Giving up on Malaysia Airlines

[winfred]

Ok I am really going to stop flying with them whenever possible.
I have to travel between Hong Kong, Melbourne and Kuala Lumpur frequently and I have been taking advantage of their cheap J class airfare but I have decided that I had enough of their incompetence:

• I can't remember the last flight that departed on time. They are always late. Sometimes for up to 10 hours.
• I always book my tickets online and every time a change is required I have to call them. They manage to stuff it up most of the time including making stupid mistakes of having the same date for both legs of a return ticket.
• When they do stuff up, they will promise to fix it but they rarely can. The last stuff up took more than 2 months to fix.
• Their inflight service is non-existence. I really wanted to tell them that if they don't want to be there ,don't be there and find another job.
• Their planes require some serious refurbishment.

I will now stick with CX for HKG-KUL and I will avoid KUL-MEL at all cost.

 

[UP4014]

Good on you, in the end you can only vote with your wallet.

Matt

 

[Mrmaxwell]

I will now stick with CX for HKG-KUL and I will avoid KUL-MEL at all cost.

With CX it will certainly be at great cost in J....

 

[whughes3]

Maybe you are just unlucky: my recent experiences with MH have been pretty good, nothing like what you seem to have undergone.

 

[MH_fan]

I haven't had any problems. Just did a bunch of flights with them recently, all booked online and no issues. All flights pretty much on time, no issues with seat selection and always updated if there are any changes.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

OP: Are you an Enrich member? Send me a PM. I know people who know people.

 

[ermen]

Other issues aside - never had any issues with the cabin crew or inflight service...

 

[winfred]

I reluctantly had to fly MH again as I can't book a seat with CX. Outbound trip was delayed due to late arrival of flight. I asked the lounge staff to call the gate to see if there was a delay and she was told no delay. I turned up at the gate and the plane was not even there.

On my return trip, the pilot said there would be up to an hour delay after everyone boarded due to paperwork issues. I asked the staff what paperwork issues and I was told it's due to airport congestion. I told them the pilot just said something different and they disagreed and they showed displeasure at me asking questions. The care factor was "zero". When they took lunch order, my option was not available. I'm in business class and I was within the first half of people they asked. It was told that the nick name for MH within the airline is "Flying Buffet" as stuff took whatever they want as their fringe benefits. Bags of satays, peanuts, wine, champagne, etc. I wish there are more full service airlines flying to /from KL. I used to fly Emirates but that Emirates stopped flying from Melbourne to KL last year. Only options are MH & AirAsia.

 

[winfred]

OP: Are you an Enrich member? Send me a PM. I know people who know people.

Thanks for the offer. I'm not an Enrich member. I'm QF Platinum. I doubt there is anything anyone can do. Not even the CEO. It's a cultural issue. Need wholesale change of board and management. It will never happen. Look at Singapore Airlines. Used to be 1 company with MH. The Malaysia culture is being reflected at MH and it will be a few hundred years before it changes.

 

[UP4014]

I reluctantly had to fly MH again as I can't book a seat with CX. Outbound trip was delayed due to late arrival of flight. I asked the lounge staff to call the gate to see if there was a delay and she was told no delay. I turned up at the gate and the plane was not even there.

On my return trip, the pilot said there would be up to an hour delay after everyone boarded due to paperwork issues. I asked the staff what paperwork issues and I was told it's due to airport congestion. I told them the pilot just said something different and they disagreed and they showed displeasure at me asking questions. The care factor was "zero". When they took lunch order, my option was not available. I'm in business class and I was within the first half of people they asked. It was told that the nick name for MH within the airline is "Flying Buffet" as stuff took whatever they want as their fringe benefits. Bags of satays, peanuts, wine, champagne, etc. I wish there are more full service airlines flying to /from KL. I used to fly Emirates but that Emirates stopped flying from Melbourne to KL last year. Only options are MH & AirAsia.

I'm sick of mediocrity, don't know if it's me getting older and grumpy or people caring less.

