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EXCLUSIVE: British Airways cancels return to Kuala Lumpur with four weeks notice

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British Airways was due to restart two routes to Asia this winter – Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur.

Bangkok is going ahead, with flights starting on 28th October.

Kuala Lumpur, which was due to launch on 10th November, seems to have hit the buffers.

EDIT: Whilst a few days old, we are keeping this article pinned to the top of the home page because of the amount of discussion in the comments about BA’s ‘issues’ over rerouting passengers.

British Airways drops Kuala Lumpur flights

Earlier this afternoon the flights were showing as bookable:

British Airways drops Kuala Lumpur flights

…. but five minutes ago it changed to this:

British Airways drops Kuala Lumpur flights

No flights are available until 1st April 2025.

Cancelling a route with less than a months notice is clearly not great news for anyone. However, with oneworld partner Malaysia Airlines offering double-daily flights from Heathrow, it should be possible to get most people on a same-day alternative.

Our 2022 review of the Malaysia Airlines service in business class is here.

Qatar Airways is also likely to be an option due to BA’s joint venture agreement. In fact, it is possible that BA tries to push Qatar Airways as its preferred alternative.

Note that it will take BA a few days to hammer out a formal rebooking arrangement with Malaysian. If you call today you will be offered an indirect alternative.

Why have the flights been pulled?

British Airways told us:

We’re disappointed that we’ve had such to make further changes to our schedule as we continue to experience delays to the delivery of engines and parts from Rolls-Royce – particularly in relation to the Rolls-Royce Trent 1000 engines fitted to our 787 aircraft.

We’ve taken this action because we do not believe the issue will be solved quickly, and we want to offer our customers the certainty they deserve for their travel plans. We’ve apologised to those affected and are able to offer the vast majority a flight the same day with British Airways or one of our partner airlines. 

We continue to work closely with Rolls-Royce to ensure the company is aware of the impact its issues are having on our schedule and customers, and seek reassurance of a prompt and reliable solution.

In terms of ‘why KL?’, competition is probably part of it. Malaysia Airlines offers a decent product on the route which also allows flyers to earn Avios and British Airways Executive Club tier points.

BA’s shortage of A380 aircraft is also likely to be a factor. As we have covered, the fleet is proving very unreliable.

Kuala Lumpur was scheduled as a daily service on a Boeing 787-9, which was a heavy commitment in terms of aircraft. Pulling what was always going to be a low yield route is a relatively low cost way of building some resilience in the schedule.

Let’s hope the 1st April 2025 date is firm.

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Comments (644)

This article is closed to new comments. Feel free to ask your question in the HfP forums.

  • meta says:
    11 Oct11 October 17:09

    Annoyingly the one time I’m booked in WTP on day time flight from Doha, they cancel and they push me to fly during night. I only booked last week. Since almost no other airlines fly PE from Doha, it’s either that or downgrade to economy on QR. And of course there are no J seats on QR either even if I wanted to upgrade.

    I normally don’t fly BA long haul since the pandemic and this just confirms their unreliability. I know it’s not their fault, but this RR engine thing has been going on for months. It’s really poor planning.

    • GS says:
      12 Oct12 October 07:36

      I was in same boat – called and rebooked via Dubai, still daytime flights (935 out of DOH compared to 0720 on the cancelled flight), and a lie in!

  • Darren says:
    11 Oct11 October 17:33

    F*cking great.

  • Vit says:
    11 Oct11 October 17:33

    For those with insights, will this start a domino-effect on other routes that utilise 787? (i.e. HKG). We are due to depart in early December or too early to tell?

    • meta says:
      11 Oct11 October 17:42

      Very likely. Second flight to Doha has been cancelled also 787.

    • BJ says:
      11 Oct11 October 18:07

      Somebody (@JDB I think) reported recently that HKG returning to a single daily rotation to HKG soon so presumably they’ll likely use a larger aircraft such as a 773.

      • BlueStar says:
        11 Oct11 October 18:35

        I’ve got flights to HKG booked for next June, this was originally due to be a 777 but for the summer schedule it was updated to a A350 🙂

        • BJ says:
          11 Oct11 October 20:19

          In Janyary we were on a weekend 788 which was changed to a 789, we git uograded wuth one other to F but still with J service despite being only Blue on 2-4-1.

