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Lim Kar Yong

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Posts posted by Lim Kar Yong


  1. MAB is never known for their customer service, and they never seem to learn from previous mistakes. If all goes well, MAB is ok to fly with. But that's not what makes a great airline. A great airline is one that knows how to deal with emergencies, unforeseen circumstances and delays. A delay of 48 hours is unacceptable - and more so passengers could be accommodated on flights to Australia and then connect to KUL or flights from AKL to SIN or BKK or HKG or any other points for further connections to KUL. I just cannot accept that they claimed they had exhausted all avenues.


  2. Is anyone facing issue using the MHmobile app? I couldn't not select my choice everytime I use the app. So frustrating.

     

    I also discovered something else. I think after the app was updated, I could no longer see the history of my Enrich activities - I can only see my total miles. I used to be able to see my activities in the past.


  3. Actually toilets​ at satellite terminal were upgraded, the wall tiles are coated with some kind of paint or epoxy.

     

    Yes - but I don't really find the "upgraded work" to be very aesthetically executed. One more thing - I often find the toilets to be wet and smelly ....

     

    I am surprised KLIA is not further down the ranking.


  4. I was rather surprised when I was searching for flights to SIN on both MAB and Firefly website yesterday - MAB listed FY operated flight under codeshare at RM162 while the same flight was priced at RM229 at FY website. So it was obvious which one to book.

     

    BIG MISTAKE.

     

    I booked the flight, was given an booking number, and my credit card was charged. Within seconds, my itinerary was sent but it said:

     

    FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED

    Sorry, your reservation is incomplete. Please contact our Call Center at 1 300 88 3000 (within Malaysia) or +603 7843 3000 (outside Malaysia) or any of the Malaysia Airlines ticket offices for assistance

     

    I called MAB and was told the seat was no longer available and the website was not updated. The call agent (I pressed #2 for Bahasa Malaysia to ensure I that I spoke to a local agent instead of being routed overseas) told me they would get back to me within 24 hours after they had verified with FY. As expected, after 24 hours, I heard nothing from MAB, perhaps due to the festive season. I asked about my booking, but there was no promise that my booking would be honoured, even though my credit has been charged.

     

    Any advice?

     

    Just to update: After 3 weeks, and numerous phone calls and emails, finally this issue is sorted out, and I was moved to an earlier FY flight, and a flight ticket is issued. Gosh - it actually took 3 weeks to resolve a simply issue like this.

     

    In the final analysis,

     

    1) it is not worth the savings booking through MH website at all, in the end I wasted so much time and efforts in sorting this issue.

    2) customer service at all centre for English is really horrible, the Malay language service is better, and more helpful. The English language customer service is rude - one of them told me the worse is that I could always buy a new ticket at prevailing fare on the day of travel.

    3) call centre agents seems to be disempowered - there are in no position to make any decision, and any requests need to be channeled to the supervisor for approval.

    4) extremely poor customer service - no follow up at all.

     

     

     


  5.  

    do you have a ticket number? It should start with a 232-(+10 digits)

     

    No ticket number - it says "QUEUED FOR TICKETING" in the confirmation email.

     

    I am just puzzled can one be charged in this case and the possibility of the airline not honouring it.

     

    I am not going to do an Audrey :)


  6. I was rather surprised when I was searching for flights to SIN on both MAB and Firefly website yesterday - MAB listed FY operated flight under codeshare at RM162 while the same flight was priced at RM229 at FY website. So it was obvious which one to book.

     

    BIG MISTAKE.

     

    I booked the flight, was given an booking number, and my credit card was charged. Within seconds, my itinerary was sent but it said:

    FURTHER ACTION REQUIRED

    Sorry, your reservation is incomplete. Please contact our Call Center at 1 300 88 3000 (within Malaysia) or +603 7843 3000 (outside Malaysia) or any of the Malaysia Airlines ticket offices for assistance

     

    I called MAB and was told the seat was no longer available and the website was not updated. The call agent (I pressed #2 for Bahasa Malaysia to ensure I that I spoke to a local agent instead of being routed overseas) told me they would get back to me within 24 hours after they had verified with FY. As expected, after 24 hours, I heard nothing from MAB, perhaps due to the festive season. I asked about my booking, but there was no promise that my booking would be honoured, even though my credit has been charged.

    Any advice?


  7. Update: Malaysia Airlines has reimbursed 10,000 miles to Audrey and Timothy. An investigation will be launched.

     

    https://www.flickr.com/photos/40705110@N08/32428018401

     

    At least some positive action from MAB after the story went public. Many others may not get this sort of immediate response from MAB if we choose to be silent about it or just email in to them.

     

    I recall some years ago, a flight I was on from LHR to AMS on KLM was overbooked and the check in agent offered 400euro as compensation and put me on the next flight (which is less than 2 hrs later). If something like this was offered, perhaps it might have contained the frustrations and anger. Years ago, MH also overbooked an evening flight to LHR from KUL and offered the following day morning flight with free upgrade to First, and free overnight accommodation in Pan Pacific (as it was knowned then) and meals.

     

     


  8. Before Malindo came in, things were just fine for Firefly. Just like Malaysia Airlines, prior to AirAsia debut into Malaysian Aviation business

     

    I understand this would be the case for SZB-KBR route, and also PEN route and others that Malindo flies to. But Firefly still has monopoly for SZB-SIN, and that also we see reduced frequencies. And I have also heard of frequent "retimed" flights from friends and colleagues. So looks like tough days ahead ?

     

     


  9. Firefly has reduced their frequencies drastically - I just noticed it as I am making bookings for flights to Singapore and also Kota Bharu. For Singapore sector, there are now 7 flights a day - I remembered there were at least 10 flights a couple of years ago when i used to make day trips there. KBR sector, Firefly has 8 flights a day compared to Malindo's 13.

