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KC Sim

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Posts posted by KC Sim

  2. Posted · Report reply

    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

  5. Posted · Report reply

    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

  7. Posted · Report reply

    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

  8. Posted · Report reply

    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

  9. Posted · Report reply

    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

  10. Posted · Report reply

    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

  13. Posted · Report reply

    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

  15. Posted · Report reply

    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

  16. Posted · Report reply

    The Airbus A350-941 that is undertaking the route-proving flights (msn 005 F-WWYB) has landed in Singapore at 0524hrs local time and has been allocated a remote stand (205). It will depart at 1000hrs for its return to Hong Kong and will make two more HKG-SIN-HKG rotations over two days (30 and 31 July) before returning to Toulouse from Hong Kong.

     

    Note that it landed this morning on runway 20C but it remains to be seen if this continues to be so when it arrives at a later hour over the next two days ... or if it is even allocated the same remote stand.

     

    KC Sim

  19. Posted · Report reply

    When Emirates ordered 150 B777-8X and B777-9X at last year's Paris Air Show, the A350 order looked shaky. This appears to be a re-run of the A340-600IGW order that Emirates also cancelled.

     

    I am certain that Airbus would not dare entertain the idea of forfeiting Emirates' deposit for this cancelled order. With a total of 140 A380s in operation or on order, Airbus could certainly not afford to upset this client.

     

    KC Sim

  20. Posted · Report reply

    Quote:

     

    Hiring an American as an advisor would be a betrayal for the country.

     

    Unquote.

     

    Why an American ... how many American airlines with American CEOs have been consistently profitable even without giving the customers as much service as their Asian counterparts. If there is anyone who is able to lift MAS from this mess, it is another Asian. An official was on television saying that the airline will study the turnaround plans of other regional carriers ... only now? After so many failed turnaround plans, MAS is only now studying other successful plans? It should have been eye-balling Japan Airlines which went from bankrupt to being extremely profitable within ONE turnaround plan.

     

    JAL's President at that time said that the turnaround plan for the airline begins with one premise ... that JAL's position is the result of mis-management of the airline and should not be blamed on high fuel costs which affects all airlines around the world. If I were MAS, I will seek out the JAL President in charge of the turnaround and appoint him for turning MAS around.

     

    KC Sim

  22. Posted · Report reply

    Just saw this statement quoted from a Reuters report:

     

    "We are very thorough in our probe. Even the four tonnes of mangosteens in the aircraft cargo is being investigated ... Investigators are looking into who ordered them, paid for them and plucked and packed them from an orchard in Muar. That is how in-depth this probe is going", Inspector General of Police Tan Sri Khalid Abu Bakar said.

     

    That sure is thorough ... please don't forget to check on the driver who delivered the fruits from the orchard to the airport, the folks who made the baskets or crates that contained the fruits and the ramp staff who drove the tractor that pulled the consignment from the airfreight centre to the aircraft.

     

    KC Sim

  24. Posted · Report reply

    Hakan posted : I really can't believe to a plane which is flying approx. 7 hours more, crossing 3 countries (includes Singapore) and no one recognize the plane who is flying "unidentified"?!?!?!

     

     

    I do not know which newspaper you are reading but MH370 never flew over Singapore's airspace. It certainly flew through Malaysian airspace and headed south (and I do not know if it entered Indonesian or Australian airspace). If you wish to grind an axe with the folks manning military radars, how about looking inwards at the radar stations in the northern part of Peninsula Malaysia before pointing that accusing finger.

     

    KC Sim

  25. Posted · Report reply

    Retaliatory assets?

     

    The military hardware based outside of Singapore (in the US, Cazaux in France, in Brunei, in Australia etc) are all for training purposes. We do not have the airspace and land for the necessary training ... within a minute after take-off, our planes are either in Malaysian or Indonesian airspace.

     

    I don't think you could consider what we have in all those foreign bases as retaliatory ... has anything been used to retaliate against any country?

     

    KC Sim

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