Sam ChuiI recently flew with Malaysia Airlines from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok in Business Class. The ticket was redeemed from British Airways for 16,500 Avios +$17 tax which is excellent value. Here are some photos of the trip:
Dedicated check-in for Business Class in row D at KLIA1.
Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge Regional
After check-in, I visited Golden Lounge Regional near gate A.
The lounge is huge and has floor to ceiling view of the airfield. There is also a great buffet selection, I particularly love the curry beef.
The lounge is also available for purchase for Economy Class guests. I think it was around USD 36.
MH780 Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok
Malaysia Airlines has about 4 daily flights to Bangkok with the majority of them on Boeing 737-800 and occasionally A330. My flight is operated by B737-800, reg 9M-MXJ.
I was sitting in row 1C as it was a completely full flight. Flight time was about 2 hours.
Summary
I think Malaysia Airlines still offer great value in the heavily competitive environment of South East Asia. It almost felt the value of their short-haul stands out better than their long-haul.
The food in both Business Class and Economy is decent for a 2-hour short flight. The Economy Class seat on this 737-800 seems to have been upgraded. The crew is warm and nice on my flight.
The Golden Lounge regional has a decent choice of food and a nice view of the apron. Malaysia Airlines do release a fair amount of seats for redemption. The best way to redeem short-haul flights is via British Airways Executive Club using Avios.