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Alif A. F.

Unusual Aircraft-Gate Assignment at KLIA

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Hi folks, today at 3pm I saw an EY A332 parked at MTB instead of the satellite building at KLIA. I thought all foreign airlines parl their planrs at satellite building and MTB reserved for doemstic and short haul regionals by MAS (and other Malaysia based airlines).

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Hi folks, today at 3pm I saw an EY A332 parked at MTB instead of the satellite building at KLIA. I thought all foreign airlines parl their planrs at satellite building and MTB reserved for doemstic and short haul regionals by MAS (and other Malaysia based airlines).

Actually there have been Australian flights out of the MTB as well IIRC.

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I thought all foreign airlines parl their planrs at satellite building and MTB reserved for doemstic and short haul regionals by MAS (and other Malaysia based airlines).

Rare but it happens. I boarded a LH flight from the MTB once.

 

OT Rant: KLIA needs to rename its gates and terminals. No main terminal, satellite terminal, KLIA 2 etc. Make it less confusing: Terminal 1 = MTB/Satellite and Terminal 2 = KLIA2. Satellite is not a terminal - the whole A/B/C/G/H gates is one terminal.

 

Actually there have been Australian flights out of the MTB as well IIRC.

Depends on MH aircraft rotation and gate availability at the C gates. I've departed from the G/H gates for flights to MEL, KIX, and ICN before.

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Hi folks, today at 3pm I saw an EY A332 parked at MTB instead of the satellite building at KLIA. I thought all foreign airlines parl their planrs at satellite building and MTB reserved for doemstic and short haul regionals by MAS (and other Malaysia based airlines).

As Craig pointed out, it's possible. I've also seen an LH A346 parked at the Main Terminal before.

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Rare but it happens. I boarded a LH flight from the MTB once.

 

OT Rant: KLIA needs to rename its gates and terminals. No main terminal, satellite terminal, KLIA 2 etc. Make it less confusing: Terminal 1 = MTB/Satellite and Terminal 2 = KLIA2. Satellite is not a terminal - the whole A/B/C/G/H gates is one terminal.

 

Depends on MH aircraft rotation and gate availability at the C gates. I've departed from the G/H gates for flights to MEL, KIX, and ICN before.

Malaysian tend to have their own definition, unconventional from others. As for road sign, it is mean for people who know the route.

 

Hi folks, today at 3pm I saw an EY A332 parked at MTB instead of the satellite building at KLIA. I thought all foreign airlines parl their planrs at satellite building and MTB reserved for doemstic and short haul regionals by MAS (and other Malaysia based airlines).

May be VVIP was onboard.

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On the two occasions I saw this happened, there was some VVIP travelling on official business...so probably to spare them from rubbing shoulders with the unwashed masses on the connecting trains. (Although I have seen Sultans travelling on private business taking the train to the satellite terminal)

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Thanks for the explanations! I can see one advantage of docking at MTB, less distance travelled for passengers to the arrival hall. I think the naming conventions of terminals in KLIA is secondary, because all the signposts give directions to gates. Besides apart from KLIA2, all pax, regardless of flights they go into, enter the single check-in area at KLIA.

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Not always is it VVIP - sometimes it is for deportation reasons.

 

I once flew on an MH A330 to Dhaka that i was told parked at H2 or G2 (I can't remember which of those two it was) and it was to minimize the distance between landside and the plane because Jabatan Imigresen was deporting about 75 bangladeshis on that flight. I guess they didn't want to lose them on the train, long corridors etc.

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I once flew on an MH A330 to Dhaka that i was told parked at H2 or G2 (I can't remember which of those two it was) and it was to minimize the distance between landside and the plane because Jabatan Imigresen was deporting about 75 bangladeshis on that flight.....

Geesh, how was atmosphere on flight itself ?

Many years ago at LHR, I witnessed a chap being escorted by a few, well, rather sturdy looking uniformed personnel, presumably to his designated flight. Judging by the rather subdued state of said chap, the rather disorganized state of his clothing and the smug tones emancipated from said uniformed personnel, I couldn't help but imagine that he was at that point in time being forcibly deported from the UK

Always wondered if there are any special procedures/precautions to be observed when there are such 'criminals' on board ?