      • meta says:
        11 Oct11 October 18:50

        That’s what they thought they could do with Doha…

  • Richie says:
    11 Oct11 October 17:36

    Is Air Belgium not cheap enough?

  • Anna L says:
    11 Oct11 October 17:37

    What happen to those who booked the flights using 241 voucher?…

    • Alex G says:
      11 Oct11 October 17:48

      “What happen to those who booked the flights using 241 voucher?”

      You have the same right to be re-routed as someone paying cash.

      • Anna L says:
        11 Oct11 October 18:37

        Just called them, I asked to be booked with Malaysian Airlines they said no. I asked to be rerouted via Singapore (transit) they said no. They said “per the policy” they can only rebook me with Qatar or Japan Airlines!!!!

  • Eoc says:
    11 Oct11 October 17:45

    I go regularly to KL and am very happy with the Doha shuffle. 2 hrs to get a shower, have a decent ground meal and stretch my legs. Double up TP and Avios too. Wouldn’t consider ever using BA on this route just to save 90 mins or so in exchange for all the delays, indifferent service and occasional utter collapse of service.

    • Talay says:
      12 Oct12 October 07:12

      My route is LHR-BKK and BA returning to Bangkok with their 8 across coffin business from Gatwick made me look at KUL as a potential alternative into the region and a way to use Avios and either a 241 or a Barclays upgrade voucher etc.

      The new BA business suite offered on the KUL route with potential first class as well was attractive.

      But like you, I have become accustomed to (in my case) Etihad’s service on the LHR-AUH-BKK route with (usually) 2 or 3 hours in the middle to break it up, have something to eat and get that all important shower.

      I’ll never fly MH after MH370 (irrational perhaps but hey ho) and if paying with Avios, I’d be on QR over BA any day.

  • Alex G says:
    11 Oct11 October 17:46

    “British Airways is also having issues with the Trent 1000 engines used on the 787 fleet, which has led to multiple cancellations in recent weeks. This is an industry-wide problem, not just a BA one.”

    Its a problem for airlines (such as BA) who chose RR engines.

    2/3rds of 787s are powered by General Electric.

  • qc says:
    11 Oct11 October 17:48

    MH not being offered online – do you think it’s too soon to call up. I want MH1 – not the daytime flight.

    • sigma421 says:
      11 Oct11 October 17:51

      You could try. I imagine some commercial guidelines will land shortly and it may be easier once they are out.

      I’m in Y+ which neither MH nor QR offer, so will need to have a think.

    • Aston100 says:
      11 Oct11 October 18:13

      As someone else said, last time the route got cancelled they put people onto MAS.
      In our case, it took them like 3 days or so to organise themselves, during which time they wouldn’t commit to rebooking / rerouting / whatever.

      So hold on for a couple of days.

      • Darren says:
        11 Oct11 October 18:56

        I’ve booked on a mix BA, QR and MH with a very helpful young man. Very happy with a swap from CW to CS and Qsuite, barring any further changes.

        As I’ve experienced before it’s good to have YOUR preferences sorted prior to calling.

    • Anna L says:
      11 Oct11 October 18:39

      Just called and they said no Malaysia airlines, only Qatar or JAL

      • Rob says:
        11 Oct11 October 19:08

        Take Qatar, 560 tier points.

        • BJ says:
          11 Oct11 October 19:27

          Not everybody cares about TP though. If the new JAL A350 is on the evening flight and I wasn’t pushed for time I’d 100% do JAL just to give it a try.

          • AspirationalFlyer says:
            11 Oct11 October 19:34

            I agree. I’ve flown Qatar on various flights recently and the novelty has worn off. Even in the Al Safwa lounge last week it was almost impossible to get a shower. That’s with a hour plus wait too. Food was also fairly average. Drinks selection is also far superior in the Concorde Room, which is one benefit of flying BA!

          • Anna L says:
            11 Oct11 October 19:39

            Yeah I don’t care about TP, my travel plan means I will get my silver and far from gold, so some extra TP doesn’t do anything for me. I would take Changi over Doha any day…love the Jewel. JAL would have been a good option except that the flights they offered me (which I refused) require a change between Haneda and Narita.

          • BJ says:
            11 Oct11 October 20:38

            I don’t blame you, I wouldn’t do the HND NRT transfer either. A pity because JAL is so much better. I’m no expert on TP as I hace zero interest but J’d havevthought those 560 on top of silver will get you gold?

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