to prepare the cabin for our arrival into Bangkok and collected the remaining items from the meal service. We passed Bangkok in the sky and approached the airport from the North. This means I was able to get a good view of Bangkok from the sky and was once again I saw the old Don Muang airport in the dust.
We touched down on runway 19 R / 01 L at 16:08 (Bangkok is one hour back) but had to wait a couple of minutes on the taxiway and let a Royal Jordanian Airbus A 330 pass. We arrived at the gate ten minutes after we touched down. It was quite a bit to walk from our gate to the main immigration hall, but the premium channel was not very busy and I could pass it quickly. Again I just arrived as my bright red suitcase arrived on the belt as the first one. The other passengers had not even made it to the belt, if they had checked luggage.
Down the escalator and I was on my way to the train station catching the train to Makassan. Although not as fast as the express train the local train is still a fast and convenient way to get into down town Bangkok.