Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, on Turkish Airlines Business Class
 

Background


A few months ago Turkish Airlines posted a very attractive offer. For the equivalent price of an Economy Class ticket, you could fly from Warsaw to Kuala Lumpur return in Business Class. This offer was simply too good to be refused, and in an instance I booked the fare for a 9-night stay in June. To connect the dots I opted to fly on LOT:s nonstop service from Arlanda to Warsaw, costing me a reasonable €160.

As many people pointed out to be earlier, Kuala Lumpur isn’t the most exciting city in Asia, hence a 9-night stay might be a little excessive. So I decided to spent the first four nights in Singapore, together with my local friend Daniel. The remaining five nights were spent in Kuala Lumpur at the DoubleTree By Hilton which was booked with Hilton HHonors points from a friend who was kind enough to sell some of his. The price for the points was much less than booking a regular rate, and with the recent devaluation of the HHonors programme it turned out to be a good deal for the both of us.

Getting from KL to Singapore turned out to be by next challenge. Originally I had planned to book AirAsia which were priced at RM152 for a return. Daniel however, suggested that I’d book Jetstar instead as they operate from International Satellite at KLIA, as opposed to most other LCC:s who operate from the notorious Low Cost Terminal. As luck would have it Jetstar were having a sale at the time, and I was able to secure a return ticket for just RM92. A daytrip to Kuching on AirAsia was later booked for RM86. Another bargain, considering the flight time being close to two hours.



Wednesday the 19th of June 2013


After a surprisingly calm night sleeping in the terminal at Arlanda, and an uneventful E-170 flight on LOT, I arrive at Warsaw Chopin International Airport. The flight arrived bang on schedule at 9.40am, and with a five hour layover I head straight to the LOT Business Lounge for a well needed shower. My home printed boarding pass is scanned before I’m handed something that resembles a giant napkin. Turns out it was a disposable towel…

Finding a clean shower was tricky as the one assigned had not been cleaned since the last patron, the toiletries were missing, and the whole shower room had a strong odour of urine. I eventually fetch a grumpy shower attendant who reluctantly cleans the stall. After a nice hot shower, a shave and a clean change of clothes I began feeling like a human again. I spent the remainder of my time watching Conan on my ancient iPhone, while savouring a few muffins.

At noon I decided head towards the non-Schengen part of the terminal. At passport control, the woman behind the glass decided to give me a thorough interrogation before letting me through. I was somewhat surprised to discover that I had access to the Bolero Business Lounge in the non-Schengen terminal. This lounge was worlds away from the cramped and run down LOT Lounge. The lounge had a nice and sophisticated feel to it, with its marble decorations, plush leather lounge chairs, great tarmac views, and CLEAN bathrooms. If only I had discovered this place earlier…



Flight TK1766 Warsaw – Istanbul


Departure: 14.45
Arrival: 18.15
Duration: 2h 30m
Seat & Class: 1A, Business Class
Aircraft & Reg: Airbus A321-200, TC-JRL


The gate is packed by the time I turn up. A large crowd has gathered behind the podium, but luckily there is a separate line for Business and Star Gold. A priority boarding call was made but none of the alleged premium pax seemed to move, so I made a move towards the podium myself. But just as I was about to hand over my boarding pass, I feel a hand grabbing my shoulder. I turn around to find a man in a suit furiously yelling ”-The line starts back there!” while holding his Economy Class BP right in front of my nose. Just as I was about to fire back, I hear the gate agent asking ”-Business Class?” after which I leisurely board the plane. I gave the man the evil eye as he passed by on his way to seat 26D.

Once onboard I’m offered a welcome drink and a printed menu while waiting for the rest of the passengers to board. Once airborne the chef places linens on the tray tables, followed by drink orders. I opt for a glass of Champagne which served along with the starter tray.


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The starter consisting of chicken breast, aubergine, lettuce, cherry tomatoes and pesto.


The chicken breast was juicy and tender, blending in perfectly with the pesto and aubergine. Next up was the main course. A choice of three courses was available, of which I chose the sautéed prawns with spinach and buttered rice. To drink I had some more Champagne.


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The main course.


This dish was perhaps the best I’ve eaten on my four flights with Turkish. The prawns were cooked to perfection, with a nice firm and not too chewy texture. The spinach had a nice and mild flavour to it. The buttered rice was perhaps the best component of the dish. Nice and fluffy texture, with a rich buttery flavour. Eating a bowl of this stuff would’ve been fine enough as meal. Yes it was THAT good.

The trays were soon cleared, and we were offered coffee and digestifs. My preferred Bailey’s wasn’t loaded on this flight, so I had to settle with some Cognac.


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The dessert consisting of a custard filled Macaroon covered in dark chocolate.


