FlyerTalk Forums

FlyerTalk Forums (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/index.php)
-   British Airways | Executive Club (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club-446/)
-   -   Plan my lounge visits! (https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/british-airways-executive-club/1893739-plan-my-lounge-visits.html)

thebilly_b Feb 13, 2018 11:29 am

Plan my lounge visits!
 
Reaching out to the most knowledgeable FT community for some lounge advice for an upcoming trip - not strictly BAEC related so feel free to move if mods see fit.

I am BAEC Gold/OWE and travelling LHR-KUL-SYD-KUL-LHR in J on MH (on my own), heading out this weekend and back in early March. My normal routing would be CX via HKG but chose MH this time for various reasons.

What do people recommend as the best lounge experience for a OWE flying in J? In SYD it is obviously the Qantas First lounge, but I have no experience of T4 or KUL. I have 5hrs in KUL on the way out and 4hrs in KUL on the way back.

Qualities I tend to value in a lounge are:

- Good showers
- Good food
- Peace and quiet!

I tend to be less fussed about booze quality etc (although I never say no to the Veuve in the CX First lounge).

Am I right in thinking the best best at T4 is the Qatar lounge (which I can use because I am flying J on a OW airline, rather than by virtue of being a OWE)? And what are best options at KUL given that the MH First lounge is currently closed (although planned to be open hopefully by the time I come home)?

Any advice appreciated!

lds89 Feb 13, 2018 11:44 am

T4 - Qatar won't allow OW elites into their London or Doha lounges, so no go there. I think MH uses a contract lounge in London.

KUL - not sure if the new satellite lounge is open yet (and I don't think the F side is yet either; a shame because the restaurant there was quite nice). The Golden lounge in the main terminal at KUL is fine - I don't like the showers too much but the laksa bar is good. Might be worth checking out CX if you have that much time; its not the nicest CX outstation lounge but is decent. MH means well but the experience is a step down in my opinion from other OW carriers, especially CX in HKG. Service is usually good though and the food can be quite tasty (if not the most premium looking)

On the way back, you should hopefully be able to experience the new satellite Platinum lounge for OWEs which should have new showers and the sit down restaurant back. Renderings look nice. You can see more about this in the MH forum. In Sydney the no brainer lounge is QF F. Enjoy.

thebilly_b Feb 13, 2018 11:50 am

Thanks for the useful feedback!

Regarding Qatar Premium Lounge, Oneworld website says "Note: For Qatar Airways and oneworld First and Business class ticketed revenue customers only. Guests are not permitted." which to me looks like I might be eligible? Will give it a go and report back!

windowontheAside Feb 13, 2018 11:54 am

I have often seen comments about the poor showers in the Golden Lounge but I found them to be very nice in a couple of visits last year. Spotless, fairly new with plentiful water and supplies.

kosy91 Feb 13, 2018 11:55 am

Been to the CX lounge in KUL - it's OK. Good for a short visit. Nice views. Not sure if they have showers through..

seat1C Feb 13, 2018 12:02 pm

I did this routing in November, using one of the MH via Expedia fares that Raffles had featured on Head for Points - about £1,500 pp inc a night in the IC Sydney! Unless anything has changed since then, MH do have their own lounge in T4 which even has a first section. There's a glass wall (with door) running between the staffed bar and the window, which makes it a bit like a Public Bar/Lounge Bar dividing line. There's a buffet in the first section as well as waitress service - I was on the 10am flight so had an omelette IIRC. The drinks offering looks pretty similar, except that the barman serves the folk in the J lounge Prosecco whilst those in the F lounge get the proper stuff. (Can't remember what type it was).

In KUL (which I've flown through 6 times in the last 9 months) you should be able to get into the newly refurbished MH First lounge in the Satellite. On my first time through last April I was on an MH-coded Bangkok Airways flight, so had no access, and the last twice (in November and January) it's been closed for refurbishment, so had to use the regional MH lounge in the main terminal. The regional lounge is OK, but only has 2 showers in the gents (and presumably the same in the ladies...) which get really busy when a flight comes in where loads of folk are connecting (such as the one you're on...). Hopefully the Satellite lounge will be more civilised from that perspective. If you do have to use the regional lounge then it isn't bad at all - the staff are nice and the food is good enough for a quick bite. If you are in the regional lounge and want a shower I'd advise going straight to the toilets (the showers are located in there) and make yourself known. It may seem disorganised but the staff were really good at coming to find us in the lounge when it was our turn.

If the new MH lounge isn't available (or you just want a change) then the CX lounge in the satellite is OK, but it's very much an old fashioned regional lounge with a very limited selection. It's design is similar to the old CX lounge in T3, but much smaller.

In Sydney, no contest - the QF F lounge is the only place to go!



Originally Posted by lds89 (Post 29411980)
T4 - Qatar won't allow OW elites into their London or Doha lounges, so no go there. I think MH uses a contract lounge in London.

