Tag: travel

Flight Report: PHILIPPINE AIRLINES PR 2920 – Daraga (DRP formerly Legazpi LGP) to Manila – Last-Minute Mabuhay Miles Redemption Ticket to the Metro [December 2022]

Hey, long time no post! Not many of you know, but I recently finished a 24-day trip around Paris, Italy & Barcelona. Unfortunately, I haven’t had time to start writing about the trip. I’ve been busy with Christmas festivities & reunions since I arrived back from Europe. Don’t worry, I will start writing about them in the next few weeks.

For today, I want to share with you my recent experience with Philippine Airlines on their PR 2920 flight from Daraga, Albay (DRP – formerly LGP Legazpi) to Manila (MNL). This flight was unique because it happened during the 1st day of using the new 3-letter DRP airport designator code & it was booked using Mabuhay Miles – Philippine Airlines’ loyalty program. Join me in today’s flight report & find out how this flight went.

Philippine Airlines

Philippine Airlines, commonly known as PAL, is the Philippines’ flag carrier. The airline started operations back in 1941 & is currently the region’s oldest commercial airline. Majority of the stake in PAL is owned by PAL Holdings under Dr. Lucio Tan – also the owner of one of the country’s biggest conglomerates – LT Group. World-famous ANA Holdings, the parent company of All Nippon Airways, also owns a minor stake in the airline.

Philippine Airlines operates around 60 Airbus, Bombardier & Boeing aircraft to over 40 international & 31 domestic routes. Its hubs are located in Manila, Cebu, Davao, Clark & Kalibo. PAL is the country’s biggest full-service airline offering premium experience to its passengers. They offer business class, premium economy & economy class to most of its routes.

PAL is not a member of any airline alliance but has code-share flights with major carriers such as All Nippon Airways, Cathay Pacific, Turkish Airlines, Gulf Air & many more. PAL also has its own frequent flyer program called Mabuhay Miles. PAL is also the only Philippine-based carrier to receive a 4-star rating from world-renowned air transport rating organization Skytrax.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Airfare & Inclusions

It’s not a secret that airfares are more expensive during the festive season. Many people take advantage of the Christmas holidays & go home to their respective hometowns. The demand for plane seats is higher than usual. I didn’t have a fixed schedule at that time, so I had no choice but to book the ticket last-minute. The one-way bare fares for both Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air at the time of booking were at around ₱4,000 to ₱5,000 without baggage. On the other hand, there were no available CEB Super Pass seats on my preferred flight.

I checked my Mabuhay Miles account & saw that I have enough miles to use for a one-way ticket to Manila. I immediately redeemed these miles using the airline’s portal & booked this PR 2920 flight from Daraga to Manila. I used 4,500 miles & only paid ₱870 for taxes & fees. The redeemed Mabuhay Miles ticket included 7-kilogram carry-on baggage, 20-kilogram check-in baggage allowance & a free standard (non-aisle & non-exit) seat.

I may have used up most of my Mabuhay Miles, but I believe I got a good deal with this ticket. I booked it 9 days before the intended flight date during a peak travel period. I was also happy that the ticket included a free check-in baggage allowance. This ticket was definitely a steal!

Travel Requirements

There are no COVID-19 related travel requirements between Albay & Metro Manila. These requirements were abolished a few months ago. The process & requirements are back to the old times where passengers were only asked to bring a valid ID during counter check-in & sometimes, boarding.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Before The Flight

2 days before the flight, I received an e-mail from Philippine Airlines that Bicol International Airport’s designator code will be changed from LGP to DRP effective December 15, 2022. This e-mail required passengers to accept the said changes. Unfortunately, it resulted in an error on the Philippine Airlines website. Minutes after the initial e-mail, I also received an email from the airline containing the official announcement of changing the airport designator code to DRP. I immediately called the airline & had my ticket sorted.

24 hours before the flight, I received another airline from Philippine Airlines informing me that online check-in was already available for my flight. I checked in right away for my flight. The new Philippine Airlines mobile application displayed my mobile boarding pass & the flight details on the homepage.

Flight Information

This Daraga (DRP) to Manila (MNL) flight was operated by a 15.2-year-old Airbus A320-214 aircraft. The plane was initially delivered to Philippine Airlines in November 2007. The plane was initially configured with 12 business class seats & 144 economy class seats but was reconfigured to 180 all economy class seats in May 2022.

PR 2920 took off from Bicol International Airport 22 minutes behind schedule at 5:17pm. The flight took 50 minutes & landed smoothly at Ninoy Aquino International Airport at 6:07pm. The flight landed 12 minutes behind schedule.

Ground & Airport Experience

CHECK-IN

I arrived at Bicol International Airport 2 hours & 45 minutes before the flight & I was surprised to see the check-in counters open that early. I went to the counters to drop my luggage & get my paper boarding pass. Check-in process took less than a minute – no queues, no whatsoever.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I went up to the pre-departure area & waited for the flight. Bicol International Airport’s pre-departure area has more food & pasalubong store choices now compared to when it opened back in October 2021. There’s a dedicated laptop area for those who need to do some work while waiting for their respective flights. There are charging stations on both sides – provided by Smart & Philippine Airlines; there are a lot of seats to choose from.

The Philippine Airlines ground staff informed passengers of the expected aircraft arrival time after it departed Manila. The plane touched down at 4:25pm.

BOARDING

Boarding process started at 4:42pm. Priority passengers, senior citizens & those travelling with kids boarded the plane first. Regular passengers followed. Everyone boarded the plane using the jet bridge & only through the front door. The boarding process finished at 5:07pm.

Please note that face masks are mandatory on all flights within the Philippines. The ground staff announced this during the boarding process.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Philippine Airlines Airbus A320 aircraft has 180 seats in an all-economy class cabin configuration. Each row has 6 seats divided into 2 by an aisle. According to SeatGuru, all seats on this Airbus A320 aircraft have a seat width of 19.7 inches. Economy plus seats have a seat pitch / legroom of 34 inches, while standard economy seats have a legroom of 29-30 inches.

Each seat features a tray table, a small pocket with the aircraft safety card, individual air vents & reading lights. The seats don’t feature personal entertainment screens because this type of aircraft is only used in domestic short haul services.

I got window seat 54K for this flight. The seat had a decent recline & a clean tray table. The seatbelt needs to be replaced since it’s already worn out. In fact, most of the seats on this flight are already worn out. These are still functional but would need some refit soon.

INFLIGHT SNACK

After take-off, the crew went around & gave out a pack of green peas & dried mangoes with a cup of water. Philippine Airlines is the only domestic major carrier that offers complimentary snacks on board. Better than nothing.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Philippine Airlines did not offer inflight entertainment options for this flight & aircraft. The flight only took 50 minutes & this additional feature isn’t essential.

LAVATORY

I didn’t get the chance to visit the lavatory on this Airbus A320 aircraft. The 3 lavatories were occupied throughout the flight. Some even queued for a few minutes just to use the lavatory.

Cabin Crew Service

Philippine Airlines brands their service as the ‘Heart of the Filipino.’ The cabin crew on this Legazpi to Manila flight embodied that way of service & gave their best in catering to the needs of the passengers. They welcomed all passengers with their best smiles & helped in putting passengers’ bags in the overhead compartment. They gave passengers the best possible service they could provide. Kudos!

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

The cabin crew implemented an organized disembarkation process for this flight. They called 5 rows at a time & asked passengers seated on these rows to stand up, get their bags & disembark. All passengers followed & got off the plane in an orderly manner.

Baggage claims didn’t take long. Our check-in bags were already at Carousel 4 a few minutes after we arrived at the baggage claim area.

Final Thoughts

It was another excellent flight with Philippine Airlines. The positive points outweighed the negative points by a mile.

