Trip Report: Malindo Air, Lahore to Kuala Lumpur (September 2019)

Trip Report: Malindo Air, Lahore to Kuala Lumpur
comment below and let me know your thoughts :)

I need to go to Colombo from Pakistan and most of the flight options were Middle East carriers, which I had already flown, and they were quite expensive.  Malindo Air then came up in the search and it is an airline I have not experienced and the price was drastically lower so I decided to book this option.  My flight to Lahore would leave at 9:25p and arrive into Kuala Lumpur the next day at 6:25a.  I was originally going to connect in Kuala Lumpur to my flight to Colombo, but the flight schedule was giving me a 9-10 hour layover in Kuala Lumpur.  When I looked at the tickets, I noticed that Malindo was just combining two one-ways - from Lahore to Kuala Lumpur and from Kuala Lumpur to Colombo - so instead of one ticket I decided to break it up into two sectors: the first being Lahore to Kuala Lumpur and the second being Kuala Lumpur to Colombo on another day (that review here). 

Booking the flight through the Malindo website was easy and it allowed me to select which option best suited me.  From the reviews and previous passengers, Malindo used to provide full service experience at budget prices; however, now they have changed their product into bundles; the bundles range from basic to business with variations in between.  As I had checked baggage, I choose the option that included checked luggage - this fare only included checked baggage and not preselecting your seat, as there was another option that included both of these combinations; the bundle that I selected also included a meal (all bundles apparently included a meal).  Note: standard luggage allowance is 23kg but as Malindo is shifting to a low-cost carrier model, they have reduced their complimentary luggage allowance to 20kg; you can add more weight for a fee.

You could manage your booking either through the website or through the app - you got more services from the website than through the app; with the app, I was able to check-in online and select my seat 48hours prior to departure.  Even though I already had my boarding pass, I got to the airport about 2 hours early as sometimes there is heavy security.  Check-in was a breeze, and even though my luggage was at 20kg the enforcement on both of my flight was not stringent.  When I got to the gate, the plane had still not arrived from Kuala Lumpur - and I was a bit hesitant as previously Malindo had a 'flexible' definition of on-time; but luckily the plane landed early and got to the gate at 8:30pm.  After deplaning and a crew change, it was time for us to board the flight to Kuala Lumpur.

Malindo Air is part of the Lion Air Group which also Batik Air, Lion Air, and Thai Lion Air so even

though the flight was operated by Malindo Air, the outside of the plane said Batik Air.  The operating aircraft was a Boeing 737-800 with a 2-2 in business class and a 3-3 in economy class.  The plane generally looked in good condition and looked fairly new, with mood lighting and updated overhead panels.  The seat pitch was very good and very generous - I am 6'1 and my knees weren't even touching the seat in front of me.  The seat looked new and stylish in black and red leather type, but it was not that comfortable and was really uncomfortable towards the end of the flight.  Malindo had prided itself of providing seatback entertainment on its flights but this plane did not have it; it had the outline and the place set up for it so either they were in the process of installing it or removing it (I am not sure).  The seat had a space for the PTV and below that was a tray table followed by a seatback pocket which contained the airline magazine, the duty free magazine, and safety card.  Given there were no PTVs, manual safety demonstrations were done once all the passengers had boarded and the boarding door was closed.

The flight time to Kuala Lumpur was 5hr35min but as soon as we reached cruising altitude the FA's came around to start their service.  They were very fast and very quick (even though we had a lot of time) but it was late and I think they wanted to complete their service so passengers could rest.  The service consisted of a complimentary meal and complimentary water, tea, or coffee - other drinks were available but they had to be purchased and only with small American bills or small Malaysian bills (you could not use credit cards).  The meal itself was extremely small, basic, and to be honest not that good either in taste, flavor, or size; it was definitely not substantial enough especially since it was the only meal served during the 5+hour flight.  The meal service really reflected the struggle Malindo is going through - as they are not sure if they are a low-cost carrier or an economy carrier with perks.  The complimentary meal part of international economy, but the quality and size of it, as well as asking patrons to pay for other drinks besides water, felt more like a low-cost carrier.  Once the meal trays were cleared, the cabin lights were dimmed and most passengers slept since it was an overnight flight.  About 45 minutes prior to landing, the cabin lights came back on and the cabin was prepared for landing.  During the flight, FAs did provide water but mostly they were available in the back if passengers needed anything. 

Overall, it was a confusing flight with Malindo Air but I think my experience reflects what the airline itself is going through.  The airline used to be a traditional airline with some extra perks in economy class but it is slowly shifting to add more a low-cost model and right now its a mixture between standard and low-cost.  That mixture and shift is apparent onboard their flights - the ticket prices are still low but now they have been bundled like a low cost; the legroom is very good and the planes look and feel modern, like a standard airline; the complimentary meal is standard but the quality and only option of water is very low-cost.  The question at the end is always - would I fly them again?  After this experience, I am not sure - I would definitely not fly them long-haul and my max would be 3.5 hours long and while they would not be my first option, if the ticket price was right and the timing low, then I would not avoid them.