Flight Review – Scoot TR411: Kota Bharu to Singapore by Airbus A320-200

Scoot TR411 is Scoot’s newest route, flying from Kota Bharu non-stop to Singapore, making it Scoot’s 7th gateway to Malaysia. The flight path spans almost the entire Peninsular Malaysia on the East Coast, save for a small portion between Kota Bharu and Pengkalan Kubor, hence my calling this flight as the new-age Ekspres Rakyat Timuran.

As I was unable to catch the Cityliner Service 9 to Sultan Ismail Petra Airport, I got a Grab instead.

Approaching the departure hall on my Grab.

Heading into the terminal building from the driveway.

I guess the blind with guide dogs can’t fly out of here then.

Heading to the check-in counters. Security screening is done before entering the check-in area.

The Scoot check-in counters at Kota Bharu Sultan Ismail Petra Airport.

Queuing up to check-in.

Clear, yellow Scoot signs are clipped to hang over the counters.

My receipt-like boarding pass.

Two similar copies are printed and stapled together, with the front for the gate agent to take and the back for me. The passenger copy just has additional reminders printed on it.

The back of the boarding pass. Yup, definitely meant as a receipt.

Heading to walk around the terminal since I was early.

The central part of the terminal with the Sultan’s portrait displayed.

Continuing on to the other side of the terminal.

The departure screen with my Scoot flight to Singapore flashed.

Heading upstairs to KFC, the fast food restaurant offers great views of the apron and airfield.

The overall view of the airfield of Sultan Ismail Petra Airport.

And here comes my Scoot plane operating as TR410 from Singapore to Kota Bharu.

A Malindo ATR72 yielding on the taxiway for the Scoot Airbus A320 as it lands.

A nice touch down at Kota Bharu.

Scoot 9V-TRC “宝贝” showing off her Tiger stripes when the thrust reversers are deployed.

9V-TRC “宝贝” heading to the gate after u-turning from the runway.

Turning into Gate 2.

9V-TRC “宝贝” parked at Gate 2 of Kota Bharu Sultan Ismail Petra Airport. The Airbus A320 looks like a giant here.

Heading for security screening and into the departures area after spotting the arrival of the aircraft.

Once done with security screening, it was an escalator ride up to the departures area.

Lots of seats are laid out here just like how the LCCT used to look like.

Some kiosks are available for expensive drinks and snacks.

The international departures area is at the end of the hall.

Instead of saying International Departures, the sticker sign simply says “To Singapore” since it’s the only international destination from Kota Bharu thanks to Scoot.

Immigration and another round of security screening for liquids are also specially for the Scoot plane.

9V-TRC “宝贝” at Gate 2, spotted before queuing for immigration and entering the gate hold room.

The name and registration of 9V-TRC “宝贝”.

The length of the terminal for the 3 gates.

Queuing up for immigration.

Yup, heading back to Singapore.

Once done with immigration and another round of security screening, all that’s left is this gate hold room for Singapore-bound passengers.

My boarding pass was stamped by immigration along with my passport.

The exit stamp of Malaysia with L.T. SULTAN ISMAIL PETRA K.B. written on it, one that you can only get with this new Scoot flight.

Once the very first boarding call was made for BoardMeFirst, everyone just boarded freely, whether you were pregnant, elderly, at Row 1, or Row 31.

Heading down the aerobridge to my plane.

Hello, Scoot 宝贝.

Boarding the new-age Ekspres Rakyat Timuran from Kota Bharu to Singapore.

The interior of Scoot’s Airbus A320.

My window seat for this trip.

The legroom on board Scoot’s Airbus A320.

The view of the rather full aircraft from my seat.

The view out of the window from my seat.

A Firefly ATR72 arriving at Kota Bharu.

Once past departure time, the Captain came on the PA system to tell everyone quite candidly that everybody is ready to go but the aerobridge is broken down, and “yeah, (he) can’t believe it too”. So basically, we were just stuck to the gate.

At this time, dark clouds also started rolling in.

It’s going to be a bumpy ride.

Finally pushing back from the gate.

The ground staff literally pushing back the aerobridge by hand too.

Leaving the airport terminal.

Taxiing towards Runway 28. Hmm, I guess there’s some wind change since the take-off is in the opposite direction from the landing.

Passing by the car park of Kota Bharu Sultan Ismail Petra Airport.

The last view of Kelantan scenery.

Taking off from Runway 28.

Goodbye Kota Bharu.

Flying over Jalan Pengkalan Chepa, the main road to get from Kota Bharu Sultan Ismail Petra Airport to Kota Bharu city.

Looking down at Jalan Pengkalan Chepa.

The view of downtown Kota Bharu with Parkson and Sultan Yahya Petra Bridge clearly visible.

Making a u-turn to head south.

Looking back at Kota Bharu Sultan Ismail Petra Airport.

Looping around with the view of Pengkalan Chepa.

Kota Bharu Sultan Ismail Petra Airport from the side.

The last view of Kelantan.

Here on, it was about a good 10 minutes of heading through thick stormy clouds. The pilot did mention before take-off to expect this and that the seat belt signs won’t be going off early.

Breaking through the last storm clouds as the plane continued smoothly after.

Heading on to Singapore at 33,000ft.

The cruise lasted for just around 10 minutes before the plane began the descend into Singapore.

More bumpy clouds down.

An airplane glory of my Airbus A320 was formed on one of the many clouds.

Placed in a holding pattern before Changi Airport.

A Turkish Airlines plane below mine, also in a holding pattern.

Spinning around off Desaru.

Looking at the moon from the plane towards evening time, still spinning around.

Flying over Bandar Penawar on approach to Singapore.

Flying over Pulau Tekong on approach to Singapore.

Flying past an almost-empty Ladang Camp on Pulau Tekong on a Sunday evening before book-in timing.

Crossing over to mainland Singapore.

Flying past Changi Ferry Terminal which is managed by Johor Port Authority (JPA) under a lease.

Flying past the new taxiways for the third runway and to Terminal 5.

Touched down at 6.35pm – 5 minutes early despite the earlier delay by the malfunctioning aerobridge.

Taxiing past Terminal 4 to loop back to Terminal 2.

Heading to Terminal 2.

Turning into Gate F56.

Parked at Gate F56.

Disembarking the aircraft via the aerobridge.

The long aerobridge at this MARS gate.

Heading for a 6-gate walk to arrivals.

The plane would be heading back to Malaysia for the next flight, but to KL instead.

This is interesting – a Malaysia Airlines Airbus A330-300 in Changi Airport. I guess demand must be high for them to operate one flight a day (MH613/MH616) with this widebody aircraft.

Heading down for arrival immigration and to exit the airport.

Overall, a rather unbelievable new flight considering that I took just around an hour to get from Kota Bharu to Singapore with the new-age Ekspres Rakyat Timuran by Scoot as compared to almost 24 hours when going up by land with Transtar Cross Border TS8 and the real Ekspres Rakyat Timuran 26up the previous day. The crowd on the plane was also quite encouraging, for this Sunday flight. I hope this new route will be able to sustain in the long run for easier travelling to Kota Bharu.