Craig

Actually they can still squeeze in another East Asian destination with 6 A380s. Only 5 frames are needed for the LHR, CDG, HKG flights. They could easily do the KUL-ICN flight. Having that said, I am surprised that they'll use it for ICN instead of NRT. Seems like the new visa waiver policy for Malaysians will encourage more Malaysian tourists to Japan in addition to MH and JL's relationship.

A lot of these frequency increases seems to be utilizing their RON narrow body at KUL e.g. new "red-eye" to HKT and DPS (not many people want to fly KUL-DPS leaving KUL at 23:30 and arriving DPS at 02:30 or leaving DPS at 04:35 and arriving KUL at 07:30?!)

I would prefer Dakar over Dhaka

While it would be great for a sitting US president to visit Malaysia (trivia: the last sitting US President to visit Malaysia was Lyndon Johnson in 1966!), traffic is going to be a nightmare in and out of KL! LA almost always come to a standstill whenever Obama is in town. While many LA residents like and voted for Obama, Angelenos hate it when the president comes to town because of the traffic chaos it will create. This is pretty normal - most foreign leaders make a congratulatory call to a newly elected leader or an incumbent leader who successfully defended his/her seat after an election.

If BA were to return to KUL, I'd see them doing nonstop instead of a SIN stopover. With MH in OW, there is no way BA can compete with MH's twice daily A380 service with a daily one-stop service via SIN. Just my 2 cents -- OW premium fliers will fly MH simply because (hypothetically speaking, if BA were to resume flights to KUL via SIN): 1) It's nonstop 2) Offer 2 flights a day 3) Passengers earn miles/points as they'd do on a BA flight.

Didn't know May is a busy time to travel ex-KUL (for MH at least)! Flight looks really busy for MH the next few weeks for KUL-CDG while it's pretty empty for CDG-KUL. AF is OK on some days.

I don't believe any US airports separate their props and jets operations. You could have a props only operation due to airport restrictions (runway length, terminal facilities etc.), but to separate them because props cannot operate at a airport is bizarre. Most US carriers have a subsidiary or at least another company operating on their behalf their props operations and *mainly* used for flights under 2 hours. I understand if MAHB want SZB props only operations due to noise abatement etc. but to forbid props at KUL is strange. Maybe Malindo, Firefly etc. wants to operate props because they can only do so from SZB and they may generate more O&D traffic from there?

Nope. Not quite. Once MH receives all 6 380s, there is actually one spare aircraft! Only 5 frames are needed for 2x daily LHR and 1X daily HKG/CDG.

Yes definitely, but extra baggage allowance for *A are available to *G members (equivalent of a OW Sapphire, granted *A has one less tier than OW).

It is now, starting today! http://www.oneworld.com/news-information/oneworldnews/details/?objectID=53802 The fast track benefit is also another addition for OW Emerald members.

AA (or most airlines for that matter) doesn't allow redemption on code-share flights. Most award tickets are booked directly from the operating carrier itself. AA's EU-East Asia award requirements for one way travel are 32/52.5/70k miles (Y/C/F). No YQ on award other than BA/IB flights. Generous routing rules - up to 125% of the MPM (as long as it's a published fare). You could fly LHR-PEK-HKG-DPS-KUL and it's still way below the MPM although no stopover are allowed other than north American "gateway" cities. You have to define "last minute" - I have booked and ticketed same day travel using my AA/UA miles on LA and combination of *A before. Maybe like 6-7 hours prior to travel. If the agent sees the space, it's yours. Same goes for BA - I booked and ticketed day before travel, granted that was flying BA using Avios.

And I might have been on the second last 787 in the air today (the last one could be LAX-NRT) but I heard the news as soon as I landed (after a 2 hour mechanical delay).

I've been on it for an hour and moved maybe 20m before it was returned back to gate and canceled thereafter (it was already delayed 2 hours to begin with). I've been on UA and LAN's 787 and UA put the 787 to shame. Their mood lighting is ugly and instead of a grand archway passengers see when they walk in, it's a galley - enough said. The seats are 80s CO-style check fabric and it's the old BusinessFirst (the flat beds) in the C cabin. Nothing spectacular and the entire cabin was "darkened" prior to boarding (US carriers tend to do this all the time - lower the shades before boarding!). LAN on the other hand has warm mood lighting, modern interior and very inviting.