Let’s start with the positive points. First is miles redemption & value for money. This flight only cost 4,500 Mabuhay Miles & ₱870 worth of taxes & fees. This was a steal considering the redemption ticket was booked 9 days before the intended flight date & during peak travel season. The original flights were priced at 4.5x the fare I paid above. Second, the redemption ticket already included 20 kilograms of check-in baggage allowance. This allowance could easily cost ₱500 if you booked the regular ticket. Third, the check-in counters opened earlier than the usual 2 hours before the flight schedule. This made the check-in process easier & faster as the ground staff didn’t have to deal with a lot of passengers at a time.

Fourth, Philippine Airlines still gives out complimentary snacks on a short domestic hop like this from Daraga to Manila. I flew with Singapore Airlines on their Singapore to Kuala Lumpur & Kuala Lumpur to Singapore routes & I was only given a drink of choice – no nuts, crackers or whatsoever. Props to PAL for keeping the onboard service. Fifth, it’s been a while since I experienced an orderly disembarkation process on a plane. The crew on this flight managed to ask all passengers to follow the disembarkation process they organized. Lastly, the cabin crew on this flight was excellent. Their quality of service was top-notch – indeed the Heart of the Filipino.

This flight wasn’t perfect. The flight left Bicol International Airport 22 minutes behind schedule & landed 12 minutes after the intended schedule. These delays are inevitable in a congested airport like Ninoy Aquino International Airport, but it still somewhat affected the whole flight experience. Second & finally, the seats on this Airbus A320 aircraft need some refit. The seatbelts are already worn out & could use some replacement.

Will I fly them again in the future? Definitely – it’s a no-brainer. I hope I can also fly their international sector in the future.

For those interested in the nerdy details of this flight, see below:

Airline: Philippine Airlines
Flight Date: 15 December 2022
Flight Number: PR 2920
Route: Daraga, Albay (DRP) to Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Duration: 50 minutes
Seat Number: 54K
Aircraft: Airbus A320-214
Aircraft Registration: RP-C8610
Engines: 2 x CFM International Engines
Age: 15.2 years old
Delivered: November 2007

Have you flown with Philippine Airlines recently? How was your experience with the country’s flag carrier? Feel free to share your personal experiences in the comments section below. Do you have any questions about flying Philippine Airlines? You may post them below or you may send an e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thanks for joining me in today’s flight report. Stay tuned for the next one coming in shortly. I also have a few flights lined up in the coming weeks & months. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 916 – Singapore to Manila – Excellent but Turbulent Flight Back to Manila [July 2022]

After deplaning from my Singapore Airlines Flight SQ 107 from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, I immediately walked to the assigned gate for my onward flight to Manila. This Singapore to Manila SQ 916 flight on Singapore Airlines will be the subject of today’s flight report. Join me as I share with you details about this excellent but turbulent flight back home.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world class airline is based in one of the world’s best airports – Singapore Changi Airport. The airline starred as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then re-branded & commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers & the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 60 destinations in more than 30 countries across 5 continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max & Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator with 60 currently in service & 5 more on order. 7 of the 60 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business & premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used in the North America routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities & services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals & in-flight entertainment. The airline has a frequent flyer program called KrisFlyer & PPS Club. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance – one of the world’s biggest airline alliance networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the 2nd most reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category..

Airfare

This SQ 916 flight from Singapore to Manila was part of a 4-sector ticket from Manila to Kuala Lumpur & back on Singapore Airlines. The return ticket cost me US$147.69 + 7,665 KrisFlyer miles I earned during my Singapore Airlines flights to Europe in 2019.

My bank charged me ₱7,926.12 including foreign currency conversion charges. This return ticket includes 25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance, 7 kilograms carry-on allowance, inflight meals & snacks, personal entertainment screens on 3 of 4 flights & a 5-star flight experience with well-trained & passionate cabin crew on all 4 sectors or flights.

This return ticket was a great deal considering it was booked a month prior to the scheduled flights. It also gave me all the benefits of a full-service airline. Believe it or not, return tickets on Philippines-based low-cost carriers were more expensive than this SQ ticket!

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

A few months ago, the Philippine government relaxed entry requirements for those who want to travel to or go home to the country. The requirements differ based on the individual’s vaccination status.

Fully-vaccinated passengers who have received a booster dose are exempted from providing a negative antigen or RT-PCR test result. They only need to provide their vaccination certificate issued by the respective health authorities. Fully-vaccinated passengers who have not received a booster dose need to present a negative antigen test result taken 24 hours before departure.

Unvaccinated or partially-vaccinated individuals need to present a negative RT-PCR result taken 48 hours before the departure or a negative antigen test result taken 24 hours before the flight. They also need to undergo facility-based quarantine, take a test on the 5th day & if negative, continue quarantine at home until 14th day from arrival.

On top of these vaccination or test requirements, all incoming passengers, regardless of nationality, need to register on the One Health Pass website 72 hours before the flight. He/she must also save a printed or digital copy of the QR code at the end of the form.

Please take note that some nationalities still require additional requirements such as a visa (if needed) or proof of onward ticket when entering the Philippines. These requirements can be changed anytime. It’s always best to check the Covid-19 Travel Information page of the airline you’ll be flying with to the Philippines.

Before The Flight

A few days after booking the flight, Singapore Airlines sent an e-mail reminder to check the updated travel requirements of the chosen destination. The e-mail included helpful links where I need to check the updated protocols for both transit area & destination.

Fast forward to a few days before the flight, the airline sent an e-mail about mySQupgrade. It is their instant upgrade program for economy class passengers who want to pay for a business class seat on that specific flight. I didn’t bother to check the minimum upgrade price because I don’t have the funds for it.

48 hours before my Kuala Lumpur to Singapore flight, the Singapore Airlines mobile application notified me that check-in is now available for both flights. I immediately checked-in & chose my seats for both Kuala Lumpur to Singapore & this Singapore to Manila flights. Singapore Airlines allows their passengers to choose their preferred seats for free during the online check-in process.

Flight Information

This Singapore to Manila flight was operated by a 6.5-month-old (at the time of the flight) Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The aircraft, which was delivered to Singapore Airlines in January 2022, has the two-class regional configuration consisting of 40 lie-flat business class seats & 263 standard economy class seats.

SQ 916 took off from Singapore Changi International Airport (SIN) at exactly 1:48pm & landed at Ninoy Aquino International Airport (MNL) at 5:13pm. The flight had a smooth & quiet take-off & landing but also had a very turbulent journey up in the air. It experienced several turbulences throughout the 3.5-hour flight. The whole journey from Singapore to Manila took 3 hours & 25 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

This Singapore to Manila flight on SQ 916 is a continuation of my Kuala Lumpur to Singapore flight. I did not clear immigration in Singapore & only stayed airside at Singapore Changi Airport.

CHANGI AIRPORT TRANSIT EXPERIENCE

Transit at Singapore Changi Airport is back to pre-pandemic times. The airport does not require a negative Covid-19 test or proof of vaccination during transit. The only requirement they have for transit passengers is to have both flights (to Singapore & out of Singapore) under the same ticket or itinerary & have the passenger’s baggage tagged from the airport of origin to the final country or airport of destination.

My flight back to Manila was booked under the same itinerary. I checked in for both Kuala Lumpur to Singapore & Singapore to Manila flights in Kuala Lumpur. I also had my check-in luggage tagged from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to my final destination, Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila, Philippines.

SQ 107 from Kuala Lumpur arrived a few minutes behind schedule. After disembarking from the Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft, I immediately headed to Terminal 3 Gate B9 to board this flight to Manila. Unfortunately, I didn’t have time to go around Terminal 3 on this short connection. This transit experience was seamless & hassle-free.

PRE-DEPARTURE

I submitted myself & my carry-on bag for a final security check at the doors of Gate B9 & went to the staff counter to request a seat change. I mentioned in my SQ 107 flight report that I tried to request a seat change during check-in at KLIA. I was advised by the check-in agent that the system doesn’t allow her to do it & mentioned that I can request this in Singapore before I board the flight to Manila. I went to the flight staff & was immediately granted a new seat at the 2nd to the last row – 69B.

