Jetstar Asia or Malaysian Airlines?

[Bunty]

Last time I did this, I flew Air Asia from the low cost terminal (LCCT). Great seats (leather) and keen service. Also, the food is fantastic (about $7 extra for Nasi Lemak). Very low fares and the LCCT is not much further than KLIA from the City. I recall there being a lounge at LCCT, though I cannot recall the brand.

Alternatively, as someone suggested earlier, FireFly is a MAS subsidiary and flies from Subang - much closer to the City.

 

[browski]

1. Sri Lankan airlines on an A330 in J oneway SIN-KUL is SGD 234 (AUD 178). Includes use of the Changi Skyview Lounge. (NB. flights are not daily)
2. Firefly via Subang
3. Jetstar MAX

 

[Ansett]

Just done Mel-Sin-KL return on Jetstar and if you are QF then go with Jestar its only a very quick flight

 

[auskiwiflyer]

I would go JQ because you will earn points.

Both aircraft suck in terms of comfort, so you might as well get something back from the flight.

Who really gives a cough about food on such a short hop.

 

[Mal]

Malaysia will give points + SC (on certain fares) with Velocity. No lounge access arrangement though which is unfortunate.

 

[oz_mark]

Malaysia will give points + SC (on certain fares) with Velocity. No lounge access arrangement though which is unfortunate.

Not between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur though.

Sent from my HTC Legend using AustFreqFly

 

[Mal]

Not between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur though.

Good point. Did know about the no-internal Malaysia points earn, but thought SIN-KUL still earnt.

But obviously not:
"Velocity Points can not be earned on domestic flights within Malaysia or between Malaysia and Singapore and Brunei."

 

[Jeffrey O'Neill]

get a first class or business class bus that goes via the second link. the bus doesn't stop once you cross the border and you will be in downtown kl around4 hrs after clearing malaysian customs.

unless you're coming in on a flight and already at sin airport the bus will be just as fast, and WAY cheaper.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Not between Singapore and Kuala Lumpur though.

But you'll be flying non-stop to KUL.

 

[dajop]

get a first class or business class bus that goes via the second link. the bus doesn't stop once you cross the border and you will be in downtown kl around4 hrs after clearing malaysian customs.

unless you're coming in on a flight and already at sin airport the bus will be just as fast, and WAY cheaper.

Just a warning on the bus, via the second link (Tuas) - it really depends on when you will be travelling. I have taken a business class bus this way on Sat morning and returning Sun evening, and the driving itself only took 3.5-4 hrs. But the border crossings were exceptionally painful - nearly 2 hrs outbound and about 75 mins inbound. I left Singapore at around 8:15 and arrived in KL at about 14:15. If I'd been on a 9:30am flight, I would have been in the centre of KL around 11:30. The hold up was the large number of buses doing the trip at these times. I have also travelled once to KL and back via this link on bus during weektime (for a work conference during an air travel ban) and the crossings took about 10-15mins ... much better.

General advice for anyone - if it is a weekend (or Singapore public holiday) take a flight (however being a weekend will be more expensive). Otherwise, taking one of the first or business class buses (with 1-1 or 1-2 seating, in seat videos and some even with onboard refreshments) is worth considering.

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Following up...

Chose Jetstar to try something new and here were my experiences for others to heed:-


- Priority Boarding is non-existent - even though I specifically paid extra.

- Food (although not a big deal on such a short segment) was very poor quality. I didn't want the sandwich and the guy next to me said he'd had it once and "never again" after I offered it to him. Boy did I feel silly!

- Jetstar Asia a320 planes the overhead bins from rows 1-3 are reserved for crew and can't be used for general stowage. Sitting in Row 1, my carry was all the way back above row 4. Clearly someone saw this as an opportunity and my Bose Noise Cancelling headphones (QC 15) were stolen from my bags during the flight. Contacting Jetstar about this is totally impossible due to many reasons (no contact in malaysia, toll-free numbers only for singapore which are useless unless in SG, no way to follow up, no references unless a checked bag, the list goes on and on).

