Flight Review: Malaysia Airlines MH602 from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur (for London Heathrow) by Boeing 737-800 (ML-series)

Malaysia Airlines MH602 SIN KUL for LHR 001

Despite being on a very familiar flight route with a familiar airline, this time, I’m heading to a rather different destination. As with most daytime connections through KL, I am booked on Malaysia Airlines MH602 from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur, the first flight of the day, in order to meet the connections in KLIA for my next leg of the journey.

Malaysia Airlines MH602 SIN KUL for LHR 002

Malaysia Airlines does not have any early check-in services at Changi Airport. As such, I can only check-in for my flight just 2 hours prior to departure. Yes, even if I check in a day before when the counter is opened for an earlier flight. I’ve tried asking.

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Also, as Jewel wasn’t opened yet, there was also not much to do on in the public area at 4am on a weekday morning.

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Checking-in for my flight through from Singapore to London Heathrow.

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My boarding pass for my Malaysia Airlines MH602 flight from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur.

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My onward boarding pass for my Malaysia Airlines MH4 flight from Kuala Lumpur to London Heathrow, retrieved from Singapore Changi Airport.

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My boarding passes from Singapore to London Heathrow.

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Once done, immigration was just ahead.

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As I wouldn’t be able to see Jewel during the preview days or on the first few opening days, I caught the reinstated T2 to T3 Skytrain line to have a preview of what it looks like.

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The reinstated long lost line.

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The new route map on board the Skytrain features the reinstated line running through Jewel. However, access to this Skytrain line is currently limited to passengers within the Transit Area only.

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The interior of the Skytrain.

As the cab view of Jewel only works when the train is heading back from T3 to T2, with the two transit cars on the T2 end, I waited till then to get some shots.

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Heading up the incline to the T3-T2 line which I haven’t taken in years.

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The door to Jewel opens just as the train enters the curve before the loop line points.

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Heading into Jewel.

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The train slows down upon entering Jewel, which feels like an even slower speed as compared to when the train was just passing over the T1 carpark. Not sure if it’s just a perception or that the speed is reduced for photo-taking.

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Crossing with the other T2-T3 Skytrain 3-car set. With the opening of Jewel and the increase in passenger numbers in Terminal 1, train capacity have been increased and the reinstated line now runs with 2 transit cars and 1 public car*.

*The public car is not in service yet and ran empty.

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Heading out of Jewel.

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Crossing back to the main line.

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Turning right towards T2.

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Heading down the ramp.

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Approaching back to T2.

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Arrived back at T2 in time for me to walk over to the F gates for my flight.

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Heading to Gate F51 for my flight.

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Gate F51 is a dreaded gate to hear and a constant gate for almost every MH602 flight.

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Does the number or gate position sound familiar?

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That’s right – Gate F51 is a bus gate.

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Once security was cleared, I headed down to the bus terminal Gate F51.

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The interior of Gate F51, the bus gate.

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The first door is a dedicated bay for the Terminal 4 Free Shuttle Bus Service (Transit Area).

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The timetable of the Terminal 4 Free Shuttle Bus Service (Transit Area).

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My bus flight to KL was departing at the next door.

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As a bus ride was necessary to get to the plane, the final call was made earlier than usual.

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Inside my bus to KL to the plane to KL.

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Hey.

Heyheyhey.

No, wait.

Can we go to a different plane? Please?

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As compared with other apron buses taken around Asia, Changi’s security is probably the tightest with only one door used to link up directly with the mobile stairs, and a security staff at each side of the gap between the bus and the mobile stairs.

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Heading up to the aircraft door.

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The old livery on a Malaysia Airlines 737 is scary. As scary as a Lima Hantu.

However, instead of MLH where all scary things end, 9M-MLE is taking me from Singapore to KL this morning.

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The Malaysia Airlines Business Class seats on 9M-MLE, the dreaded -ML series.

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The interior of the Malaysia Airlines Economy Class cabin on this -ML series aircraft and former HK Express plane.

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My window seat at 16A.

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The average legroom on this -ML series, comparable to budget airlines. Oh wait, it is an ex-HK Express plane.

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A channel control is also available, probably used during the aircraft’s Hong Kong Airlines era for the drop-down screen entertainment.

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The aircon vents and reading lights on this Boeing 737-800.

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The entertainment system available on board. Oops.

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The entertainment system I used on board this flight.

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After my bus arrived, there was still a last batch of passengers coming on the next bus. Ah well, I should have waited for the next bus.

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The view of the cabin from my seat.

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Finally, the last bus arrived and made a turn away from the aircraft once all passengers have alighted.

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Once everyone was on board, the mobile stairs pushed back.

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finally, ready for departure. Can’t wait for this flight to end already.

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The safety video was played on the drop-down screens.

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The quality was rather fuzzy, as if watching it from a VCR or VHS tape.

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Once the video was done, the TVs stowed back up.

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And that’s the end of the use of the drop-down screens for the flight.

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Heading for a long taxi to the runway.

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Taking off from Changi Airport.

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Goodbye Singapore. I won’t be just 45 minutes away for this trip.

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Crossing over to Malaysia.

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Flying past the jammed Causeway this Monday morning.

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Heading up to cruising altitude.

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Once the seat belt signs were switched off, the standard affair of a pack of peanuts and a cup of orange juice was served, with an option for plain water as well.

Surprisingly, hot coffee and tea were available on this flight by order – the crew would note down your seat number and make your drink once the peanut service was completed. However, I didn’t ask for one since I was planning to sleep on my next flight.

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Descending into KL.

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Approaching KLIA.

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Touched down at KLIA at 7.33am – 7 minutes early.

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Taking the high-speed taxiway to KLIA.

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Not using klia2 this time.

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The familiar Main Terminal Building seen from the aircraft.

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Back at Malaysia Airlines territory.

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Hmm, which transport should I take to the Satellite Building.

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Turning into Gate B6.

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I wonder which is more scary: to get a -ML series aircraft or to get FFFed.

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Parked at the Main Terminal Building.

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Heading to the terminal by the aerobridge.

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Heading to the central part of the building.

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Re-checking my onward flight details, which isn’t showing up quickly enough.

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But I headed to the Aerotrain station anyway, since I don’t think my A350 flight would be departing from here.

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Ah, here we go again.

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As I wasn’t going to experience the KL rush hour sample before I go to London, I headed to the bus instead since I had quite a bit of time before my next flight.

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Heading down to the bus terminal.

Wasn’t planning on taking a single bus today, but, here we go.

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The non-existent queue for the shuttle bus.

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Boarding the shuttle bus to the Satellite Terminal.

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The interior of the shuttle bus.

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Looks like there aren’t any more passengers boarding.

However, a lot of Polis Bantuan came on board just as the bus was about to depart.

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Departing from the Main Terminal Building.

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My police bus to the Satellite Terminal. Never felt so safe before.

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Turning to the Satellite Terminal.

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Looking back at the Main Terminal Building.

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Arrived at the Satellite Terminal.

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Disembarking from the shuttle bus.

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I took a bus earlier to KL. Is this the bus to London?

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Heading up from the arrival bus bay, gate numbers are posted at the end of the escalator.

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The arrival bus bay is located at the pier of Gates C11-C17. Here, I checked my flight details before heading on my way.

Overall, it was a reasonable short-haul experience on an ex-low-cost-carrier cabin and taking into account the overall fare I paid to London, I guess this isn’t so bad. I’ll probably be pissed off with this -ML series aircraft if I had bought a Singapore to KL ticket only.

But of course, on to my next flight which is my key experience target since the delivery was announced but I haven’t had the chance to experience it till now.

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