Upon first glance the dessert looked very familiar to me. Turns out it was the same dessert I ate on my SAS faux Business Class flight from Dalaman to Stockholm two years ago. It had a nice and lagom sweet flavour to it, which blended perfectly with the Cognac.

Once the meal service was finished, roughly one hour of the flight remained. As this A321 was a standard EU configuration without IFE, I enjoyed some music through my Bose QC15 headphones instead. After a scenic approach, we landed at Istanbul Atatürk International Airport bang on time.



Turkish Airlines CIP Lounge Istanbul


Since its opening in the fall of 2011 this lounge has gotten tons of attention from people praising it as the best Business Class lounge in the world. I on the other hand was not very impressed about this place, but don’t get me wrong. It’s a beautiful lounge with nice decoration, very spacious and the food is sublime. However the lounge is incredibly crowded, which does not only extend to the peak hours but throughout the whole day.

Entering the lounge at 18.30 was like entering the Stockholm Metro at rush hour, as an ocean of people were flooding through the self-entry gates, many without having their credentials checked. Once inside I found it very hard to find an empty seat, let alone get some quiet time as the lounge was pretty noisy. I saw at least a dozen people sleeping on the couches… The bathrooms were crowded, and I had to queue for fifteen minutes to use the toilet. Seeing people wash their feet in the communal faucet didn’t make things better.

Given the fact that Atatürk airport is running way beyond its operating capacity, and the fact that Turkish Airlines is on an aggressive expansion spree it’s somewhat understandable as to why this lounge is so overcrowded. But another part of the issue I think is the advertising of this lounge. Normally airlines tend to be very discrete about their lounge offerings in order to avoid unwanted attention. Turkish’s approach however, seem to have attracted many visitors and I spotted at least a dozen people standing outside trying to look for a sponsor (hence me suspecting a lot of people sneaking in without permission).

As a passenger in Business Class I was entitled to escape the chaos in one of the dayrooms, where I managed to sleep of three hours of my seven hour layover.


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The dayroom.


After a good nap and a refreshing shower, I return to the main lounge at 23.00. The place has gotten much quieter now, hence making it much more enjoyable. I spent the last hour in the dining section enjoying some delicious grilled kebabs with a glass of red, before leaving for the gate.

Flight TK60 Istanbul – Kuala Lumpur


Departure: 01.15
Arrival: 16.50
Duration: 10h 35m
Seat & Class: 4A, Business Class
Aircraft & Reg: Airbus A340-311, TC-JDL (Star Alliance livery)


As dreaded and feared our A340 was boarding from a bus gate this evening. The gate area was packed, indicating a healthy load on tonight’s flight to the Malaysian capital. Boarding was delayed by 30 minutes, and once the call was made no priority was given. Not that it mattered anyway… Once inside the bus we were forced to wait another 30 minutes until the last person had boarded the second bus, despite the first one being packed to the brim and ready to leave for the aircraft.

Eventually we pull up beside the maintenance hangar where our A340 stood parked. Boarding was made through door 2L only and people were flooding the airstairs. At the door I got a cold greeting from the crew before making the famous left turn. How I love turning left at boarding…


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View of the Business Class cabin on this A340.


With the aircraft being fresh from maintenance, the seats and cabin were in immaculate condition. I stowed my trolley in the overhead before settling down in the comfortable seat.


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Great legroom!


The A340s are fitted with the older generation of Business Class seats that don’t go fully flat. I did however find them to be comfier than the newer seats in the upright and lounge position.


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Cabin during boarding.


Shortly after settling down I receive a warm welcome from the onboard chef, before being offered a welcome drink and a chocolate praline. A flight attendant soon came by to offer newspapers and amenity kits. I was surprised to find the print issue of Newsweek onboard, so I grabbed the last copy.


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Welcome drink consisting of strawberry soda.


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The hand-made Belgian chocolate praline from Godiva was a nice touch.


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Amenity kit by CrabTree & Evelyn. Since I have no interest in owning an iPad I left it onboard.


The boarding eventually finished, leaving a 50% load in the Business Class cabin hence me being fortunate enough to have the aisle seat free. Our departure was delayed by a slight technical issue, so meanwhile the menu and wine list was handed out. The issue is eventually sorted, and we are ready for departure.


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Cabin before departure.


As always on the -300 the takeoff was heavy and slow. Our ascent over the city of Istanbul was low and slow, but we eventually made it to cruise around 40 minutes into the flight. Despite the ungodly hour of 03.00 local time, a full five course dinner was to be served. Table linens were laid out, quickly followed by hot canapés.


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The hot canapés consisting of deep fried prawn, goat’s cheese on a slice of watermelon, and a breaded turkey meatball.


Not many airlines offer proper canapés in Business Class, and they were certainly a nice touch. I didn’t quite understand why I was later served a ramekin of nuts. It felt pretty overkill to me. Next up was the starter course.


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Starter consisting of a seafood platter. King prawns, smoked salmon, lettuce and cherry tomatoes.


The starter dish tasted nice and fresh and I particularly enjoyed the king prawns. Small side dishes consisting of okra and aborigine salad, hummus and green salad were also found on the tray. All of them tasted great, with the exception of the okra which was a bit too fatty for my taste. To drink I order a glass of Champagne. Next up was soup!


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The soup on offer was a lentil soup, served with a tapernade toast on the side.


I’ve eaten my fair share of lentil soups over the years, but I must say that the one served on Turkish tasted almost identical to the one my mother makes. The soup had a nice and smooth texture, with the right amount of seasoning. The tapernade toast tasted great too. Next up was the main course.


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I settled for the signature Shish Kebab, served with a grilled tomato and red pepper.


”-Don’t order meat on planes” has been a common mantra over the years which to a large extent has been true since the various steak dishes I’ve been serve have mostly resembled shoe rubbers. On Turkish however, the lamb was succulent and flavourful, pairing perfectly with the rice that has been cooked in its drippings. The presentation was great too, as Turkish are one of the few airlines that plate the food in Business Class.

By the time the dessert cart rolled in, I was too stuffed to even consider savouring the goodies on offer, but the cook insisted that I’d at least round it off with some fruit and ice cream.


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Dessert.


By the time the meal service had finished, the sun was already making its appearance in the horizon. The crew instructed all passengers to close their blinds, to which I complied. I put the seat in its fully reclined mode and slept comfortably for around five hours. Four hours of the flight remained by the time I woke up, two of them on watching the latest Mission Impossible movie starring Tom Cruise. Roughly two hours before landing breakfast was served.

The service started off with some hot towels, followed by a glass of freshly squeezed grapefruit juice served from a tray.


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Hot towel served on a small plate.


With the towels cleared, the breakfast trays were brought out. First out was a starter plate consisting of various types of cheese, sliced tomatoes, cucumbers and olives. A small fruit bowl and muesli is served on the side, as well as fresh breads and pastries from the basket.


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Breakfast starter.


Following the starter came the hot main course which consisted of a turkey toast with scrambled eggs and a roast green pepper.


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Breakfast main.


The toast was rather unspectacular and lacking cheese, I found the scrambled eggs to be very nice and flavourful. Eggs served on planes are normally pretty bland and soggy, but I was surprised to find this scramble creamy and smooth.

With roughly one hour to go before landing, I put the seat in a comfy lounge position and watch a few sitcoms for the short remainder of the flight.


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I guess it’s not too hard to figure out what show I’m watching.



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Descent commencing at T-40 minutes.


Very soon our A340 began its approach into Kuala Lumpur International Airport, before making a smooth landing and arriving at the gate 40 minutes behind schedule.

Transfer at KLIA and Jetstar to Singapore


The departure times between KL and Singapore on Jetstar weren’t too good with only two flights departing at 18.40 and 21.40. At the time Jetstar made it very clear that one had to pass immigration to reach the land side check-in desks to pick up a boarding pass, despite traveling with just hand luggage. Bearing this in mind, I was forced to pick the late flight which left me with a five hour layover in KL.

Upon arrival I notice that we park right next to the gates that Jetstar use, so I wander over to ask if I can have my boarding pass printed at the gate instead. After presenting my documents, the agent ”made an exception” and printed me a boarding pass. By request for taking the earlier flight was sadly denied, and I now had to find a way to kill my four hour layover.

I decided to try my luck at the Thai Airways lounge, by presenting my arriving Passbook boarding pass and Turkish Airlines Star Gold card. As luck would have it, the agent didn’t bother scanning the BP but simply had a quick glance before welcoming me in. The lounge was packed to the gills, and I really had to scramble to find an empty seat. At 21.00 I left the lounge and headed towards gate C33 where my flight was ready to board.

Jetstar left a positive impression on me. The aircraft operating this evening’s flight was a brand new A320 with the new slimline leather seats, bearing a resemblance to the Lufthansa NEK. The overall smooth boarding and departure procedures gave me a sense of deja-vu, as it felt much like being on a SAS evening flight from Copenhagen to Stockholm. After plunging through a thick layer of smog, Changi Airport came into sight and the pilot made a smooth touchdown.

While stepping out of the jetway it was love at first sight. Changi Airport was beautiful, and I couldn’t wait to explore it further on my way back home. Within a matter of minutes I had cleared passport control, and was able to meet up Daniel in the arrivals hall. After a quick stop by the ATM to pick up some Singapore $$$, Daniel introduced me to his pride and joy which would be our chariot for my weekend stay.




Four days in Singapore


Daniel and I had a great time in Singapore, and despite the haze situation which had gotten pretty bad by the time I showed up, we still managed to make the best out of the situation. I will let the pictures do the talking.


