Thanks for clicking on Part 6 of my Autumn Asia series.
With my flight up to Bangladesh booked with Malaysia Airlines, I had to figure out how I was going to make the trip up to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore (a road trip of around 220 miles). As I had 9 days between arriving in SIN on Scoot before my KUL-DAC flight, I thought I should go and see something new in Malaysia. My initial thought was to spend a few days on the beach near Kuantan on the East Coast. However, I soon remembered the Geo-park island north of Penang, namely Langkawi. Having been to Penang many times, I’d often heard it said that the island to the north was much nicer, and with far better beaches.
I did a bit of research and found a reasonable fare from SIN to LGK on Silkair (MI). MI is the shorthual (marginally less wonderful) sister of SQ, operating A320/319 to Asian destinations unable to fill an SQ widebody. Sadly the days of relatively cheap one way flights around the Malay Peninsula are gone (a few years ago it was possible to buy a o/w F ticket on SQ on the SIN-KUL hop for around GBP 100 (just £30 more than Y)). My flight in Y came in at GBP 90, with C fares costing around £220. For the same dates, I was happy to see Air Asia (AK) was about GBP 5 more than MI. That, along with the fact that I’d never flown MI, made my choice easy. Booked.
To get from LGK back down to Kuala Lumpur, I found a GBP 30 fare on Firefly (FY), the regional/loco arm of Malaysia Airlines. Again, the FY flight was cheaper than AK and MH, plus it operates into the ex-main airport of Subang (SZB), rather than the way out KLIA (KUL). Another plus, FY would be a new airline. Booked again!
Whilst I got a pretty good fare, I did have a bit of a struggle when looking on other routes. Despite booking in advance, one way fares of well over £100 were fairly common on the routes I found around the Peninsula.
So, my trip was set! In just a few days I’d have flown the new loco arm of SQ (Scoot), the regional arm (Silkair) and the new MH regional arm (FY)….very fortuitous flying.
The map, courtesy of GC Mapper, of this report:
The map, courtesy of GC Mapper, of what is currently booked for this series:
I didn’t do a lot of sightseeing in Singapore, although I was able to have a quick lunch with a.netter initous.
I did make it to the Botanical Gardens, however, which after a downpour, were very pleasant to have a walk around.
There’s a lovely Orchid Garden
And a cool bandstand
I was lucky enough to be offered a space to stay at a friend’s place saving some pricey hotel nights…the balcony was perfect for a drink
After 3 nights in Singapore, it was time for my MI flight up to LGK. MI operates out of T2. There was no queue for check in, and my slightly overweight bag was tagged with a smile.
Old skool FIDS.
I’m not sure why that AZ logo is hanging around next to the 1700 to KUL.
The SQ F desk for curbside check in. I used this a few times back in the aforementioned golden days of relatively cheap F fares to KUL and PEN. They meet you at the door, then wheel your bags over to the sit down, glassed off check in area.
Despite being just late October, SIN is nearly ready for Christmas…waaaay to early in my opinion. Having said that, the decorations I did see were quite cool.
After checking in, I headed over to the landside viewing area in T1
Sadly, there wasn’t much happening this afternoon
Just missing MI to make up the rather odd Singapore Airlines family…can you see a colour theme here?
Friend or foe?
Indigo heading back to India
After going airside in T1, I caught the skytrain back to T2 where I got some lunch.
With lunch duly consumed, I headed off in search of an adaptor, having left the useful part of mine in my hotel room in HK. I found an identical version of one I bought on Amazon for GBP 5 on sale for over GBP 20….reluctantly, I bought it as there was nothing else available. So much for cheap duty free shopping.
With my duty free receipt, I was invited to enter the Changi lottery…no win sadly.
FIDS
SIN distractions
Contrast and compare. The Jet Star livery is fantastic, yet also loco. Why is the Scoot one so horrifically cheap looking. Even the Tiger livery is quite nice. I think management seriously missed the train on this one.
SQ and MI
The tail is nice, but the “Silk Air” font/sizing is a bit measly
Hmm, not sure “treasures” is quite the word for Changsha or Wuhan.