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Geesh, how was atmosphere on flight itself ?

Many years ago at LHR, I witnessed a chap being escorted by a few, well, rather sturdy looking uniformed personnel, presumably to his designated flight. Judging by the rather subdued state of said chap, the rather disorganized state of his clothing and the smug tones emancipated from said uniformed personnel, I couldn't help but imagine that he was at that point in time being forcibly deported from the UK

Always wondered if there are any special procedures/precautions to be observed when there are such 'criminals' on board ?

 

Normally deported pax will be seated at the last row and they will always be escorted by the enforcement agency in and out from the aircraft.

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But if you have "about 75 ..." being deported in one go, how many would be required for the escort service ?

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Thanks for the explanations! I can see one advantage of docking at MTB, less distance travelled for passengers to the arrival hall. I think the naming conventions of terminals in KLIA is secondary, because all the signposts give directions to gates. Besides apart from KLIA2, all pax, regardless of flights they go into, enter the single check-in area at KLIA.

Docking at the MTB may shorten the walking distance, but it's bad news for those who need to use a lounge at the satellite.

 

Every major airport needs a proper designation for each terminal. "KLIA2" isn't immediately obvious that it's a different terminal. It sounds like a different airport altogether, when it's NOT.

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But if you have "about 75 ..." being deported in one go, how many would be required for the escort service ?

 

I did see once about that number to be deported. All of them were handcuffed together with numbers of immigration officers at one end until they were aboard the aircraft.

 

But most cases deported pax in bulk are PATI and they quite behaved. Unless if the pax is a criminal then extra stringent procedure and enforcement might be needed.

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But if you have "about 75 ..." being deported in one go, how many would be required for the escort service ?

 

I seem to recall about a dozen imigresen officers. The flight itself was fine - MH blocked off the last section and left a clear gap between regular pax and the deportees.

 

I'm sure if the check in agent asks if you'll mind moving, we have 75 deportees travelling with us tonight and we would like to move you forward - it's easy to get pax cooperation

 

BTW - i know it was 75 because I asked one of the officers. Apparently some of them were only arrested that day or the day before - so it was a quick exit. Certainly those wouldn't have had time for a farewell party!

The DAC flight was 19 August 2009 , 9M-MKD, MH196

 

Incidentally, I've also been on an SQ25 FRA-SIN 7 September 2010 - and 30 German Bundespolizei were deporting about 71 vietnamese - and they were to connect to SGN

 

SQ coordinated to have the flight arrive in T2 gate F60 (those of you familiar with Changi will know this one is pain in the ass), and after deplaning, they towed 9V-SPP away, and operated SQ172 SIN-SGN also from F60

 

The deportees didn't get a chance to go visit the koi pond that's for sure. They sat in the waiting room all throughout

Edited by Suzanne Goh

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F60@SIN? So, at least they get a tiny feel of what's it like to be a VVIP...though the "feel" stopped when they had to turn right, as oppose to straight ahead where the garlands of flowers etc. normally awaits...


...And if it was an EY 332 parked at gates A or B@KUL...I have a strong "feel" that it wasn't a group of Emiratis being deported for working illegally here...

Edited by Mushrif A

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Any reason why Mahan Air's 340 is parked at bay A2 at the MTB this evening? VVVVVVIP onboard?

Is it A346? I believe it's the same reason when LH was parked at gate A2 few years back. Gate C17,27,37 was not empty perhaps.

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Yes, an A346.

 

Maybe we have MH & EK A380s and QR 346 occupying the other three gates you mentioned. But in the past, I have also seen an MH380 parked at gate C25 or C23.

Edited by Mushrif A

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....But in the past, I have also seen an MH380 parked at gate C25 or C23.

 

Are you sure? Bacause AFAIK the A380 can only be accommodated at the corner lots which is C17, 27 and 37. They are, however, regularly towed to open bay for parking.

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Are you sure? Bacause AFAIK the A380 can only be accommodated at the corner lots which is C17, 27 and 37. They are, however, regularly towed to open bay for parking.

Very sure and remembered the occasion well - simply because I found that situation was strange or unusual as I had the same impression as you did before I actually saw that it could be done and has happened. Obviously it was just a two aerobridge attachment to the aircraft.

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