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Malaysia Airlines Business Class Review: Is it Worth It?

Poor old Malaysia Airlines. The brand at the front of two of the worst air disasters in recent years. They have bravely stuck with their name and are soldiering on.

When the travel agent said they had the best deal business class to get to Thailand I thought gosh what are the odds of there being a third disaster – and let’s help a poor struggling brand get back up and going.

So off I headed – and here is my Malaysia Airlines Business Class Review.

Malaysia Airlines Business Class Review – London to Kuala Lumpur – The cabin

I was on Malaysia Airlines A380 business class london to kuala lumpur on both legs of the journey. For the A380 it already feels a little bit tired. The seats are next to each other – you don’t have the privacy of the “pods” that many other airlines now have in business.

The seats extend to a full bed and of course, once you are lying down you can’t see the person next to you. It is a little more awkward when you are the window and need to step over to go to the bathroom but there you go.

You are supplied with a sort of base sheet as well as a duvet and pillow.

⇒ Got a stopover in Kuala Lumpur? Click here to read my guide One Day in Kuala Lumpur.

malaysia airlines a380 business class review business class seat
Flat Bed seat

I did have the experience of visiting the largest loo I have ever seen on a plane. It was twice the size of the standard loo. It felt quite decadent.

bathroom in malaysia airlines business class
The giant loo!

The in-flight toiletries weren’t great – Porsche design? Acca Kappa body lotion and lip balm – never heard of them? The entertainment system is decent.

The selection of films was quite extensive as were the tv options. They are more extensive than say Etihad but less extensive than singapore, Qantas, BA etc. But enough of a choice to keep you going.

I was surprised that the entertainment options were the same on my return flight in January as they were heading out in December. I also flew from Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok business with Malaysia airlines.

This was a more old-fashioned business setup with wide reclining seats but no beds – not that this was needed. It was a decent enough business class for a 2-hour journey.

⇒ And definitely log in to 12Go when you’re organising how you’re going to get around Malaysia. This super easy to use platform has all modes of transport on the one platform and allows you to compare based on time, cost, and reviews.

Malaysia Airlines Business Class Review 2018 – The food and wine

The food was a highlight for me – although I highly recommend you go with the local cuisine options as they were by far the tastiest. The best thing was the satays provided not long after takeoff.

A man with a trolley piled high with chicken and beef satays comes around. The satay sauce is excellent. This is almost a giant amuse-bouche before you head into the starter, main and dessert.

chicken with satay sauce malaysia airlines business class
The satays!

I had the chicken rendang and the ayam masak merah in and out – both of which were very good. The egg noodles dine anytime option wasn’t as tasty – a bit more pot noodle plus. The Asian beef was a better option on return.

lunch on malaysia airlines in business class
lunch on the Kuala Lumpur to Bangkok leg

The beverage selection was good. Proper French champagne. They had a nice Wairau River sav blanc as well.

Do you need a Visa?

It can be a real pain trying to figure out if you need a visa for a country and then all the hassle of figuring out how to apply, how long you can go without your passport, when the embassy is open etc.

iVisa has completely revolutionised this process and put it all online and make it super simple and paper and hassle free!

Malaysia Airlines a380 Business Class Review – The service

The service was good but not outstanding. It was a bit of a mix on the timeliness front – I waited a good 20 minutes for a drink once or twice but then everything else was very quick and efficient.

Malaysia Airlines Business Class Lounge Heathrow & Kuala Lumpur

glass of champagne in lounge at heathrow terminal 4 for malaysia airlines business class
The lounge at Heathrow Terminal 4

The Malaysia Airlines business class lounge Heathrow Terminal 4 was ok but nothing great. It is located near Gate 6 and is shared with Gulf Air. There is proper champagne which is very good.

However, I arrived at 8 pm for a 930pm flight and the food options were very limited and not particularly appealing. It is quite a small space and there were minimal snacks on offer. But the wifi was good.

Malaysia Airlines flies to wide variety of destinations: Austria, Brisbane, the Gold Coast, Melbourne, Perth, Sydney, Hong Kong, Rome, Japan, Kathmandu, Singapore, South Africa, South Korea, Thailand, Istanbul, Edinburgh, Glasgow, London, New York and Vietnam.

entrance to malaysia airlines business class lounge at Gate G Kuala Lumpur Airport
The impressive entry to the lounge at Gate G Kuala Lumpur Airport

Arriving in KL Malaysia Airlines has 3 lounges. Kuala Lumpur is not exactly Changi – it is a dated airport. I used the lounge at H gate.

