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Namaskar! A rare report on an elusive airline to the roof of the world: RA J KUL-KTM

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  • Namaskar! A rare report on an elusive airline to the roof of the world: RA J KUL-KTM

    Hello SQTalk. This girl needs a short break after last weekend's short break - so why not go to the land where 8 of the 14 eight-thousanders are located? The most famous of all of course being Mount Everest.

    Okay this trip is a week away, so no pics yet. I thought i'd get this started because I thought I'd share with you the experience of booking a ticket with this particular airline here. I searched the net for info on this airline - and the information available is sparse.


    Their website is dismal: see http://www.nepalairlines.com.np/

    As you can see, you can't book tickets online - except through asiatravel.com (the only site so far I've seen that works) The overall layout's not very helpful nor informative either.

    So I go through the travel agency route: I'm quoted a rather keen RM2540 round trip in J + RM366 in taxes (call it around 600 quid all up) - and the return leg is refundable, should I decide to say, leave KTM on KA,MI or TG instead.

    Timing seems decent - departs KUL at 0845, arrives 1120am in KTM. Departure from KTM is 2330, arrival KUL 0605+1 - and it runs a handy 6 times a week.

    On to the experience of booking:

    RA only sells one RBD of business class - J. They sell 2 or 3 RBD's in Economy - H, M and another one i can't seem to remember. If they have different fare rules for different points of sale, I don't quite know how they'll differentiate.

    Seats in J seem readily available for the month of August.

    The few things I've learnt already so far:
    1) You can't make an SSR or even for a type of seat. I've had the TA send a separate note for a right hand side window for the outbound flight. I hear you see stunning mountain views on descent into KTM on the right. Seatmaps and availability can't be viewed on a place like EF. Not sure about KVS though.

    2)Called up the GSA in KUL: erm - sorry ma'am we don't know what lounge RA uses in KUL, or if they even have a contracted lounge.

    3)They don't have IFE

    4)They don't have an FFP partner. To the best of my knowledge they don't even have an FFP.

    5)Only the GSA has RA ticket stock - so my TA had to call them to issue it instead of doing it herself yesterday, and it was only done this morning, so I haven't gotten the e-ticket yet (yeah, they can do e-tickets ) No idea what the stock number is till I see it on monday.


    So there you go: The things we take for granted when we fly on our usual golden goose. Click my bookings and everything you need to know is there - plus you've got all these other tools readily available to help with travel. I could get a visa on arrival, but I've decided to get one in advance so I don't have to queue up (i hear the queues are long on arrival)

    Can't wait for next weekend then

  • #2
    Very much looking forward to this one, especially the scenery pics

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    • #3
      Looking forward to this TR particularly! If it looks nice, I might think about a quick trip or two there myself.

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      • #4
        Originally posted by nickbot View Post
        Very much looking forward to this one, especially the scenery pics
        Knowing me I'll probably be so taken by the scenery I'll forget to take pics

        Originally posted by jhm View Post
        Looking forward to this TR particularly! If it looks nice, I might think about a quick trip or two there myself.
        Then in that case, I'll certainly try my best to persuade you. I have a feeling you'll be convinced to go. Don't know why. Just gut feel.

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        • #5
          I hope this works out for you, SQflyergirl. I had a look at the website and it seems that due to (I assume..) low load factors they have combined the KUL-KTM flight of today, August 15th, with the one tomorrow, August 16th. Also, there are two flights cancelled today.. Hope you will get there when your schedule says you will .

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          • #6
            Originally posted by FlyingDan View Post
            I hope this works out for you, SQflyergirl. I had a look at the website and it seems that due to (I assume..) low load factors they have combined the KUL-KTM flight of today, August 15th, with the one tomorrow, August 16th. Also, there are two flights cancelled today.. Hope you will get there when your schedule says you will .
            Eek... that's something I didn't know. So far though, no notification of anything yet from RA - so I'll just have to hope for the best.

