KC Sim

https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=10154288438959140&set=a.10154288438839140.1073741981.804014139&type=3&theater I hope this link works ... it is a shot of 9M-MPP departing KUL to Jakarta on 30 June 2016. SIM Kok Chwee

To say that SIA is not a team-player within Star Alliance is perhaps looking at things rather narrowly. It has broad exchange of passengers with airlines such as Lufthansa, LOT Polish Airlines, SAS, EVA Air, ANA etc. The one airline it is reluctant to forge any form of partnership with is United Airlines. Can you blame SIA for that? Fly with United and you will understand how unwilling SIA is to send passengers over to an airline whose service is so horrible and whose hardware is so ancient. While it is still possible to string together an SIA/UA itinerary via Star Alliance, there is no bilateral code-share services between these two carriers. I would be pissed to hell if I were to be booked on an SQ-coded flight and arrive at the gate to see a UA aircraft performing the task. It would have been a completely different proposition had it been Continental ... whose inflight service, meals and onboard product were all up to par. If SIA is branded a non-team player because of its reluctance to embrace UA, then one could similarly brand Qantas for being unwilling to embrace not just Cathay Pacific but also Qatar Airways (both oneworld members). In this case, it is less to do with parity of service and product ... but more to do with historic bad-blood (with CX) and competition with another partner (Emirates) ... as in the case of QR. KC Sim

The bus 103 has also been extended to Yishun and should therefore provide a connection to the Yishun MRT Station (North-South Line). Any clue when the cutover to Seletar is effective? KC Sim

With the services of LCCs, we can indeed consider places previously deemed too far and too expensive. How about Osaka-Kansai and Itami? Sydney too is good but once there, we need to have wheels for mobility. Hong Kong and Taipei too are quite desirable. KC Sim

I am rooting for the hornbill ... it is Malaysia's challenger to the toucan of South America. It is huge and majestic ... and importantly, it is a robust flyer. I hope that CM and his team have made plans to roll out a few planes in the new colours and identity come 1 September ... and perhaps do a flypast over KLIA to show off the brand-new airline. And while they are at it, I hope that there are plans to quickly sticker the new airline's name onto all existing planes just so that there is not the confusing existence of planes with the Malaysia Airlines title as well as the ones with the title of the new airline. KC Sim

She will not need to wear a life jacket ... she is her own floatation device. That big hair-do and all the air trapped in between will ensure her head stays above water.

Thanks Suzanne. Appreciate your pointing out the error ... KS has offered to pick me up at 0845hrs. Will draw his attention to this. I was also considering Oman Air ... but because I wanted to return the same evening at a late timing ... Looking forward to this event ... and the opportunity to photograph as many MAS aircraft as possible before the re-branding takes place and a new livery is painted. KC

Hi all, I am happy to confirm my participation. I will arrive on the morning of 27 June on Jetstar flight (arriving at 0810) via KLIA2 and departing on same day on Jetstar at 2120. Is it convenient for someone to grab me on arrival at KLIA2 soon after 0810hrs? I will have no check baggage and will be able to clear quite quickly. Many thanks and look forward to celebrating Mwings' 10th Anniversary with you folks. KC Sim

From past remarks by Singapore's Prime Minister, it is also known that there is recognition that global warming and rising sea levels could be a problem for Singapore. As such, it appears that Terminal 5 may be built with some form of "elevation" and I gather so will its connected infrastructure. It remains to be seen how this is achieved as it is no use having inundated runways and tarmac. I think KLIA has held up very well and continues to be among the most pleasant airport to start, end or transfer in one's journey. It sure beats Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport and with the right people (with strategic thinking), it could continue to stay ahead of others in Asia. Numbers isn't everything ... for me, it is the experience that counts. The only two issues I have with KLIA are food and transfer between KLIA and KLIA2. If London-Heathrow can provide a complimentary train transfer using the Heathrow Express, I do not see why KLIA-KLIA2 transfer requires a charge. Many transfer passengers may not have Ringgit in their wallets and purses. KC Sim