Time to board
Here’s my first Silkair plane, 9V-SLM
When having my boarding checked, I enquired about a window futher forward (I predicted that LGK would only have 2-3 immigration desks open, and I didn’t want to get stuck behind a long line of holiday makers). Thankfully, there was an empty row (not showing at OLCI) so I moved there…I got a nice stamp on my bp.
Departure lounge. Nearly everyone sat at the end closest to the desk/entrance, rather at the far end where the plane was obviously linked to the terminal.
Pretty AY plane from the lounge
No-frills heading in opposite directions
Finally, after a short delay, it’s time to board.
October 2012
Singapore Changi (SIN) – Langkawi (LGK)
Silkair
Scheduled: 1835-2000 (1h25m)
Actual: 1842-1947 (1h05m)
Airbus A320 9V-SLM
Economy Class
Passing the comfy looking C cabin
View from my seat
Safety card
Silkwinds Magazine. When MI was first established, it was called Tradewinds
Route map. CCU has been transferred from SQ mainline to MI since I flew the route in April
Despite the reasonable load, I ended up with am empty row…very nice, lots of space…
….until the German-speaking father of a noisy family sitting in the bulkhead decided to wedge his shoes and bag under his son’s (window) seat taking up my legroom….er, hello? Clearly he didn’t understand the physics that underneath one seat is the legroom for another seat. Or he didn’t see me. Or care. He clearly didn’t want the effort of putting his bag into the empty overhead either. Or know that flights safety #101 stipulates that you should keep your shoes on for take off/landing. I kicked his stuff from my legroom into the neighbouring hole. Thankfully an eagle eyed FA spotted the offending items, and helpfully offered to put them in the overhead.
Papers were handed out
And I was also selected to fill out a questionnaire…delighted to! And another free pen!
AF super heavy…dedicated to Airbuseric and other a.netters doing this ridiculous turnaround.
Safety video
A little late we push back and head off to the runway
The previous plane vacating the runway
AY and the sunset
Nice to still see some B747s in the SQ livery
And off we go. Next stop, island paradise.
The skyscrapers of Singapore
And the famously busy harbour
Darkness fell quickly
I had a flip through the magazine…there were some good destination guides
I was half expecting a choice of hot meals with a menu to be handed out at lightning speed. Sadly, this is 2012 rather than 2002, so a rather more austere egg sandwich would have to suffice. Still, perfectly acceptable on a short later afternoon flight. The trolley only had a choice of tea/coffee/water/OJ/beer. Other drinks were on request.
No surprises about my requested drink, which was brought from the front galley along with a few other requests (looked like mostly coke, plus a G&T for the lady in the row behind).
And I got one more before the seat belt sign came on.
With the trays and glasses cleared, we landed in Langkawi early.
A Firefly taxiing out to SZB…I quite like this photo
I believe photography is offically no-no in LGK, so I only got a few crap shots of the tarmac. I was 2nd passenger into the terminal
As expected, there were only a few desks open. Thankfully, Malaysia has done away with their hand filled arrivals card (finally, Malaysia is a trailblazer in red tape!), so I just handed over my passport. A minute or two later, I got a nifty little sticker stuck into my passport, and a more regular stamp across it.
There are plenty of tourist company counters in the baggage hall. I’m waved over and offered 3 days car hire for GBP 30…sounds wonderful, although I’m not sure I can find my accommodation in the dark without a map. The guy (and his friends next door) is trying the hard sell. Thankfully, I play my trump card. “Sorry, I’ve been drinking”. I’m left in peace to find my bag.
I jump into a prepaid taxi, and am shorting in my cheap (and clean if not cheerful) accommodation on the beach.
Some photos from Langkawi:
Some action from LGK. AK to KUL
MH 734. I took so long focusing the damn thing nearly disappeared
MH 738
The beach!
Thanks to NZ107, the theme tune to this song can be found here.
