bigbigman100

Hey guys,

I'll be flying from Hong Kong to Kuching with Malaysia Airlines and transit via KLIA business class and I do understand that there are 3 lounges in KLIA one is the international lounge in the satellite building and the other 2 is the regional international and domestic in the main terminal.

As I will be transiting to a domestic city within Malaysia can I not use the domestic lounge and instead to use the regional international lounge instead? Because the domestic lounge is a dry lounge due to local religion so I prefer the regional lounge as they server alcohol there.

Any advise will be highly appreciated.

lincoln76

All MH international lounges in KLIA are open to arriving passengers in business class, so you will have access. But just have to make sure that you allow sufficient time for customs / transfers to the domestic gates

seattle29

The domestic lounge is alcohol-free, but the food is decent and it's the quietest and cosiest lounge. The last 2 times I've used it (midday and around 7pm), there were no more than 5 people in there.

d4v1d

You will access to the international lounge. Custom/transfer is usually fast. I agree with seattle29 that the domestic lounge is pretty nice. It will be along the way to your departure gate for KCH (Gate A#).

crackjack

I have previously been told that the Regional lounge in the main terminal building is not an Arrivals lounge, only the Golden Lounge at the Satellite terminal building should be used as such?
(Though, I was still allowed into the Regional lounge due to OW status + an outgoing flight in economy.)

ashkale

Is this the domestic lounge we are all glowingly talking about? Been there a few times varied times of the day and didn't find it nice at all or remotely cosy, It feels not much thought has gone in the seating arrangement or design of the lounge. In any case they dont serve booze so you are way better off staying the in the lounge in the satellite building which lounge index calls "a great big barn of a waiting room, rather like an Aussie RSL club" reviewed here or the main terminal, which is not too super either.

laksaksa

The domestic lounge is small and hardly cosy especially around 4-7pm. There are not enough tables high enough to eat properly. The section directly behind the food counter is often hot and stuffy, while the shower and restrooms leave a lot to be desired. Just my two cents.

TGflyergirl

You're right - but also a wee bit wrong. The gate the OP deplanes from may well be the exact same gate he or she will depart from again, and in any case, will likely be very physically close by to each other. The trek via security and immigration lends it a feeling of greater distance than it really is.

KLIA's main terminal gates are called A/B/G/H - A/B as you rightly point out, is domestic. G and H are international.

The A/B gates (Even numbered only) are actually the same physical gates as the G/H ones (i.e. A2 is the same gate as G2, B2 is actually also H2)

The difference is that when used as an international gate, the passengers are fed down the escalator from the international level to the waiting area before boarding the plane, whilst the doors to the domestic level is locked. When used as a domestic gate, the pax feed into the same waiting from the domestic level, and upper level (international) access is sealed off

The ODD numbered gates, however, are purely domestic - A1,A3,A5,A7,A9 does not have a corresponding G1/3/5/7/9, same as B1/3/5/7/9 does not have have a corresponding H1/3/5/7/9 - that side wasn't built double storey so doesn't have the ability to function as a dual international/domestic gate.

bigbigman100

Hey guys,

Totally appreciate your feedback.

I have 2 and half hours transit time if there is no delay for my departing flight from HKG.

My flight will be MH072 from HKG to KUL, problem is they downgrade the equipment for all flight to and from HKG to 737 and I heard that 737 will not be park at the Satellite terminal but rather in the main terminal which is the regional and domestic MH lounge located. Can anyone confirm this?

If they don't park in the satellite terminal then I couldn't use the main international Satellite lounge then am I right?

Oh and how much time do you think I need to allocate to transfer to domestic? Do they need to screen all my luggage etc again for that? Is half an hour sufficient for this process?

asheby

It's highly likely that your inbound HKG 738 will park at the main terminal building. With that said, you'll still be able to access the satellite terminal building via the aerotrains, so long as you don't pass through immigration to the domestic portion of the main terminal building. You could then probably utilise the satellite terminal building as your "transit lounge". Do note however that your domestic flight will not be announced in the satellite Golden Lounge and you should make your way to the gate 30 minutes before departure time to clear immigration and security.

Hope that helps.

bigbigman100

If my inbound flight is parked at the main terminal can I access the regional MH lounge instead so I don't need to take on the train to the satellite terminal?

TGflyergirl

Yes you can. It is next to gate H2.

bigbigman100

Oh cool then maybe I could stay a bit in the regional lounge before I decided to clear security clearance again to domestic. Any idea how long does it usually take to clear security clearance when transiting from international to domestic?

bigbigman100

Hi guys,

I did my transit through KLIA and went to the regional lounge and the domestic lounge and I must say I am extremely disappointed with both the lounges. I don't feel they are premium lounge rather more like a canteen.

Lets start off with the domestic lounge.

* The first thing that disgusted me is the filthy toilets. Wet floor, awful dirty shower and etc.

* Apparently there are separate toilets for muslim based on the signs? this look like discrimination. Correct me if I'm wrong. If this is true, this is another disappointment.

* Unappealing and limited foods, one curry and some rice and few very cheap looking and inedible breads and cakes.

* No “can drink”, drinks are either very few selection of tea or cheap sweet artificial orange juice, apple juice and etc. Yes no “can drink”, no Coke, no Sprite etc and no bottle mineral water either! If you want mineral water you need to DIY from the big bottle of shared mineral water.

* There is a noodle station thought where you can get some local mee like mee rebus.

For the regional lounge

* No "Can Drink" in this lounge either. Very few selection of drinks, not fresh orange too sweet. Shared huge bottle of DIY mineral water.

* There is a noodle station but no attendant station there.

* The selection for alcohol look limited. I doubt if they serve champagne?

* Limited choice of food, one curry and one pasta and some cheap looking bread.

* Toilet not very clean but generous in size.

lowjhg

Main terminal regional (rimbun) lounge serves champagne. It is a putrid Piper Heidsick NV Brut and theres no other choice of champers.