Turkish Airlines would certainly love to buy over MH's A380s. I do not think MH has any problem filling up its A380s ... just not with the appropriate yield. Sometime in October 2014, one could get SIN-CDG and back for about S$700 (all in). I purchased two sets of SIN-KUL-BKK tickets for travel in Dec 2014 and Jan 2015 for just S$53 (all in) each. Christoph Mueller is a highly-intelligent CEO and did a great job at Lufthansa. I had the joy of visiting Lufthansa when Mueller was CEO and both he and his team were incredible. He is however a no-nonsense kind of technocrat and I am not certain if he will be given the space he needs (and be free of political interference) or if he could adapt to Malaysia's cultural and social landscape. A hard-nosed technocrat German is not the most culturally- and socially-adaptable person and for him, I suspect it would be a case of : if you are booked in a certain class, you will travel in that class ... never mind how big or heavy your title is. I just hope that there is no melt-down between him and the establishment. He will certainly be demanding a whole lot more from each and every staff member ... I have seen as many as six people working at the boarding gates for a flight (at most efficient major airports, there are three of them). So as he re-employs people, there will certainly be job-expansion. This will be MH's best chance for a turnaround ... possibly something totally different from all the past sexily-named turnaround plans. KC

During visits to Bangkok in December 2014 and January 2015, it is shocking to note that during what is considered to be the high tourist season, there are more than 40 TG aircraft sitting around. Even the new B787-8 (HS-TQD) sat around for more than a week after being delivered. KC Sim

If MASwings is to be relaunched as an LCC ... then why not merge Firefly and MASwings into one LCC. That would reduce fixed costs while leveraging on the potential of east and west Malaysia as a whole. KC Sim

I personally think re-branding is not an option ... it is a necessity. The negative publicity across the world following the loss of MH370 and MH17 have left the wau logo and airline name in tatters. It is a brand that is damaged beyond salvation. But re-branding will do little if it is not PRECEDED by : - a major re-structuring of the airline's management and operation. Malaysia should look at all the talents that is available within the country to place in top positions ... not constrained by creed or religion. - a major down-sizing of its fleet, staff strength and network. If I were to make a call, the A380 should be the first to leave ... sound out Garuda and Turkish Airlines. However cheap labour cost is said to be, its bloated staff strength will continue to drain the airline day in and day out, relentlessly and mercilessly. And the airline has to really re-appraise its network and reduce what is not profitable or valuable for feeding into its KUL hub. - replace its fuel-guzzling long-haul fleet with something more fuel-efficient. If indeed the A380s go, B77Ws would be a good option along with A330NEOs. Forget about Dreamliners and A350s for now but when the outlook improves, it must consider these in a timely manner. - political meddling must stop and the airline should not be treated as the personal limousine for powerful cronnies. Only after all the necessary re-structuring is in place should the re-branding take place ... but thoughts must now begin on all the options available in naming the airline. I kind of like Francis Lee's proposal of Royal Malaysian Airways ... perhaps even just calling it "Royal Malaysian" is enough. The wau should best be left on the shelf ... and a new symbol identified that projects a soft cultural image. Perhaps a turtle, the hibiscus, a batik print, a tapir, a Malayan tiger ... I am certain members of Malaysianwings can come up with an exhaustive list of potentially useful symbols. This is a time for Mwingers to brainstorm and find a way to share its final thoughts with the airline through whatever channel is available. Like all of you, I am saddened by what happened and like you, I too hope that MAS could turn its fortune around and transform itself and rise like a phoenix. KC Sim

Malaysian Airways was previously used during the period from 1963 to around 1965 when Singapore was a part of Malaysia. KC Sim

My flights with Air France have definitely changed my opinion (based previously on what I read and heard). The cabin attendants were very professional, polite and on one flight from CDG to AMS, the cabin crew noticed that I was perspiring slightly due to the long trek when connecting flight from one terminal to another. On her own initiative, she came to me with a nice fresh cool towel (not the pre-packed variety) and proceeded to greet other passengers boarding the flight. While its cabin product, inflight entertainment and food lag that on their Asian and Middle-Eastern counterparts, it did not in any way negatively impact my enjoyment on the flights. A couple of years ago, I had the opportunity to travel through the Normandy area and found that the French people have certainly become more visitor-friendly. At CDG Terminal 2E, I decided to "test" the attitude and service quality of Air France's ground staff. I wanted to try checking in early for my return flight to Singapore (I knew it was too early by at least an hour) and targeted a group of staff members seemingly engaged in personal chatter. As I approached, I could see that the chatter paused ... and all four of them turned to me in a very friendly manner. After checking my flight's departure time, they advised me that it was too early and that I should come back in an hour. And then they apologized for that. I was very pleasantly surprised. And the external surface of their planes have certainly become cleaner in recent years ... no longer does Air France deserve the dirty-plane label. This now is richly earned by Hongkong Airlines. KC Sim