There were plenty of Middle Easterners on their Eid holidays. Malaysia is a majority Muslim country, so plenty of pork free meals, and mosques with walking distance of the beach. For the non-Muslims, Langkawi is also a duty-free island, and the booze was spectacularly cheap.
I did a day trip around the mangrove swamps, which was quite interesting.
To the Bat Cave!
Packs of local hunting dogs
Treasures in the trees
A nice beach to stop at for lunch
A local spitter fish. The normally spit water into the air to knock flies in, but I got a shot of it jumping instead.
A grouper
And stingrays, domesticated to the point that they have to be hand fed
gabrielchew From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, RR: 13 Reply 1, posted (6 months 1 week 4 days 23 hours ago) and read 5752 times:
And a monkey! Not the nice type from Africa, but a bitey Asian specimen
On my final day, I hired a snazzy orange Proton for a tour of the island.
From the top of the highest hill, you get a good view of the airport
Views
Marina
A nice waterfall next to the cable car station. I’d wanted a trip up to the top to take a walk on the skybridge, but it was closed for maintenance
Another monkey
And a coconut (kelapa in Malay)
Driving back to the airport. There is a layby running the length of the runway for those with plenty of time on their hands
I arrived 2 hours before my FY flight. In LGK you have to put your checked bags through security before check in, and they’re given a sticker. I walked over to the manned check in desk, to be told that check in only opens 90 minutes before departure, so I took a seat.
When check in opened, my bag was tagged (without a mention of it being 2kg over the limit…FY tickets include a 20kg allowance) and a window seat in the front row given. The bp was one of those horrible thermo paper things.
Landside
I then made the mistake of heading through security. Airside was basically nothing. Two lounges and a café. Conversely, landside is a host of duty free shops (although much more expensive than outside the airport), as well as restaurants etc. Stay landside!
The cafe
The tarmac was empty, so I got a photo of the sign instead
No airbridge in this tropical land, so umbrellas are provided in the likely event of rain….here are the MH ones
And FY ones. AK also had a red set
After not too long a wait, our plane arrived. Turn around was fast, and before long the 20 or so passengers (light load as we were headed against the flow of holiday traffic) were walking across the tarmac. I threw caution to the wind, and took some photos.
October 2012
Langkawi (LGK) – Kuala Lumpur Subang (SZB)
Firefly
Scheduled: 1800-1915 (1h15m)
Actual: 1755-1852 (0h57m)
ATR 72-500 9M-FYA
Economy Class
After a brief wait on the tarmac (lucky it was sunny), we were invited to board.
My allocated seat 1A had rather tight legroom (and was next to the FA seat), so I moved back a few rows once boarding was completed.
Row 1
Legroom isn’t great, but the average sector is rather short.
Nice, clean seating
Outside
See, no photos
After a very truncated safety demo, we were off, five minutes early
Lovely views
Flying over my beach
Inflight shopping
Safety card
MH’s Going Places magazine
Routemap…anyone for the British Midland flight to Edinburg?!
And the fleet. I love how they actually show the correct liveries on the respective fleet. Why they have so many, however, is quite the question.
What is the difference between Firefly and MAS Wings? Anyone know why they aren’t amalgamated?
Goodbye Langkawi!
It’s not long before the trolley is rolled to the front. There is a complimentary choice of cake or peanuts, then guava or orange juice.
Strong branding here…but what’s a “Community Airline”? Do they mean an airline with aircraft that lack range and comfort to link major hubs?
Nice cabin in flight. Annoyingly I’d left my noise cancelling headphones in my suitcase, so had to bide my time with the Going Places magazine.
As the friendly FA is clearing up the cups, I ask for another drink. “Sure, er, guava juice?”. Well remembered. I go with an OJ this time though.
Lots of clouds
Nice detail on the belt
Before long, we start our descent into KL’s other airport. Subang used to have the main KUL code, before that was reallocated to the white elephant, KLIA. When SZB opened in the 60’s, it had the longest runway in S.E.Asia.
There’s some heavy rain around
And we’re down, nice and early. Well done FY! Early departure, early arrival.