I went to the pre-departure area, took a seat & enjoyed the view of the beautiful Airbus A350-900 aircraft that will fly us to Manila. Ah, such a beautiful plane!

BOARDING

At exactly 12:58pm, the ground staff called all business class passengers & status holders to board the aircraft to Manila. 2 minutes later, they called all economy class passengers seated at the rear part of the cabin (that’s us) to board the plane. Shortly after our batch, those seated in the forward economy cabin boarded the plane last. Boarding was done by group & took 28 minutes to finish. The cabin crew closed the aircraft doors at 12:28pm.

Inflight Hard & Soft Product

SEAT FEATURES

This Singapore to Manila flight was operated by one of Singapore Airlines’ newest Airbus A350-900 aircraft. The plane sports the regional seat configuration with 40 lie-flat business class seats & 263 standard economy seats. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a 60-inch seat pitch & 28-inch seat width. The seats have a 1-2-1 configuration, with each seat having direct aisle access. All business class seats are equipped with a large personal entertainment screen paired with noise-canceling headphones. Each seat also includes a pillow, a blanket, several storage spaces & a large tray table.

Business Class Seat
Economy Class Seats

Economy class seats have a seat pitch of 28 inches & seat width of 18 inches – slightly bigger than the Boeing 787-10’s 17.5 inches seat width. Each seat comes with a spacious leg room, an adjustable headrest & a personal entertainment screen. Seats also feature a seat pocket with inflight safety cards, a fold-able tray table with mirror, a coat hook, small storage space below the screen, a fold-able cup holder, a USB charging outlet & a universal power outlet in between seats. Pillows, blankets, face masks & disinfectant surface wipes are now available by request.

The seats on this Airbus A350 aircraft are complete & comfortable enough for a short-haul international flight. It has more than what a normal economy class passenger needs for a 3-hour flight.

INFLIGHT MEAL

Singapore Airlines served complimentary hot meals on this 3-hour flight to Manila. The airline has removed the physical menu cards & integrated the whole food & drink information in the flight’s onboard connectivity service. Passengers had the option to choose between Herb Crusted Fish Fillet & Roasted Chicken Rice. The main dish came with a bread roll & butter, ice cream & a drink of choice – coffee, tea, wine, beer, water or juice. The crew went around again to offer a second round of drinks & offered water, coffee & tea to those who want. Check out the full menu below.

I admire the airline for using metal cutlery & recyclable food containers during the meal service. It helps a lot in eliminating solid waste; it is environment-friendly. I hope they can find a sustainable alternative to plastic cups.

I chose the roasted chicken rice meal with a glass of red wine & enjoyed it. The rice, chicken & vegetable portions were just right. For dessert, we had Udders Dark Chocolate ice cream. The ice cream was thick & tasty; it was probably the star of the lunch service.

Immediately after the meal service, I asked for roasted nuts to help me finish my small glass of red wine. After this, I asked for the airline’s signature cocktail, Singapore Sling. I think I had 2 more glasses of this drink paired with their roasted cashew & almonds. Don’t worry, I didn’t feel tipsy or what.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

Krisworld, Singapore Airline’s entertainment system, offers thousands of options to choose from. They have hundreds of movies & TV shows to watch, thousands of songs to listen to, games to play & a few local media content to check out. All these options can be accessed via the touch screen personal entertainment screens found in front of every seat. The touch screen screens were responsive & easy to navigate. It also showed the flight path & even details of onward connecting flights. The provided earphones were alright. They aren’t noise canceling but they did its job.

Krisworld also gives frequent flyers the option to personalize their experience. The system asks for the passengers KrisFlyer membership number & then shows the passenger’s favorites or the last song, movie to television show he/she watched / left unfinished. I hope Singapore Airlines install cameras in their A350’s which passengers can access / view during flights.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Singapore Airlines offered Wi-Fi service on this flight. PPS Club members & business class passengers are given 100MB of data to use up during the flight. The airline also gives complimentary 2 hours of messaging service to KrisFlyer members in economy class. Non-members can opt to either register to KrisFlyer to avail of the data plans on board.

Sad to say this, but the Wi-Fi on this flight was close to not working. I had to try a lot of times before having access to the inflight food & drinks menu. I didn’t get to use the free 2-hour messaging service because I always got the ‘network error’ or ‘service unavailable’ notification.

LAVATORY

The rear lavatory on this Airbus A350 was spotless & well-maintained. It was clean; it had the amenities needed for a 3-hour flight. The sink had cold & warm water & had hand soap & tissue beside it. The lavatory console had a moisturizing hand lotion & the drawer had more amenities.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew service on this flight was excellent. The cabin crew welcomed all passengers with their best smiles & wished us a pleasant & enjoyable flight. Upon arriving at my seat, I saw that the tray table had leftover crumbs. I notified one of the cabin attendants in the back. The cabin attendant apologized & immediately got back to me with disinfectant wipes & tissue.

The crew had to pause meal service a few times due to turbulence. They kept apologizing to the passengers every time the meal service was halted. They continued with the meal service after the turbulences. The guy who served my meal was polite & attentive. He asked what meal & drink options I preferred & gladly served it.

After the meal service, I asked for a glass of Singapore Sling. The cabin attendant misunderstood it, & thought I asked for a Bloody Mary. She came back & apologized that they don’t have Bloody Mary onboard; she also immediately offered to mix a special drink for me. I told her that I actually requested for Singapore Sling. She again apologized & came back with my requested drink with 2 packs of roasted nuts. Lovely!

Several members of the flight crew went around the cabin throughout the flight & attended to every passenger’s requests. They even went around & offered glasses of water to those who want.

The assigned crew on this flight showed true Singaporean hospitality. They served the passengers with their best smiles & catered to every request throughout the flight. They made sure that passengers had an enjoyable flight onboard Singapore Airlines. Their top-notch service made the flying experience a lot better. Cheers to the crew on this flight!

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

All passengers disembarked in an orderly manner. The ground staff checked every passenger’s One Health Pass QR code & instructed where to fall in line for verification / scanning. Immigration didn’t take long & check-in bags were available as soon as we arrived at the baggage claim hall. Believe it or not, I finished the whole arrival process (from stepping out of the plane to the arrivals area) in less than 10 minutes.

Final Thoughts

It was another excellent flight with Singapore Airlines. Both the hard & soft products stood out on this 3.5-hour flight from Singapore to Manila onboard their new Airbus 350-900 aircraft. I’d like to point out a few things that actually made this experience a great one.

First, the transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport was seamless. No requirements, no whatsoever. I just went from one airport gate to the other. Second, both the ground staff & cabin crew provided excellent service. The ground attendants in Kuala Lumpur & Singapore were polite & accommodating. Those in Singapore station even allowed me to change seats last minute. The cabin crew teams onboard the flight were hospitable & service-oriented.

Third, Singapore Airlines’ hard product on the Airbus A350-900 is modern & solid. The seats are comfortable; they have good leg space. The personal entertainment screens area big; it has thousands of entertainment options to choose from. The cabin also feels very spacious.

The airline’s soft product on this flight was as awesome as the hard product. Cabin crew service, as mentioned above, was top-notch. The inflight meal portions were just right. They also offered a long list of drinks for economy class passengers. I particularly liked the dark chocolate ice cream offered as dessert. Lastly, I also noticed the airline’s sustainable efforts by using recyclable food containers, providing metal cutlery & getting rid of physical menus.

This flight was not perfect. It also had some drawbacks which I hope the airline can improve on. First, the onboard Wi-Fi was close to not working. It only worked when I tried to access the inflight menu. Second, the airline still uses plastic cups for the drink service – particularly for water, wine & other alcoholic beverages in economy class. I hope they can find an environment-friendly alternative for it.