While I am not a huge fan of the new United (I am a huge fan of the old United - they bend over for their elites, especially 1Ks), I wouldn't consider them as one of the world's worst. One of the worst in a developed country, quite possibly. In the world...far from it. :-)

I am pretty sure he can't get to Zurich within an hour even on the nonstop ICE from FRA. It should take 3-4 hours.

It's not possible. It could be daily in one direction, but definitely can't do it in two directions. Finally a *A carrier that offers a route of of KUL without going through SIN/BKK!

True - but the problem is you can't earn any miles on IST-KUL sector (on almost all *A programs), making it less attractive to *A fliers.

Great....but: That's not the most lucrative market. But good that they are filling up C cabin as well.

I've flown on their 767 in C before - expect really old school business seats. Recline works "too well" - so much so that you are actually touching the knees of the person sitting behind you. Great food (especially out of ADD when they serve injera) and service is good. They serve more food on a 2.5 hours flight in C (out of ADD only) more than any other airlines I've been on and that says a lot. Their Y class looks decent - comes with PTV as well IIRC. Been to ADD - not the most interesting city I've been to in Africa. It's very concrete and attractions are few and far apart. It's relatively safe (at least the part that I was staying in) but you'll see police and army patrolling the city with guns similar to AK-47 (I am not familiar with guns at all). Photos of buildings and people are a big no no (I was yelled at for taking pictures of goats crossing the street) and this is especially true for government buildings and residences. Having that said, I've been told that Ethiopia is an awesome tourist destination with the exception of Addis. People are gorgeous and very friendly. Food is great - probably one of the most delicious African cuisine I have tried so far (love the injeras!).

Wow. I am surprised AF will use a 4-cabin plane to KUL, but great news nonetheless! AF KUL Summer 2013 Schedule: CDG - KUL: 19:40 - 13:50 +1 KUL - CDG: 23:15 - 06:10 +1 KL KUL Summer 2013 Schedule: AMS - KUL - CGK: 20:55 - 15:00 +1 // 16:20 - 17:20 CGK - KUL - AMS: 18:50 - 21:55 // 23:20 - 06:00 +1 Interesting departure time from CDG - the KUL layover for CDG-CGK is 2.5 hours and the majority of SE Asia departure bank is between 23:00 and 23:59.

True - which is why MH needs to start adding more regional flights (which they are doing) and have at least once a day long-haul flights. Previously, there are way too many destinations that are served 3-4 weekly - if they are going to do it, do it daily.

MH cannot possibly cater to those ex-KUL passengers especially when more than 80% of those traffic are connecting traffic. If those passengers are connecting to cities in Africa, Europe, Middle East or South America, MH will not be able to justify its own services to those cities hence why EK/QR is able to pick up those traffic from KUL. This is similar to why BA is struggling on its SYD route because BA have EK, QR, EY, MH, SQ, CX, JL, TG etc. competing for traffic from London/UK to Australia/NZ. All the other airlines serve major cities in Australia while BA can only afford to serve 1 (and if you are going to MEL, it requires a layover in SYD).

If I have confused anyone, I am sorry, but my point is MH should somehow streamline its international flight numbers and not have random flight numbers showing up everywhere.

Maybe it's the OCD in me, but how do MH assign its flight numbers? Do they just throw darts on the board and see where it lands on? I saw in the other thread that BKI-HKG flights were increased from 7 to 9 weekly flights and the new flight numbers are MH 426/427, i.e. for Malaysia-HKG flights, you have MH 72, 78, 384, 426. I know the general assigned international routes/flights numbers are as below: MH 1-49: Europe MH 50 - 99: North-East Asia and USA excluding China MH 120-149: Australia MH 150 - 199: South Asia and Middle East MH 2xx: Unused, but used to be Africa / South America MH 350 - 399: China MH 4xx: Newly assigned flight numbers MH 5xx: Unused MH 600 - 650: Singapore MH 700 - 899: SE Asia excluding Singapore And then you have a lot of oddities (when there are a lot of unused numbers within the range), e.g.: MH 104: KUL-BLR MH 68: BKI-TPE (while KUL-TPE is MH 366 and 408). Most MH 50-99 range are ex-KUL. MH 850-865: KUL-DPS/MES - All other Indonesian flights are in the MH 7xx series. KUL-DPS is MH 715, 851, 853!

If that's indeed the date, that would make excellent news as MH will be the 12th member of the OW alliance - 12th member to join on 12th day of the 12th month of 2012!