MH is not just an airline code...

[quik!]

...it actually stands for MAJOR HICCUP.

Flew back on MH001 last Friday and it wasn't pleasant to put it mildly.

I had booked my flight via its website and got my e-ticket. As with SQ's e-ticket, I would usually just show up with my passport and everything will be done in a jiffy. And that was exactly what happened during my outbound trip from KLIA. Coolness.

However, that didn't happen when I was traveling back to KUL. I showed my passport, and they couldn't find it in the system. And even after my booking ref, etc etc was given, still couldn't find. At last, I was told the system was DOWN for maintenance. HA HA, what a joke! Maintenance during the most important time on your most important route? What an excuse! Ticketing lady kept calling Malaysian office, no news. JOKERS. As a Malaysian, I was embarrassed with the fracas. Where is the system? (MAS = Mana Ada System, aka No System)

I had to wait for about 1.5 hours (at this point I was really tired) and after that the system was still down. I guess I was the only one who bought via its website as I was the only one stranded there. At last at 9pm, 1 hr before the flight, I was checked in, and my sequence number was 319, a first! I realise that my name was in the system but they just couldn't validate the e-ticket. Is this necessary? Kept thinking that if I was with SQ, I'd be in the VSCH lounge having SOME DINNER.

Oh and I got the best seat in the house, 63D. YAY

Also, I was shocked with the food. Can you imagine they serve your main in some cheap plastic container with plastic cling? You know those ready made meal you buy from TESCO value and you heat it up in the microwave.

This is really dogs. Sorry.

[KeithMEL]

Always be sure to make a note of your eticket number (not just the booking reference) somewhere. If for whatever reason your booking cannot be located, the eticket number will bring it up most of the time.

Situations like these don't fill me with much confidence wrt the IATA eticketing mandate. I feel much safer with paper tickets because there's something physical to 'show.' With etickets you're at the mercy of the airline's computer systems and I've read many a horror story RE "computer says no." Last December I was given the runaround between LH and NZ on an LH issued eticket containing NZ segments which wasn't reissued properly- it's hard to detect what the problem is when you don't actually have a physical record of the ticket.