 

[kpc]

OP: Are you an Enrich member? Send me a PM. I know people who know people.

Thanks for the offer. I'm not an Enrich member. I'm QF Platinum. I doubt there is anything anyone can do. Not even the CEO. It's a cultural issue. Need wholesale change of board and management. It will never happen. Look at Singapore Airlines. Used to be 1 company with MH. The Malaysia culture is being reflected at MH and it will be a few hundred years before it changes.

I would suggest sending TTR a PM anyway

 

[SeatBackForward]

Am looking into options to KUL (again) for December, last time did the QF > J* via SIN thing, and while all was fine, it just seems like unnecessary effort. QF Still show MEL>KUL on their route map.

Other option (defined loosely of course) is AirAsia.

Personally never had any problems with MH in the past, but that was all before their incidents, the directness to KUL is a big factor in my opinion.

 

[winfred]

Am looking into options to KUL (again) for December, last time did the QF > J* via SIN thing, and while all was fine, it just seems like unnecessary effort. QF Still show MEL>KUL on their route map.

Other option (defined loosely of course) is AirAsia.

Personally never had any problems with MH in the past, but that was all before their incidents, the directness to KUL is a big factor in my opinion.

Yes direct flight options from MEL to KUL is limited. I used to fly Emirates but that's longer available.
I have not flown AirAsia for a while due to "perceived" safety concerns after Flight 8501.
I have been flying CX to HKG first then KUL as I am required to be in HK anyway. May not be that convenient for you.
MH is ok as long as your expectation is low for inflight service. Making changes to your booking can also be difficult as I have never been able to make changes online.
The most painful part though is the delay. I have achieved a 100% strike rate for the past 12 months. Not one of the more than 20 flights departed on time (or within 30 min of scheduled departure time). If it is something you can deal with then it can be a good option. The new J class seats is good for the price you have to pay. The leg area is very tight and difficult yo move around when the seat is flat.

 

[Strategic Aviation]

MH is ok as long as your expectation is low for inflight service.

I haven't flown them much but inflight has generally been ok. They've been worse for me on the ground than in the air.

The most painful part though is the delay. I have achieved a 100% strike rate for the past 12 months.

That's very poor.

The new J class seats is good for the price you have to pay.

Also Fly In Malaysia's New A350 First Class Seat For ~US$200 - One Mile at a Time in December to January.

 

[kso]

The spiral downwards continues. Recent flight from MEL - KUL. Three toilets in Y ‘Out of service’. However, I noted a crew member using one of the so called broken toilets. What does that mean? Are they trying to reduce the numbers or toilets needed to be maintained during flight?

 

[cmon0005]

The spiral downwards continues. Recent flight from MEL - KUL. Three toilets in Y ‘Out of service’. However, I noted a crew member using one of the so called broken toilets. What does that mean? Are they trying to reduce the numbers or toilets needed to be maintained during flight?

More likely they might have used it for grooming or something.?

 

[UP4014]

The spiral downwards continues. Recent flight from MEL - KUL. Three toilets in Y ‘Out of service’. However, I noted a crew member using one of the so called broken toilets. What does that mean? Are they trying to reduce the numbers or toilets needed to be maintained during flight?

Sounds like it, if they can't maintain the toilets what else can't they do.

 

[fijime]

Sounds like it, if they can't maintain the toilets what else can't they do.

I use them frequently 3-4 times per month, but on very quick short hauls - Kl to Yangon - Singapore - Mumbai etc... Your certainly not paying for the food or entertainment on these flights.

 

[michjfro]

Had a terrible time in a flight BKK to KUL - cancelled my flight, I rang up and asked if I can pay extra for business on the next flight as I had to get some sleep. Then they cancelled that one. I asked for a refund and they refused. They offered me 1000 enrich points as compensation. I told them where to put those points and to this day havent flown them again

 

[QF WP]

@trippin_the_rift should be interested in this thread....