Express TR (kinda): How to research a MLE trip - Go there! (including the new A330)

[SQflyergirl]

Prologue: Planning a trip isn't easy, and sometimes the information available's sparse , so for my September trip - finding a hotel in Male hasn't been the easiest of tasks. Prices are still high, and I had a ticket lying around... so why not go there first to pick up as many brochures as you can in a 1 1/2 hours turnaround stop?

A rather straightforward KUL-SIN-MLE-SIN-KUL (SIN-KUL on my beloved AK) routing tonight gives me and the little fellas a chance to also try out the A330 which everyone's raving about.

Contrary to popular belief - you CAN issue an ex-MLE BP at a foreign station


Here comes the ride, here comes the ride. Here comes the ride and she's all dressed in white (with a hint of Gold and blue) - 9V-STB, SQ's 2nd A330.


All aboard now, they've withdrawn the aerobridge from 1L, ground staff are on their way out via door 2L


De rigeuer SQFG foot shot, by SQFG - that's 11A, excellent legroom


More legroom shots - notice the 9V-SV* style offset of the window seat PTV?


Rather complex looking seat control panel - you won't need fiddling too much with it, cause it's not difficult to find a comfy position


Of course, ALWAYS buckle up - we almost had a go around on AK today due to an unsecured cabin on landing. This 3 year old girl decides to unbuckle, run around the cabin at 2000' AGL on finals.


Tandoori pita anyone? (quite good actually)


Flat out - L&B verdict - the seat is miles ahead of the spacebed. A worthy improvement.


Next up: Aboard the Party Jet of yesteryear (9V-SRE) to MLE and back

[SQflyergirl]

Once upon a time, a big group of people took this very same jet 9V-SRE - a star alliance logojet no less, from one Asean destination back to Singapore. I've forever associated that title with this airframe.

Not so many pics on the outbound, but it was indeed 30/30 in J, 200/293 in Y (so a bit shy)

Getting close!


Even closer now!


Here we are!


Landing in MLE means a going all the way to the end of the runway, and making a u-turn and backtracking to the stand


SRE is on the ground at 2156 local, some 14 minutes ahead of schedule. Will make my brochure gathering a little bit less hectic


Unlike other airports, photography is allowed. I even got a rampie offer to take my pic by the plane - which I politely declined...


Tried to go ask this fella if he would lend his jet to Taipeiflyer - but he offered to lend him software instead.


A short trek to the arrival hall


And we're through in a jiffy

[SQflyergirl]

33 hotel brochures later, it's time to go walk around the airport a bit

You've got the overpriced


And the seriously expensive


A much cheaper alternative: go walking nowhere near a shop




All too soon, it's time to go home

[SQflyergirl]

But first, it's more minefield negotiation - more overpriced shops abound airside




Welcome relief (for me anyway). This room is near Gate 4




Followed by a quick trip to the lounge to see what Kyo wrote in the guestbook....

[SQflyergirl]

Boarding is called not long after - but first the fellas want a pic for posterity. Who am I to argue?


Boarding is strictly enforced - the ramp staff in high viz jackets check BP's at the base of the stairs


We have wheels up at 2319 local, some 6 minutes ahead of schedule. That's MLE airfield in the center, looking roughly southwest after we've made a right turn from a northerly runway heading


The load coming back is MUCH lighter - 12/30 in J and a little under 150/293 in Y


And we're back at the homebase of some 100 ish (-11% soon) widebody boeings and airbii just before dawn at 0625 local, some 40 minutes ahead of sched.

[SQflyergirl]

A quick transfer to AK - and we're off again.

SRE is right where we left her this morning - at B4.


SKF having just arrived not long before as 317


The flight is short - WSSS 02L to WMKK 32L which means not much turning about. Straight out and in. As we deplane - I spot this:

9M-XAB pushing back as Xanadu 2006 to Stansted.
Now everyone can fly X-tra long! (I hope they survive!)


Thanks for reading

[jjpb3]

What a fun TR to read. Thanks, SQFG.

[jhm]

Male'! Somewhere I hope to visit one day...

[SINFJ]

Like some airline webby always asked if I ticketed same day return..... Is such a short flight intentional??

MLE does look uncannily like Bayan Lapas.But I know that's not Jawi on the signages

[StarG]

Nice TR, SQflyergirl.

[taipeiflyer]

great TR SQFG. The boys sure have a lot of fun. And thank you for inquiring about the private jet...we all knock on enough doors, and one is surely to open. how was the literature about male? am hoping to visit sometime in the near future myself.

[stargold]

Prologue: Planning a trip isn't easy, and sometimes the information available's sparse , so for my September trip - finding a hotel in Male hasn't been the easiest of tasks. Prices are still high, and I had a ticket lying around... so why not go there first to pick up as many brochures as you can in a 1 1/2 hours turnaround stop?

So, nothing to do with, oh I dunno, a certain pair of numbers being "2" and "10" then? If not, how unusual!

Fun TR and the A330 looks fantastic. And nice to see the SQFG™ "Genuine Article" legroom shot

[HUGE AL]

Planning a trip isn't easy, and sometimes the information available's sparse...

SQFG, I found the article below helpful and interesting for my planning (perhaps a DO? ):

http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/10889

[SQflyergirl]

Male'! Somewhere I hope to visit one day...

If you're a good boy, you'll get to visit soon. Like last Thursday or so.

Like some airline webby always asked if I ticketed same day return..... Is such a short flight intentional??

It should have asked - "you DO know that you're going 4598 miles to nowhere don't you?

great TR SQFG. The boys sure have a lot of fun. And thank you for inquiring about the private jet...we all knock on enough doors, and one is surely to open. how was the literature about male? am hoping to visit sometime in the near future myself.

Yes well, the private jet chappy wasn't all that friendly. Even when i told him you'd return it with a full tank of gas. He just threw a bootleg copy of Flight simulator X out the door at me..

So, nothing to do with, oh I dunno, a certain pair of numbers being "2" and "10" then? If not, how unusual!

Yes, always drive with your hands in the 10 to 2 position on the steering wheel

SQFG, I found the article below helpful and interesting for my planning (perhaps a DO? ):
http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/10889

Interesting Yes. Helpful Yes. Too interesting and too helpful by about 2000 USD a night

Nice TR, SQflyergirl.

What a fun TR to read. Thanks, SQFG.

Ta

[phaleesy]

SQFG, I found the article below helpful and interesting for my planning (perhaps a DO? ):

http://www.concierge.com/cntraveler/articles/10889

Yes! A DO! Provided some people would make a commitment to turn up.

The Maldives is too couply and kissy for my liking. Have yet to see groups of platonic friends around. There are lots of water activities which would be so fun if you were doing them with a group of friends!