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Kuala Lumpur International
I woke up quite early and since I do not have time for breakfast anyway, decided to go to the airport earlier than it was necessary for this 09:10 departure. The KL Ekspress ran only as KL Transit at this time of the day, which means a slightly longer travel time. This was announced via notes in the trains and also in the station.
To me, the experience at the airport and the possibility to visit lounges and see how they compare is also part of the travel experience and with a Oneworld Sapphire status on British Airways I have the possibility to visit various lounges.
But before I was able to leave the station, my round trip KLIA ticket had stopped working and needed to be re-coded. I had already problems accessing the station where it only worked at the third try. But this issue was quickly solved by the helpful agent at the ticket booth.
As I now know where the check in area of Malaysia Airlines was located, I took the elevator up. Check in was quick and efficient and my luggage checked to Taipei and the boarding pass printed. I was also given an invitation for the premium immigration lane. The regular lines were busy and so I used this time the premium lane, where only one other passenger was queuing ahead of me, but he was about to be allowed to pass the checkpoint and so there was nearly no waiting time at all and soon I was on my way to the first security checkpoint, which I also passed in just a few minutes.
I decided to first head over to the Satellite terminal and visit the Cathay Pacific Business Class Lounge. I was allowed to enter the lounge after showing my British Airways Executive Silver Card to the lounge agent, who was wearing a tag of the Plaza Premium Lounge. There was no comment about not flying on Cathay or any other comment. The lounge was empty, I was the only guest. This lounge was of similar design than the other lounges of Cathay Pacific I have visited so far, meaning there was a marble bar, a buffet and a combination of beige / brown arm chairs with wood dividers. The buffet section was okay, there was no noodle bar though but prepared bowls with the ingredients and a bowls with different spices to add. I grabbed a sparkling water and a coffee and took a seat at the window of this curved lounge which offered views towards the tarmac.
Cathay Pacific Lounge
After a while I decided to move over to the Malaysian Airlines Business Class Lounge. I was also given access without problem and there was also no comment that my flight was actually leaving from the main terminal. This could be seen as either good (you can have access to whichever lounge you like) or bad (not pointing out that there is a lounge closer to the gate). This lounge is huge and big. It has a high ceiling and this adds to the impression of the big size of the lounge. There are chairs at the window to the left but not at the right, since behind this wall is the first class / Emerald part of the lounge. There is a cooking station and a buffet in the front part of the lounge and two additional smaller buffets are available further down in the lounge. Somehow I dislike the lounge, mainly because it was too big and I would have preferred more separate areas as this open concept of the lounge made it noisy. So I cut my visit in the lounge short and headed over using the train to the Malaysia Airlines lounge in the main terminal, which I had already visited two days before on my flight to Bangkok.
Malaysia Airlines Lounge
Satelitte Terminal
Overall I like the Cathay Lounge, but as this lounge was not very busy, I think I do not get the right impression, as it is not that big and might become crowded in peak time. The Malaysia Airlines lounge at the main terminal would be my second choice. But overall in peak time, the Malaysia Airlines Lounge in the satellite terminal might be the best option given the size of it.
Might it as it be boarding time had come close and I left the lounge and headed over to gate G4, which was the same gate which my flight to Bangkok had departed the day before. Security was passed quickly by me, as there was nobody in front of me and my boarding pass was checked and I was on my way down on the escalator to the waiting area.
Boarding had not started yet. I had already looked at our plane, which was again a Boeing 737-800 this one had the registration 9M-MXA. Boarding was announced for passengers travelling with small children and those needing additional time as well as passengers travelling in Business Class, which could board the plane at any time. After a couple, who was also flying Business Class, I was the third person boarding the plane. Boarding passes were verified by the agent at the entrance to the jetty.
08 May 2014
KUL – TPE
[Kuala Lumpur International – Taipei Taouyan International]
MH 366; Boeing 737-800 (9M-MXA)
Gate G 4
09:10 – 14:05 [effective 09:08 – 13:51]
Business Class
Seat 03 A
At the door to the plane I was friendly greeted by two flight attendants and I headed to my seat. Pillow and blanket were already placed on the seat; the headphones were placed in the seat pocket. I stored my carry on in the overhead compartment and put my jacket on the seat next to me. At least two flight attendants noticed it, but did not offer to hang it in the closet in the rear of the plane; I did not ask either. I was offered a choice if pre-departure drink and went of the Guava Juice, which was not on the tray but brought by the flight attendant later. She later returned with a chilled towel and also offered eye shades and handed me the printed menu for this 5 hours flight to Taipei Taoyuan.