     

    Interestingly, I noticed that purchasing Firefly's flights to Singapore is cheaper on MAB's website on the codeshared flights. Any reason for this?

     

    Are things not looking too good in Firefly?


  10. Last week, I took a return flight from KUL to SDK, and I noted that for both flights, only 2 cabin crew served the entire economy class. Is this a norm now to cut down the number of crew serving Y class as part of further cost cutting measures? I recalled that a couple of months ago (September 2016), when I did the KUL-KCH flights, there were still 3 crew serving us in Y. I think if I am not wrong, there used to be 4 crew allocated for Y?

     

    Also I noted the service and boarding sequence was not consistent. For my flight from KUL-SDK, the boarding was done based on seating position and not seating rows - those seated on A and F were boarded first, followed by B and E, and then C and D.This was something new to me! In terms of meals, the crew served the food round first (in a meal box - mains, water, and peanuts), and then followed by drinks round served with a dessert (a slice of chocolate cake). On my return flight from SDK, the boarding was chaotic where everyone boarded the aircraft (as usual), and the meals and drinks were served together as per normal service (meal box with a choice of mains, water, and peanuts) and no dessert!

     

    I noticed that meal service time took up more than 1.5 hours for both flights (with the usual - fasten seat belt sign on during meals service so no hot drinks!). Since the flight time was 2.5hours, this is fine. But I would imagine if it is a flight from KUL to KCH, they would be a bit short on time.

     

    Anyone experienced this?


  11. I wonder if that would be 'courteous diplomacy' at work :)

    Nice to see the bereaucrats can be somewhat flexible when circumstances permit

     

     

    The Israeli immigration does the same for many nationalities. I have seen Australians, Americans, and other passport holders requesting not to stamp in their passports.

     

    I am not sure how true this is - I heard from tour groups that they have folks who had Israeli stamps in their passports being denied entry into other countries that do not have diplomatic relations. I wonder if anyone can verify this.


  12. As long as it is a religious pilgrimage, there is no problem visiting Israel legally. But there are some conditions to be fulfilled (it must be organised by a religious group with a travel agent - eg if it is a Christian group, it is led by a priest/pastor of a church, it is for a short duration not more than a fixed number of days, all parties are to travel together, etc). Application is to be made to Kementerian Dalam Negeri and upon approval, KDN will issue a letter stating the approval to travel to Israel. There are a few travel agents organising such trips.

    Israel does not stamp on our passports, something like Hong Kong. They will issue you with a slip containing your passport details and photo when you enter and you can now keep the slip as you leave.

     

    Currently, most Malaysians travel via Amman and enter Israel through King Hussein bridge. Just that the security in Israel is rather tight compared to other entry check points and may take some time to go through immigration (depending on group size, it could take an hour, and at times up to 4-5 hours depending on the crowd).


  13. It's not only delays but flights cancellation too. Out of 6 flights that I took in recent weeks, 4 were cancelled where I was put on a later or earlier flight (perhaps due to low loads) and 1 delayed, and 1 on time.

    This makes it rather difficult to plan for travel, especially if it is a day trip where time is of essence.


  14. they caught me with a pocket Victorinox swiss army knife

     

    I genuinely made a mistake to put it in hand luggage when its should be check in. So I had no pocket knife for my trip to Mulu, Sarawak.

     

    :sorry:

     

    This is so true. I was on a flight from LHR to KBR, transiting in KUL once. I didn't know I had my Victorinox swiss knife in my computer bag, and I went through Heathrow security without any problem. When I was going through KLIA security check during transit to domestic flight, I was stopped and asked to surrender my knife. My only little gripe was that KLIA insisted on confiscating my knife - but what to do! Kena surrender the knife with my name engraved on it ...


  15. One of the comments to

     

    Malaysia Airlines' CEO To Work For Emirates

    "On one hand we should respect that he quit for personal reasons. At the same time thats almost always the reason executives give for leaving companies. For what its worth, I have a friend very close to the situation who said the reason he quit was because he could no longer handle handle the culture of corruption at the airline, and that so much of the rest of the management wasnt actually interested in improving things. Some of you may recall that Malaysia brought a 747 back into service, which apparently was a last straw for him, as that entire decision was made without consulting him."

    Source: http://onemileatatime.boardingarea.com/2016/06/27/christoph-mueller-emirates

    Such a big loss for MH :(

     

    One of the comments of the article:

     

    "not a demotion. imagine.. CEO of your corner convenience store, or head of something at Harrolds."


  16. Kar Yong, whilst the sector lengths are comparable, the flight planning requirements are somewhat different owing to the limited number of viable alternates available in New Zealand.. Essentially for AKL, the primary alternate is CHC... And given the weather patterns that can sometimes cover the whole country, airlines may have to nominate SYD, MEL or BNE as alternates - which means they must carry the mandatory fuel in case of a diversion from AKL back across the Tasman sea.. This thereby limits potential payload and ultimately affects route profitability.. IST-KUL/SIN no such problem.. You have PEN, JHB, BTM, SZB, HKT, etc as viable enroute and destination alternates. Plus the airports have multiple runways unlike NZ where both CHC and AKL have single runways - an aircraft disabled puts a lot of pressure on the system..

     

    Thanks so much. Learning new stuff everyday :)


  17. The routes are at the limits of the A333's range - that means the aircraft needs to carry a lot of fuel and that there is less room for passengers and cargo. The aircraft also needs to carry reserve fuel for diversions. Yes, weather conditions also play a part sometimes, if the aircraft encounters strong headwinds.

     

    Bottom line is that if an aircraft has to operate with payload restrictions, it won't be able to make as much profit as one that has no restrictions.

     

    Thanks so much for the explanation

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