jysim

What about the new Panasonic Fusion seats? Would be real cool if MAS install these for their 738 and 380. If they do I'm riding them for the rest of my life! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=KNrQhRuQshE&feature=player_embedded

from Twitter: MAS MAS Starts Direct Flights To Istanbul On Oct 25. All-inclusive, from RM1,128 one-way. Book yours yet? http://bit.ly/2LnuMY Done a brief search - departing KUL 0030, arr IST 0600 depart IST 1500, arr KUL 0705+1 as internet is quite slow in my area I did not take the initiative to look for service days. My guess would be the success of interline/codeshare agreement with Turkish Airlines?

FY had been known to throw out surprises at times we least expected, i.e. no more fuel surcharge. I think this might be another one of those, maybe a new ticketing office? Or free shuttle service from LCCT to SZB? That will channel some long-haul passengers from AK to their regional services? Just look forward to Oct 15 then!

I seriously have doubts on how MH will be utilizing their 380 when the time comes. When PMB placed the orders in 02/03 AirAsia didn't really came into the picture yet, while competition around the region is still supportive of MH's growth. Who would have thought things took such a drastic change over a span of less than 10 years. I remember seeing somewhere that MH's decision to buy 6 and only 6 was because it was the minimum profitable amount - maintenance, crew deployment etc. So anything below that MH should really consider swapping for smaller (and more promising) models instead of swallowing all of this, which doesn't seem healthy in the long term.

If the KL-Singapore High Speed Rail become a reality, the scenario would change to 'travellers between SG and MY ditch planes for trains'. Distance between KL and Singapore is actually merely an hour by high-speed train, almost the same via plane. That's what's happening in Taiwan: after the Taiwan High Speed Rail (THSR) became established and offers reliable services at prices comparable to the local airlines, we see the gradual demise of FarEastern Aviation (FAT), and major shrinkage of TPE-KHH traffic. A bullet or high speed train would allow passengers to purchase a flat-rate ticket, even at 15 mins before departure. Passengers would enjoy the freedom of departing anytime as long as there's empty seats, and arrive in the railway station, more commonly situated in the city center, instead of some far-flung estate some government chose as their airport (think KLIA). Hope the train becomes a reality one day.

I was seiving through some 2000 to 2002 issues of Businessweek and I found several very interesting airline ads. CX was then trying to promote its internet booking and ticketing facility while MAS was coming up with MAStar - a MAS division for private charters using a 737-700. Sorry for not taking a picture but the description included a private suite onboard, a meeting room equipped with all business compatible equipment and a bathroom if I can remember. Anyone with more information on this? And the reason it no longer exists?

MH's Y Nasi Lemak is very authentic with sambal and sotong. They even packed the fried peanuts and ikan bilis in small plastic containers to maintain its crispiness. For a Malaysian it may taste like heaven on the way to FCO or FRA, but I saw the French lady beside me take two bites and left the rest of it being stowed away later. Anyway, CX on the list is a wonder - the last time I know their Y class meals are next to AirAsia's pre-booked meals.

Then how about an international-domestic mix of flights with MH? For example, I bought MHbasic for the following flight but my itinerary shows:\ TPE-BKI H class BKI-KUL-PEN Y class PEN-KUL Y class KUL-TPE H class According to your saying above I'd earn 70% for both my H sector and 100% for my Y sectors? If it is, Enrich may not be as worthless as I thought.

A start of a 'downward spiral' as Jala so meticulously warned back in 2005/6? I certainly hope not. But once again, things are really not looking good for MH - while most agree that the environment is very challenging for all, MAS doesn't seem to be actively involved in preparing for a rebound or recovery from the economic crisis, which some say has started in Asia. No new aircraft orders has been made (postponed since an eternity ago), meaning once everybody starts flying again when the times are good, MH will be left with all the rattling planes and fuel-gauzing 744s. Compounded with the failure of entry into ANY SINGLE ALLIANCE (Skyteam wants Vietnam instead of MH), things definitely seems catastrophic. With the current loss and passive attitude, a repeat of Alitalia is not long down the way I think...

Pardon me for my ignorance, but a quick look at Vietnam Airlines' route shows only minor contribution to Skyteam's S.E. Asia's network and almost nil enhancement in their Aussie/NZ market prescence. MH has wider coverage for for India/China/SE Asia and also better prescence down south, which, in my own opinion, still makes them attractive for Skyteam. All MH can do now is cross their fingers and hope Skyteam or oneworld is still interested in them.

older aircrafts = more expensive maintenance new aircrafts = 'wow' factor, new car smell, easier maintenance, better performance the long and the short of it is, with excess cash, MAS should invest in new aircrafts first (and probably put up some ads to match some of them competitors) before even thinking about buying other airlines. I don't see the logic, buy other company = ??

A 738 is unable to fly non-stop for 6 to 7 hours, and I believe passengers wouldn't like to be stuck in for that amount of time too. Though somewhere along the way Malaysians, and maybe the world should acknowledge that no matter which type of aircraft - narrowbody or widebody, new or old - we fly, the main purpose is to get from A to B with the least hassle, time, and money, and of course the best service.

Ryanair uses 738 though. A pure 738 fleet.

I personally find the cubicle/suite a little claustrophobic since what you see all around you is panels, panels and more panels. Referring to a proposal to MAS in 01/02 when they were engineering their current F product, semi-translucent curtains were used as partitions between seats. It would give a more spacious and airy feeling while not losing a certain amount of privacy. As for where to mount the (hopefully) 24-inch screen it'll be an interesting thing to ponder upon Update the concept with a fully-flat bed with linen and down-filled duvet and MH would not be far behind.

I was grumbling to Mum about the scarce amount of LCCs serving Taiwan (only Jetstar Asia to SIN at the time being) yesterday, and now...ta-da My excitement comes not from AK serving TPE or KHH, but from the heavy discounts that MH will give soon after. Heh, hopes AK is true to their words this time!

I certainly hope the 738 livery is not the currently oh-so-boring red-blue cheatline. Try something more MAS, and retain the wau.

Sources from mySinChew.com said the MH-BA-QF merger would follow the KL-AF model. Meanwhile, the integration of Air France and KLM in 2003 has been touted as a classic among aviation mergers in the world. It is understood that the proposed MH-BA-QF merger will also be based upon such a model. Under their mutual agreement, a holding company was set up by Air France and KLM. However, both carriers were allowed to continue operating independently, keeping their own logos, trademarks and brands, as well as their own management jurisdiction, resource distribution and staffing. Industrial insiders are of the opinion that it was wise for the carriers to keep their own logos, trademarks and brands, because for a corporate entity, to relinquish the brand and image it has built up with so much effort over the decades is comparable to the act of suicide. Meanwhile, The Malaysian Insider reported: While details of the talks remain sketchy, it is understood that what is on the cards is a business arrangement which is “deeper than a code share, but maybe just short of a merger.” This would mean the respective airlines remain in local control with their own identities intact, with the possibility of that a new super-holding company could be formed. But any deal will still be subject to government approval. Interesting happenings indeed. What surprised me is the reason BA and QF are interested in MH given that: both do not fly into KUL MH is not part of OW, given BA and QF are the prescence of a mightier and more financially-stable SQ a little down south

Traveling London-Paris by TGV MIGHT NOT be cheaper than taking a flight. TGV pricing are similar to air tickets in that they price according to season, availability and demand. The good thing about traveling TGV is that it takes you to Gare du Nord which is quite central in Paris, rather than Orly or CDG if you take a flight. I stayed in an HI Hostel in Republique while backpacking there in July. A youth hostel if your family don't mind. Pros: near metro station, breakfast provided (though rather dismal), cheap, no lock-in (means you can go clubbing till 3 and won't find yourself being locked outside); cons: old facilities, smallish, lacking in individual lockers. Enjoy Paris!

My apologies, Korean Air serves Sao Paulo, not EZE. Must be studying too much neurobiology yesterday afternoon.

Questions for Eddie: 1. now that SZB is slowly becoming the focus of FY, how does PEN, where FY began its humble origins stand? 2. I remember IJ mentioning sometime ago that FY is something 'experimental' by MH - that it will follow the Silk Air model of SQ in the future. How true is that? And will they still operate out of SZB by then?

I believe Korean Air serves Seoul - Buenos Aires, so MH is not the sole carrier for Asia - South America flights. On the other hand I couldn't fathom anyone else willing to travel the entire leg of KUL-JNB-CPT-EZE. The trip alone is nearly 24 hours. If MH reroute it through AKL or even through Mexico City (where MH used to serve, long long time ago), it would save the horror of just mentioning so many stops.

MH 094/095 is a MH-operated flight codesharing with Air India. The flight departs LAX for TPE before heading to KUL. Pax for AI will connect in KUL to any Indian-bound flights. I am a frequent flier of MH 94/95.

Extremely slow day today, speak of French bureaucracy. So, here's mine, just to add to the fun. Preparation: Ticketing - I usually go all out for the S fares - internet, call centers, tour agents, I go for all of them as long as they save me a few bucks. Packing - usually 1 to 2 days before departing, I pack by phases - phase one for clothes, phase two for basic necessities such as food and stationaries (if any), and phase three for toiletries which I have to use up till the very day of departure. Baggage: Quite some time ago I have a meter-high baggage. That's the biggest you can get, and it went with me to Europe and Taiwan. Currently I'm using two smaller cabin-sized baggage. But I find having to haul two baggages is harder than hauling one enormous one. Getting to the Airport: My home in Penang is just 20 mins away from PEN. As for coming back every semester, I rely on my Taiwanese friend who lived 50 minutes away from TPE. I never use the airport bus for TPE because they're a tad too late and too risky for my MH95. Choice of Airline: Usually MH. But after they initiated their cost-cutting measures with tricky pricing systems I'm having more and more tendency to use CX and CI. I've rode on KL and AZ on my Europe trip 2005. AK I've tried on two occassions on KUL-PEN when I presumed Pudu would be jam-packed (never have good experience departing from Pudu). Choice of Airliner/Airport/Frequency etc: For my TPE-PEN sector I prefer a non-stop with CI. It's a pity they fly a narrowbody with no PTVs. Recent years saw me flying more with MH for the same sector. As a student frequency doesn't matter much, and not being in SIN and HKG before I think KUL is a nice place to be when you have less than 3 hours to kill. Frequent Flyer Program: Enrich and Dynasty Flier. Both ground-bottom tiers as I always go for rock-bottom fares. I'm looking forward for my first upgrade with MH though, 1.5 years to go still if everything goes well. Check-In: 2 to 1.5 hours before departure. I hate having to wander around doing nothing, especially in ancient TPE Terminal 1. Onboard: Window seats for daylight flights below 6 hours. Aisle for night flights, and flights longer than that. I'm a good passenger to have onboard - I don't snore, I don't ask for extra portions, I don't really mind if they've ran out of meal choices. On a KUL-CDG flight recently I was delighted to find the seat beside me empty. I was making plans on how to fully utilize two adjacent seats to the max when an arrogant French teen switch seats because her IFE was not working. While not waking me up to go the bathroom n times during the flight, she barely touched the IFE at all. She just gobbled everything and slept. Why the seat change in the first place when you know you're not interested in the IFE? Duty Free Shopping: I like Temptations because you earn big miles for buying little things, but then again, what can a student really buy in an in-flight shopping program catered for the other wealthy passengers? My family don't smoke, and I usually get all the shopping done before departure, so the airport can just suck my money from F&B. Travelling in Group: Oh no thank you. Not especially with the girls. They drop you everything and they go shopping while you cripple with their baggages weighing tonnes. Then comes rushing for check-in - "I have to go to the bathroom, gimme 5 minutes," "No liquid onboard eh, can you help me to finish this 1 liter orange juice I just bought?" Traveling with Mum and Dad is no fun either - "where did you put your passport just now? Give it to me, I just don't feel safe they're being with you." "(poking you in the middle of a deep slumber) I'm going to the bathroom, you watch my handbag ah! HEY! Wake up and watch over my handbag!" - you get what I mean.

Other than fuel-efficiency MAS has to take into account too their previous piloting and engineering experiences as well as engine compatibilities with the age-old -400s they have now. Besides, the swelling Euro makes buying European products not as worthwhile as the weakening USD. Other than that, operating the same domestic and regional fleet as AirAsia (A320) means passengers can compare up till every thread on their colorful fabric with their most fiercest competitor. Just my humble thoughts.

Congrads to KUL! Given the tight competition around the region and smallish signages I am very much surprised by KUL in 4th. Very happy for KUL though.