I was travelling in Malaysia recently and needed to get from Kuala Lumpur down to Johor Bahru. After weighing up a few options, I ended up booking a Business Class seat on Malaysia Airlines. There were a couple of things that swayed me. Firstly, it has been a few years since I had flown on Malaysia Business Class. The other reason was maybe more pragmatic – for someone used to paying Australian airfares, domestic fares in Malaysia were surprisingly reasonable.
The Boeing 737s are something of Malaysia Malaysia Airlines domestic and regional workhorse. You’ll find them shuttling passengers around Malaysia or connecting cities across Asia. You’ll even see the 737 pop up on certain Perth–Kuala Lumpur services.
Pre-Flight
In-Town Check-In (KL Sentral)
I opted to get to KLIA via the cheapest and fastest option I know of – KL Expres. This is an express train that takes 30 minuts to KLIA. While that was as far as I needed to go, the train continues on to KLIA 2, which adds 3 minutes to time.
Given I was flying Malaysia Airlines, it meant I could take advantage of In-Town Check-In. This was the first time I had used the facility, and it was something of a game-changer. On my visit, the place was practically empty, unlike the check-in experience i have often had at the airport. Anyway, I was able to complete the check-in formalities and drop my luggage before boarding the train.
It’s also super convenient if you’re staying nearby. For example, the Aloft, Hilton, or Le Méridien are just across the street, while others like the Ascott are a short walk away.
While they may be positives, there are a couple of things to note if you want to check-in here. Firstly, you need to buy a KLIA Ekspres or KLIA Transit ticket before you’re even allowed into the check‑in area. And, as I discovered, you can’t just tap your credit card, it has to be a proper ticket from the counter, kiosk, website, or app.
The other thing is that the cut‑off time at KL Sentral is two hours before your flight. Technically that sounds fine, and it may be for a domestic flight. For an international flight, keep in mind you still need to get to the airport, pass through immigration, clear security, and maybe get to the satellite terminal. In that case, two hours may be a bit tight.
Kuala Lumpur Golden Domestic Lounge
The KL Express arrives at Level 1 at KLIA. The first thing I had to do was make my way up to Level 4. This is the departures level, and where one goes through the normal routine. Having already checked-in I was able to skip that bit and headed straight through security into the departures area.
Once through security, I mad my way to the Golden Domestic Lounge. Once inside, I found a good spot down the end and relaxed (with a feed) while waiting to head down to the departure gate.
Boarding and Welcome
Seats
Malaysia Airlines’ Boeing 737-800s all come with 12 recliner-style seats in Business Class, arranged in a straightforward 2-2 layout across three rows. The seats themselves are nicely cushioned and pretty generous. You get 39 inches of pitch, and 21 inches wide. Big enough to stretch out while being comfortable.
There’s not a huge difference between the Business Class seats on Malaysia Airlines’ Boeing 737s. That said, if you’re a bit particular, a few details do stand out.
As I was in seat 1F, I can comment that Row 1 doesn’t get any floor storage. There’s no seat in front of you to put your things under. This can be a bit annoying on shorter flights when you want your bag close by. On the other hand, no one can recline into you, so that’s a positive.
And speaking of reclining, row three is a good row if you feel guilty about reclining into people (not that it’s such a big deal in Business). There’s a gap between that row and economy, so you’re not invading anyone’s space.
But back to the seat. The seat features a tray table that pops out from the armrest, and there’s a shared little cocktail table in the middle for drinks or small items.
Pre-flight service
After I had boarded and settled into my seat, I was offered a glass of apple juice, orange juice or water. As is normally the case with that choice, I opted for the apple juice. Shortly afterwards, I was offered a cold towel.
In-Flight Service
Food and Beverage
Not long after we were in the air, the crew came around with the meal service and drinks. Since this was a short flight, there was just one option on the menu – satay with nasi impit. The meal came with two packets of peanuts and a little chocolate bar on the side, which was a nice touch. For drinks, I ended up with both an apple juice and a glass of water.
What stood out to me, though, was the presentation. It was all served on a white tablecloth with proper metal cutlery. It may have been a quick service, but I appreciated this presentation.
Amenities
In-flight Entertainment
While there were no seatback screens on the aircraft, there was MH Studio – a streaming setup you can use on your own device. The Wi‑Fi switches on shortly after take‑off and has a range of free options. While you’re connected to wi-fi, there’s no actual internet. It’s just the content they have on board.
I had a quick flick through the content, which looked ok. There were movies, TV Shows and audio options – a decent mix of material. I guess if you’re particular about what you watch, bring your own stuff. That said, what they offer isn’t bad for a quick domestic hop.
Pillow and Blanket
As the photo of the seating (above) shows, a pillow and blanket were already on the seats when we boarded the flight. Being such a short flight, I didn’t open the blanket, or use the pillow. Still, I imagine it’s just the standard for Business.
Reading Material
There was a copy of the ‘Going Places’ inflight magazine available. If I recall correctly, a digital version was also available on MH Studio.
Final Words
For shorter hops, the Business Class cabin is perfectly comfortable, and the service is solid. If you’re flying from Perth, though, it’s definitely worth choosing an Airbus A330 service when you can!
| Disclosure: This article contains affiliate links, which means we may earn a commission if you click on a link and make a purchase. This comes at no additional cost to you and helps support our website. Thank you for your support |