Third, I somehow felt a downsize in economy class service compared to how it was before the pandemic. Pillows & blankets are no longer provided to every seat & the towel service in economy class has stopped. I hope they can find a way to re-introduce them in the future. Lastly, not entirely the airline’s fault, but this flight was very turbulent. The meal service had to stop several times due to turbulence. I think the seatbelt sign was turned on for more than an hour in total. The frequent turbulence somehow affected the overall experience on this flight to Manila.

Putting these aside, I still enjoyed this flight with Singapore Airlines. I wish the flight time from Singapore to Manila was longer than 3.5 hours. Will I fly them again in the future? Definitely! In fact, I am already considering taking them again for another set of flights for next year.

Here are some geeky details about this excellent 3.5-hour hop from Singapore to Manila:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 7 July 2022
Flight Number: SQ 916
Route: Singapore (SIN) to Manila, Philippines (MNL)
Duration: 3 hours & 25 minutes
Seat Number: 69B
Aircraft: Airbus A350-900
Aircraft Registration: 9V-SHW
Engines: 2 x Rolls-Royce Trent XWB
Age: 6.5-month-old
Delivered: January 2022

This sums up & ends by journey with Singapore Airlines on the trip to Kuala Lumpur last July 2022. Don’t forget to check out my other flights with them: Manila to Singapore on SQ 915, Singapore to Kuala Lumpur on SQ 114 & Kuala Lumpur to Singapore on SQ 107. Feel free to also check out my post about this quick international trip to Kuala Lumpur by clicking this link.

Have you flown with Singapore Airlines recently? How was your flight? Please share details about your experience in the comments section below. Do you have questions about this flight or anything related to the airline? You may post them below or send them to me via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com if you are shy to comment.

Thank you for joining me in today’s trip report. If you’re interested in my previous flight reports, feel free to check them out under the flight report category. I hope you’ll look forward to the next one. Also, before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 107 – Kuala Lumpur to Singapore – First Ever Flight on the Controversial Boeing 737 Max 8 Aircraft [July 2022]

After a week of walkathons exploring Kuala Lumpur, it is time for me to fly back to the Philippines. My Singapore Airlines journey from Kuala Lumpur to Manila had a quick layover at Singapore Changi Airport. It was similar to my route to Kuala Lumpur the week before where I first flew from Manila to Singapore, transited in Singapore, then took an onward flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur – all sectors with Singapore Airlines. Today’s flight report will focus on the first leg – Kuala Lumpur to Singapore on SQ 107.

This Singapore Airlines flight was special to an aviation geek like me. Why? This was my first ever flight on the Boeing 737 Max aircraft. For those of you who don’t know or don’t remember, the Boeing 737 Max was very controversial back in 2018 & 2019. The aircraft type had 2 commercial flight crashes due to control system problems – Lion Air Flight 610 in October 2018 & Ethiopian Airlines Flight 302 roughly 6 months after in March 2019. This aircraft type was instantly grounded by aviation authorities worldwide after the 2 incidents. The aircraft manufacturer, Boeing, addressed all problems & concerns & got the recertification in 2020. Boeing 737 Max flew back into service in 2021 & has been flying on many routes around the world.

Join me in today’s flight report where I will talk about my experience with Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 737 Max aircraft on the flight from Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia to Singapore. Is it safe to fly the max? How is it different from the previous 737 New Generation aircraft? Is there a change in passenger experience compared to the previous 737 aircraft? Find the answers to these questions in the flight report below.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world class airline is based in one of the world’s best airports – Singapore Changi Airport. The airline starred as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then re-branded & commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers & the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 60 destinations in more than 30 countries across 5 continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max & Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator with 60 currently in service & 5 more on order. 7 of the 60 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business & premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used in the North America routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities & services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals & in-flight entertainment. The airline has a frequent flyer program called KrisFlyer & PPS Club. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance – one of the world’s biggest airline alliance networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the 2nd most reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Airfare

I mentioned in previous Singapore Airlines SQ 915 & SQ 114 flight reports that I only paid US$146.69 for the return ticket from Manila to Kuala Lumpur via Singapore. The ticket initially cost US$199.70. I redeemed 7,665 KrisFlyer miles (which I earned back in 2019 from my trip to Europe) & got the ticket for the lower price mentioned above.

My bank charged me ₱7,926.12 including foreign currency conversion charges. This is definitely a great deal considering the ticket includes 25-kilogram check-in baggage allowance, 7-kilogram carry-on baggage allowance, inflight meals & snacks, inflight entertainment & 5-star cabin crew service on 4 sectors / flights. This ticket was even cheaper than those from low-cost airlines.

This ticket was a steal given I got all the benefits of a full-service airline. I believe I got more than what I paid for.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Travel Requirements

Singapore is one of the first Southeast Asian countries to open to international tourists this year. The country still imposes entry requirements depending on a person’s vaccination status. Given these requirements can change anytime, I suggest that you check your airline’s Covid-19 Information Page or the country’s border control authority’s website for the updated protocols. Here are the links for Singapore’s Immigration & Checkpoints Authority & Singapore Airlines’ Covid-19 Travel Information Page.

I flew to Singapore only to transfer to my next flight to Manila. During this flight, Singapore does not require anything for transit passengers. The Singapore Changi Airport transit experience is back to its pre-pandemic protocols as long as the passenger has an onward connecting flight under the same booking reference number. Those with split bookings will be required to fulfill the entry requirements of Singapore.

Before The Flight

Like my Manila to Singapore flight on SQ 915, I also received an email reminding me to check the entry requirements of my destination country. The e-mail arrived days after booking this flight & contained helpful links where I can find the said entry requirements.

I did not receive an upgrade offer for this flight (the business class cabin was full) but I got a check-in reminder from the Singapore Airlines mobile application 48 hours before this flight. I checked in for this flight together with the Manila to Singapore leg & had the chance to choose my seat free of charge.

Flight Information

This Kuala Lumpur to Singapore flight was operated by a 2.7-year-old Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. The plane was manufactured years ago but was only delivered to Singapore Airlines in March 2022. The plane has 10 flatbed business class seats (including 2 throne seats) & 144 standard economy class seats.

The plane left Kuala Lumpur International Airport a few minutes behind schedule at 11:36am & landed at Singapore Changi Airport at 12:19pm. Like my SIN to KUL flight, this flight also took 43 minutes.

Ground & Airport Experience

AIRPORT CHECK-IN

Singapore Airlines divided the check-in counters by class & frequent flyer status. Business class passengers, PPS Club members & Star Alliance status holders have dedicated check-in counters. Economy class passengers also had their own assigned check-in counters. Singapore Airlines has multiple daily flights between Singapore & Kuala Lumpur; check-in schedules for these flights tend to overlap.

I queued at the Economy Class check-in counters at 9:09am & finished after 30 minutes at exactly 9:39am. The check-in agent checked my entry requirements for the Philippines & issued the boarding pass for both my Kuala Lumpur to Singapore & Singapore to Manila flights. I asked the check-in agent if I could change seats for my SIN to MNL flight, but I was told that the system doesn’t allow her to do it. I was advised to request for the seat change in Singapore, right before boarding. I was happy that she still tried to accommodate my request.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After check-in, I went through immigration & airport security check before heading to our assigned boarding gate. Most international flights depart from KLIA’s Satellite Terminal. This terminal can be accessed through the airport sky train. Unfortunately, the sky train was under maintenance on the day of this flight. The airport provided bus services for passengers flying out of the satellite terminal. I took the bus service & headed to Gate C23. I submitted myself to one final security check near the gate then took a seat, enjoyed the arrival of the Boeing 737 Max 8 & waited for boarding.

BOARDING

Boarding started at 10:57am, 27 minutes behind schedule. Business class, PPS Club members & Star Alliance status holders boarded the plane first. Rear economy class passengers followed the first batch. Forward economy class passengers boarded the plane last. The plane doors closed at exactly 11:18am. The whole boarding process only took 21 minutes – probably one of the fastest of all Singapore Airlines flights I previously took.

