Another new year, another holiday gone! Somehow time seems to fly past when you are on holidays! To make matters worse, I spent the last 3 days down with a very bad bout of the flu! I was mainly holed up in my room at the Wynn Resort. At least I made full use of my stay in Vegas before I fell sick. We left the hotel at around 1pm, which would get me into Los Angeles around 4 which meant I could still spend some time at one of the malls to relax.
On the freeway driving back to LA
But how wrong I was! Due to the really bad weather all the way to LA, it took me around 5 hours. By the time I arrived at LAX it was already 6.30pm, so there goes my plan! I dropped off my family along with our bags while I went to the rental car return.
LAX at night
Check in also took an extremely long time at LAX and we only had an hour left before departure by the time we finished all formalities. I managed to squeeze a couple of minutes at the new Star Alliance lounge before we went to the gate.
New Star Alliance Lounge
In Flight
HS-TLA, TG’s first A345 is taking me to Bangkok today,
once I settled in my seats, I noticed the weather getting from bad to worse, it think this could mean a delay again (all my flights from LAX to BKK has always been late!).
Amenity kit
Weather started to get from bad to worse
5 min after this, my AVOD went dead, all the way back to Bangkok, crew were also unable to reboot my seat
True enough, by the time we took off it was 2240. To make matters worse, my AVOD completely didn’t function so whenever I wanted to catch a something on AVOD, I had to swap seats with the wife.
Food time
Watching a movie (after swapping seats with my wife!)
More food
Ahhh, in the morning light
Breakfast before descend into Bangkok
The flight itself was uneventful and at least I managed to sleep most of the way, the crew was extremely apologetic with the malfunctioning AVOD and compensated me with 2 bottles of wine of my choice. It was not too much of a problem as none of the movies on offer actually caught my eye. By the time I woke up, we were already on descent to Bangkok and after that it was a mad rush to catch my connecting flight to Kuala Lumpur.
It was a really tiring trip from Los Angeles and by the time we entered this aircraft I was truly as dead as I can be. One thing that surprised me though was that TG was actually using the A346 on this route.
HS-TNB
I guess sometimes when the online schedule says aircraft as EQV its truly like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.
In Flight
First class was deliberately left empty as F is never sold on regional routes, J and Y were 100% full though. This was my 2nd time on the A346.
And soon we will be off
Menu and meal
Views on route to Kuala Lumpur
My 1st time was back in September when I flew F to Munich. We had your average regional J crew on board and the AVOD has already been updated with January’s programs. I just slept most of the way into Kuala Lumpur and the flight itself was uneventful.
A rare sight in Kuala Lumpur
Service: 6/10
Food: 7/10
Aircraft: 9/10
6 January 2008
Kuala Lumpur (KUL) - Jakarta (CGK)
Airline: Malaysia Airlines MH723
Aircraft: A330-300
Registration: 9M-MKJ
1st Flight: 21 November 1995
ETD: 1630
ATD: 1630
ETA: 1730
ATA: 1720
Flight time: 2 hours
Seat: 1A
Class: Golden Club (Business)
Cruise: 32000 feet
Pre Flight
When we picked our bags at Kuala Lumpur, one of my bags failed to make the transfer of aircraft in Bangkok. So I spent almost 1 hour reporting the loss of baggage and also for the Lost and Found to forward my luggage to me in Jakarta (it actually arrived in Jakarta on the very same night, but typical Indonesian inefficiency, they only forwarded the bag to me 2 days later!) Naturally I was in a foul mood as one bag was missing. After check in I just spent the rest of my time at the Golden Club Lounge.
9M-MKJ
In Flight
One thing great of MH crew, once meeting them onboard the aircraft, I managed to cheer up a little and I actually had a very nice and pleasant flight back to Jakarta.
Sorry I didn’t right much as on this last flight, there really wasn’t much to write about or maybe its just my thrill for making a report really dwindle as its back to work the next day. Anyway I hope you guys enjoyed this TR of mine. My next trip will be to Perth with MH in J on 6 Feb. Stay tuned!
Service: 10/10
Food: 4/10
Aircraft: 7/10
Thanks again for reading my TR guys, my next trips will be:
1 Feb 08 – Jakarta to Semarang vv (same day return) with Garuda in Y
5 Feb 08 – Jakarta to Perth with Malaysia Airlines in J
19 Mar 08 – Jakarta to Surabaya and Bali with Garuda in J
6 April 08 – Jakarta to Germany with Thai in F and J
ThaiA345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Reply 2, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 11 hours ago) and read 12787 times:
Quoting Ag92 (Reply 1): it must have been a nuisance to be with over 16hrs without a PTV.
Actually it was! It was the first time I got any where being really agitated on an aircraft...but luckily its a night flight and I managed to get myself to sleep, so at least it was not that bad....plus I changed seats with my wife for awhile too ehehehheeh
Triple7man From Thailand, joined May 2005, 681 posts, RR: 0 Reply 3, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 12762 times:
On the LAX-BKK flights is it a 2 class or 3 class service? Also, where is the Star Alliance Lounge at TBIT located? I know they have been doing a lot of reconstruction on that terminal.
