Airline: Malaysia Airlines

SINGAPORE - JOHOR BAHRU - KUCHING. Comments and tips on the airline's transborder bus service and onward flight.

CHECKIN: I checked in at Malaysia Airlines' Singapore City Terminal, which is a coach stop for their services departing Johor Bahru's Senai airport across the border in Malaysia ... as opposed to those leaving Singapore's Changi airport. Flights leaving Senai are heaps cheaper being domestic and they also offer attractive discounts for early bookings.

(Sorry the next few paragraphs are a bit technical but those of you in the industry will understand).

Slight glitch at checkin ... I had been advised many months in advance of a schedule change and was rebooked. It now seemed that the person doing the rebooking had disconnected my electronic ticket number from my booking.

Hence the checkin clerk had no record of my booking being issued on an electronic ticket and required my flight coupon. Malaysia Airlines' web-booking printouts don't show the electronic ticket number.

Fortunately I had recognised the number "232-xxxxx" onscreen when I made the booking many months ago and had the presence of mind of writing it down on my printout.

Lesson is ... even though one technically doesn't even require a printout of an electronically ticketed flight booking, bring as much evidence as you can!!

TRANSBORDER BUS: The bus service across the causeway from Singapore to Malaysia went smoothly. Just remember this service is pretty easy into Malaysia but I wouldn't recommend it for the weak or infirm travelling into Singapore.

Why? Into Malaysia one only has to clear immigration on both sides with hand luggage. Into Singapore one has to carry all luggage upstairs into Singapore's clearing facility (subject to X-ray etc to detect bootleg DVDs, firearms etc).

FLIGHT: As usual their B737 crew were extremely attentive and polite. They worked quickly during the 1h20min flight to serve a delicious meal of sambal chicken (sweet and gingery) accompanied by nasi briyani and cucumber/carrot achar (pickle) ... and drinks. The meal left me begging for more.

I noticed they never say "chicken or fish" but always "Excuse me sir, ma'am ... we are serving chicken with briyani rice or fish with potatoes ... which would you prefer?". Obviously been coached not to say "sambal chicken" and "nasi briyani" as foreigners wouldn't understand. Well done.