Inflight Product & Experience

SEAT FEATURES

This Kuala Lumpur to Singapore flight was operated by a Boeing 737 Max 8 aircraft. The plane has 10 business class seats on a 2-2, 1-1 (throne seats) & 2-2 configuration & 144 regular economy class seats on a 3-3 configuration. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a seat pitch of 49 inches (way bigger than those from the 737-800 NG) & a seat width of 22 inches. On the other hand, economy class seats have a pitch of 30 inches & seat width of 17 inches.

Each economy seat features a personal entertainment screen with audio jack & USB port, a decent legroom, an adjustable headrest, a tray table & a seat pocket with the aircraft safety card & a passenger sickness bag. Economy class passengers also have access to individual air vents, individual reading lights & cabin crew assistance button above each seat. Pillows & blankets are not provided on this short flight.

INFLIGHT DRINK SERVICE

Singapore Airlines mentioned in the ticket that this short hop from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur does not have a meal service. The airline only offered refreshments / drinks to all passengers. After the seatbelt sign was turned off, the cabin crew went around & offered apple juice, coffee, tea & water. Special drinks such as soda & beer & crackers were only available by request.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

All seats on this Boeing 737 Max 8 are equipped with personal entertainment screens. These touch-screen entertainment screens have Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system called KrisWorld. This entertainment system has hundreds of movies & television series to watch, thousands of tracks to listen to & games to play with during the flight. It also has some local Singaporean content which can be beneficial for someone’s stay in Singapore.

The touch-screen personal entertainment screens were responsive & easy to navigate. It also showed some details about the flight was well as the flight path. The airline provided earphones which did its job. It was not noise canceling but it was alright.

What I particularly like about KrisWorld is its option for frequent flyers to personalize their entertainment experience. The system asks for the passengers KrisFlyer membership number & then shows the passenger’s favorites or the last song, movie to television show he/she watched / left unfinished.

Their Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft that I flew with from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur does not have personal entertainment screens. Passengers access KrisWorld through their personal devices. The personal screens were definitely a good addition to the Max 8 seats.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Singapore Airlines offered Wi-FI services on this modern aircraft. PPS Club & business class passengers were given a certain data allocation. Economy class passengers who are KrisFlyer members were also given free messaging service. Those who do not fall on these 2 categories can either sign up with KrisFlyer to enjoy free messaging service or avail of the inflight Wi-Fi plans which comes with a cost.

I did not bother connecting to the inflight Wi-Fi on this short flight. I enjoyed playing with the personal entertainment system which took most of the time.

LAVATORY

The flight went by too fast to the point where I didn’t have the chance to check out the 737 Max 8’s lavatory. The aisle was most of the time occupied by the crew giving out the refreshment service & by the passengers going to the lavatory. I didn’t bother joining them.

Cabin Crew Service

I had minimal interaction with the crew on this flight but I noticed that they were all attentive & genuine throughout the flight. The crew welcomed all passengers with their best smiles & attended to all the needs & requests of all passengers during the flight.

Disembarkation

Passenger disembarkation on this flight was done in an orderly manner. Business class passengers left the aircraft first, followed by those in the forward economy cabin. Those seated in the rear economy cabin disembarked last. I did not claim my baggage in Singapore since I had a connection to Manila the same day.

Final Thoughts

It was an ‘okay’ flight with Singapore Airlines. The airline’s hard product & onboard experience remains superb. There are certain aspects where they can further enhance & improve on.

I personally liked the very modern cabin on this Boeing 737 Max 8. All seats have personal entertainment screens & adjustable headrests. The cabin felt spacious because of how the overhead cabins were designed. The hard product is simply excellent. I also appreciate that the airline provided refreshments for this very short hop to Singapore.

I believe the airline can further enhance the check-in process at Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Given they have daily multiple flights leaving KLIA, I hope they can improve the process & make it more efficient for both the check-in agents & the passengers. Also, I hope the ground staff make sure that the passengers are always updated with the flight & boarding status. We did not get any advisory that boarding for this flight will be delayed by almost 30 minutes. The announcements started when they called for the first passengers to board.

Lastly, I mentioned this in my Singapore to Kuala Lumpur flight report & I will say it again here. I hope the airline considers improving their snack service for short flights like this. I’ve flown with airlines who serve snacks like nuts (Malaysia Airlines) & cookies (Philippine Airlines) for flights less than an hour. I hope they can also provide snacks on top of the refreshments offered on board.

Putting these comments aside, I think this Singapore Airlines flight is still far better than many short haul full-service flights out there. Honestly, I can’t wait to fly with them again in the future!

Here are some more details about this short Kuala Lumpur to Singapore flight with SQ:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 7 July 2022
Flight Number: SQ 107
Route: Kuala Lumpur (KUL) to Singapore (SIN)
Duration: 43 minutes
Seat Number: 61K
Aircraft: Boeing 737 Max 8
Aircraft Registration: 9V-MBN
Engines: 2 x CFM International Jet Engines
Age: 2.7 years old
Delivered: March 2022

This sums up my first ever flight with Boeing 737 Max 8 on Singapore Airlines from Kuala Lumpur International Airport to Singapore Changi Airport. There’s only one thing I’d like to say – it is definitely safe to now fly with the 737 Max 8. It may have had problems & issues in the past, but these have surely been addressed by Boeing. The recertifications by many aviation authorities around the world back the 737 Max 8’s safety.

Do you have any questions about this flight to Singapore or anything about the Boeing 737 Max 8? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. If you’re shy to post them, you may also send them to me via email to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report! Don’t forget to check my previous flight reports under the said category. Please also look forward to the next flight report – my onward flight from Singapore to Manila on the Airbus A350. In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

3-Day Kuala Lumpur Weekend: Do-It-Yourself Below 20K Trip Around Malaysia’s Modern Capital City [July 2022]

Last July 2022, my friends & I took advantage of the relaxed border requirements & flew to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia for a quick 3-day trip. We decided to fly to Kuala Lumpur since it was the cheapest international destination from Manila at the time of booking our air tickets. It was also my friends’ first-time visiting Malaysia. Allow me to share details of this quick & affordable 3 days around Malaysia’s modern capital city.

Airfare

I flew with Singapore Airlines to Kuala Lumpur a few days before my friends did & only paid US$146.69 return. The ticket initially cost US$199.70. I redeemed 7,665 KrisFlyer miles (which I earned back in 2019 from my trip to Europe) & got the ticket for the lower price mentioned above. My bank charged me ₱7,926.12 including foreign currency conversion charges.

The full-service ticket includes 25 kilograms check-in baggage allowance, 7 kilograms carry-on baggage allowance, inflight meals, personal entertainment system & 1.5 hours layover / transit (both ways) in Singapore Changi Airport. This Singapore Airlines ticket was definitely a good deal considering the ticket was booked a month before the scheduled flights & the airline provided full flight service.

My friends flew with Cebu Pacific Air to & from Kuala Lumpur & paid around ₱9,800 return. The ticket included 7-kilograms of carry-on baggage allowance. They opted to fly with Cebu Pacific Air because they found the airline’s flight times perfect for their schedules.

Want to know the difference between full-service carriers like Singapore Airlines & low-cost service airlines like Cebu Pacific Air? Check out this Flight 101 post about these 2 types of airlines.

I wrote separate blogs about my flight experience with Singapore on these flights to & from Kuala Lumpur. Head over to these flight reports to know more: Manila to Singapore, Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, Kuala Lumpur to Singapore & Singapore to Manila.

Entry Requirements

Malaysia still imposed entry requirements at the time of this trip. Fully-vaccinated passengers were exempted from pre-departure & on arrival testing requirements & quarantine but were asked to provide & verify vaccination status prior to their flight. We were also asked to register & obtain the Digital Travelers Card (Blue Traveler Card) at least 3 days before the scheduled flight. Partially vaccinated or unvaccinated passengers were asked to provide pre-departure test results, take on arrival testing & isolate / quarantine for a few days. They were issued the Home Surveillance Order (Red Traveler Card) that was checked during the check-in process.