Jkj777 From United States of America, joined Aug 2007, 397 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 12756 times:
How did you expect to drive from vegas to LAX in 3 hours? That is crazy! 5 is more than acceptable for that trip, no matter the weather. Nice TR, however.
ThaiA345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Reply 5, posted (5 years 3 months 3 weeks 10 hours ago) and read 12741 times:
Quoting Triple7man (Reply 3): On the LAX-BKK flights is it a 2 class or 3 class service? Also, where is the Star Alliance Lounge at TBIT located? I
LAX-BKK flights are all 3 class (business, premium Y, and Y). The new star alliance lounge is located on the 4th floor as long as i I can remember ! ..basically you have to clear security checks and then go up the elevator and you are right smack in the lounge reception
Well buddy...I think yours are a lot more details and you always take better pics than me
Quoting Ronerone (Reply 8): but i somehow always prefer the A345. Maybe its a biased preference Wink
Actually you are right on that based on the looks of the aircraft, the A345 looks more balanced, same thing for the B773 which looks too long like the A346...B772 is also the much better looking aircraft in the B777 family
B747forever From United States of America, joined May 2007, 16574 posts, RR: 11 Reply 10, posted (5 years 3 months 2 weeks 3 days 22 hours ago) and read 11646 times:
Ryanair!!! From Singapore, joined Mar 2002, 4652 posts, RR: 27 Reply 11, posted (5 years 3 months 2 weeks 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 11536 times:
I hate TBIT at this time of departure, it is like a madhouse! Not to mention inadequate facilities...
Quoting ThaiA345 (Thread starter): Watching a movie (after swapping seats with my wife!)
Aww... you deprived her of a PTV. How could you?
Quoting ThaiA345 (Thread starter): I guess sometimes when the online schedule says aircraft as EQV its truly like a box of chocolates, you never know what you are going to get.
It IS unusual. But this being the festive season, I am sure they put the 346 in to cater for the spike in passengers. Hmm, I wonder why didn't they put their top tier Royal Orchid JCL passengers in the PCL cabin? They could have sold some more seats that way.
Welcome to my starry one world alliance, a team in the sky!
SASDC8 From Norway, joined Mar 2006, 663 posts, RR: 1 Reply 12, posted (5 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 21 hours ago) and read 11398 times:
Thanks for another great report
17+ hours without a PTV of your own; how did you survive??
Nice to get a A346 to KUL I have just been on the loosing end of their equipment jiggle; once ending up with A300 instead of a 747 and on TG418 a 777-300 instead of the scheduled 777-200ER
ThaiA345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Reply 13, posted (5 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 11336 times:
Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 11): Aww... you deprived her of a PTV. How could you?
Yes, how dare TG deprive me of a PTV ahahah....I had my laptop actually, but I forgot to upload any movies though so that also went down the drain!
Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 11): I wonder why didn't they put their top tier Royal Orchid JCL passengers in the PCL cabin? They could have sold some more seats that way.
Actually by the look of the flurry of activities around the aircraft before departure, this was really a last minute equipment change ehehehhe ....so I guess moving aroudn passengers to put more people in was not in the books as it was really last min eheheeh
Quoting SASDC8 (Reply 12): 17+ hours without a PTV of your own; how did you survive??
very simple, I kept telling my wife that she better get some sleep soon or nto she will get really bad jet lag byt the time we get home ahhaha...and when she was getting sleepy, I just told her to swap seats with me I know I was mean ..but it was the best way I could think off at that time
Quoting SASDC8 (Reply 12): Nice to get a A346 to KUL I have just been on the loosing end of their equipment jiggle; once ending up with A300 instead of a 747 and on TG418 a 777-300 instead of the scheduled 777-200ER
My worst case was a A333 was changed to AB6 and same as you a B772ER was changed to the yucky seats of the B773
Quoting SASDC8 (Reply 12): What kind of rental car did you drive in the US?
Actually I would rather drive a Saab ....actually Saab should launch the 9-4 (SUV) sometime in late 2009 so at least they will get their SUV out by then. I actually have a soft spot for Saab as my family is the Saab importer for several countries in South East Asia
Ryanair!!! From Singapore, joined Mar 2002, 4652 posts, RR: 27 Reply 16, posted (5 years 3 months 2 weeks 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 11191 times:
Quoting ThaiA345 (Reply 15): Actually I would rather drive a Saab ....actually Saab should launch the 9-4 (SUV) sometime in late 2009 so at least they will get their SUV out by then. I actually have a soft spot for Saab as my family is the Saab importer for several countries in South East Asia
When I was living in Australia, my first car was actually a SAAB! Really sturdy car to drive and very unusual position for the ignition though... not to mention the placement of the wipers!
Welcome to my starry one world alliance, a team in the sky!
ThaiA345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Reply 17, posted (5 years 3 months 2 weeks 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 11088 times:
Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 16): Really sturdy car to drive and very unusual position for the ignition though... not to mention the placement of the wipers!
Ahh the old Saab's...they are truly wierd in some espects, but yet unique enough for many of us to love too ...they are just so ugle in one sense but yet so adorable too!
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