Cargo
GA
And Firefly
Disembarking doesn’t take long
The ATR farm
There is quite a nice looking departures area (all air-con). Arrivals, however, have to walk along a semi-covered outdoor walkway to the luggage belt
My bag is the last off, although the wait was short.
After a quick visit to the well hidden toilet, I bought a prepaid taxi card, and headed to my KL hotel. Please, keep your hands to yourself.
So, Silkair were pretty brilliant. Nicely furbished cabins, excellent staff, decent bar. The meal I thought was rather boring (I mean, come on, egg sandwiches??!), but this was a small blip in the otherwise perfect flight. It’s a shame that C is so much more expensive for this short hop.
Firefly was also a good experience. It’s true the seats were rather small, but given the trips they’re used on, everything was fine. You get a drink and a small snack…beats Air Asia!
And Langkawi, what a great island. There was so much more to do, so next time I’ll have to go for a week.
Future reports include:
MH KUL-DAC A330 Y
4H DAC-ZYL DH8-100 Y
9W DAC-CCU B737-700 Y
AI CCU-DEL B788 Y
SV DEL-RUH-LHR B777 Y
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, RR: 79 Reply 2, posted (6 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 5713 times:
Hi Gabriel,
another great report, well done! Very good decision to visit Langkawi, I spent a great vacation there in 2008. You also visited some places were I went to.
Silk Air is high on my list - who knows how long it will continue to exist considering the increasing LCC competition. I certainly hope that it won't be changed into a LCC or merged into Tiger or whatever. You never know in these days. Firefly is a another nice airline I'd like to try - but it's too bad they got rid of the 737s again.
Quoting gabrielchew (Thread starter): Sadly the days of relatively cheap one way flights around the Malay Peninsula are gone (a few years ago it was possible to buy a o/w F ticket on SQ on the SIN-KUL hop for around GBP 100 (just £30 more than Y)). My flight in Y came in at GBP 90, with C fares costing around £220. For the same dates, I was happy to see Air Asia (AK) was about GBP 5 more than MI. That, along with the fact that I’d never flown MI, made my choice easy. Booked.
Yes, MI fares can be very high - that's why I always booked an alternative to/from SIN.
Quoting gabrielchew (Thread starter): The Jet Star livery is fantastic, yet also loco. Why is the Scoot one so horrifically cheap looking. Even the Tiger livery is quite nice. I think management seriously missed the train on this one.
I have seen worse liveries.
Quoting gabrielchew (Thread starter):
The tail is nice, but the “Silk Air” font/sizing is a bit measly
True, a re-design and larger titles would be nice.
Quoting gabrielchew (Thread starter): ….until the German-speaking father of a noisy family sitting in the bulkhead decided to wedge his shoes and bag under his son’s (window) seat taking up my legroom….er, hello? Clearly he didn’t understand the physics that underneath one seat is the legroom for another seat. Or he didn’t see me. Or care. He clearly didn’t want the effort of putting his bag into the empty overhead either. Or know that flights safety #101 stipulates that you should keep your shoes on for take off/landing.
Ah, horrible. Are you sure they were Germans? Seriously, it's always a shame to see fellow countrymen misbehaving abroad...
I can only agree. I'm still hoping to see 748s in the SIA fleet...yes, I know, but hope dies last.
Quoting gabrielchew (Thread starter): There were plenty of Middle Easterners on their Eid holidays. Malaysia is a majority Muslim country, so plenty of pork free meals, and mosques with walking distance of the beach. For the non-Muslims, Langkawi is also a duty-free island, and the booze was spectacularly cheap.
Where exactly was your hotel located? That beach looks familiar. Pantai Cenang Beach?
Quoting gabrielchew (Thread starter): I did a day trip around the mangrove swamps, which was quite interesting.
I loved that tour.
Quoting gabrielchew (Thread starter): And the fleet. I love how they actually show the correct liveries on the respective fleet. Why they have so many, however, is quite the question.
Well, the old one will disappear - and the A380 livery is exclusive to that type. I'm still hoping that they will add some red color to that one.
gabrielchew From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, RR: 13 Reply 3, posted (6 months 1 week 4 days 22 hours ago) and read 5710 times:
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 2):
another great report, well done! Very good decision to visit Langkawi, I spent a great vacation there in 2008.