As of 1 August 2022, Malaysia has removed all entry requirements for all incoming international passengers. All travelers are allowed to enter the country regardless of vaccination status & are not required to provide negative test results & undergo quarantine. All quarantine orders related to Covid-19 have been lifted by the Malaysian government.

Please note that these entry requirements may still change from time to time. Make sure to check the Malaysian government’s website, MySafeTravel, days before your trip for any changes in the entry requirements. You may also check these requirements on your airline’s Covid-19 travel information pages.

KLIA to Kuala Lumpur

Kuala Lumpur International Airport (KLIA) is located in Sepang District, about an hour away from the main city of Kuala Lumpur. There are several ways to go to Kuala Lumpur from the airport & vice versa. The fastest & most expensive way is via the KLIA Ekspres. This train service takes about 40 minutes & costs RM55 one-way or RM100 return.

The cheap & more affordable option is via the hourly bus trip to & from KL Sentral. The fare costs RM15 one-way & the trip takes about 1 to 1.5 hours depending on traffic. Private transfers are also available via Klook & KKday for a little over ₱700.

I took the bus from KLIA to KL Sentral & paid only RM15. On the way back, I booked a private transfer from my accommodation back to KLIA. I paid ₱736 for this private transfer & was picked up from my hostel.

Accommodation

My friends & I stayed at Hotel Westree KL Sentral. My friend Junelle & I booked 3 nights in their superior twin room & only paid ₱2,633.93 for the whole stay. We took advantage of Traveloka’s 20% off promotion & got a ₱650+ discount. We paid the hotel ₱878 per night – that’s ₱439 each per person per night. That is almost the same rate as some hostels in Kuala Lumpur.

The hotel is located at 142 Jalan Tun Sambanthan, Brickfields, right at the back of NU Sentral Shopping Mall. It is close to the KL Sentral Monorail Station & a few minutes walk to the KL Sentral bus terminal & KL Sentral train station. The property is also near a number of convenience stores, shops & restaurants. Its location is a 10 out of 10.

Hotel Westree KL Sentral’s room was just right. It has 2 single beds, air conditioning, a big closet, a desk & a large mirror. It also has a private toilet & shower with complete amenities. The hotel doesn’t offer a breakfast option but has a small shop near reception. They also have a water dispenser near the lounge area where guests can refill their water containers free of charge. The property allows guests to leave their luggage before check-in or after check-out.

Transportation Around the City

Going around Kuala Lumpur is easy. Almost all of the places to visit are accessible by train, monorail, or by bus. My friends & I were lucky because train & bus rides during our visit were free of charge. The government announced free MRT, LRT, BRT (bus rapid transit), monorail, Rapid KL bus & KTM Komuter rides in Klang Valley for a month from 16 June to 15 July 2022. This free ride service followed after the launch of the new MRT Putrajaya Line.

Outside these trains & buses, visitors can also book ride-hailing applications such as Grab & Air Asia Ride. You read that right! Air Asia has a ride-hailing subsidiary operating around Kuala Lumpur. My friends & I used Air Asia on selected rides during our visit. They have cheaper rates compared to Grab.

Places Visited in Kuala Lumpur

My friends were only in Kuala Lumpur for 3 full days. We visited as many places as possible in this short span of time. We also met one of my friends, Geof (from my Siquijor, Siargao & Myanmar trips before), who’s now based in the city. Check out the places we’ve been to in these 3 days.

DAY 1 – BOTANICAL GARDEN, MERDEKA SQUARE & CHINATOWN

Day 1 started with a train ride to Pasar Seni Station & a breakfast meal at a local hawker place. We had our chicken & rice meal for RM8 & a glass of cold the Tarik for RM2.50.

After breakfast, we headed to the bus stop & found out that the old bus route to the botanical garden is no longer operational. We then decided to just walk for 30 to 45 minutes to the Perdana Botanical Garden. We walked around the botanical garden for about an hour. Entrance to the botanical garden is free.

From Perdana Botanical Garden, we took an Air Asia Ride to Suria KLCC. We walked around the shopping mall & then checked out the Petronas Twin Towers from the outside.

After going around KLCC Suria & the Petronas Twin Towers, we took the train from KLCC Station to Masjid Jamek Station. We walked a bit & decided to have a late lunch at Secret Recipe near the Central Market. I got their vegetarian fried rice satay meal for around RM20.

After lunch, we walked to Masjid Jamek Lookout Point @ River of Life, then to Masjid Jamek Pedestrian Bridge & back to the Masjid Jamek station area. We didn’t bother to go inside Masjid Jamek Mosque because we were in wearing shorts.

We then went to see the Sultan Abdul Samad Building from the outside & walked around Dataran Merdeka (Merdeka Square) – the country’s Independence Square.

We dropped by the KL City Gallery to have our photos taken in the iconic I ❤️ KL sign, then headed to the Central Market to meet my friend Geof.

We walked along the Petaling Street Market & headed to Kwai Chai Hong to take photos of the murals.

We had our dinner in the famous Lan Zhou Mee Tarik Restaurant. I ordered their beef daoxiao (knife-cut) noodles paired with their beef barbecue stick & a can of Sprite. The whole meal only cost me RM22.

After dinner, we had our first round of drinks at Pik Wah Restaurant. We then headed to Bukit Bintang to meet with my friends from Couchsurfing for another round of drinks.

We missed the last KL monorail trip so we took the last train to Muzeum Negara Station & walked back to Hotel Westree.

DAY 2 – BATU CAVES, BUKIT BINTANG & KL SKYLINE

Day 2 started with breakfast at McDonalds KL Sentral Station. After breakfast, we took an Air Asia Ride to Batu Caves.

My friends & I went up the 272 stairs to see what’s in the cave. The whole trip up to the cave & back took us around 30 minutes. We left Batu Caves before 11:00am & took the KMT Komuter train back to KL Sentral.

We went back to Hotel Westree to freshen up. Just before lunch, we walked to Little India to check out the area & also drop by the Catholic Church of Our Lady of Fatima.

We took the KL Monorail from KL Sentral Station to Bukit Bintang Station & had lunch at Lot 10 Hutong – a food court / modern hawker center at the lower ground floor of Lot 10 Shopping Mall. We bid our goodbyes to my friend Geof & then went to order food for lunch.

I got char siu pork rice meal & char kway teow (stir fried noodles) with chicken for lunch. I also shared hokkien mee with one of my friends. I can say I ate a lot during that meal.

After lunch, we walked around Bukit Bintang. We’ve been to Jonetz by Don Don Donki (their Donki store originally from Japan) & mostly around The Pavilion Mall.

Around 4:00pm, we took an Air Asia Ride to KL Tower. We bought our tickets (RM110 each on site – I suggest that you buy ahead of time from Klook) & went up the Sky Deck & Sky Box. We took photos with the glass boxes & waited for sunset & night time.

At 7:30pm, we went down from KL Tower & walked to Suria KLCC. We again took photos of the Petronas Twin Towers at night. From Suria KLCC, we walked to the Bukit Nanas Monorail station & took the monorail to Bukit Bintang Station.

We dropped by Jonetz by Don Don Donki to buy some stuff before heading back to Hotel Westree again via the KL Monorail.

DAY 3 – GENTING HIGHLANDS & CHINATOWN (AGAIN)

We checked out from Hotel Westree at 7:00am & walked to the KL Sentral Bus Terminal to take our 8:00am bus to Awana Bus Terminal. We bought the return bus tickets in advance from this website & paid RM18 roundtrip.

The bus trip took about an hour. Upon arrival at Awana Bus Terminal, we had breakfast in one of the convenience stores. Most of the restaurants were still closed. Minutes before 10:00am, we went up to the cable car station & took the regular cable car up to Genting Highlands. PS. We bought the cable car tickets ahead of time & only paid RM31 for a one-way standard gondola & one-way glass bottom gondola.

