I enjoyed an excellent flight from Kuala Lumpur to Bali on a brand new Malaysia Airlines A330-900neo in business class, a beautiful aircraft with a comfortable business class seat and excellent service onboard.
Malaysia Airlines A330-900neo Business Class Review (KUL-DPS)
The only reason I flew to Bali (and why the side trip to Timor-Leste came up) was because I wanted to review the latest addition to the Malaysia Airlines fleet: the A330-900neo. I’ve flown this aircraft on Delta and Virgin Atlantic and quite like it.
I booked my ticket using British Airways Avios at a cost of 22,000 Avios and $38 in taxes (a paid ticket was over 500 USD, though sometimes can be as cheap as 350 USD). Arriving early at KUL, I checked in for my flight then took a Mercedes Benz transfer over to the satellite gates where my flight would depart from.
> Read More: Malaysia Airlines Surprised Me With Chauffeured Mercedes-Benz Tarmac Transfers For Business Class Passengers
After a nice breakfast in the Golden Lounge, boarding began about 30 minutes prior to departure.
Malaysia Airlines 715
Kuala Lumpur (KUL) – Bali (DPS)
Sunday, November 2
Depart: 9:00 AM
Arrive: 12:05 PM
Duration: 3hr, 05min
Aircraft: Airbus A30-900neo
Distance: 1,219 miles
Seat: 5A (Business Class)
Stepping onboard, I was quite impressed by the sleek cabin design and mood lighting. I’ve often said that mood lighting can make any aircraft look sexy and is a key to why, in the USA, Delta’s old feet looks so new. But this was a brand new aircraft.
Seat
Business class features the Collins Aerospace Elevation seats arranged 1-2-1 in a reverse herringbone pattern. There are 28 seats in the cabin, spread over eight rows. Each seat has 44 inches of seat pitch, is 21 inches wide, and converts into a fully lie-flat bed.
Other seat features included:
- shoulder level literature pocket
- reading light
- ample storage (the headphone jack and USB-A + USB-C charging ports were located in the main storage cabinet under the window)
- touch panel to control seat position
- wireless charging port
- additional storage compartment under armrest
- IFE remote
- Coat hook
There were no individual air nozzles.
I did not sleep (after all, it was a three-hour flight departing at 9:00 am), but bedding on this regional flight included a duvet and pillow. On longer flights, mattress pads are available.
Each business class suite has a closing door, that offers additional privacy.
While a flight attendant told me the return leg to Kuala Lumpur was 100% full in both cabins, this flight was lightly-filled, with the business class load factor at under 50%. These pictures I took during the flight:
Wi-Fi + IFE
Each business class seat features a 17.3-inch 4K “ultra high definition” touch screen display and is loaded with content including movies, TV shows, games, and music. The selection was decent, but still struck me as below average in terms of the competition, especially when it came to movies.
The IFE system also features Bluetooth connectivity.
Noise-cancelling headphones were provided:
The screen was highly reflective.
What really impressed me, however, was the high-speed Viasat Wi-Fi. It was free and very easy to use: no login required. It worked well during the flight and I was happy to get work done I was not anticipating being able to complete.
Unfortunately (because I did enjoy the flight), our flight was not 6.5 hours as the Wi-Fi status screen indicated…our flight time was only about 2.5 hours.
It was a beautiful morning departing Kuala Lumpur International Airport:
Oh, and we had another stowaway on the window..maybe a cousin of Wee Willie Wasp?
Inflight Dining
A pre-departure beverages was offered…apple juice only…along with a cold towel.
Before takeoff, menus were distributed.
Breakfast was served promptly after takeoff, with a choice between:
- Nasi Lemak Chicken Rendang
- fragrant rice cooked in coconut milk and pandan leaves served with chicken rendang, sambal and omelette with traditional accompaniments
- Roasted Chicken Thigh with Glass Noodle
- served with egg slice, mushroom, pakchoy and carrot
- Poha Uppuma with Red Chutney
- served with vadai
I had the Nasi Lemak and it was very good, though I must once more mention that “petai” [stink beans] served on the side are very pungent and I wish airline would not serve pungent food, period. Too bad there was no satay on this flight!
Breakfast was served with a side of fruit, yogurt, and breakfast breads. The side dishes were served with plastic covers over them. I had coffee to drink, though I just took a couple sips since I had consumed a couple flat whites in the lounge.
Although the menu suggested that Malaysia Airlines did not serve alcoholic beverages, apparently these drinks are available upon request.
Beverage refills were offered until we began our descent into DPS.
Lavatories
The passenger to lavatory ratio is excellent, with one lavatory in the front of the cabin and two in the rear of the cabin reserved for business class passengers. I found the lavatory clean and was happy to see thicker paper towels rather than just tissues.
Amenties
No amenity kit, slippers, or other amenities were provided on this short flight to Bali.
Service
Service was very warm and attentive and I had a wonderful chat with Mr. Teck Hui, the purser/supervisor. I’ve never experienced bad service on Malaysia Airlines, but this was a particularly affable man who loved to chat and we had a nice chat about his decades working for MAS and for the airline industry in general.
The entire crew was lovely and very attentive.
CONCLUSION
Although we arrived over Bali early, we took a long approach into the airport and ultimately pulled up to the gate several minutes late.
It’s a shame this flight was so short, because I very much enjoyed it…the seat is comfortable, Wi-Fi was fast, flight attendants were peasant, and overall the A330-900neo is just a pleasure to fly on.
I found this to be a far better aircraft than the “flagship” A350-900 in business class (mostly because I find the Collins Aerospace Elevation seats much better than the Thompson Aero Vantage XL seats on the A350).
The race to Timor-Leste began upon landing.
Stinky beans. The durian of veg world.
They do not serve petai onboard.
What was that stinking ingredient?
Walk into a restroom that a patron has consumed these beans before you. Nasty.
Flown 7 of their 9 Neos so far. Seats 1 A and K – insane positioning of the power socket. It’s not visible and you have to use your fingers find the holes to jab your charger into. Squat storage space. Narrow foot-well. Lovely cabin with some colour and warmth that lacks in the 333s and 350s. Stunning screen and super-responsive. Content – agreed, dated and limited and for FF’s – repetitive. Strangely, no individual. As a consequence the window seats get warm and stuffy – all the more so when the door is shut. The seats – not as comfy as the Thomsons. Fine for the 2:30 hop to Bali but 8-9 hours plus, no thanks. I actually prefer flying the 333.
MH never serves petai onboard. I dont think any airline serves petai onboard.
Where, in the food picture, is said served-on-the-side petai?