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Thinking ahead to summer 2023.
I’m planning on visiting Malaysia and would like to use a companion voucher
I understand KUL has been dropped by BA (In fact, I was booked on that route for summer 2021), so I imagine I would need to go via Singapore.Is there a way to have a SIN > KUL flight protected somehow in case of delays with the BA flight?
Cannot combine a Malaysia Airlines cash ticket with a BA Avios booking.
Are there any interline arrangements with any of the airlines out of SIN perhaps? or am I going to have to overnight in SIN and take a LCC the next morning?
I was hoping to avoid overnighting, but am risk averse so don’t have the guts to book a SIN > KUL flight on a separate ticket the same evening as the BA arrival into SIN.
The return journey is fine as I’ll have all day to get back to SIN so won’t need to overnight.Any alternatives ideas welcome, but would need to make use of the companion voucher please and needs to be in summer, which I think rules out BKK.
Thanks.
Hi @Aston100 – BA won’t even interline on its own flights unless they are all on one PNR, so there’s zero chance of them doing it with another airline, I would guess. I think I’d be having a few days in Singapore, unless you’ve already visited and not bothered about spending more time there. Hopefully they will have sorted out the testing/quarantine nightmares by next year.
Anyway, I’m glad someone is thinking even further ahead than me, I’m currently planning Easter 2023!Hi Anna, thanks but we’ve done Singapore before.
Keen to get to NE Malaysia on this occasion, hence the need to get to KUL as quickly as possible to minimise downtime.Self-connecting through BKK is also an option on those dates BA are flying the route. I’ve done this to use a companion voucher and get somewhere BA doesn’t go.
I personally take the 3hours + minimum connect time (MCT) approach. It could go wrong of course, but BA would be on the hook for at least some compo if it did. ITA Matrix can calculate valid itineraries for you.
Thanks but this assumes BKK returns to a year-round schedule.
What are the chances? It feels to me like BA are trying to pull out of all leisure-heavy routes in East/South-East Asia.- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
Compo would depend on the reason for any delay. So if it was weather, for example, you’d have to rely on insurance for new flights and any other expenses. But this is what insurance is for, so if you’ve got a decent policy, book your trip then relax and enjoy it! It’s always going to be a risk with long haul travel.
The BA flight into Singapore is pretty reliable and Changi is usually very efficient with arrivals although in pre-COVID times a bit of a wait at immigration around that time wasn’t unknown. I’d be happy to book an onwards flight 3hrs later. At least some Malaysian Airlines tickets offer “go show” so you could travel earlier if seats were available .
Jetstar + Scoot + Malindo + Singapore airlines are the other options and outside of Friday nights/ holidays even a walk up ticket is cheap. Air Asia best avoided because the transfer T1-T4 is a pain (although their last flight is very late so an option in a pinch !)
- This reply was modified 55 years, 4 months ago by .
Thanks but this assumes BKK returns to a year-round schedule.
What are the chances? It feels to me like BA are trying to pull out of all leisure-heavy routes in East/South-East Asia.Unlikely, this was a pre-COVID cut. Peak season / yields for transatlantic traffic and the 787 can shuttle to the US twice in the same time as a SE Asia turn
Hi Anna, thanks but we’ve done Singapore before.
Keen to get to NE Malaysia on this occasion, hence the need to get to KUL as quickly as possible to minimise downtime.If you wanted to get to NE Malaysia asap, overnight near Changi, then through flight to Kota
Bahru the next morning via KL? Would get you there more or less the same time as if you slept in KL
(but depends if you’re staying in the city for a while, of course). Will be a great trip
either way – that part of Malaysia is gorgeous.Hi Anna, thanks but we’ve done Singapore before.
Keen to get to NE Malaysia on this occasion, hence the need to get to KUL as quickly as possible to minimise downtime.If you wanted to get to NE Malaysia asap, overnight near Changi, then through flight to Kota
Bahru the next morning via KL? Would get you there more or less the same time as if you slept in KL
(but depends if you’re staying in the city for a while, of course). Will be a great trip
either way – that part of Malaysia is gorgeous.Yes, if I remember correctly you’d need to be on the 6.15pm Malaysian Airlines flight to make a same day domestic connection which is too tight from BA on seperate tickets. If you happen to be heading to an island though then it is better to get at least as far as KL and take an early domestic flight so you can make your boat, one easy option is to stay in the KL airside hotel and take the morning domestic connection.
Few other options to investigate- if you stay in Singapore you may find the flight schedule works better on Firefly out of Seletar Airport via KL Subang (if they ever reopen that route !) or dependent on your exact destination Scoot were flying to Kuantan a few times a week. You could also get a car to collect you from Changi and take you to Johor Bahru for a cheap hotel stay and a direct Air Asia domestic flight to Kuala Terengganu the next day if the schedule suits. Wouldn’t do this on a Friday/Sunday/holiday due to traffic on the bridge
Thanks Michael and Sam.
The exact itinerary is yet to be determined as this is a long time away, but will be 3+ weeks and include some time in Kelantan and the islands off that coast, so yes a flight to Kota Bahru KBR and car hire from there is likely.Anyway, my priority is to work out a way to get myself from Singapore to either Kuala Lumpur or to Penang with as little risk of missing a connection as possible.
Sam’s last comment included airports I had not considered – so thanks for that.
Looks like an overnight is almost certainly needed in Singapore.Do we think BA will go back to 2 daily flights to SIN by next summer?
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