Foreign Carriers and Malaysia

[Suzanne Goh 0]

If you don't mind layover (believe hotel is provided) at CMB, for MH regular cattle class fare, you could travel to LHR in J class with UL.

http://www.srilankan.com/en_uk/my

 

I called up about this fare - the folks at UL aren't sure if STPC is provided or not.

 

Anyway, the better bet for this one is to go FRA or CDG - even if you want to go to london - for 3 reasons:

 

1) UK APD in a premium class is a killer. Buying an openjaw KUL-CMB-LHR//FRA-CMB-KUL doesn't make it go away.

2) LHR is run by 343's which i think the refurbishment isn't complete yet. FRA/CDG get the 332's with the new J that looks really nice. Also has a lower base fare (slightly)

3) better connections on some days to FRA/CDG.

 

Things to note: It's NOT a MATTA fair special, it's available throughout and from what i can see has no expiry date as yet. Very worthwhile mileage run when they join OW.

[Mushrif A 3]

I called up about this fare - the folks at UL aren't sure if STPC is provided or not.

 

Anyway, the better bet for this one is to go FRA or CDG - even if you want to go to london - for 3 reasons:

 

1) UK APD in a premium class is a killer. Buying an openjaw KUL-CMB-LHR//FRA-CMB-KUL doesn't make it go away.

2) LHR is run by 343's which i think the refurbishment isn't complete yet. FRA/CDG get the 332's with the new J that looks really nice. Also has a lower base fare (slightly)

3) better connections on some days to FRA/CDG.

 

Things to note: It's NOT a MATTA fair special, it's available throughout and from what i can see has no expiry date as yet. Very worthwhile mileage run when they join OW.

 

Hence, which of the two - CDG or FRA - offer better connections into LON - and which connecting carrier do you recommend?

[Suzanne Goh 0]

Hence, which of the two - CDG or FRA - offer better connections into LON - and which connecting carrier do you recommend?

 

Depends really. There's many options - a good one is BA to LHR from CDG. Arriving on UL, That's a T1 to T1 connection. Going to CDG and on to LHR via AF would mean a T1 to T2E/F/G connection which is crappy.

 

FRA is just way too big but both BA and LH do fly into LCY from FRA which is cheapish and a very easy arrival procedure if you're going into the east side of london. BA uses T2 which requires a train ride, so that complicates things. LH uses T1 but the gate can be in either B concourse (good, since UL arrives there) or A concourse non-schengen (not so good cause it's a long walk)

 

So in short - if you're going to the Southwest/Western side of London - go CDG and go BA onwards. If you're going to the East/Northeast/Southeast side of London, go FRA, and go LH/BA onwards to LCY

[BC Tam 2]

How about EK for you, Tam sang?

Their fares ex BKI is somewhat 'premium' - in class of SQ

El cheapos like us not in that league

Edited September 9, 2012 by BC Tam

[Suzanne Goh 0]

Their fares ex BKI is somewhat 'premium' - in class of SQ

El cheapos like us not in that league

 

try CMB

[Craig 0]

1) UK APD in a premium class is a killer. Buying an openjaw KUL-CMB-LHR//FRA-CMB-KUL doesn't make it go away.

 

Typo? OJ FRA-CMB-KUL drops the APD (as long as you have a separate London-FRA/CDG ticket).

 

 

Depends really. There's many options - a good one is BA to LHR from CDG. Arriving on UL, That's a T1 to T1 connection. Going to CDG and on to LHR via AF would mean a T1 to T2E/F/G connection which is crappy.

 

FRA is just way too big but both BA and LH do fly into LCY from FRA which is cheapish and a very easy arrival procedure if you're going into the east side of london. BA uses T2 which requires a train ride, so that complicates things. LH uses T1 but the gate can be in either B concourse (good, since UL arrives there) or A concourse non-schengen (not so good cause it's a long walk)

 

So in short - if you're going to the Southwest/Western side of London - go CDG and go BA onwards. If you're going to the East/Northeast/Southeast side of London, go FRA, and go LH/BA onwards to LCY

 

IIRC, you would need to pay the Chirac tax if you fly out of CDG in a premium cabin. UK flights to/from FRA, more often than not, arrive/depart from FRA's B concourse since A is mainly Schengen or US bound flights (Z concourse).

 

I haven't transit at CDG for a very long time, but I do recall that T1 is a total dump and that transfer between terminals is a PITA. T1 and T2 are really far from each other.

