Malaysia Airlines slapping me with 734s and old 738s.

[S V Choong 4]

A 5-Star full service carrier with low-cost carrier seat pitch

Yeah compared to the 734 and 738 of other carriers I have flown with, the seat pitch and seat space of MH 738 is very tight

[flee 5]

So going back to the OP's bitching - is being slapped with the B734s something bad? So many people are now saying that the B738s are terrible and a backward step!

[KK Lee 5]

A 5-Star full service carrier with low-cost carrier seat pitch

 

Believe this is the result for letting bean counter running an airline, KPI (i.e. CASK) numbers were more important than intangible assets (e.g. pax comfort)

[flee 5]

To be fair, MAS is not the first full service carrier to bean count. In tough economic times (and in times of high oil prices), airline managements have to find ways to offer an economic service so that their planes can be filled up and that they remain in business.

 

If MH did not take drastic steps to stem billion RM losses, there may be no airline left for us to fly on, comfortable or otherwise!

[Isaac 0]

To be fair, MAS is not the first full service carrier to bean count. In tough economic times (and in times of high oil prices), airline managements have to find ways to offer an economic service so that their planes can be filled up and that they remain in business.

 

If MH did not take drastic steps to stem billion RM losses, there may be no airline left for us to fly on, comfortable or otherwise!

I think it's more to poor planning of seat configuration. Do they really need 16 seats in Business Class on this narrowbodied aircraft ? And the seat count can remain the same but with better seat pitch by just removing the two closets behind row 29. MAS survived with no extra closets on the 734 for more than 20 years (at least), so there is no reason why they need two extra closets now in Y

 

Oh, and why the need of 4 IFE boxes in each row ? It is taking up even more legroom in the already cramped cabin. A few airlines that i have been on which are using the same Panasonic system have a much slimmer IFE box installed and they still can offer power ports even with just two slim IFE boxes installed per row.

Edited September 29, 2013 by Isaac

[KK Lee 5]

To be fair, MAS is not the first full service carrier to bean count. In tough economic times (and in times of high oil prices), airline managements have to find ways to offer an economic service so that their planes can be filled up and that they remain in business.

 

If MH did not take drastic steps to stem billion RM losses, there may be no airline left for us to fly on, comfortable or otherwise!

 

On KUL-MLE, one way fare on MH is from RM1,110 to RM1,500; D7 is from RM399 to RM669. As MH seat pitch (i.e. comfort level) is almost similar to D7, not sure many O&D pax are willing to pay RM430 to RM1,100 extra for free luggage, meal and IFE.

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

Believe this is the result for letting bean counter running an airline, KPI (i.e. CASK) numbers were more important than intangible assets (e.g. pax comfort)

 

The typical airline conundrum - to give more comfort to the passengers in exchange for slightly higher fares or pack them in like sardines to make up for the lower fares

 

American Airlines' "More Room Throughout Coach" program in the early 2000s is a great case study of this - it failed.

Edited September 29, 2013 by Mohd Suhaimi Fariz

[Isaac 0]

 

The typical airline conundrum - to give more comfort to the passengers in exchange for slightly higher fares or pack them in like sardines to make up for the lower fares

 

American Airlines' "More Room Throughout Coach" program in the early 2000s is a great case study of this - it failed.

No one is asking for MRTC (33"-35" seat pitch). We just want a normal full service carrier Y seat pitch, not a LCC seat pitch.

[KK Lee 5]

The typical airline conundrum - to give more comfort to the passengers in exchange for slightly higher fares or pack them in like sardines to make up for the lower fares

 

American Airlines' "More Room Throughout Coach" program in the early 2000s is a great case study of this - it failed.

 

Believe MH is using U.S airlines business model (e.g. narrow seat pitch, non-lie flat J-class on A33E, etc). If the whole industry is driving for low cost approach, the lowest cost operator will has the edge. However, the airline market in Asia is different from the U.S.

 

MH cost structure and network is not favorable to compete with LCC. With LCC comfort level, MH need to compromise yield to compete with FSC like SQ, EK, EY, CX, TG and GA.

[Craig 0]

Believe MH is using U.S airlines business model (e.g. narrow seat pitch, non-lie flat J-class on A33E, etc). If the whole industry is driving for low cost approach, the lowest cost operator will has the edge. However, the airline market in Asia is different from the U.S.

US airlines also offers complimentary upgrades to top tier elites at the very minimum (and earn other upgrade instruments like systemwide upgrades, e-500 stickers etc.), generous miles, no fuel surcharges on award booking, offer economy plus/extra (same economy seats with extra legroom) for elites etc. not saying that MH should follow US carriers, but there are also some perks to US carriers, not all bad.