Pre Departure Drink
Guava Juice
I did a first view of the menu 
(click on icon - opens new window)
The Business Class Cabin was not full and only 10 out of the 16 seats were taken and the seat next to me remained empty.
At 09:08 and thus two minutes ahead of time we were pushed back. During push back the safety video was shown. We taxied to the runway 32 R and had to queue for take off with a few flights ahead of us. The captain announced this and updated us, that it would take some time before we were finally airborne. He used this opportunity to give us an update of today’s flight path which would first take us to the East and later heading to the North East passing the Philippines in the North and flying south of Hong Kong towards Taiwan. We would pass the west coast of Taiwan before we would finally begin our descend into TPE.
Finally at 09:24 the pilot powered the engines and we left KLIA for Taipei. Our Boeing 737-8H6 was delivered to Malaysia Airlines on December 10, 2012 and like the other 737-800 powered by the CFM56-7B26 engines of CFMI. The plane was also in very good conditions, which was no surprise given that the plane was only 1.4 years old.
Once in the air, the seat belt signs remained on due to some expected turbulences, but the crew began the service and took the orders for the first round of drinks. I went for Champagne. Also the tray table was laid with linen. My glass of Champagne arrived soon together with a packet of assorted nuts.
Aperitif
Champagne Drappier Brut Carte D'Or NV
First Course
Fresh Fruit - Yoghurt
Main Course
Cheese Omelette
witch chicken sausage, baked sliced potatoes, grilled tomato and sautéed mushroom with peas
Tiramisu
Approximately forty minutes after we took of the first course arrived on the tray together with cutlery and napkin. For the serving of the first course, the cart was used and also we were asked what we like to drink with the meal. So far, no orders for our main course were taken. Garlic bread, rolls, pastries and croissants were also offered later. The meal was good and the used plates were cleared individually by the flight attendants.
After my plate of the first course was cleared, I was asked about my choice of main course and I asked for the chicken to be served but was told, that chicken was no longer available and so I went with the omelette. Not a bad choice, as they the pasta was not that bad given the fact that I have experienced Pasta quite often as to be overcooked. Not so on this flight, for an airline meal it was surprisingly good.
I was offered coffee and tea for dessert but was later told, that the seatbelt signs were now on and thus no hot beverage were available. I have experienced this on Singapore Airlines but given that the flight was quite smooth, it was a bit of a surprise, that they were turned on and remained turned on for the remaining flight time of nearly three hours. I do not know, if the flight deck forgot to turn them off or it was by purpose, but certainly not necessary as there were no turbulence on this flight.
I used the flight time to continue in writing some stay and trip reports and also listened to some music of the AVOD system.
The crew passed the cabin after the meal service was done, but not as frequently as their colleagues on previous flights. However another beverage round offering water and juice with another packet of nuts was offered later during the flight round about an hour of our scheduled arrival time in TPE.
We had already reached Taiwan and begun our descend as the flight deck announced an earlier arrival in Taipei and we should expect to be on the ground at 13:50. The crew began now to prepare the cabin for the arrival; seats had to be turned in an upright position.
As expected we touched down at 13:50 and reached the gate shortly later. The curtain between Economy and Business Class was again closed and we were on our way to immigration were long lines were queuing.
Contrary to terminal 1, where only one line is used, in terminal 2 are many individual lines are used and thus one chose for sure the wrong line. My line was moving not that slow until a tour guide of a Chinese tour-group let five passengers ahead of him much to my disbelief and the disbelief of other people in the line.
As I finally had passed immigration my suitcase was already circling on the belt but I was in so far lucky, that despite the long wait I was still able to catch an earlier bus towards the Sheraton Grande Taipei, my hotel for the next three days in Taipei.
Overall, the crew on this flight was okay, but did not be a polite and friendly as on the three other flights. They did their job, but their presence in the cabin after the meal service was done could have been a bit more frequently. Of course nothing wrong and still ahead of many European and US airlines, simply not as good as experienced earlier.