 

Maybe I've been through FRA so often that I know it inside out (especially Terminal 1), connecting in FRA is usually painless for me. There is also a train in the secured area that runs between the A gates all the way to Terminal 2.

 

And if you have Avios miles, use it for LHR-FRA/CDG. Not only does it drops the APD, but also, it's only 4,500 Avios miles plus $20 USD in taxes and fees for either sectors!

Edited September 9, 2012 by Craig

[Suzanne Goh 0]

Typo? OJ FRA-CMB-KUL drops the APD (as long as you have a separate London-FRA/CDG ticket).

 

Not so. Now this is conceptually wrong, or it may be UL's intentional doing - but going OJ with an inbound into FRA doesn't budge the total tax paid. Did not go specifically into the UB and GB portions of the tax component, but it does seem that it is charged (wrongly - i might add)

 

IIRC, you would need to pay the Chirac tax if you fly out of CDG in a premium cabin. UK flights to/from FRA, more often than not, arrive/depart from FRA's B concourse since A is mainly Schengen or US bound flights (Z concourse).

Chirac tax is a mild peri peri sauce compared to Uncle Gordon's chili Padi APD

 

I haven't transit at CDG for a very long time, but I do recall that T1 is a total dump and that transfer between terminals is a PITA. T1 and T2 are really far from each other.

Yep, T1 is a dump, and T2 is a long way away. Fly BA, do a T1 to T1 connection and it isn't as painful.

 

Maybe I've been through FRA so often that I know it inside out (especially Terminal 1), connecting in FRA is usually painless for me. There is also a train in the secured area that runs between the A gates all the way to Terminal 2.

 

And if you have Avios miles, use it for LHR-FRA/CDG. Not only does it drops the APD, but also, it's only 4,500 Avios miles plus $20 USD in taxes and fees for either sectors!

i find FRA painless IF you know what you're doing. If you don't - it's daunting. Every single first timer I've dragged through there ends up in cold sweat.

The avios idea is stellar though

[BC Tam 2]

try CMB

Would love to, but circumstance this time round not likely to be conducive for us to be able to appreciate a leisurely 'time of irrevelence' journey

Last I passed through the place (something like 30+ years ago) the 747 we were on still had novelty value then to attract school children in droves to the airport's perimeter fence

[S V Choong 4]

Their fares ex BKI is somewhat 'premium' - in class of SQ

El cheapos like us not in that league

I don't know about ex-Malaysia, but last time I checked, EK's fare out of Melbourne is nearly the same as D7... especially if you booked months before the flight. It doesn't make any sense to fly D7 at all.

[Izanee 0]

I don't know about ex-Malaysia, but last time I checked, EK's fare out of Melbourne is nearly the same as D7... especially if you booked months before the flight. It doesn't make any sense to fly D7 at all.

 

that's probably what happened to D7 in Gatwick and Orly. I found MAS, EK, QR, SQ to be cheaper than D7! and this was without food! I could never find their cheap fares ...even if i booked months in advance

[Craig 0]

Not so. Now this is conceptually wrong, or it may be UL's intentional doing - but going OJ with an inbound into FRA doesn't budge the total tax paid. Did not go specifically into the UB and GB portions of the tax component, but it does seem that it is charged (wrongly - i might add)

 

You may be right since I only fly out of LHR/EU in award premium cabin. I noticed that if I do an OJ (into LHR out from FRA), it significantly reduces my taxes (APD and UK departure tax dropped). Either that or it's one of the SHARES features that I like (out of the thousands that I don't).

 

 

 

i find FRA painless IF you know what you're doing. If you don't - it's daunting. Every single first timer I've dragged through there ends up in cold sweat.

The avios idea is stellar though

 

Haha. Yes FRA can be quite daunting for newbies but if you've been through there a few times, it's easy. It's even easier if you leave from the FCT I find FRA much easier than CDG or LHR, but the easiest of all would be AMS/MUC/ZRH.

[flee 5]

I don't know about ex-Malaysia, but last time I checked, EK's fare out of Melbourne is nearly the same as D7... especially if you booked months before the flight. It doesn't make any sense to fly D7 at all.

Ex-Malaysia, EK is very expensive for travel in Jan 2013. MH is the cheapest. A family member just booked a ticket for around RM 2,200. D7 fares are only really cheap when they have sale offers or launch offers. So you are at their mercy and you cannot dictate travel dates. If you must travel on specific dates, it is difficult to get a good fare on D7.

