Malaysia Airlines B737-800 business class

KUALA LUMPUR-HONG KONG

BACKGROUND Malaysia Airlines currently flies two aircraft on its thrice-daily Kuala Lumpur-Hong Kong route. The B737-800 operates two flights, while the newer A330-300 operates the other.

THE LOUNGE I had no check-in as I was transferring from a domestic flight. Malaysia Airlines is currently renovating its Golden Lounge in the Main Terminal Building of Kuala Lumpur International airport (KLIA), so I took the shuttle to the Satellite Golden Lounge; a soup noodle and laksa cooking station was

the highlight. BOARDING In KLIA, security scanning is done at the gate rather than after immigration, so it is worth heading to your gate a little earlier than normal if transferring.

THESE AT The B 737-800 offers an older business class seat than the A330; most notable is the lack of fully flat seating. My seat was at the rear of the cabin, so recline on the chair was negligible, which limited comfort.

THE FLIGHT The meal was delicious, with an excellent starter of chicken and lamb satay, generously smothered in peanut sauce. The three mains were all equally tempting: Hainanese chicken rice, ngau lam mein beef brisket noodles or blue cheese spinach ravioli.

ARRIVAL I passed through the residents’ fast-track immigration without too much delay. The same could not be said for the luggage, which didn’t arrive for an hour after landing.

VERDICT Good service and high-quality food, but the B737-800 falls short of the A330’s offerings, making the latter the clear choice to fly on when possible. Craig Bright