Thanks Udo! I did have a look at your report before I went...looks like you had a great time there.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 2): Yes, MI fares can be very high - that's why I always booked an alternative to/from SIN.
Wel, on my dates, MI was the cheapest option. Even flights from JHB were more expensive.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 2): Ah, horrible. Are you sure they were Germans? Seriously, it's always a shame to see fellow countrymen misbehaving abroad...
I was quite careful to say German-SPEAKING rather than German! I was leaving the audiance to do their own judging!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 2): Where exactly was your hotel located? That beach looks familiar. Pantai Cenang Beach?
Pantai Cenang, thats the one!
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 2): Well, the old one will disappear - and the A380 livery is exclusive to that type. I'm still hoping that they will add some red color to that one.
Really, why would you have that livery only on 1 type....doesn't make any sense. And that livery is also a mess. The lack of colour is quite puzzling. They really need to look at their neighbour to the north. A beautiful livery replaced by a more modern, but still beauitful scheme. I love TG!
sultanils From Belgium, joined Mar 2010, 1188 posts, RR: 29 Reply 4, posted (6 months 1 week 4 days 21 hours ago) and read 5710 times:
Hiya Gabs,
Another fine read. I didn’t expect Silkair to be so ‘upclass’, I’ve always looked at it as being a LCC but it clearly isn’t. Firefly looks rather good as well, they used to have a couple of B738’s (a.netter Initious did a report on those some time ago) but got rid of them quite quickly. Most probably these ATR’s suit the job much better. I do dislike the screamish orange they use. It is too cheap.
There’s a nice open air theatre in Antwerp as well which hosts international artist in summertime. It’s an excellent location for a concert, amidst the trees.
jwhite9185 From United Kingdom, joined May 2007, 722 posts, RR: 0 Reply 5, posted (6 months 1 week 4 days 20 hours ago) and read 5710 times:
Hey Gabriel, another good instalment there. Those beaches look very good. Think my dad might have been there as a few of the pictures look very familiar.
Good timing too as I'd run out of reports to read over lunch!!
ZKOJH From China, joined Sep 2004, 1501 posts, RR: 1 Reply 10, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 23 hours ago) and read 5710 times:
Very nice report well done, and brings back a lot of thoughts, when i went to langkawi in Aug, I flew Air Asia from KUL, love the island so much and can't wait to go back.
gabrielchew From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, RR: 13 Reply 11, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 20 hours ago) and read 5709 times:
Quoting ZKOJH (Reply 10): Very nice report well done
Thanks!
Quoting ZKOJH (Reply 10): brings back a lot of thoughts, when i went to langkawi in Aug, I flew Air Asia from KUL, love the island so much and can't wait to go back.
Yeah, it's a great place...I'm looking forward to going back sometime myself
adamspotter From Netherlands, joined Feb 2011, 784 posts, RR: 2 Reply 12, posted (6 months 1 week 3 days 18 hours ago) and read 5712 times:
Hi Gabriel!
Another great addition to your series here with many nice pictures!
Looks like you had another 2 enjoyable flights here, the service looks quite ok
Lovely destination pictures, Langkawi looks like a great place
The777Man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6088 posts, RR: 56 Reply 14, posted (6 months 1 week 1 day 23 hours ago) and read 5708 times:
Hi Gabriel !
Thanks for another great report in this Asia series!
Flights look okay and they are short anyway. Good to know that MI was cheaper than AK to LGK; they seem much better anyway.
Langkawi looks great and perhaps I'll get there some day.
looking forward to the next part!
The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
gabrielchew From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, RR: 13 Reply 15, posted (6 months 1 week 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 5708 times:
Quoting The777Man (Reply 14): Thanks for another great report in this Asia series!
Thanks!
Quoting The777Man (Reply 14): Flights look okay and they are short anyway. Good to know that MI was cheaper than AK to LGK; they seem much better anyway.