 

And if anything MH should adopt from US carriers is economy plus/extra (for their B737 flights) for oneworld/MH elites. Remove one row of economy and then have extra legroom in the front of the Y cabin, and non-elite passengers can purchase these seats at a reasonable rate while offering it for free to its elites.

 

And most US carriers have flat beds in C - the hard product (just the seat, not IFE etc.) is better than MH A333 C product. To me, MH's C on the 333 is similar to AA's old international C.

[Kar Yong Lim 0]

In the last 4 flights I took over the last 2 weekends from KUL to KCH return, I had one flight in the 734, one in 738 (the 30-row ML series) and two in the new MS series. The cabin certainly looks much superior in the MS series. In terms of seats, I noticed that the new MS seats are slightly higher (or it was just me feeling it?) and thereby makes the 30 inch pitch a bit more bearable compared to the seats on the ML series where they "sank" a bit, and my knees hit the seat in front of me, thereby made it very tight, coupled with the 29 inch pitch.

 

If only, if only, the seats in the new 738 are 32 inch pitch.... dreaming la...

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

In the last 4 flights I took over the last 2 weekends from KUL to KCH return, I had one flight in the 734, one in 738 (the 30-row ML series) and two in the new MS series. The cabin certainly looks much superior in the MS series. In terms of seats, I noticed that the new MS seats are slightly higher (or it was just me feeling it?) and thereby makes the 30 inch pitch a bit more bearable compared to the seats on the ML series where they "sank" a bit, and my knees hit the seat in front of me, thereby made it very tight, coupled with the 29 inch pitch.

 

If only, if only, the seats in the new 738 are 32 inch pitch.... dreaming la...

 

If you don't mind me asking - how tall are you?

[Kar Yong Lim 0]

If you don't mind me asking - how tall are you?

Im not that tall - 5' 7" but big size.

[Mohd Suhaimi Fariz 2]

Im not that tall - 5' 7" but big size.

 

I think we're about the same height, probably the same size too.

 

To be honest I couldn't visualize how people can't get comfortable because the one time I flew onboard a BSI equipped 738 in Y (from MYY to KUL) I had no discomfort in the middle seat.

[Newitt 0]

I think we're about the same height, probably the same size too.

 

To be honest I couldn't visualize how people can't get comfortable because the one time I flew onboard a BSI equipped 738 in Y (from MYY to KUL) I had no discomfort in the middle seat.

Some people have short torsos and long legs.

[Cheng Long 0]

I think we're about the same height, probably the same size too.

 

To be honest I couldn't visualize how people can't get comfortable because the one time I flew onboard a BSI equipped 738 in Y (from MYY to KUL) I had no discomfort in the middle seat.

 

 

When I flew with those Sky Interior 738, the seats itself were ok but just the sense of being in a tight space. Can get a bit claustrophobic.

[Isaac 0]

It's a torture to sit in the middle seat with such tight seat pitch from BKI to KIX (soon NRT) or from KUL to MLE/DEL/TPE etc.

Edited September 30, 2013 by Isaac

[Mike P 0]

Get business class then.

[Newitt 0]

Get business class then.

 

Brilliant suggestion! Just brilliant!!

[Waiping 12]

I just 'felt' that the newer aircraft with BSI is more comfy due to the slimmer seats and better design overhead compartment. I m about 168cm and 50kg.

 

Also, with Asian you can squeeze more seats than say the Europeans.

Edited October 1, 2013 by Waiping

[Johan Z 0]

I like the seat on BSI 738 because it's taller. So, it has a private feel to it. Unlike seats on A330, which I found the a bit lower, always need to put the headrest up.

[S V Choong 4]

Brilliant suggestion! Just brilliant!!

 

:D

[jahur 0]

General Comparison on J cabin first row for all 737s in MAS.

Classic B737-400

 

9M-MLD uses purple colored seats for both economy and business not sure if other aircraft in MAS opted this.

 

Standard seen in MX and MS and post MLM series

 

And the winner goes to 9M-FFF

[Mushrif A 3]

MS series uses slightly different colour seats in business class.

 

Also, some of the leased 738s have blue fabric seats in business class, which are very comfortable.

[Radzi 2]

MS series uses slightly different colour seats in business class.

 

Also, some of the leased 738s have blue fabric seats in business class, which are very comfortable.

 

There is a history behind those fabric business class seats.

 

When the B738 were introduced into MAS, the comes with 3-abreast business class seats, of which only 2 are sold. Needless to say, there were tons of complaints. Therefore the black leather seats were changed with the blue fabric seats,