The entry was impressive but it wasn’t as impressive inside. However, it did have a curry laksa bar which I tried and it was excellent.

curry laksa at malaysia airlines business class lounge kuala lumpur airport gate h
Laksa bar at Kuala Lumpur airport Gate H

Heading out of KL I went to the lounge at the C gates which was much better. It is just above the trains that transport you across the terminals. It was a lot bigger and newer.

However, like the rest of Malaysia airlines, it did feel a bit old and tired.

Wanting to get a better understanding of the value for money in Premium Economy? Read my reviews of British Airways World Traveller Plus, Virgin Atlantic Premium Economy and American Airlines Premium Economy.

malaysia airlines business class lounge at C Gate Kuala Lumpur Airport
C Gate Lounge Kuala Lumpur Airport

How Good is Malaysia Airlines?

Overall I would give the experience of flying business with Malaysia an average. I certainly think that Singapore, BA, Etihad and Qantas all offer a more modern and better business class experience.

However, obviously, I flew with Malaysia Airlines because of the price. Most importantly you can get a decent sleep on the plane and there are good food and wine options.

Perhaps if they modernized the lounges they would get me back again.

Boutique Hotels in Kuala Lumpur:

For a great value, comfortable hotel in the middle of everything check out Anggun. The friendly and knowledgeable staff will make your stay. Prices start from £53

If you are happy to stay out of the heart of things try Villa Samadhi. It is located in the embassy district and has an incredibly instagrammable pool! Price from £165 per night.

business class cabin with screens malaysia airlines
In-flight entertainment

KL Journal Hotel is located in the Bukit Bintang entertainment industry. It is a very tech-friendly and hip hotel with free wifi, a communal work area, specialty coffee concept and even better a rooftop bar. Prices start from £65

If you are looking to stay near KL international airport check out my review of the fantastic Sama Sama Hotel which is literally at the airport.

The transport links are fantastic and this is a great easy to stay in a super convenient hotel. Prices start from £88

Gold statue at the entrance to Batu Caves Kuala Lumpur
The very impressive entrance to Batu Caves

Guided Tour Options

If you’re short on time somewhere taking a guided tour can be a great option. Get your own private guide for a Kuala Lumpur city tour, take a half-day local food walking tour to enjoy some of the great tastes of Kuala Lumpur, book a half-day tour with a local or take a Kuala Lumpur night tour.

Tours for Solo Travellers:

travelling solo to Malaysia? Here are a few group tour options:

Just You in fabulous Borneo

Exodus Holidays Malaysia

Explore Holidays Malaysia

G Adventures Malaysia

Who Paid for What in this Malaysia Airlines Business Class Review Post

I covered all of the costs associated with writing this Malaysia Airlines business class review. This post does contain affiliate links. This means if you click through on them and end up making a purchase I will receive a small commission. I wanted to make sure that you were aware of this.

READ NEXT: REVIEW OF Air France BUSINESS CLASS

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Thinking about flying Business Class on Malaysia Airlines? here is my Review of the Malaysia Airlines a380 business class - from the lounges to the seats to the champagne #businessclass #malaysiaairlines #airlines #airlinereviews

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beth

Monday 20th of November 2017

Is there WiFi in business class on he A380 LHR-KUL?

The Boutique Adventurer

Tuesday 21st of November 2017

Gosh Beth I don't quite remember which makes me think there wasn't. Sorry not be more helpful! Have been on quite a few planes since - I will make a note to note this going forward.

Pete

Thursday 9th of February 2017

You know, business class travel just has to be decent for it to be worthwhile, in my view. Crowded economy seats and indifferent fodder make travel a test of endurance, but business class just has to overcome those limitations. I don't need to travel in luxury - that's first class territory - just comfort and a chance to sleep on longhaul.

I see business class as being the standard of air travel. It's the way flying should be. Indeed, the way it was in the old days, when even economy passengers had a decent seat pitch and width. Nowadays, it can be an exercise in Tetris to fit everything in to the mean little space they give one.

If airlines compete for business class luxury, with the suites and the freebies, then it has two effects. It invariably adds more space, which tends to be squeezed out of the economy cabin, and it widens the gap between premium and the rest.

Most people I know fly a mix of economy and business. Why shouldn't business class be just a better seat and more room? The same people use both products; they don't suddenly become the great unwashed or the filthy rich depending on whether they turn left or right.

I guess that's modern travel marketing at work; getting bums on seats.

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