MI is a class act....and just goes to show that the supposed "cheap" airlines aren't always the best option.
MSS658 From Belgium, joined Oct 2010, 2212 posts, RR: 14 Reply 16, posted (6 months 1 week 21 hours ago) and read 5708 times:
Hello Gab
Interesting continuation of the Asia series!
Looks like the weather is a bit nicer than over here in Europe!
It's quite funny to see the Tiger 320 between the Scoot and SQ widebodies
Tiger seems to be a bit more cramped than FR/EZY or any LCC in Europe, however I do like the idea that you can order hot meals.
Firefly and LGK looks nice as well, great too see the ATR72
CaptainRed From Germany, joined Oct 2010, 578 posts, RR: 19 Reply 18, posted (6 months 1 week 19 hours ago) and read 5709 times:
Hi Gabriel,
great report, with again some truly wonderful pictures. It comes just at a time when I am planning a short trip to SE Asia as well for next year. Langkawi looks really awesome, so let's see if it can fit it in my schedule. But then there are also so many other places to visit in that area.
Both Silkair and Firefly seemed to offer pretty good service. And that Firefly livery looks really good on the ATR.
gabrielchew From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, RR: 13 Reply 19, posted (6 months 1 week 10 hours ago) and read 5707 times:
Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 18):
great report, with again some truly wonderful pictures
Thanks very much!
Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 18): It comes just at a time when I am planning a short trip to SE Asia as well for next year. Langkawi looks really awesome, so let's see if it can fit it in my schedule. But then there are also so many other places to visit in that area.
Yup, there are plenrty of great places to go in the region. Malaysia is a good stable choice though.
Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 18):
Both Silkair and Firefly seemed to offer pretty good service
yes, both are pretty good
Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 18): And that Firefly livery looks really good on the ATR.
Ryanair!!! From Singapore, joined Mar 2002, 4653 posts, RR: 27 Reply 22, posted (6 months 2 days 7 hours ago) and read 5357 times:
*dusting off my a.net "retirement" connotations to endeavour a reply*
Well well well, Gabe.
First off, what a journey you've had and glad you made it home safe and sound.
- MAS Wings was formed by MAS (duh) to concentrate on domestic routes concentrated within the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak over in East Malaysia. After YEARS of loss, in a rationalisation exercise (one of many in the last 10 years) the job of East Malaysian domestic routes was handed to Air Asia. If I am not wrong, a separate AOC was gotten to create this entity named FAX. Before long, it was handed back to MAS who then created the present day MAS Wings while FAX, riding on its AOC - went on to become Air Asia X.
- Ah yes, the present 3 different liveries of MAS has been a point of heated discussions for avid ex-MH lovers like me. It's unnecessary especially for a company like this who isn't exactly in a pink of health.
- I was holed up in a villa at Sheraton last time I was in LGK. I do remember having an excellent spotting opportunity along Pantai Cenang and the tranquility of it all. Awesome place, but not sure if it is that worth the $$.
Welcome to my starry one world alliance, a team in the sky!
gabrielchew From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, RR: 13 Reply 23, posted (6 months 1 day 22 hours ago) and read 5277 times:
Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 22): *dusting off my a.net "retirement" connotations to endeavour a reply*
I'm honoured you've come out of retirement just for me!
Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 22): First off, what a journey you've had and glad you made it home safe and sound.
Yes, was a great trip, but nice to be home.
Quoting Ryanair!!! (Reply 22): - MAS Wings was formed by MAS (duh) to concentrate on domestic routes concentrated within the Borneo states of Sabah and Sarawak over in East Malaysia. After YEARS of loss, in a rationalisation exercise (one of many in the last 10 years) the job of East Malaysian domestic routes was handed to Air Asia. If I am not wrong, a separate AOC was gotten to create this entity named FAX. Before long, it was handed back to MAS who then created the present day MAS Wings while FAX, riding on its AOC - went on to become Air Asia X.
Interesting to know....sounds like a right mad house.