We walked around Genting Higlands shopping malls & theme parks for a few hours. We had our lunch in the food court. I had chicken char siu rice for the main meal & cendol for dessert.

Around 1:30pm, we took the glass bottom gondola down to Chin Swee Station & walked to the Chin Swee Caves Temple. This Chin Swee Station stop is a free stop on the return gondola tickets.

After an hour, we took the cable car again back to Awana Station & went around some premium outlet stores beside the bus terminal.

At 4:00pm, we took the bus from Awana Bus Terminal back to KL Sentral Bus Station. We went straight to Chinatown to buy some last-minute pasalubong & to have dinner. Around 7:00pm, we took the train back to KL Sentral, walked to Hotel Westree to get our stuff.

Junelle & friends walked to the bus terminal to take the 8:00pm bus to KLIA Terminal 2. Meanwhile, I booked an Air Asia Ride to my next hostel – The Beds KLCC.

Summary of Expenses

I mentioned in the title that this 3-day trip cost below 20,000 all in. This total cost does not apply to me since I stayed in Kuala Lumpur for 8 days. However, it does apply to my friends who went there for 3 full days. Let us look at the breakdown of expenses below.

My friend paid ₱9,758.27 for the Cebu Pacific Air roundtrip ticket to Kuala Lumpur on Cebu Pacific Air. Prior to flying to Kuala Lumpur, she paid her share on the following: 3-night accommodation at Hotel Westree (₱1,316.97), Genting Highlands return bus tickets (₱227.83), roundtrip cable car tickets (₱396.74) & KLIA to Hotel Westree transfer (₱410.34). On the day of the flight, she paid the required travel tax worth ₱1,620.

She brought a pocket money of RM500 (conversion rate of ₱12.50 per RM1 = ₱6,250). This pocket money was enough to cover 3 meals per day (averaging RM10-RM20 per meal including drinks), all Air Asia Rides we took, bus ticket back to KLIA2, KL Tower Sky Deck & Sky Box entry ticket (RM110) & treats (pasalubong) she bought from Jonetz by Don Don Donki & Chinatown.

She spent ₱19,980.15 all in for this 3-day weekend in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. I believe this total trip cost is affordable & acceptable given the following reasons: (a) this trip was booked a month before the intended travel dates, (b) high fuel prices which resulted to higher fuel surcharges in air tickets & (c) current inflation rate. Gone are the days (at least for now) that return international tickets with Cebu Pacific Air were below ₱3,000.

That sums up our recent trip to Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. The pandemic & the current world crisis may have changed a lot of things, but our love for discovering new places, investing in experiences & traveling on a budget remains. Do you have any questions about traveling around Kuala Lumpur or anything mentioned above? Feel free to post them in the comments section below. You may also send in your questions & comments via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s trip to Kuala Lumpur. Please look forward to the next one! Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you.

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.

Flight Report: SINGAPORE AIRLINES SQ 114 – Singapore to Kuala Lumpur – Delayed Short Hop on One of the World’s Busiest International Routes [June 2022]

In 2019, OAG, the world’s leading provider of digital flight information, hailed the Singapore to Kuala Lumpur route as one of the busiest international routes in the airline industry. According to a report made by Simple Flying, in 2019 alone, this route catered to almost 30,000 flights & offered 5.5 million seats on 9 different airlines. The numbers have gone down since the start of the pandemic but according the OAG’s report for the busiest routes for July 2022, this route is the third busiest for the month with 307,848 offered seats. It is also the busiest in Asia, overtaking the previous busiest Hong Kong-Taipei route.

Last 29 June 2022, I had the chance to fly this busy route from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur onboard Singapore Airlines flight SQ 114. How did this connecting flight go? Check out the newest flight report below.

In case you missed it, I also flew with Singapore Airlines on the SQ 915 flight from Manila to Singapore before actually taking this flight. Check out the SQ 915 flight report here.

Singapore Airlines

Singapore Airlines is Singapore’s national carrier. This award-winning world class airline is based in one of the world’s best airports – Singapore Changi Airport. The airline starred as Malayan Airways in 1947; it then re-branded & commenced operations as Singapore Airlines in 1972. The airline has been a top contributor in terms of the world’s revenue passenger kilometers & the number of international passengers carried worldwide.

The airline currently flies to over 60 destinations in more than 30 countries across 5 continents. Singapore Airlines is one of the leading carriers in the Southeast Asian Region with the help of its low-cost subsidiary, Scoot. The airline’s previous regional subsidiary, Silk Air, has been incorporated into SQ’s operations as of March 2021.

Singapore Airline flies a modern aircraft fleet consisting of Airbus A350, Airbus A380, Boeing 777, Boeing 787 Dreamliner, Boeing 737 Max & Boeing 737-800 NG. The airline is the world’s largest Airbus A350-900 operator with 60 currently in service & 5 more on order. 7 of the 60 Airbus A350’s in service have the ultra-long range (ULR) premium (only business & premium economy class) configuration. These ULRs are mostly used in the North America routes.

Singapore Airlines is a full-service carrier. It means that every flight includes all the necessary in-flight amenities & services you can think of. All SQ tickets include free check-in baggage, meals & in-flight entertainment. The airline has a frequent flyer program called KrisFlyer & PPS Club. The airline is a member of the Star Alliance – one of the world’s biggest airline alliance networks.

Singapore Airlines is not a new airline on this website. In fact, it is the 2nd most reviewed airline after Cebu Pacific Air.

Do you want to know the difference between a full-service & a low-cost airline? Check out my previous post detailing the differences of these 2 types of airlines.

Airfare

As mentioned in my previous SQ 915 Manila to Singapore flight report, I only paid US$146.69 for the return ticket from Manila to Kuala Lumpur via Singapore. The ticket initially cost US$199.70. I redeemed 7,665 KrisFlyer miles (which I earned back in 2019 from my trip to Europe) & got the ticket for the lower price mentioned above.

My bank charged me ₱7,926.12 including foreign currency conversion charges. As mentioned in my previous post, I think it was really a great deal from Singapore Airlines. The ticket already included 25 kilograms baggage allowance on all 4 flights, inflight meals, inflight entertainment & 5-star cabin crew service from one of the world’s best airlines. Believe it or not, this SQ ticket was cheaper than the tickets sold by the country’s low-cost airlines at the time of booking. The tickets from these LCCs cost around ₱10,000 without any add-on.

This Singapore Airlines ticket was definitely a steal! Glad I thought of using my KrisFlyer miles before they even expire.

In case you missed it, I post reviews & features of my flights since June 2019. I’ve covered airlines such as EVA Air, Indonesia Air Asia, Singapore Airlines, Philippine Airlines & Cebu Pacific Air. All posts about these flights are found under the Flight Reports category.

Travel Requirements

Malaysia is now open to tourists. However, it’s not like before that you can enter with only your passports. Because of the Covid-19 pandemic, the country has imposed some entry requirements for all arriving passengers. Entry protocols depend on the person’s vaccination status.

As of 1 May 2022, fully-vaccinated passengers are exempted from providing a negative RT-PCR test result. They also don’t need to undergo quarantine upon arrival & to present proof of travel insurance. Fully-vaccinated passengers only need to register to the MySejahtera mobile application. They also need to verify their vaccination status in the application & fill-out the traveler section at least 3 days before the trip. Each fully-vaccinated passenger will be issued a Digital Travelers Card (Blue Traveler Card) which will be checked during check-in.

Partially-vaccinated or unvaccinated passengers are required to provide a negative RT-PCR test pre-departure; take a supervised antigen test within 24 hours of arrival & undergo 5 days of quarantine upon arrival. They also need to download & register to the MySejahtera mobile application. Partially-vaccinated or unvaccinated passengers will be issued a Digital Home Surveillance Order (Red Traveler Card) which will be checked during check-in.