KUL - not sure if the new satellite lounge is open yet (and I don't think the F side is yet either; a shame because the restaurant there was quite nice). The Golden lounge in the main terminal at KUL is fine - I don't like the showers too much but the laksa bar is good. Might be worth checking out CX if you have that much time; its not the nicest CX outstation lounge but is decent. MH means well but the experience is a step down in my opinion from other OW carriers, especially CX in HKG. Service is usually good though and the food can be quite tasty (if not the most premium looking)

On the way back, you should hopefully be able to experience the new satellite Platinum lounge for OWEs which should have new showers and the sit down restaurant back. Renderings look nice. You can see more about this in the MH forum. In Sydney the no brainer lounge is QF F. Enjoy.


thebilly_b Feb 13, 2018 12:25 pm

Awesome reply - exactly what I needed to know, thanks!

Last I saw about MH First Lounge was this (https://www.ausbt.com.au/malaysia-ai...nd-of-february - which I assume is the First lounge you are referring to?) so guess it will have to be Regional on the way out, but looking forward to using it on the way back.

booogle Feb 13, 2018 12:39 pm


Originally Posted by seat1C (Post 29412059)
I did this routing in November, using one of the MH via Expedia fares that Raffles had featured on Head for Points - about £1,500 pp inc a night in the IC Sydney! Unless anything has changed since then, MH do have their own lounge in T4 which even has a first section. There's a glass wall (with door) running between the staffed bar and the window, which makes it a bit like a Public Bar/Lounge Bar dividing line. There's a buffet in the first section as well as waitress service - I was on the 10am flight so had an omelette IIRC. The drinks offering looks pretty similar, except that the barman serves the folk in the J lounge Prosecco whilst those in the F lounge get the proper stuff. (Can't remember what type it was).

In KUL (which I've flown through 6 times in the last 9 months) you should be able to get into the newly refurbished MH First lounge in the Satellite. On my first time through last April I was on an MH-coded Bangkok Airways flight, so had no access, and the last twice (in November and January) it's been closed for refurbishment, so had to use the regional MH lounge in the main terminal. The regional lounge is OK, but only has 2 showers in the gents (and presumably the same in the ladies...) which get really busy when a flight comes in where loads of folk are connecting (such as the one you're on...). Hopefully the Satellite lounge will be more civilised from that perspective. If you do have to use the regional lounge then it isn't bad at all - the staff are nice and the food is good enough for a quick bite. If you are in the regional lounge and want a shower I'd advise going straight to the toilets (the showers are located in there) and make yourself known. It may seem disorganised but the staff were really good at coming to find us in the lounge when it was our turn.

If the new MH lounge isn't available (or you just want a change) then the CX lounge in the satellite is OK, but it's very much an old fashioned regional lounge with a very limited selection. It's design is similar to the old CX lounge in T3, but much smaller.

In Sydney, no contest - the QF F lounge is the only place to go!

I travelled on one of the Expedia fares also last June. We went to the Qatar lounge in T4, and on arrival the attendent said something along the lines of "there is a Malaysianairlines lounge for their passengers here you know?", to which we said we'd like to try the Qatar lounge and were then "let in"! It's a nice lounge. We had some nice food and a drink. It was a very quiet so we decided to try the Malaysian lounge in which we enjoyed a few drinks, it was better than I'd imagined and I'd go back there.

I don't recall which lounge we used in KUL, it was a really large and pleasant lounge and the staff were very attentive. We were not there long so just grabbed a coffee.

Didn't try the showers at either though.

seat1C Feb 13, 2018 12:57 pm

Yes, that's the lounge in the Satellite. If you're not familiar with KUL, long haul flights almost invariably go from the satellite and short haul from the main terminal, so you have to take the train across from the Satellite to get to the MH regional lounge. It had noticeably improved from November to January (they're operating an increased level of service I believe whilst the other lounges in the Satellite are closed?) so you'll be fine in it.

Are you on the A350 (which I haven't been on yet) or the A380 down to KL? I've been on A380 and A330 on to Sydney and I wasn't keen on the J seats on the A330 - thought they were really cramped - unless you get the single ones on the left hand side. The A380 needed a bit of an update, which presumably they didn't do as they were trying to get rid of them, but now they're keeping them hopefully they will do them up a bit.

Service on my LHR-KUL was shocking, but the other 3 flights in my LHR-KUL-SYD sequence were excellent.


Originally Posted by thebilly_b (Post 29412168)
Awesome reply - exactly what I needed to know, thanks!

Last I saw about MH First Lounge was this (https://www.ausbt.com.au/malaysia-ai...nd-of-february - which I assume is the First lounge you are referring to?) so guess it will have to be Regional on the way out, but looking forward to using it on the way back.


