re: Flights & Flying
 

You're kidding? Just looking at the EasyJet website and it's not showing on the routemap. Link please? Not that I will be flying anywhere in the near future, but good to know nevertheless.

re: Flights & Flying
 

Free access to airport lounges

Access to airport lounges across the region (Malaysia, Singapore, Thailand, Indonesia, & Cambodia) is a nice benefit for CIMB Preferred customers.

In Malaysia this includes complimentary access to all Plaza Premium Lounges (KL, Penang, Johor, Langkawi, Kota Kinabalu and Kuching) up to four times per year. There’s a full list here: CIMB Preferred : Airport Lounges

To qualify for CIMB Preferred membership you need RM250,000 Assets Under Management (AUM) with CIMB. Your AUM is a combination of any deposit and/or investment products. I think the entry level increased towards the end of 2014.

For the CIMB Preferred T&Cs , see here:
http://www.cimbpreferred.com/index.p...4&ac=1&bb=file

For would-be MM2H participants who intend to travel around the region, this benefit (and several others) may be a good reason to park their MM2H Fixed Deposit (MM2H FD) with CIMB, where it will be included in their AUM. However the interest rate on the MM2H FD offered by CIMB may be a little less than some other banks.

It’s important to choose which bank you use for your MM2H FD carefully, as since July 2014 MM2H participants are not allowed to transfer their MM2H FD from one bank to another. I’m not sure why this is, but suspect transfer requests became an administrative headache for the Ministry of Tourism.

I don’t bank with CIMB, but sometimes wish I did.

JC3

re: Flights & Flying
 

DIRECT FLIGHTS FROM PENANG

Here's a list of direct flights and airlines from Penang I've compiled from various sources including Wikipedia, the Penang Airport website & the airlines' own websites.

If you know any more, or see any errors, please update the list.

JC3

Country /Destination / Airline
China Guangzhou China Southern Airlines
China Nanning Firefly
China Hong Kong Dragonair
Indonesia Banda Aceh Firefly
Indonesia Jakarta-Soekarno Hatta AirAsia
Indonesia Medan AirAsia
Indonesia Medan Lion Air
Indonesia Surabaya AirAsia
Malaysia Johor Bahru AirAsia
Malaysia Kota Bharu Firefly
Malaysia Kota Bharu Malindo Air
Malaysia Kota Kinabalu AirAsia
Malaysia Kuala Lumpur AirAsia
Malaysia Kuala Lumpur Malaysia Airlines
Malaysia Kuala Lumpur-Subang Firefly
Malaysia Kuala Lumpur-Subang Malindo Air
Malaysia Kuantan Firefly
Malaysia Kuching AirAsia
Malaysia Langkawi AirAsia
Malaysia Langkawi Firefly
Malaysia Malacca Malindo Air
Malaysia Miri AirAsia
Singapore Singapore AirAsia
Singapore Singapore Jetstar Asia Airways
Singapore Singapore SilkAir
Singapore Singapore Tigerair
Taiwan Taipei-Taoyuan China Airlines
Thailand Bangkok-Don Mueang AirAsia
Thailand Bangkok-Suvarnabhumi Thai Airways
Thailand Koh Samui Firefly
Thailand Krabi Firefly
Thailand Krabi Malindo Air
Thailand Phuket Firefly

Re: Flights & Flying
 

Fancy flying to Tokyo for £80, or Perth for £70 ?

Blimey, that is cheap!
These all-in one-way fares are from Penang via KL, fly now until 12th July 2015 in Air Asia’s Flash Sale

Hangzhou RM369

Colombo RM369

Perth RM389

Tokyo RM449

Seoul RM449

JC3

Re: Flights & Flying
 

For the cheapskates among us I flew Etihad from Penang->Kuala Lumpur -> Abu Dhabi -> London Heathrow for £392.36 (about 2,200 MYR) one way.

I usually fly from Penang to Singapore and stop overnight before catching the morning Singapore A380 to London Heathrow, but Singapore Airlines were asking £940 (about 5,270 MYR) one way which I thought excessive.

I've never done such a long, multi-leg flight before, but the 21.55 departure time and overnight changeovers (couple of hours each) suited my schedule. Arrived in London around 14:00 hrs which allowed for good onward connections. All in all very not too bad and worth the saving.

Re: Flights & Flying
 

Yeh these multi-leg flights can be real bargains. Also worth checking out if you are thinking of coughing up for business class flights. When we were working, we did this and it can be quite pleasant if you get the timings right.

Re: Flights & Flying
 

Just reading that MAS is axing a few destinations (no big surprise I guess).

Flights to Frankfurt were suspended last week. Now plans to drop Cochin, Kunming and Krabi. No doubt there will be more to come.

I read this on the Star Online here:
MAS to axe three more flight routes - Nation | The Star Online

Re: Flights & Flying
 

Not sure if this has been mentioned on this topic, so apologies if it has already.

I saw some friends today who live part of the year in Goa, and they gleefully announced that Air Asia is doing direct flights from KL to Goa from August 2015. Of course they are very pleased. I imagine a lot of other people will be too.

Re: Flights & Flying
 

Anyone tried the new British Airways flights to the UK from KL?

Re: Flights & Flying
 

Air France has just announced it is to abandon its Paris - Kuala Lumpur service, though no date has been given yet. It is going through a major cost-cutting exercise similar to Malaysia airlines with aircraft sales etc etc.

Re: Flights & Flying
 

Interesting to see that Flybe's Chief Commercial Officer is joining Malaysia Airlines to head up Network Planning and Development as well as Sales and Marketing and Customer Care - quite an ask. So long as he doesn't paint the planes that awful Dairy Milk colour :sneaky:

Flybe commercial director lands Malaysian Airlines role | Western Morning News

Re: Flights & Flying
 

Has anybody had occasion to use the KLIA and KLIA2 hotels? I will be flying to Hanoi from Penang and the connections aren't great so I wondered if maybe I should stay overnight at the airport. I guess I could choose airside or landside but not sure which would be best?

Re: Flights & Flying
 

I use to stay at the Concorde Inn very close to the airport. It is reasonably priced and they provide free shuttle from KLIA. Don't know if they do the same for KLIA2 though.
(Check on their website)
The Sama.Sama hotel in the KLIA airport building is a luxury hotel and quite expensive.
Very nice though.....

Re: Flights & Flying
 

Hi IVV,

Another option might be to stay in KL, right next to KL Sentral station and the KLIA Ekspres. The train journey is less than 30 minutes.
The Hilton & Meridien hotels are right next to the station, as is the new Aloft hotel (Starwood Group) which would be a cheaper option.

Check the train schedule here:
KLIA Ekspres Schedule

Malaysia Airlines, Royal Brunei, Cathay Pacific, Emirates and Etihad provide a check-in service at KL Sentral.

JC3

Re: Flights & Flying
 

Hi IVV,

If you go through KLIA2 and just want to have a good night sleep, you could try the Tune Hotel, right at the airport (walking distance). It's not luxurious but will do the job.