Please take note that Malaysia has a different definition of vaccination status depending on the type of vaccine you received. For more details about this & for the country’s updated entry requirements, you may head to the government’s MySafeTravel website. You may also check Singapore Airline’s Covid-19 Information page for additional information.

Before The Flight

Like my Manila to Singapore flight on SQ 915, I also received an email reminding me to check the entry requirements of my destination country. The e-mail arrived days after booking this flight & contained helpful links where I can find the said entry requirements.

I did not receive an upgrade offer for this flight (the business class cabin was full) but I got a check-in reminder from the Singapore Airlines mobile application 48 hours before this flight. I checked in for this flight together with the Manila to Singapore leg & had the chance to choose my seat free of charge.

Flight Information

This Singapore to Kuala Lumpur SQ flight was operated by a 7-year-old Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft. This 737 NG aircraft was originally delivered to then SQ subsidiary, Silk Air, in August 2015 & was converted to a Singapore Airlines aircraft in April 2021. The plane has 12 business class seats & 150 economy class seats.

The plane took off from Singapore Changi Airport an hour behind schedule at 1:49pm & landed at Kuala Lumpur International Airport at exactly 2:32pm. This short international flight only took 43 minutes & covered a distance of 297 kilometers or 185 miles.

Ground & Airport Experience

This Singapore to Kuala Lumpur flight is a continuation of my first flight from Manila to Singapore. I only stayed on the airside of Singapore Changi Airport.

CHANGI AIRPORT TRANSIT EXPERIENCE

Transit process during this flight was back to pre-pandemic times – no negative Covid-19 test result of proof of vaccination required. Passengers must have both flights under 1 booking or itinerary & have their checked-in luggage tagged from their airport of origin to their final destination to enjoy a seamless transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport.

My flights to Kuala Lumpur were booked under one itinerary (shown above) & my bags were already tagged up to Kuala Lumpur when I checked in for the flight in Manila Airport. I had a very quick but fun transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport before this flight to Kuala Lumpur. I walked around Terminal 3 for a few minutes & checked out the shops & restaurants in the terminal. The airport facilities are still one of the best in the world – very modern & efficient. Too bad Jewel Changi Airport was not accessible (even via inter-terminal trains like before) to transit passengers.

PRE-DEPARTURE

After walking around Changi Airport Terminal 3, I went straight to our assigned gate. Our boarding gate opened an hour before the flight. I went through final security, then waited for boarding. Gate A16 shares a spacious waiting area with other gates. These gates were mostly used for smaller regional flights departing Singapore. At 12:33pm (18 minutes after the scheduled boarding time), the ground staff announced that boarding will be further delayed by 15 minutes due to the late aircraft turnaround.

BOARDING

Boarding started late at 12:55pm. Business class passengers, KrisFlyer, PPS & Star Alliance status holders boarded the aircraft first. Economy class passengers seated in the rear cabin came next. Forward economy class passengers, including myself, boarded the plane last. The boarding process lasted for 30 minutes. Cabin doors were closed at exactly 1:25pm.

Inflight Product & Experience

SEAT FEATURES

This Singapore to Kuala Lumpur flight was operated by a Boeing 737-800 Next Generation aircraft. The plane has 12 business class recliner seats on a 2×2 configuration & 150 regular economy class seats on a 3×3 configuration. According to SeatGuru, each business class seat has a seat pitch of 38 inches & a seat width of 22 inches. On the other hand, economy class seats have a pitch of 30 inches & seat width of 17 inches.

All seats have adjustable headrests, individual reading lights & air vents. Seats also feature a tray table, seat pocket with aircraft safety card & universal power outlets under the seat. Pillows, blankets & earphones were not provided on this short flight.

INFLIGHT DRINK SERVICE

Singapore Airlines stated in the ticket that this flight won’t have a meal service due to its short duration. Instead of meals, the cabin crew gave out drinks after the seatbelt sign was turned off. Choices included apple juice, coffee, tea & water. Passengers also had the option to request for special drinks like soft drinks or beer. Crackers were also available by request.

INFLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

The Boeing 737-800 NG used for this flight doesn’t have personal entertainment screens. Passengers can enjoy KrisWorld, Singapore Airlines’ entertainment system, on their own personal devices. They only need to connect to KrisWorld after take-off. Passenger safety video was shown on the foldable screens found under the overhead cabins.

INFLIGHT CONNECTIVITY

Singapore Airlines’ Boeing 737-800 NG aircraft are not equipped with Wi-Fi. This includes the aircraft used for this flight.

LAVATORY

This short hop to Kuala Lumpur only lasted for 43 minutes. I didn’t have the chance to visit the lavatory because I was seated in a window seat.

Cabin Crew Service

The cabin crew assigned on this aircraft were lovely, polite & service-oriented. The greeted all passengers upon boarding & during disembarkation with their best smiles. They catered to all the needs & special requests of passengers during the drink service.

Disembarkation & Baggage Claim

All passengers disembarked in an orderly manner. Those seated in the forward economy cabin disembarked first. All passengers had to take the airport train to the main terminal building to clear immigration. After immigration, all bags were already ready for pick-up in the assigned baggage belt.

Final Thoughts

It was a so-so flight with Singapore Airlines. The flight remains outstanding in terms of the hard product & services offered onboard, but its lacking in some aspects.

I enjoyed the following because of the following. First, the transit experience at Singapore Changi Airport was smooth & efficient. No additional documents & tests are required. Second, the lack of personal entertainment screens didn’t hinder the airline from providing onboard entertainment options. KrisWorld was still accessible on passengers’ personal devices. Third, they provided onboard refreshments / drinks for this short 43-minute hop to Kuala Lumpur. They had a great selection of drinks to choose from & even had some available by request. Fourth, the cabin hard product remains competitive in this 7-year-old aircraft. The seats remain comfortable & the headrests are useful. Lastly, the cabin crew hospitality on this flight was topnotch.

This flight also had areas in which they could further improve. First, the ground staff didn’t provide updates about the flight status. We were scheduled to board the aircraft around 12:15pm but we were only told about the delayed boarding schedule at 12:33pm. The delay would have been bearable if ground staff had kept the passengers informed of the flight’s status. Second, the boarding process was chaotic. Only the business class passengers & status holders boarded the plane in an orderly manner. Some economy class passengers didn’t follow instructions & boarded at their own convenience. This resulted to longer waiting times on the jet bridge. The whole boarding process took 30 minutes, slower than my Manila to Singapore flight that only took 26 minutes with almost double the number of passengers. Lastly, I hope the airline can improve their snack service on board this short flight. I’ve flown other airlines which offered nuts (Malaysia Airlines) or cookies (Philippine Airlines) plus drinks for flights less than an hour.

Nevertheless, it was an okay flight with Singapore Airlines. I don’t mind flying with them again in the future. In fact, if there’s an affordable ticket to anywhere with the airline, I will still grab it.

For those who want to know more details of this flight, check out the items below:

Airline: Singapore Airlines
Flight Date: 29 June 2022
Flight Number: SQ 114
Route: Singapore (SIN) to Kuala Lumpur (KUL)
Duration: 43 minutes
Seat Number: 51K
Aircraft: Boeing 737-800 Next Generation
Aircraft Registration: 9V-MGL
Engines: 2 x CFM International CFM56-7B27E
Age: 7 years old
Delivered: August 2015

Have you recently flown Singapore Airlines on their Singapore to Kuala Lumpur route? What do you think of the airlines offerings on the said route? Feel free to share your comments & recent experiences in the comments section below. Do you have a question about the airline or this flight? You may post them in the comments below. If you are shy to post below, you may send your questions, experiences & thoughts via e-mail to contact@thewkndtravel.com.

Thank you for joining me in today’s flight report! Watch out for my onward flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur also on Singapore Airlines. In the meantime, you may check out my previous flight reports here. Before you go, can you visit my social media channels –Facebook & Instagram – and like or follow them? Thank you & see you in the next one!

PS. Photos were taken using my OnePlus 9 Pro.