- For those who said points/lounge are worth it: FLounge is closed 9:30 - 3pm. Business lounge is a moot point.


Yes, all of this could have happened anytime with any airline - but in my 1000's of flights it never has. I went to the dark side and Karma bent me over. Jetstar* is officially added to my do not fly list, forever.



* excludes daytrips on JQ 35

 

[TheInsider]

Following up...

Chose Jetstar to try something new and here were my experiences for others to heed:-


- Priority Boarding is non-existent - even though I specifically paid extra.

- Food (although not a big deal on such a short segment) was very poor quality. I didn't want the sandwich and the guy next to me said he'd had it once and "never again" after I offered it to him. Boy did I feel silly!

- Jetstar Asia a320 planes the overhead bins from rows 1-3 are reserved for crew and can't be used for general stowage. Sitting in Row 1, my carry was all the way back above row 4. Clearly someone saw this as an opportunity and my Bose Noise Cancelling headphones (QC 15) were stolen from my bags during the flight. Contacting Jetstar about this is totally impossible due to many reasons (no contact in malaysia, toll-free numbers only for singapore which are useless unless in SG, no way to follow up, no references unless a checked bag, the list goes on and on).

- For those who said points/lounge are worth it: FLounge is closed 9:30 - 3pm. Business lounge is a moot point.


Yes, all of this could have happened anytime with any airline - but in my 1000's of flights it never has. I went to the dark side and Karma bent me over. Jetstar* is officially added to my do not fly list, forever.



* excludes daytrips on JQ 35

Priority Boarding always happened for all the flights i have been on and friends have been on over there.
Food is not done by Jetstar Asia, it's done by a catering company who does other airlines too!
Contact number for 3K in Malaysia is on the Jetstar website:

MALAYSIA
Telephone Number	1800 81 3090 (+61 3 9347 0091)
Monday to Sunday	24 hours

 

[fresherbill]

didn't get any food or drink, and they boarded by row alone (i.e. there was no priority boarding based on status or fare type).

I did SIN-KUL again on 3K again last week and it may as well have been a different airline from my prior experience. The first boarding call was for "passengers in rows 1 & 2, and those who have paid for priority boarding". Marched on ahead of the long queue that had formed and was grateful as it was a very full flight.

A few minutes after takeoff a FA came around and asked to see my boarding pass (almost in a demanding way!) to check for the included meal and confirm what sort of drink I wanted. The meal was a chicken focaccia... a bit bready but quite edible. I had an iced lemon tea to go with it. Even though takeoff to touchdown was 33 minutes they did well to serve the whole cabin.

Only thing noteworthy was the 1-hour delay, which would've been nice to know about when I was in the lounge. The boarding pass screams "Boading pass MUST be presented at gate D30 no later than 1855"... but at 1855 the gate wasn't even open (lights off, no personnel, no updated boarding time on the screen). :!:

 

[Austman]

Sorry to hear that a passenger sole something from your hand luggage. Not nice!! Will travel insurance at least help pay for it?

I usually pick the over-wing exit rows, knowing that some airlines block off some of the lockers in the first few rows (not just Jetstar) - or the lockers are simply not there.

The Qantas J lounge in SIN is probably better than the F lounge anyway (except perhaps after ca 5:30pm when finally some real food appears in the F lounge - and the showers - they are good).

 

[trippin_the_rift]

Priority Boarding always happened for all the flights i have been on and friends have been on over there.
Food is not done by Jetstar Asia, it's done by a catering company who does other airlines too!
Contact number for 3K in Malaysia is on the Jetstar website:

MALAYSIA
Telephone Number	1800 81 3090 (+61 3 9347 0091)
Monday to Sunday	24 hours

To be clear - PB was offered, but not policed. IMO this is the same as not existing. Poor girl trying to do everything by herself at the gate didn't have a chance holding the sign, talking on the speaker and checking BP's at the same time. Understaffed maybe?