[Isaac 0]

Ex-Malaysia, EK is very expensive for travel in Jan 2013. MH is the cheapest. A family member just booked a ticket for around RM 2,200.

That's true. And not just Jan 2013. EK ex-KUL is very expensive for the next few months. Even J is expensive. For the kind of price it is asking for J, one is better off flying SQ J. EK only has good J product on their 388 after all.

 

 

D7 fares are only really cheap when they have sale offers or launch offers. So you are at their mercy and you cannot dictate travel dates. If you must travel on specific dates, it is difficult to get a good fare on D7.

Can't agree more! Book it when they have a sale. My friends bought 3 return tickets to Gold Coast on D7 for less than RM800/pax all-inclusive late last year. And just a few months ago, they booked 15, yes, 15 return tickets on AK between BKI/KUL and KUL/BKK (a total of 4 flights!), all for less than RM400/pax!

[flee 5]

Can't agree more! Book it when they have a sale. My friends bought 3 return tickets to Gold Coast on D7 for less than RM800/pax all-inclusive late last year. And just a few months ago, they booked 15, yes, 15 return tickets on AK between BKI/KUL and KUL/BKK (a total of 4 flights!), all for less than RM400/pax!

Yes, during sale time, AirAsia Group offers the best deals - but you must still be flexible with your travel dates if you want to net the lowest fares.

 

I managed to get the AK Lombok launch offer tickets for around RM 220+ return. Similarly when AirAsia Japan launched, there were plenty of 5 yen tickets to all their destinations.

Edited September 10, 2012 by flee

[BC Tam 2]

MH is the cheapest. A family member just booked a ticket for around RM 2,200

Would that be MATTA promo ?

[flee 5]

Would that be MATTA promo ?

Partly yes but partly because MH tickets tend to get cheaper as the travel dates approach. That is why most people find D7 tickets expensive when compared to MH. Most people tend to book only 1 or 2 months in advance.

 

With D7, cheapest tickets are available when the database is first opened for bookings. Or during the AirAsia big sale or D7 route launch promotions. I usually book my D7 tickets around 10-11 mths before travel, during their sale time.

[BC Tam 2]

If one is to plot a comparative graph of (anticipated) MH and D7 fares on one axis vs time to travel date on other axis, we will end up with one big 'X'

[reezal 0]

Yet another airline to ply the KTM-KUL route soon.

 

BB Airways shortens Nepal-Japan distance to seven hours

 

KATHMANDU: BB Airways — promoted by treasurer of Non-Resident Nepalis Association Bhawan Bhatta — will start direct flights to Japan from October 13, shortening the distance between the two friendly nations to seven hours.

“The airlines will fly twice a week — on Wednesdays and Saturdays — to Narita airport from Kathmandu,” said chairman of the airlines Bhatta, adding that a two-way ticket will cost around Rs 120,000.

Addressing tour operators in Japan yesterday, he also urged friends of Nepal to promote the airlines as it will not only promote tourism but also open many avenues for development in Nepal.

Nepal Airlines, then Royal Nepal Airlines, used to fly directly to Japan almost a decade back, but after the ailing national flag carrier stopped its direct flights to Tokyo, Japanese tourists have to travel to Nepal through a longer route that is expensive and time consuming too.

Lately, the country has seen an increased flow of Japanese tourists to Nepal as Nepal is the birth place of Lord Buddha and Japanese people want to visit Nepal once in their lifetime, also due to Mt Everest, the highest mountain in the world.

From January to June this year, some 11,265 Japanese — which was an increment of 18.3 per cent as compared to the same period of 2011 — visited Nepal by air. Japanese tourists shared 3.6 per cent of the total tourist arrivals to Nepal in the last six months by air.

“The 202-seater 757-200 ER Boeing — that has ICAO code ‘BBW’ and IATA code ‘BO’ — with eight business class seats will start its first flight on September 13 to Kuala Lumpur from Kathmandu,” said Bhatta, adding that the airlines will also start Hong Kong and Taiwan flights in September.

BB Airways has received permission to fly to Kuala Lumpur, Hong Kong, Bangkok, New Delhi, Doha, Singapore and Japan.

 

SOURCE: http://ghalegroup.co...to-seven-hours/

 

 

BB Air to start chartered flights

 

 

KATHMANDU: BB Airways –– a new Nepali international carrier –– will be starting its chartered flights from September 13 –– a month prior to the launch of their scheduled flights.

 

The airline will commence its chartered flights to Seam Reap, Cambodia from September 13 and to Tokyo from October, informed BB Airways’ chief executive officer Hari Bhakta Shrestha during a press conference organised by the airline today.

 

The company will start its scheduled flights to Kuala Lumpur and Hong Kong from October 11, with four flights a week to Kuala Lumpur and three to Hong Kong, he added.

 

The fares start from Rs 36,000 for a trip from Kathmandu to Kuala Lumpur and return, and the fares from Kathmandu to Hong Kong and return starts from

 

Rs 48,000, the company said.

 

“We are a full-fledged carrier and have to compete with budget airlines in providing the most competitive air fares to our valued passengers,” said chairman of BB Airways Bhaban Bhatta.

 

BB Airways will commence its flights with one Boeing 757-200, followed soon by another B757. With the arrival of our second aircraft, it will be expanding its services to Bangkok, Singapore, New Delhi and Doha.

 

At present, it has permission to operate flights to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia; Hong Kong, China; New Delhi, India; Tokyo, Japan; Doha, Qatar; Bangkok, Thailand and Singapore.

 

SOURCE: http://www.thehimalayantimes.com/fullNews.php?headline=BB+Air+to+start+chartered+flights&NewsID=346564

Edited September 10, 2012 by reezal

[flee 5]

If one is to plot a comparative graph of (anticipated) MH and D7 fares on one axis vs time to travel date on other axis, we will end up with one big 'X'

Absolutely correct! The different revenue management policies do result in the ticket price lines intersecting at some point in time.

[Raj 0]

Myannmar Airways daily flight to KUL effective 28 OCT 12

 

http://airlineroute.net/2012/09/13/8m-w12update2/

 

Previously reported Jetstar Increase to 8 daily

 

http://airlineroute.net/2012/09/12/3k-w12/

 

 

Also reported elsewhere effective 1st October, Lion Air will begin Bandung-Kuala Lumpur flights.

[dean hizudy 0]

BI/RBA will increase frequencies to KUL to 10 times weekly effective 13th December 2012

 

[Daniel Ng 0]

http://airlineroute....10/16/bo-oct12/

Another new airline coming to KUL

Edited October 16, 2012 by Daniel Ng

[reezal 0]

Korean Air ups frequency to Kuala Lumpur

 

S Puvaneswary, Kuala Lumpur, November 7, 2012

 

KOREAN Air will add more flights to Kuala Lumpur in December, the peak travel period for both South Korean and Malaysian outbound.

 

The airline is adding an extra daily flight on the Incheon-Kuala Lumpur route from December 1-27, deploying a B777-300, according to Korean Air’s country manager for Malaysia and Brunei, Seiwan Kim.

 

He said the average load occupancy of daily flights was 80 per cent.

 

Kim also said the airline was looking at mounting eight charter flights between Incheon and Langkawi during the Chinese New Year period next year, but nothing has been confirmed as yet. Currently, Korean Air only flies to Kuala Lumpur.

 

Tourism Malaysia’s director for South Korea, Mohd Amirul Rizal, said Jin Air was also expected to commence a total of 20 charters, comprising two charters weekly from December 22 between Kota Kinabalu and Incheon International Airport.

 

SOURCE: http://ttgasia.com/a...article_id=4776

[Isaac 0]

Kim also said the airline was looking at mounting eight charter flights between Incheon and Langkawi during the Chinese New Year period next year, but nothing has been confirmed as yet. Currently, Korean Air only flies to Kuala Lumpur.

Tourism Malaysia’s director for South Korea, Mohd Amirul Rizal, said Jin Air was also expected to commence a total of 20 charters, comprising two charters weekly from December 22 between Kota Kinabalu and Incheon International Airport.

Not sure if it was Kim's fault or the journalist's but anyway, KE also have regular scheduled flights to BKI besides KUL utilizing a B737-900(ER??).

Edited November 7, 2012 by Isaac

[reezal 0]

China Southern Postpones Guangzhou – Kota Kinabalu Service till late-Jan 2013

 

by JL

 

Update at 0820GMT 08NOV12

China Southern Airlines has postponed planned service launch on Guangzhou – Kota Kinabaluoperation, due to start from 31OCT12. As per 08NOV12, the airline plans to start this service from 23JAN13, on board Airbus A319 aircraft instead of planned 737-700.

Schedule:

 

CZ3007 CAN1645 – 1945BKI 319 36

CZ3008 BKI2045 – 0005+1CAN 319 36

 

SOURCE: http://airlineroute....bki-w12update2/