777MAS From Malaysia, joined Sep 2003, 196 posts, RR: 0 Reply 24, posted (5 months 4 weeks 20 hours ago) and read 4811 times:
Quoting gabrielchew (Thread starter): MI is the shorthual (marginally less wonderful) sister of SQ, operating A320/319 to Asian destinations unable to fill an SQ widebody
Quoting gabrielchew (Reply 6): Yes, MI are basically SQ, but on a smaller plane.
Seems to be SQ = widebodies only, and MI = single aisle. It is interesting to note that SQ itself has not had any narrowbodies since they got rid of their short-lived 757s in the mid-80s. Before the 757s, they had the 727.
Quoting gabrielchew (Thread starter): On my final day, I hired a snazzy orange Proton for a tour of the island.
Quoting gabrielchew (Reply 21): Ha, right, thanks. I thought it was a bit nice for a Proton.
As pointed out by 9MMAR, that was a Perodua Myvi. IMHO, it's a better car than any of Proton's models! But then, it's got Daihatsu DNA.......
Quoting gabrielchew (Thread starter): No airbridge in this tropical land, so umbrellas are provided in the likely event of rain
Whoa, this is one of Malaysia's premier tourism spots, and that's all the airport can offer? Umbrellas? Heck, even "less important" airports like Tawau and Sandakan in far east Malaysia have aerobridges!! And I noted from your great pics that the terminal building is even more impressive than the 2 places I've just mentioned. But no aerobridges???
It might interest you to know that MASWings ATR72 actually has a business class - the front 2 rows after which there's a small cabin divider curtain (which doesn't go down to the floor, only reaches the top of the seats in row 2. But these C Class seats are no different from their Y Class counterparts, and from what I can see, the seat pitch seems to be no different either! I kid you not, same seat width and pitch. Only difference would be meal service as opposed to just drinks in Y, plus other benefits like lounge access.
Quoting gabrielchew (Thread starter): Annoyingly I’d left my noise cancelling headphones in my suitcase
When MASWings ran a series of ads introducing the ATR72 (the Fokker F50 was being phased out then) in a local paper, they claimed that it had the (relative) quiet of a jetliner. I found that to be a fanciful claim, it was just as noisy as any other turboprop-driven plane!
Whoa, whoa, whoa, must be a serious social problem by now if they have to put up that kind of notice!!!! If I'm not mistaken, that sticker translates roughly as "PLEASE MIND YOUR MANNERS. DO NOT PERFORM ANY INTIMATE ACTS IN THE TAXI"
25 gabrielchew: Perhaps they are being frugal with their money.....although ti can't cost that much to get 1 airbridge can it? Ha, what a lie! Just the state/taxi co
26 WROORD: Hi Gabriel, Nice pictures, especially those taken during the take off n SilkAir. You're right the hotels in SIN are pricey as compared to other Asian
27 roberts87: Great report as always! Langkawi is on my bucket list too, looks very nice from your pictures. I would have expected a hot meal on MI too... I'm flyin
28 deltamartin: Hello Gab! Nice report as usual, seems like you had two nice flights on Silkair and Firefly. It's not a great livery, but it isn't that bad in my opin
29 gabrielchew: Thanks for the replies guys! Thanks! Everything in Sing was pricey. I think the locals are feelign it too Um, I think you're thinking of the Night Saf
30 celestar: I can believe the picture of MAS A330-200F as depicted on the magazine to be true? How on earth can someone get that wrong about showing a freighter p
31 gabrielchew: Well, I guess people don't care what the plane on they're flying on looks like, let alone a freighter! Maybe let MH know how you feel?!
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From United Kingdom, joined Aug 2005, 2512 posts, 
From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6191 posts, 
Seriously, it's always a shame to see fellow countrymen misbehaving abroad...
From Belgium, joined Mar 2010, 1188 posts, 
Sultanils
From United States of America, joined Oct 2009, 905 posts, 
From China, joined Sep 2004, 1501 posts, 
From Netherlands, joined Feb 2011, 784 posts, 
From Malaysia, joined Jul 2006, 2099 posts, 
From Singapore, joined Mar 2002, 4653 posts, 
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