I'm extremely upset about my headphones going for a ride with someone else. Chances of this happening would have been significantly less if overhead lockers were made available on rows 1-3. Problem solved by not flying certain airlines.

Booked a 1-way on malaysian biz for the return and will lose the 3K return leg.

At the end of the day things happen for a reason and I've learnt a valuable lesson - don't fly jetstar.

 

[Moopere]

At the end of the day things happen for a reason and I've learnt a valuable lesson - don't fly jetstar.

Yep. Every time I even get close to booking JQ (or 3K) I read a story like this and it saves me from a mistake. Thanks for sharing your story.

Can't wait for MH to join OW.

 

[Alanslegal]

At the end of the day things happen for a reason and I've learnt a valuable lesson - don't fly jetstar.

Tough call after this poor flight which was excarcerbated by a disgusting opportunistic thief.

I am on the other side of the fence where I've had nothing but good things to say about them. I'm a leisure flyer so value and cost is important. They have served its purpose in their LCC sector well and have done a great job given they're at the cheaper end of things. If someone was paying my flights for this sector I might expect them to pay for SQ J, maybe MH J but no one is, an so based on all that 3K is right for me.

I've taken 10 flight sectors with JQ this year (out of 39 sectors) including a few 3k flights and no complaints at all.

 

[Awesom Andy]

Following up...

Chose Jetstar to try something new and here were my experiences for others to heed:-

That's a very interesting experience... quite different from what I generally get. I suppose I would put down my comments re the following points, as a way of comparison.

- Priority Boarding is non-existent - even though I specifically paid extra.

It worked fine for me in SIN. Not to sure about HKG, since you would need to be bussed anyway, so if you are departing from HKG, it probably isn't worth it.

- Food (although not a big deal on such a short segment) was very poor quality. I didn't want the sandwich and the guy next to me said he'd had it once and "never again" after I offered it to him. Boy did I feel silly!

I usually get hot meals, but I mostly travel on the longer sectors such as SIN-HKG/TPE/MFM/DRW. These are quite edible, but I'll remember not to try the sandwiches.

- Jetstar Asia a320 planes the overhead bins from rows 1-3 are reserved for crew and can't be used for general stowage. Sitting in Row 1, my carry was all the way back above row 4. Clearly someone saw this as an opportunity and my Bose Noise Cancelling headphones (QC 15) were stolen from my bags during the flight. Contacting Jetstar about this is totally impossible due to many reasons (no contact in malaysia, toll-free numbers only for singapore which are useless unless in SG, no way to follow up, no references unless a checked bag, the list goes on and on).

This is unfortunate, but you will find this sort of situation happening for other budget carriers operating the A320/1 types as well.

- For those who said points/lounge are worth it: FLounge is closed 9:30 - 3pm. Business lounge is a moot point.

The SIN Flounge, when open, has slightly better food/beverages than the J lounge, and the J lounge itself is not exactly glamous either - it works well as a transit lounge for the LHR/FRA-OZ flights, but that's about it. It appears that you may have been spoilt by the SYD/MEL Flounges.

Yes, all of this could have happened anytime with any airline - but in my 1000's of flights it never has. I went to the dark side and Karma bent me over. Jetstar* is officially added to my do not fly list, forever.

That's how luck goes sometimes. e.g. I've had zero issues with QF at all over the past couple of years, while every single attempt from my friend resulted in delays, cancellations, or even lost booking. On the other hand, she had absolutely no issue with SQ, while most of my SQ experiences have been very underwhelming.

 

[Mal]

Chose Jetstar to try something new and here were my experiences for others to heed:-

Bugger about all the hassles. Hopefully TI covers you for the headphones.

 

[Alanslegal]

Bugger about all the hassles. Hopefully TI covers you for the headphones.

And I'm hoping the thief gets caught and is hung by the balls :!: