The airline: Malaysia Airlines
- Route Hong Kong to Kuala Lumpur, flight MH79
- Frequency Two return flights each day
- Aircraft Boeing 737-800
- Class Economy; seat 4D (aisle)
- Flight time Four hours (on time)
Checking in
I’m up early to catch the day’s first shuttle from an airport hotel … the things we do for cheap flights, particularly now that Jetstar Asia is no more.
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Asia → check → flights
is surprisingly quiet for a Friday morning, and without prompting, I’m offered extra legroom as the flight isn’t full.
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flight → offer → legroom
I have a connecting flight to Singapore and my bag is tagged through without a fuss, making for an easy transit.
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bag → have → transit
Its partnership with Qantas has recently expanded to include reciprocal codesharing and an increase to the points and status credits earned on some fares.
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partnership → expand → fares
The cheapest tickets still provide no rewards but all others on this route deliver at least 500 Qantas points plus 20 status credits.
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others → provide → points
You can also book this flight for 23,000 Qantas points plus $HK747 ($137), one-way.
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You → book → points
Qantas Silver and above unlocks priority check-in; Gold and higher also receive lounge access and priority boarding.
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Gold → unlock → access
Baggage
All fares include at least 20 kilograms of checked baggage; “Flex” tickets offer 35 kilograms.
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tickets → include → kilograms
Qantas Gold members get a further 15 kilograms, or 20 kilograms extra for Platinum.
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members → get → Platinum
Carry-on baggage for all passengers is seven kilograms across one main item plus one personal item (e.g. briefcase, handbag or duty-free).
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baggage → carry → item
The seat
This single-aisle flight uses the standard 3-3 layout.
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flight → use → layout
Malaysia Airlines provides a pillow and blanket, although the headrest isn’t adjustable: expected more of low-cost carriers.
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headrest → provide → carriers
Legroom is excellent in the front row, but the business class curtain obstructs the aisle seats here (4C and 4D).
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curtain → obstruct → seats
With a row to myself, I shuffle across.
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I → shuffle → myself
I experience the standard seat pitch (legroom) of 30 inches (76 centimetres) on my connecting hop to Singapore and there’s room enough to move my knees.
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I → experience → knees
Malaysia Airlines has traded seatback screens for streaming entertainment on these aircraft, but the hotspot doesn’t work … on either flight.
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hotspot → trade → flight
Wi-Fi internet isn’t available on any Malaysia Airlines Boeing 737-800, but is offered on the carrier’s newer Boeing 737 MAX 8s.
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internet → offer → MAX
Seats behind the first row have a handy tablet holder where the TV would otherwise be.
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TV → have → holder
Service
Crew are impeccably groomed and exceedingly polite.
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Crew → groom → ?
A press of the call bell for a coffee outside the main service time gets a quick response and a smile.
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press → get → response
Why go for the omelette when you can start your day with nasi lemak?
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you → go → lemak
It’s served with fried anchovies and peanuts in a separate sealed packet to help accommodate tastes and allergies.
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It → serve → tastes
It’s one of the better meals I’ve eaten in economy.
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I → ’ → economy
By removing the TVs and replacing other cabin products with lighter-weight materials, Malaysia Airlines claims to have trimmed about 679 kilograms from each Boeing 737-800, saving about 91,029 litres of fuel per year, per aircraft – reducing emissions.
uncertain
Airlines → remove → emissions
Some Boeing 737-800s are also being retired in favour of more fuel-efficient Boeing 737 MAX 8s, decreasing carbon emissions by 20 per cent on comparable flights, according to the manufacturer.
uncertain
800s → retire → manufacturer
*
One more thing
Many Malaysia Airlines routes can now be booked as Qantas QF codeshares, delivering significantly more Qantas points and status credits than travelling on an MH code.
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routes → book → code
With Jetstar Asia gone, Malaysia Airlines offers a cost-effective way to zip across Asia if you don’t mind an easy transit via Kuala Lumpur.
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you → go → Lumpur
The added perks for regular Qantas flyers are icing on the cake, especially if you snag a fare akin to Jetstar prices for a full-service experience.
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you → add → experience
★
The writer travelled at his own expense.
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writer → travel → expense
*For more information about air travel and sustainability, see iata.org
**Fares are based on those available for travel three months from the time of publication and subject to change.
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Fares → see → change
The Aporia