Smid Feb 13, 2018 1:24 pm


Originally Posted by windowontheAside (Post 29412021)
I have often seen comments about the poor showers in the Golden Lounge but...

Are those showers golde...

I'll get my coat.

dodgeflyer Feb 13, 2018 1:27 pm


Originally Posted by lds89 (Post 29411980)
T4 - Qatar won't allow OW elites into their London or Doha lounges, so no go there. I think MH uses a contract lounge in London.

KUL - not sure if the new satellite lounge is open yet (and I don't think the F side is yet either; a shame because the restaurant there was quite nice). The Golden lounge in the main terminal at KUL is fine - I don't like the showers too much but the laksa bar is good. Might be worth checking out CX if you have that much time; its not the nicest CX outstation lounge but is decent. MH means well but the experience is a step down in my opinion from other OW carriers, especially CX in HKG. Service is usually good though and the food can be quite tasty (if not the most premium looking)

On the way back, you should hopefully be able to experience the new satellite Platinum lounge for OWEs which should have new showers and the sit down restaurant back. Renderings look nice. You can see more about this in the MH forum. In Sydney the no brainer lounge is QF F. Enjoy.

On T4 that is just wrong on both accounts. As J ticket holder you can get into the QR J lounge, and MH has its own lounge for business and first so first for Emeralds. QR has by far the better food, the MH lounge is a bit run down but charming.

thebilly_b Feb 13, 2018 1:39 pm


Originally Posted by seat1C (Post 29412313)
Yes, that's the lounge in the Satellite. If you're not familiar with KUL, long haul flights almost invariably go from the satellite and short haul from the main terminal, so you have to take the train across from the Satellite to get to the MH regional lounge. It had noticeably improved from November to January (they're operating an increased level of service I believe whilst the other lounges in the Satellite are closed?) so you'll be fine in it.

Are you on the A350 (which I haven't been on yet) or the A380 down to KL? I've been on A380 and A330 on to Sydney and I wasn't keen on the J seats on the A330 - thought they were really cramped - unless you get the single ones on the left hand side. The A380 needed a bit of an update, which presumably they didn't do as they were trying to get rid of them, but now they're keeping them hopefully they will do them up a bit.

Service on my LHR-KUL was shocking, but the other 3 flights in my LHR-KUL-SYD sequence were excellent.

Interesting, good to know! I will report back here should the new First lounge be open on the way home (fingers crossed!).

I’m on the A350 on the way to KUL, and have grabbed a “throne seat” (9K) which I am looking forward to. Will be interesting to compare to CX A350 experience. The rest of the itinerary is A380 sadly; still, looking forward to 4 lots of the satay!

seat1C Feb 13, 2018 1:47 pm

Ah, Satay! That's one of the reasons why I said my first flight was shocking. The flight attendant was very short with us and obviously just wanted to get the whole service over with. The menu said Satay was on offer to start, but there was no mention of it as the food (some of it still in plastic containers) was pushed in front of us. When asked about it she said it wasn't ready. Given it's a 12/13 hour flight I do wonder why they started the meal service so soon (so soon, in fact, that we were still trying to finish the very small G&Ts we'd been given). She came back a bit later as we were eating desert to offer us the satay, which at that point in my dining experience I decided to refuse.

Other than that, all the FAs were great and the service was very nice! (Don't worry, you'll have a good trip)!


Originally Posted by thebilly_b (Post 29412522)


Interesting, good to know! I will report back here should the new First lounge be open on the way home (fingers crossed!).

I’m on the A350 on the way to KUL, and have grabbed a “throne seat” (9K) which I am looking forward to. Will be interesting to compare to CX A350 experience. The rest of the itinerary is A380 sadly; still, looking forward to 4 lots of the satay!


Newly Wed Feb 13, 2018 1:47 pm

I spent 4 hours in the MH satellite lounge back in December and thought it was really great. Newly refurbished with plenty of comfortable seating, a decent food offering including noodle / pasta bar, salad buffet self serve soft drinks and bar service for alcohol.

omk298 Feb 13, 2018 2:07 pm

I did that route back in October and November. The MH lounge in T4 is fine, but very busy before the flight goes. The QR lounge was much more impressive for food, drink, comfort, basically everything. I was allowed in without question, just the standard "we won't announce your flight here".

In KUL the satellite lounge was closed , so I went to the main terminal lounge - it was perfectly pleasant. The showers were Ok but not great - the temperature was a bit variable. The main terminal lounge didn't open until 6am (I think) so I spent some time in the CIP lounge - don't bother,there's nothing to recommend it at all. I popped into the CX lounge briefly, it was absolutely fine, but nothing special - the MH lounge was bigger and better.

In SYD I only got to the J lounge as a BA silver - I was happy with it though, maybe because I've never seen the F lounge!


All times are GMT -6. The time now is 4:56 am.


This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.