Options to MLE & Malaysia: SQ or MH? & advice on overnight stay near Male Airport

[KeithMEL]

Hello all,

So there is a possibility that I'm going to be flying SQ long haul for the first time in ages!

The OH and I are planning a trip to the W Maldives. We also want to stop in Kuala Lumpur and Penang.

Much as I'd love to try to maintain my QF Plat status, unless CX/KA commence flights to MLE in the near future, we cannot see any viable oneworld option to achieve our desired itinerary. The furthest oneworld would take us is CMB but we'd rather fly as direct and convenient a route as possible.

We are looking at either SQ or MH in Business, and would like to hear the expert opinions of more seasoned flyers of either airline!

If flying SQ (with the odd MI and MH segments), our itinerary would be something like MEL-xSIN-MLE-xSIN-KUL-PEN-xSIN-MEL.

If flying MH, due to schedules, we'd likely go MEL-xKUL-PEN-xKUL-MLE-KUL-MEL.

Pros of SQ:
- Better schedules - twice daily SIN-MLE, which means we can arrive in daylight hours and go straight on to the W Maldives seaplane. MH would have us arriving in the evening, which necessiates an overnight in Male as the W's seaplane only operates during daylight hours.
- Better hard product SIN-MLE.
- Bollinger in J.
- Able to use BMI miles for one of our tickets.
- Possibility of using AMEX points to upgrade revenue ticket to F (via Krisflyer). I also have enough BMI miles for a ticket in F. Availability could be an issue though.

Pros of MH:
- Super value! $8800 all in for both of us on their Business Companion Fare for the entire itinerary. SQ was $6700 for one person.
- Able to earn points and status credits on Velocity (FFP of Virgin Blue/V Australia), which I'm closely watching as an alternative to QFF depending on how Virgin goes in re-launching itself as full service.
- I'll save BMI miles for another trip.

Let me know if there's anything I've missed. I think the service should be excellent on both, but is there anything I should know about re soft product? Also, I took into account the fact that I cannot redeem BMI miles on SQ A380/77W, so the long haul hard product is essentially angled lie flats on either airline rather than the flash new beds.

Look forward to your thoughts on this. TIA!

[jhm]

Given your frequency of future travel and BD's expected lifetime (although I remember thinking this a long time ago), is it worth holding on to the BD miles ?

Will your MH flights actually credit ? I know I'm still waiting for mine to credit to FB a few years later (albeit without chasing)!

[KeithMEL]

Given your frequency of future travel and BD's expected lifetime (although I remember thinking this a long time ago), is it worth holding on to the BD miles ?

Well I'll just have to find a long weekend for a quick trip up to Asia, won't i? But point taken.

Will your MH flights actually credit ? I know I'm still waiting for mine to credit to FB a few years later (albeit without chasing)!

Very salient point... I know of at least one other SQTalker with a similar issue and it also involved Velocity. The 2 MH domestics I took back in 2009 credited to Velocity ok however.

[Guy Betsy]

SQ's award seats to MLE is few and far between - in any class. So check really before deciding.

A widebodied aircraft will win me over anytime over a narrow bodied 737 - no matter how 'new generation' it is!

What about EK? Have you considered them?

[KeithMEL]

Yes, will be sure to book the award ticket before booking the revenue ticket if going down the SQ path.

What about EK? Have you considered them?

No... Isn't going via DXB a bit of a detour though? Or do you mean EK to KUL, and someone else for the rest of the itinerary?

[Chris]

Hard product on MH will be inferior to SQ. That's where I feel the difference in fare is reflected. If this is not a significant issue, then MH is good bang for buck.

EK will be 6.5 hours more travel than SQ connection to MLE.

[Kyo]

Since times are short, I'd do a one-way SQ award redemption into MLE, then MH MLE-xKUL-PEN, then ticket either your next *A award or just return on MH. Not sure about how long you intend to spend in each location, but for me, I'd like to proceed straight on to the hotel upon landing.

I'm OK with evening arrivals since I'd be staying elsewhere, but I can see how this would not work for the W. All comes down to timings/availability for me. I wouldn't want to waste time in Male itself... once was more than enough.

[9V-JKL]

How about D7 for MEL-KUL and then MH for KUL-MLE?

[milehighj]

Budget permitting, I would definitely prefer SQ over MH.

[SilverChris]

MH uses their 737-800s which unfortunately, are not scheduled to be the new MX- series. The J seats are nothing compared to SQ's.

You'll enjoy SQ more than MH, if you are willing to pay quite a bit more.

[KeithMEL]

Thank you all for your helpful suggestions.

Looks like we'll be doing SQ, assuming we're able to obtain award availability. The cost is actually rather similar as we'll be redeeming an award ticket in conjunction with a revenue ticket on SQ (conservative estimate: $6700 + $700ish taxes/surcharges on award + $700ish additional flights SIN-KUL-PEN-SIN since MI/MH flights can't be on BMI miles), whereas we'll be looking at purchasing 2 x revenue tickets on MH.

Another point in favour of SQ is the superior schedule.

[Kyo]

Would've thought MH would be more cost-effective on the return leg, and less hassle with a transit through KUL on the way back, esp if you need PEN.

[KeithMEL]

Would've thought MH would be more cost-effective on the return leg, and less hassle with a transit through KUL on the way back, esp if you need PEN.

Haven't really looked deeply into a combination of carriers/tickets like that, will check it out.

MEL-xSIN-MLE-xSIN-KUL is better on SQ/MI due to the daylight-only operations of the W seaplane (7am-4pm from memory), and MH's flight to MLE arrives and departs much too late. But I shall look into KUL-PEN-xKUL-MEL on MH.

edit: Actually, the difference in total costs doing it this way is only a couple of hundred bucks.... I am basing this on taxes/surcharges on 2 x redemptions for the SQ segments, additional flight costs for SIN-KUL and KUL-PEN tag-ons (AK not an option as we need every bit of luggage allowance we can get hold of ), and revenue flights x 2 on MH J for PEN-xKUL-MEL. So I think we might try for the SQ option for now, and hope for an equipment 'upgrade'.

I don't mind the inferior equipment on MH but the awkward schedule into and out of MLE is a bit of a put off. However if I can't find redemption availability for one of us on SQ, MH will have to do as 2 x revenue tix on SQ blows out the cost to over 12 grand...

[Kyo]

Might I also throw in Firefly as an option for SIN-SZB and SZB-PEN? SZB is also right in the middle of KL city... much more convenient.

I've done both legs over CNY and they give a free 15kg baggage allowance, plus they are very cheap if you're flexible with timings. Plus you get a pineapple puff or peanuts with choice of guava or orange juice!

The excess baggage charges are also quite reasonable and you'd probably get away with it...

[KeithMEL]

OK, it looks like with either option, we'll have to get the red eye for MLE-SIN-KUL or MLE-KUL. The daytime SQ departure arrives in SIN much too late for any connecting flight to KUL or PEN. The last SIN-KUL departure leaves at 2120 and is operated by MH, but Sabre is telling me that I don't meet MCT.

The W seaplane ceases operation at 1600, and assuming we arrive at MLE Airport around that time, is there much to do in Male till our flight leaves at around midnight? Or should we just take the daytime SQ departure and spend a night in SIN?

Might I also throw in Firefly as an option for SIN-SZB and SZB-PEN? SZB is also right in the middle of KL city... much more convenient.

SZB-PEN would work but not SIN-SZB as ideally we'd want to be through checked to KL. Totally agree re SZB rather than KUL convenience wise.