Flying Business class with Malaysia Airlines, London to KL
Recently I was invited to fly with Malaysia Airlines that departs twice daily from London Heathrow Terminal 4 to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.
The idea was to fly to Malaysia and enjoy the city of KL for a few days before returning to London.
I’ve always wanted to do a long-haul weekend break with affordable business class prices, and Malaysia Airlines make such a trip possible.
Normally when you think affordable, you don’t expect many extras, but Malaysia Airlines spare no expenses when it comes to travelling business class.
This blog post is a walk through my personal experience flying with Malaysia Airlines.
Be sure to also read my blog post about travelling 48 hours to Kuala Lumpur for travel advice and tips.
My thoughts on travelling business class
They say that once you travel business class, it’s a challenge to go back to flying economy class. I can hold my hands up high and admit that this is for sure the case.
Once you get a taste of the good life, you will always want to travel in style.
As a bit of an #AVGeek I’ve always had an interest in travelling business class. I’ve often been wondering what life is like behind the curtain.
When I was offered to try the Malaysia Airlines business class experience, I searched to find out roughly how much a ticket would cost around April time.
To my surprise, it wasn’t that much extra in terms of cost compared to an economy ticket.
When you take into consideration the extra amenities and service you get as a business class traveller, it wasn’t that bad.
Some of the additional extras include: personal check-in, personal security lane, lounge access, shower access, priority boarding, additional luggage, welcome drink, comfort kit, special designed menu, order anytime service, chair turns into a bed, noise cancelling headphones, power plug for the laptop, express immigration upon arrival, and the list goes on. (All the above differ per each flight, but you catch my drift.)
All the above pretty much sum up the term business class. You can make travelling a breeze, get some work done whilst feeling refreshed after a relaxing sleep and arrive in a new destination ready for business (or pleasure).
I wasn’t sure what to expect when flying business class with Malaysia Airlines, so this is a walkthrough of my experience and I hope you find the information useful when planning your own personal travels.
Arrival at Heathrow Airport Terminal 4
(Business class has its own check-in lane.)
Malaysia Airlines have two flights departing from London Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 to Kuala Lumpur.
I opted to travel on the morning flight (around 10:00 am) to take advantage of sleeping in business class and waking up upon arrival in Malaysia early in the morning.
This way I could enjoy a full weekend straight away whilst in KL. One of the advantages of travelling business class.
Upon arriving at Terminal 4, I discovered that business class has its own check-in section to take advantage of. If you wish, you can use the electronic check-in machine. The option is yours.
For international flights, you can arrive around three hours before scheduled departure, and I arrived around 07:00 am to take advantage of the lounge that also opens at 07:00 am (three hours prior to each flight departure).
I was kindly greeted upon arrival at the dedicated business class check-in lane and was informed about the express security section of Heathrow Terminal 4.
I was then given directions on how to get to the Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge. Check-in was a breeze.
Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge
(Malaysia Airlines have their own lounge at Heathrow Airport Terminal 4.)
This took me by surprise!
Malaysia Airlines have their very own dedicated lounge at Heathrow Airport Terminal 4 close to gate 6 (take a right as you pass security).
When you take into account that Malaysia Airlines have two flights departing daily from Heathrow Terminal 4, this is a wonderful and much welcomed added bonus to the business class flying experience.
For those travelling first class with Malaysia Airlines, they also have a first class section of the Golden Lounge.
(Shower access for business class and first class travellers in the Golden Lounge.)
Once I had cleared the dedicated business class security lane and made my way to the Golden Lounge, I wanted to make the most out of the shower facilities that are on offer for business class passengers.
This is a wonderful perk to freshen up before boarding and feel more relaxed before flying.
To use the shower facilities, all you have to do is ask at the lounge reception and then they can prepare the shower room for you.
Within the shower room you have a selection of towels on offer and toiletries to choose from.
Having a shower service located in the lounge is a much welcomed bonus so you can freshen up before a flight.
A look around Malaysia Airlines Golden Lounge
(You can see the aircraft from the Golden Lounge.)
(Breakfast buffet is prepared for the morning flight.)
(Order a drink at the Golden Lounge bar before you fly.)
Make sure you have enough time to use the Golden Lounge at Heathrow Terminal 4 before you fly. It’s not to be missed.
The Golden Lounge prepares a breakfast buffet for the morning flight so you can have an English, Malaysian or continental breakfast before you fly.
The reception staff at the Golden Lounge will inform you when your flight is ready to board. This gives you enough time to enjoy the lounge for as long as possible without having to miss your flight.
