markis10
Veteran Member
- Joined
- Nov 25, 2004
- Posts
- 30,550
- Qantas
- LT Gold
With the financial crisis affecting many possible destinations VA were looking at such as Athens to utilise the 32 hour layover their 777 has at AUH, Etihad took the opportunity to wet lease the aircraft to operate their Sunday service to KUL, so I thought I would check it out.
Booking and seat selection.
Easily done via the EY website, which clearly shows the flight as being a VA operated one which is good to see. Free seat selection is a breeze, exit rows at an extra $100 AUD (MYR300), however as EY don't operate y+, you can select one of these seat for free! it was not much of a choice!
Checkin
Online checkin can be done at T-24 hours which I did however as I had a bag I still needed to physically check that in. EY is now one of the few airlines that participate in the downtown KL Sentral Train check in, however we have had reports of things going missing in baggage lately using this so I decided to do the airport thing? My mistake.
The checkin was a zoo, Internet bag drop and group checkin seemed to have merged and with a group of seventy or so religious tourists all dressed the same that option was gong to involve a long wait, I. Could not see the bag drop person behind the pile of passports. Instead I decided to use the J line which I can being EY Gold, which had 6 people in it, however only one J counter appeared to be actually doing anything, the other counter staffed with screen staring folk not daring to look up the entire time I was there? MH do the ground handling for EY and luckily business class customers were given priority at one of the Y counters thanks to use of a rope blocking Y when it became free, I don't think I saw the Y lane move the thirty minutes I was in the queue.
Lounge
It has been a long time since I have been in the Satellite golden lounge, it felt odd getting access when flying a VA plane but EY use it for their members (at a cost of MYR40 charged back to them). There is a small bar just after entry prior to the main food and lounge area, that's where I set up, needing a drink or two after the checkin experience. I did not have any food as I knew it would be a meal on the plane, however there are a few options including a noodle bar is one wishes, KUL has good and cheap food choices anyway probably making the lounge look less attractive than normal.
Boarding.
The boarding pass gave a 1925 time for boarding but I was not fooled, making my way down to the gate at 1945, only to come across THE tourist group again. Luckily gate screening is two lines and I just used the J one. Real boarding commenced at 1955, EY Gold could board at leisure and so I did.
Booking and seat selection.
Easily done via the EY website, which clearly shows the flight as being a VA operated one which is good to see. Free seat selection is a breeze, exit rows at an extra $100 AUD (MYR300), however as EY don't operate y+, you can select one of these seat for free! it was not much of a choice!
Checkin
Online checkin can be done at T-24 hours which I did however as I had a bag I still needed to physically check that in. EY is now one of the few airlines that participate in the downtown KL Sentral Train check in, however we have had reports of things going missing in baggage lately using this so I decided to do the airport thing? My mistake.
The checkin was a zoo, Internet bag drop and group checkin seemed to have merged and with a group of seventy or so religious tourists all dressed the same that option was gong to involve a long wait, I. Could not see the bag drop person behind the pile of passports. Instead I decided to use the J line which I can being EY Gold, which had 6 people in it, however only one J counter appeared to be actually doing anything, the other counter staffed with screen staring folk not daring to look up the entire time I was there? MH do the ground handling for EY and luckily business class customers were given priority at one of the Y counters thanks to use of a rope blocking Y when it became free, I don't think I saw the Y lane move the thirty minutes I was in the queue.
Lounge
It has been a long time since I have been in the Satellite golden lounge, it felt odd getting access when flying a VA plane but EY use it for their members (at a cost of MYR40 charged back to them). There is a small bar just after entry prior to the main food and lounge area, that's where I set up, needing a drink or two after the checkin experience. I did not have any food as I knew it would be a meal on the plane, however there are a few options including a noodle bar is one wishes, KUL has good and cheap food choices anyway probably making the lounge look less attractive than normal.
Boarding.
The boarding pass gave a 1925 time for boarding but I was not fooled, making my way down to the gate at 1945, only to come across THE tourist group again. Luckily gate screening is two lines and I just used the J one. Real boarding commenced at 1955, EY Gold could board at leisure and so I did.