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            • #7
              Enjoy your trip, my Uncle does business there and he raves about KTM. I will join him there in March next year to see for myself.
              My SQ and flying Videos: Youtube My Travel Blog: AussieFlyer.net

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              • #8
                Originally posted by FlyingDan View Post
                I hope this works out for you, SQflyergirl. I had a look at the website and it seems that due to (I assume..) low load factors they have combined the KUL-KTM flight of today, August 15th, with the one tomorrow, August 16th. Also, there are two flights cancelled today.. Hope you will get there when your schedule says you will .
                Looks like the 17th's cancelled also - I wonder if they'll reroute me on TG or 9W

                Originally posted by sqdazz View Post
                Enjoy your trip, my Uncle does business there and he raves about KTM. I will join him there in March next year to see for myself.
                When in march? I might enjoy KTM so much I was thinking (way ahead of myself) i might visit in March 2011 as well

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                • #9
                  Originally posted by SQflyergirl View Post
                  When in march? I might enjoy KTM so much I was thinking (way ahead of myself) i might visit in March 2011 as well
                  So very many Sir Edmund Hillary wannabes these days.

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                  • #10
                    oh i wont know for a while but when I do I shall advise.

                    Im not planning to climb base camp or anything, Im sure I would die Im so unfit
                    My SQ and flying Videos: Youtube My Travel Blog: AussieFlyer.net

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                    • #11
                      I don't think any one of us are up to any climbing or trekking.

                      I plan to vegetate in the hotel and see the mountains from a plane. A friend suggested we could share a cab to see a bit of the valley together.

                      Ms SQfg told me she was going to take some National Geographic pictures for SQT.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by phaleesy View Post
                        So very many Sir Edmund Hillary wannabes these days.
                        Curious. Why is that? There was a stage where everybody was a Sir Richard Attenborough wannabe on safari. Now this. Something in the water perhaps?

                        Originally posted by sqdazz View Post
                        Im not planning to climb base camp or anything, Im sure I would die Im so unfit
                        Originally posted by phaleesy View Post
                        I don't think any one of us are up to any climbing or trekking.
                        I ain't doing it in heels, that's for sure

                        Originally posted by phaleesy View Post
                        Ms SQfg told me she was going to take some National Geographic pictures for SQT.
                        I did? Whatever it is i'm smoking, i want some

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                        • #13
                          Just FYI, I made it in one piece outbound. Needless to say it was an interesting flight that actually left on time. Full report to follow soon

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                          • #14
                            And finally - the report



                            Off at the crack of dawn on Saturday. I live about 20 minutes from the airport and usually depart my home at T-2hours from STD.

                            Seeing this is an airline I've never tried before, I depart at T-2:30 just to be sure.

                            in KUL - they use row A (all the way left) - and when i got there, there was a huge queue, but no J counter. I walked up and asked if there was a J counter, and the friendly MH agent said - yup. Right here! Off to a good start already.

                            Turns out they were waiting for me and knew who I was the moment I walked up. They told me it was 178/178 in Y and 15/16 in J, and only the whole flight - only 2 girl pax, me and another girl in J who sat in 2F (she'd already checked in before me)

                            BP issued without fuss. Using MH paper.


                            In KUL, RA uses the Plaza Premium Lounge - am familiar with that as I get entry by both my Citibank Premier Miles and Platinum cards. Today I use the RA lounge invite.

                            RA's KUL service is usually very full, bringing workers to and from Malaysia. Nepalese workers are quite numerous here.

                            They've got 2 757's, and I was wondering what was up with their spate of cancellations lately. Found out during the flight.

                            Today 9N-ACA "Karnali" will operate. And best of all, she's being flown by a Senior captain, and one of only 2 female pilots in RA.




                            It's so full they're even loading people into the cargo hold

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                            • #15
                              The MH agents kindly ask me and the other girl to sit and wait in a separate area on the boarding gate, apparently for our safety

                              Finally when everyone's aboard, they usher the two of us into the plane.

                              I've got 1F, and it turns out, the only empty seat on the plane is 1D, next to me It's reserved as crew rest, and only the flying engineer used it for about 1/2 hour, and we had a small chat about their planes too.

                              Genuine article SQFG tm foot shot. Leg room is tight, but.....


                              there's a cut out I used to store my luggage during take-off. This cut out made it a lot more comfy.


                              Row 1 legroom


                              My seat



                              Intermediate row


                              I'm given a pillow too

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