Ready to fly Malaysia Airlines business class on the A380
(Business class is located on the top deck of the A380 and has its very own entrance bridge at Heathrow Terminal 4.)
(Lots of space in business class to enjoy your flight.)
As I entered the aircraft, the cabin crew greeted me warmly and showed me to my seat. I was swiftly offered a welcome drink once I had settled into my seat.
I was one of the last to board and it didn’t take that long until we taxied to the runway to prepare for take-off.
If you happen to be travelling as a couple then the layout of the business class seats is divided perfectly into sets of two.
If you prefer your own space as a solo traveller, you can pop up a divider screen between the two seats to offer additional privacy.
(Watch the take-off from your entertainment system.)
An added bonus is that the aircraft has a camera fixed to the tail so you can watch the take-off from your entertainment system. How about that!
Business class features with Malaysia Airlines
(Once you’re flying in the sky you can enjoy the business class experience with Malaysia Airlines.)
Every airline has a signature feature when it comes to flying in the sky. Malaysia Airlines are famous for serving Malaysian BBQ satay to business class passengers once you’re airborne.
A great way to start your flight and a wonderful introduction to Malaysian culture and cuisine. Don’t worry about asking for more, they’re used to getting second requests from flyers. They’re simply that good.
I’m amazed at how the satay taste like they’ve just come off a BBQ grill which seems impossible bearing in mind you’re flying in the air. Very tasty indeed and can’t wait to fly again to try some more.
Malaysia Airlines chef-on-call
Business class and first class passengers flying with Malaysia Airlines can exclusively pre-book a wide selection of meals before their flight. I found the booking process online rather easy to navigate.
If like me you love fine dining in the sky then this is a wonderful feature to pre-book the meal you really want.
(Who said airline food was boring? Look at this!)
For starters, I went with the seafood platter which was both freezing and tasty and a great dish to start with.
For mains, I went for an Angus steak and it was cooked to perfection which I was not expecting from an airline meal. I will for sure order this dish again.
When it comes to Malaysia, food is at the heart of the culture. Malaysia Airlines have done a great job of making sure all the food is of a top standard and boy did they deliver. For sure the best sky dining I’ve experienced. Be sure to take full advantage of the chef-on-call feature which is available for first class and business class passengers.
Request anytime service
One feature I liked about flying Malaysia Airlines is the request anytime service they have for business class passengers.
If you’re hungry or want to sleep and then order some food later you can as they have an order anytime menu.
(Drinks and food can be ordered at any time.)
(You can order a noodle bowl anytime you wish. )
This is a wonderful feature as you can dine when you want to rather than waiting for the usual dining times.
I found the Malaysia Airlines cabin crew to be extremely helpful throughout my flight and found the service personal and friendly.
Ready for bed? Not a problem with business class
The great thing about business class is your seat can rotate 180 degrees to transform into a bed.
Malaysia Airlines supply you with sheet, pillow, blanket, slippers and comfort kit so you can fall asleep whenever you want to.
For a weekend visitor like myself, being able to sleep through the night saves needing an extra night getting over jet lag and catching up with sleep once you arrive. Perfect way to start your trip in KL not having to catch up with jet lag.
Great way to start the day with a hearty breakfast
Just when you think the food on board couldn’t get any better, you awake from your sleep with a full-on breakfast selection to start the day.
I’m a big fan of breakfast and this sure did deliver.
Wonderful experience flying business class with Malaysia Airlines
The only problem with flying business class with Malaysia Airlines is you will not want to leave when you arrive in KL. I could have happily kept flying in the sky for a few more hours as flying was simply enjoyable and top class.
From the friendly staff with their warm hospitality to the incredible selection of food on offer, it was an experience not to be missed.
If you happen to be in a situation where you’re pondering around the idea of flying business class with Malaysia Airlines, I say do it. You will be in good hands all the way and it will be an experience you will remember for a lifetime.
Happy flying with Malaysia Airlines!
Thank you for reading my blog post about flying business class with Malaysia Airlines.
Thank you for reading my blog post about flying business class with Malaysia Airlines. I hope you found it useful.
If you happen to have any further questions, I’m very happy to help. You can leave a comment below in the comment section of this blog post. You can also send me a tweet to @traveldaveuk.
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Travelling the world, one adventure at a time. Follow Dave Brett, a solo adventure travel blogger on his travels around the world. A globe-trotting adventure travel blog featuring travel tips and advice, travel stories, travel videos and travel photography that will inspire your next trip abroad, and help you plan it too. To read more, please visit: