hot2trot

They opened a new air terminal in Kuala Lumpur in May 2014. I went through this terminal on June 27, 2014. This place is HUGE!!! Be prepared! I thought the place was awful. There are no moving sidewalks, and no passenger golf carts moving through offering rides to older, handicapped, or weary passengers. The place is all white and rather ugly. There was also no personnel that you could ask questions of anywhere!

Before you get to the counter area, there are all sorts of places to eat, but don’t stop if you don’t have at least 2 hours!

The check in process was rather chaotic. They have a monitor which tells you which flight is using which counter. Up on top of the counters there are huge alphabetical letters so you go to Z (if that is the one specified on the monitor) and look for Tiger Airways for example and stand in line for a boarding pass and to check in your luggage.

After I got my boarding pass and checked my luggage, I went through the first screening, then I went through immigration, then I went through Customs, then I had to walk another 3 miles....I only saw one golf cart, and flagged them down and asked how to get to the Q gates, she said “you just go down there, then you go downstairs...” I asked her to give me a ride because my feet were killing me. She reluctantly gave me a ride to the elevator. I went down another level. There were a few food places there, and I got a sandwich to go. I then went into a convenience type store and purchased a coke. I left there to go down yet another level and saw ANOTHER security check. I went back to the store and asked them if I could bring the beverage through the check and she said she had to put it in a secure bag. Now I ask you, does that make sense you sell beverages and then make the passengers go through a 3rd screening?

So, I went through yet another screening and then finally to the gate Q-7. Absolutely like going to jail. Nothing attractive at all in this terminal. Floors are all hard surfaces, no artwork, no colour. Metal and glass. The waiting lounge was enclosed, no trash cans, no airline personnel at a counter. It was kind of weird. I was flying Tiger Airline which is a bargain airline, going KL to Singapore. The flight disembarked, and they immediately boarded the passengers. The flight attendants don’t show up at the gate until they start boarding the passengers, you have already checked in so I guess there is no need for them to be there early.

There are also no food places to speak of down at the gate levels. There was ONE Dunkin Donuts, but if you want lunch food, you are in the wrong place.

It took me close to 2 hours from when I entered the airport to get to the gate. This was the worst airport I have been in. Plan accordingly, you really need to allow PLENTY of time to manuever through this airport. It is huge, and signage is confusing.

All I can saw is AWFUL, AWFUL!! What were they thinking???

boyerling3

There's no way it can be worse than the previous LCC terminal. That was a dump.

Too much travel

Yes, quite clearly the OP never had the, er, pleasure of going through the original LCC terminal.

The easy solution for avoiding the new LCC terminal is... fly a proper (non-LCC) airline!

isaifan

I never had the "pleasure" of flying to the original LCCT, I booked Jetstar instead for a few more dollars to get me to the main terminal.

akersnl

I was through KUL last week. The whole airport seemed practically deserted. There were hardly any planes on the ground and very little landing/departing traffic.

kcaluwae

The previous LCC terminal was indeed not attractive but it was very compact. Once you arrived, check-in, security and the waiting area where all within minutes walking. Of course you have to go around a 15-min bus drive if you where transferring from the main terminal to the LCC terminal.

Is the new LCC terminal now connected to the "main" airport?

smit0847

I reckon they were thinking you were flying on a budget airline on a 1-hour flight and that they couldn't spin a profit providing you with a luxury travel experience.

Fly a real airline if you wanted to be treated nicely.

adampenrith

you get what you pay for

having said that - i have flown thru the LCCT at KUL - and while it certainly was primitive it was not dreadful.

BUT at the same time I was getting a great price for a J seat.

My next trip I am paying $315 to fly KUL to SYD in J on D7 - and certainly will not be complaining about having to walk a ways at KLIA2

hot2trot

In answer to kcaluwee, No, the new terminal is not connected to the KLIA original one. It is actually quite a way, but you can take the train/metro between the terminals for only $1.00 Ringit.

The flight itself was fine, right on time, fast turn around. The architecture from the outside looks really nice, it’s the inside that is budget from A to Z. Maybe it will improve over time.

AA_EXP09

Security is generally fast in Terminal M
I do not care for buying food as I get food in the lounge, and I did not believe the walking was excessive in comparison to other airports.
Should you not want to go to the LCC terminal, simply fly a real airline like MH/CX/JL/TG or in the case of OP take the bus.
(Yes, I do this myself as well on both work trips as well as my own money/more often miles.)

songziou

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