Hi

We have an upcoming flight from LHR on Malaysian airlines via KUL. Due to a mis-calculation (I'll blame my other half for that...) we have a ridiculously long layover in KUL (9 hours on both legs!!).
I checked Malaysian's website and availablility is great for the better connecting flights, however we booked through a travel agent and as "the ticket is ticketed" they refuse to change the flights without cancelling the entire booking and re-booking it at great expense to us.

Does anyone know if it is worth contacting the airline directly to change the booking?
Or - are Malaysian in the habit of moving passengers to the earlier connecting flight if there is space available on the day? (a few years ago on a trip to Ko Samui we had a great experience with Thai and Bangkok Airways who transferred us to an earlier departure from BKK to Ko Samui without us even asking, and at no extra cost).

And finally - if all else fails, has anyone left the transit area of KUL and spent a day (or 7 - 9 hours in our case) at the Pan Pacific hotel?

Thanks
Flyr