To BKK/SIN/JHB/KUL on QF/BA/CX/AK in a mix of LCC, Y, Y+ and J!

[KeithMEL]

Thanks for the kind words.

CX713 BKK-SIN, Business
Scheduled departure – 1145
Actual departure – 1152
Aircraft – B747-400
Seat – 86A

There was nobody at the J check in desks when I rocked up, which made for a rather fast check-in. I was debating as to whether I ought to pay for an upgrade to F but ultimately decided that the extra cost required was not worth it for the short sector. I was also issued an invitation to the CX lounge in concourse G.



It was a pretty long trek to concourse G, particularly as I was distracted by the ability to purchase reasonably cheap champagne for my parents along the way.

The CX lounge at BKK was disappointing. The whole place felt pretty dull and drab Despite overlooking the tarmac, there did not seem to be much natural light in the lounge, which could probably be attributed to the poor interior design. Apart from the dim sum, there was very little in the way of catering. As the QF/BA lounge next door was not open, I had to stick to the CX lounge.

















Boarding

Soon boarding for CX713 was announced, and I dutifully made my way to the gate. As the flight was nowhere near full, there was entirely no queue for boarding.

Once onboard I was greeted cordially, directed to my seat and served pre-departure champagne.

[KeithMEL]

Seat/Cabin

I did not manage to score a 74A configuration but the older config was perfectly fine for the short flight.

Seat 86A was a window seat at the emergency exit row on the upper deck. It’s nice of CX to allow other oneworld emeralds/sapphires to preselect row 86 seats in addition to their own MPC elites. I had ample legroom and a whole row to myself.







Service

I’ve never had the best of luck with CX cabin crew, and I’d always wondered how they received such rave reviews on virtually every travel forum I frequent. However, this flight proved to be totally different from my previous (albeit limited) experiences with CX.

As I was sitting opposite the jump seat, I’d already built up a good rapport with the charming Senior Purser during taxiing and take off. The crew seemed to remember pax names without the help of a pax list, which I found pretty impressive. Throughout the flight, the Senior Purser and her team were most attentive and truly lived up to the reputation CX enjoys. My champagne flute was never empty. Eventually, to save the junior FA from going back and forth my seat to top up champagne, I decided to join the crew at the galley and was welcome (“but don’t expect Lan Kwai Fong!”) with a bottle of bubbly all to myself.

Catering

Menu and wine list as follows:

LUNCH

Starter
green and white asparagus with tomato salsa, smoked ham and Mesclun salad

Main Courses
*pork piccata with tomato basil sauce
linguini noodles and baked vegetable medley

braises fish fillet with bean curd sheets and mushroom
steamed rice and stir-fried oriental mixed vegetables

Dessert
water chestnut and coconut cream dessert Thai-style

Tea and Coffee

Pralines

*my choice

Drink list

Juices
orange, apple, tomato

Soft Drinks
Coke Zero, Coke, Coke Light, Sprite, Perrier water
tonic water, soda water and ginger ale
Coke Zero is now available on selected flights

Coffee
freshly brewed coffee

Teas
Hong Kong style milk tea
Ceylon, Japanese, jasmine
organic selection: carmomile, earl grey and peppermint

Hot Chocolate

Wines List

From the wine consultants
Disznoko Tokaji Aszu 5 Puttonyos 1996

Champagne
Billecard-Salmon Brut Champagne

White wines
Paul Sapin Macon Lugny Cuvee Prestige 2005

Watershed Margaret River Unoaked Chardonnay 2005

Red wines
Kirrihill Companions Clare Valley Shiraz 2004

Vieux Chateau London, Cru Bourgeois Medoc 2003

Port
Dow's Late Bottled Vintage Port 2000

Aperitifs and Cocktails
Gin, Rum, Vodka, Martini Rosso, Martini Extra Dry, Campari, Sweet and Dry Sherry, Bloody Mary, Screwdrive

Whiskies
Chivas Regal 12 Years Old, Johnnie Walker Gold Label, Jack Daniel's Bourbon, Canadian Club

Cognac
Hine'Rare and Delicate Fine Champagne

Liquers
Drambuie, Cointreau, Bailey's Irish Cream

Beer
International Selection

CX signature drinks
Cathay Delight
A kiwifruit based non-alcoholic drink with coconut juice and a touch of fresh mint

Pacific Sunrise
A refreshing combination of champagne and Drambuie with the zest of orange and lemon

Contrary to what the Purser warned when I decided to pay a visit at the galley, the list of drinks was enough to start a Lan Kwai Fong cocktail party onboard. I certainly enjoyed the champagne, which never stopped flowing.



Lunch however was a poor affair. To begin with, the portions were miniscule. The presentation left much to be desired, and this substandard presentation was matched by the mediocre quality of the pork main course, which was soggy and overcooked.

I’d also flown the BKK-SIN sector in J with SQ, TG and LX, and also once with CX two years ago, and this latest meal indicated such a drastic decline of CX’s meal service that I’d have to rank it the poorest out of the lot. Given CX’s position as one of the world’s premier carriers, I thought the airline could lift their game in the food stakes a little.

The lovely dessert ended up saving the day – being full of flavour and of the right texture, it was a sure winner.







IFE

I did not make use of the IFE. However I wouldn’t have enjoyed what Studio CX really had to offer even if I had as only short features were shown due to the flight’s duration.

Despite the sub-par lunch, I enjoyed the short flight on CX, thanks to the great set of crew I got. The junior FA was a little reserved initially but let her guard down eventually. Both the Senior Purser and the Purser were cheeky and entertaining characters who made my time on the aircraft a fun one. I think the light load, and thus optimum crew-pax ratio helped. The stellar crew more than made up for my grievance with the food.

We landed early in Singapore’s Changi Airport. And as I’ve come to expect from Changi – no queuing was necessary at passport control and despite the lack of queues, my bag was already waiting for me on the carousel when I emerged from immigration.

Next: AK6352 JHB-KUL, LCC

[SQFAN]

Hey KeithMel ..Moet in Qantas J lounge? That is not bad at all. I prefer Moet over Krug anyday while on land. In the air, then Krug. None of the Dom P stuff for me.

Was there long queues at BKK when you arrived? My first ever visit to BKK was greeted with a 1 hr queue plus the taxi driver took me to the wrong Hotel despite me telling him the address.

An observation : BKK is 'interesting' in that the level that you get out of the airport is not the level that one normally assume to take a taxi.

Can someone tell me about 'Lan Kwai Fong'? I'm lost...

Thank you for the TR. Keep them coming with more pictures too.

[jhm]

Lan Kwai Fong is the ang moh/expat clubbing, dining and bar area in Central, Hong Kong. It's where I'll be staying in about ten days time (Hotel LKF)!

Thanks, KeithMEL for the CX BKK-SIN writeup. I'll be doing the trip in a few weeks' time in F and hope I get as good a crew as you did!

[YK@HKG]

How much is the upgrade to First if I may know?
CX only has 1 out of 4-5 daily services on B747-400 for the HKG-BKK route, which eventually goes to SIN. None of the B744 on the way back to HKG, only regional planes on A330.

[YK@HKG]

Hey KeithMel
Can someone tell me about 'Lan Kwai Fong'? I'm lost...

LKF is similar to Boat Quay/Clarke Quay and mostly popular with the ang-mohs or foreign educated locals. It's near to Yung Kee (the famous Roast Goose restaurant) and contains lots of pubs which makes it probably the most prominent night spot in HKG.

[KeithMEL]

Hey KeithMel ..Moet in Qantas J lounge? That is not bad at all. I prefer Moet over Krug anyday while on land. In the air, then Krug. None of the Dom P stuff for me.

It's the cheap version though...

Yep LKF is one of the major nightspots in HKG; it's located in Central. I practically live there whenever i go back to HKG. The reason it came up with the FA was in response to a question about my favourite place in HKG to which I said that it's definitely LKF by a long shot.

An observation : BKK is 'interesting' in that the level that you get out of the airport is not the level that one normally assume to take a taxi.

Queues - yes rather long at passport control. Someone in front of me had visa issues which prolonged the queuing. The taxi counter was empty when I got there though.

Yes it took me a while to work out that I wouldn't find a 'real' taxi in the actual arrivals hall when I first arrived there in Feb. The taxi counter was located 1 floor below the arrivals hall. Standard fare of THB400 inclusive of toll charges and the THB50 service fee. The counter people seemed to know where the hotel is but I guess the wires crossed when they handed me over to the taxi dude.

How much is the upgrade to First if I may know?

Around THB6000 IIRC. It is quite reasonable in retrospect. You've to upgrade at least 2 hrs prior to departure though so that they can prepare food for you.

[KeithMEL]

AK6352 JHB-KUL, LCC
Scheduled dep – 0925
Actual dep – 0921
Aircraft – A320
Seat – 1D

My first time on an LCC other than Virgin Blue! I’ve to say compared to Air Asia, DJ felt positively luxurious! AK seemed to be truly an LCC in every sense of that term, whereas DJ is positioned somewhere nearer to full service.

Early this year I was alerted to zero dollar fare deals AK was running to mark its success as the premier LCC in the region. Since I knew that I was going to be in Malaysia and would be visiting KUL, I was well-positioned to take advantage of the deal. And since the total only amounted to MYR80 (slightly more than A$25), I could always forfeit the fare and rebook myself on MH if I got cold feet.

And forfeiting I nearly did. I’d been reading about flight delays, cancellations and various other atrocities AK had inflicted upon its pax, most of whom seem to be infrequent or first time flyers who do not appear to know their rights. I was questioning myself as to why I would voluntarily lump myself with these flyers…

LCC pax always seemed like a special breed of individuals to me. More than anything I have lots of respect for the toughness of these folks – who’re used to jostling their way to the front of queues, fighting each other to death over seats, and not to mention putting up with delays which seem to be the norm. Coupled with the need to do a walk on the tarmac in order the board the aircraft, my impending first time experience was starting to sound like an obstacle course. I feared that I wouldn’t live through ‘Survivor – LCC edition.’

A reprieve came for AK in retaining my patronage in the form of its new ‘Xpress Boarding’ service. For the token sum of MYR20 (or less than A$7), holders of XB passes would be able to board the aircraft ahead of anyone else, even pax with special needs. There was still no allocated seating. Nonetheless I found it pretty good value considering that the alternative is a Business Class ticket on MH, given that Malaysia is largely pristine from the clutches of oneworld or Star Alliance and their associated elite privileges for pax down the back holding shiny plastic cards.

Pre-flight

As I was staying at my parents’ holiday house in Johor Bahru, it was pretty easy for me to get to JHB. The journey from downtown to the airport was merely an uncomplicated 45 minutes taxi ride that cost MYR40 (or approximately A$13).

Those with luggage to check in would need to place their luggage through a scanner before proceeding to the check in counter.



The check in counters were divided into counters for pax with checked in luggage and pax without, however they did not appear to be organized as such as people were queuing at random regardless of whether they had luggage to check in or not. Check-in was a zoo, with a huge group of giggly girls who did not quite get the concept of queuing in a straight line and hence caused much confusion for latter pax. The process was delayed by each of these girls needing to pay extra for oversized luggage. Message to Tony – if you’re thinking of an ‘Xpress Check-in’ service, I’d be the first to pay for it! As is, it took nearly 30 minutes to check in.





The rather harassed check in agent confirmed that I held an ‘Xpress Boarding’ pass, which was noted on my BP as an SSR [PAX SSR (XB1)]. Users of XB should check their BPs for that note as they’d be unable to take advantage of XB if the SSR is missing. Like DJ, the AK BP was printed on cheap-looking Maccas-receipt type paper.

Having no lounge access privileges nor the possibility to purchase access, I spent the rest of my time at the airport sipping coffee (they had soy latte at the airport Coffee Bean outlet!), and watching an episode of Friends on the public TVs.



Boarding

I headed up to the boarding gate at the suggested boarding time and it was not long before boarding was called. I tried to take some pictures of the duty free area but was stopped by a staff member who rudely told me that I’d need to make a purchase before I was allowed to take pictures…:S

XB pax were invited to queue on the right hand side (just myself and a fellow Aussie traveller!) while I watched the hilarity of 150 odd pax wrestle with each other to get to the front on the left.







A DYKWIA situation occurred at the gate when a ‘public servant’ was pissed off that she received no priority boarding privilege with AK. Not content with taking down the GA’s name and threatening legal action, she thought it acceptable to unleash a torrent of profanities in a mixture of English and Malaysian on the visibly upset GA.

XB pax were then invited to walk to the aircraft first. The tarmac walk wasn’t too long, but the combination of heat, stench of jet fuels, and startling noises from the aircraft made me wonder why some of my friends found walking on the tarmac so appealing.





I was greeted by a rather listless ‘Senior Flight Attendant’ when I reached the entrance to the aircraft. Said ‘Senior Flight Attendant’ was the chief stewardess for the flight but unfortunately did not appear to have an ounce of enthusiasm in her bones.

Seat/Cabin

I was pleasantly surprised by AK’s fresh and clean cabins which were a nice change from MH’s grimy 734 cabins. AK’s new fleet is certainly an advantage in that regard and the crisp cabin gave AK a significant edge over MH.

I was seated in 1D, with the chick who also had XB across the aisle in 1C. We both agreed that the bulkhead aisle seats were adequately comfy for the short flight, and provided ample legroom.







Service

As it was a very short flight I did not feel the urge to buy anything to eat or drink. I was satisfied by the hearty fry up of eggs, toast and sausages I had prior to leaving for the airport, and my Coffee Bean beverage.

The FAs were not a friendly lot. Zero smiles, no Ps and Qs, and the ‘Senior Flight Attendant’ was someone who should not be employed in any job that involves dealing with other human beings. She was literally shouting at a pax who did not comprehend the pre-landing safety instructions. Instead of performing the pre-landing cross-check, I noticed that her colleague seemed more interested in disappearing into the toilet to touch up her make up.

Arrival

We landed early, however the extra time gained was consumed by the lengthy taxi. Several pax could not wait to get off the plane though…

There was another tarmac walk to get to the arrivals hall but at least a major part of it took place on proper pavements and in a shaded area.

For short domestic flights in Malaysia shorter than an hour, I’d certainly consider flying AK again. XB and the clean cabins are major advantages of AK. For anything longer, I think I still prefer flying real airlines and their full service complement. Besides, the difference in costs would probably be absorbed by the need to purchase onboard catering and XB.

Next: The Westin Kuala Lumpur, and AK6351 KUL-JHB, LCC.

[YK@HKG]

Hmm...the cabin looks good to me too, with the attractive leather seats. I would certainly consider Air Asia for domestic flights within Indonesia, ie: CGK-DEN or CGK-SUB.

However, with the tons of infrequent flyers on most LCCs, I would not consider them for any international flight.

One comparison: I was given a choice between UA "C" and SQ "Y" during my trip to SIN this time. UA was having a promotional rate for its Business Class ticket (HK$3600). However, since there was no margin for cancellation in this trip (I have to attend to a very important meeting the next day), I decide to choose SQ eventually. It turned out that UA's night flight from HKG-SIN was cancelled that night!!

[KeithMEL]

I would certainly consider Air Asia for domestic flights within Indonesia, ie: CGK-DEN or CGK-SUB.

That's a very long flight and I wasn't aware Denver has been annexed to Indonesia...

[YK@HKG]

That's a very long flight and I wasn't aware Denver has been annexed to Indonesia...

Oopss...should be CGK-DPS

[KeithMEL]

The Westin Kuala Lumpur
Bukit Bintang
Stay duration: 2 nights

Location
The Westin is centrally located in KL’s so called Golden Triangle. It stands at the edge of one of the city’s premier shopping streets, Bukit Bintang and is near plenty of decent restaurants and nightspots. Virtually everything is within easy reach – either by walking, monorail, or the insanely cheap taxis. Be prepared to be stuck in endless traffic jams during peak hour if you do elect to take the taxis though.



Décor/Ambience
The interior design of this Westin simply exudes chicness. I love the industrial feel of the lobby and its sleek grey and brown walls. Rock music was playing in the lobby which is a nice change from stereotypical 5 star hotel grand piano music. I’m glad that the Westin KL did not adopt the white-out corporate look that’s become the prototype for the Westin brand of late.











Room
I’d booked the cheapest room category and was allocated a spacious room (the biggest on the floor other than the suite according to the fire escape map) with a view of the Twin Towers. The room was splashed in soothing grey and brown tones, with smart black panels to match.

Certain bits of the room were already showing wear and tear, such as a small chip on the top right hand edge of the writing desk. And although nice to look at, the design of the bathroom basin was rather impractical as it was impossible to prevent water from splashing out.

The Heavenly Bed at this property was very much on par with brand standards, with a very soft mattress which almost rendered it a crime to wake up in the morning.











Service
As I’d arrived earlier than the official check-in time, my room was not ready. However it was a good two hours after check-in time before my room was ready. I suspect that the occupant before me had been an SPG elite customer who’d utilized the late check out perk. The front desk agent was very apologetic and explained that there was no alternative room for me as the hotel was running at capacity. As compensation, I received a fistful of drink vouchers which I did not hesitate to redeem on a few glasses of Veuve at The Living Room.

It was disappointing that there was no priority check in desk for SPG Gold/Platinum members. When I enquired about this, I was told that SPG only required participating properties to display the sign (which was sitting pretty on a filing cabinet and being useless) but it need not actually be used. Huh?

Despite the haphazard check in, service was generally of a very good standard. The concierge was highly knowledgeable and delighted in sharing information on his favourite restaurants, as well as the nightspots in KL which do not seem to be immediately obvious to visitors unlike BKK.

I would certainly stay at the Westin KL again as its décor is infinitely superior and felt more luxurious than the Sheraton Imperial, which seemed like an overdecorated birthday cake. The location of the Westin is also better than the SI or the Le Meridien at Sentral. In spite of the hiccups at check in (which IMO was redeemed by their generous offering of free drinks), the service at the Westin is also heaps superior to the SI.

[KeithMEL]

AK6351 KUL-JHB, LCC
Scheduled dep – 0815
Actual dep – 0826
Aircraft – A320
Seat – 1D

I had to wake up ridiculously early to catch this flight as the airport was by no means in the vicinity of KL. Locals jokingly refer to the airport as Seremban International Airport, Seremban being the name of the town which the airport is actually near to. The journey from hotel to airport took nearly an hour and 15 minutes.

I was grumpy that morning, having only had two hours of sleep the night before. The ghastly sight that awaited me as I arrived at the KUL Low Cost Carrier Terminal did not help. The architecture of the LCCT is about as imaginative as a garden shed’s. The crowds and the humidity created an impression of the place that is akin to a warehouse clearance sale of factory-rejected goods. Or the comedy that occurred when Stella McCartney designed for Target…











After I escaped from the chaotic check-in area, I found a wee bit of tranquility at a Coffee Bean outlet and spent the rest of my pre-boarding time there. Alas they did not have soy milk.

Xpress Boarding worked well again as I did not have to join the rugby scrum to board the flight. Pax with XB were paged individually and invited to queue up at a separate gate.

The rest of the flight was uneventful and similar to my outbound, except with marginally better FAs this time around.

Next: CX712 SIN-BKK, Business Class

[SQFAN]

The crowds and the humidity created an impression of the place that is akin to a warehouse clearance sale of factory-rejected goods.

As you were part of the crowd, that's no way of describing oneself. Note to self : avoid LCC at all cost if possible and thank KeithMel for being the guinea pig.

[KeithMEL]

As you were part of the crowd, that's no way of describing oneself. Note to self : avoid LCC at all cost if possible and thank KeithMel for being the guinea pig.

Nah... I was standing aside to drink in the view of the crowd... Keith vs The Crowd...
And yes I've been to a warehouse clearance sale before... (although I swear that rejected goods it ain't ) But thank goodness I resisted when a girl friend of mine tried to drag me to the launch of Stella McCartney for Target...

Glad I could be of service...