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Waking up free from jetlag, we started off our first day with some brunch at Michelin Star restaurant Tim Ho Wan.


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Escaping the haze in one of the biospheres at Gardens by The Bay.


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The haze clears slightly towards the afternoon, so we cool off the heat with some icy fruit drinks.


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…Before bringing the heat back with some genuine claypot rice. Piping hot, but very tasty.


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The Singapore Skyline, seen from the Promenade later in the evening.


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The Centopah. Aka the World War 2 memorial.


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…And not to miss the iconic Merlion.


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Many of restaurants and bars in Clarke Quay.


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Orchard Road seen at night.


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Laser show at the Marina Bay Sands.


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The Fullerton Bay Hotel. …Where Matthandy stayed the week before ;)


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A visit to Little India to sample some indian food was also on the agenda.


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My final day in Singapore included a visit to Sentosa Island.


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Enjoying a last bowl of Singaporean laksa before heading to the airport.

Flying back to Kuala Lumpur


My four days in Singapore were an absolute blast. Daniel was a great hoast, and I’m very thankful that he took the time to show me around Singapore. All in all I was very pleased with the city, and despite the haze I managed to see quite a lot of it. I do however have a lot more to explore, which gives me a good reason to return in the future.

After a quick MRT ride to Changi Airport, I head to Terminal 1 to pick up my boarding pass before exploring the terminals a little further.


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The check-in hall at Terminal 3 is absolutely gorgeous. Can’t wait to get back in January!


After spending a good three hours strolling around the terminals, I boarded my Jetstar flight to Kuala Lumpur. The flight was uneventful, and within 30 minutes from arrival I was already on the KLIA Express to KL Sentral.



The DoubleTree By Hilton Kuala Lumpur


Upon checking in at my hotel around 22.30 I am pleasantly surprised to have been upgraded to an Executive Room with lounge access and complimentary breakfast.


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My King Executive Room at the DoubleTree By Hilton in Kuala Lumpur.


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The bathroom.


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The Executive Lounge located on the 34th floor. Breakfast is served here every morning, as well as a happy hour every evening with complimentary alcoholic beverages and hot food. Throughout the rest of the day cookies, sandwiches and non-alcoholic beverages are offered.


The hotel managed to live up to my expectations and I must say that I was very pleased with the top-notch facilities and incredible staff. A big kudos to Ruby and Keith in Executive Lounge who went out of their way to deliver flawless and excellent service.

Due to the haze now having reached Kuala Lumpur at even unhealthier levels than Singapore, I decide to spend the entire first day at the hotel. I meet up with a friend in the evening and we head out for some indian food, before sharing a few beers back at the hotel.


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Enjoying a Cappuccino and some cookies in the lounge.



Coming up next!

A daytrip to Kuching on AirAsia

The sights of Kuala Lumpur

Turkish Airlines new Short Haul Business Class

The Hilton Warsaw Hotel & Convention Centre

Hope you have enjoyed the report so far, and the next parts will be up very soon!

Great post! Thanks!

Great photos. thanks

Awesome photos! Top notch TR.

Some of the best photos I've ever seen. Thanks for the excellent report.

I would have taken the bus from KUL to SIN instead (infact, I have.)

Singapore and Kuala Lumpur, on Turkish Airlines Business Class
 

Nice Trip report with beautiful photos! TK food looks amazing. Looking forward to seeing the return sector on TK and the side trip to my hometown Kuching! :)

Amazing Photographs, all the food pics, Singapore city pics are marvelous!! Looking forward for the next installment.

Great TR and some great pics there!!

We (me and the wife) spent 4 nights in KL last year. I did look at the Doubletree as it was only £82 a night, but in the end we just did a local hostel. What did you think of KL compared to Singapore??? Can't wait to get back to SIN at some point in the near future!!!

Nice photographs! The Doubletree by Hilton in KL looks good, thanks for taking the time to write the report!

Very nice report and great pictures. Makes me look forward to my upcoming flight on Turkish J

Thank you very much guys, I'm glad you enjoyed the report! Though I guess my pics might look bleak in the comparison to great photographers such as UA-Flyer, Moomba and Matthandy. But I'm getting there ;)

Well I guess that would've been an option if the LCC:s weren't available. I was quite happy though to have paid just 30 USD for a round trip on Jetstar, which I believe was cheaper than the bus.

In KL hotels are generally very cheap compared to Singapore, but I suppose a hostel must've been even cheaper. I would however rank Singapore as as much more exciting and interesting than KL, since there is actually stuff to do there. Singapore has a culture life, and a soul whereas KL felt quite boring and dead. KL is also much smaller than Singapore, so there really isn't much to see or do there. I wouldn't see myself returning to KL anytime soon, but to Singapore I can't wait to get back.