KLIA International Airport LCCT

KLIA or LCCT?

Many travelers confuse KLIA and LCCT Airport. Just last month, I met a traveler from the Philippines who mistook LCCT for KLIA who missed her Tiger Airways Flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. On a separate occasion, I was talking to another traveler (from the Philippines, as well) who was confused about the two airports and asked me a lot of questions about them.

The LCCT Airport which stands for Low Cost Carrier Terminal caters for budget airlines.

FAQ:
1. Air Asia... KLIA or LCCT?
LCCT

2. Jetstar... KLIA or LCCT?
KLIA

3. Tiger Airways... KLIA or LCCT?
LCCT

What do you have at LCCT?
I am listing some of my favorites and he more notable eateries and cafes in LCCT:
1. McDonald's
2. Old town White Coffee Cafe
3. Starbucks
4. Coffee Bean
5. Kentucky Fried Chicken
6. Dunkin' Donuts

And do you have a clinic at LCCT?
Yes! There is a clinic near the bank money exchanger counter.

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Eating in KL: What to Eat in KL? Sushi Zanmai at Bukit Bintang!

I have had a lot of sushi in several Japanese eateries, both high-end restaurants and the popular restaurants people often go to.

So where to have sushi in Kuala Lumpur? It'd be a silly idea if you'd consider having sushi in Kuala Lumpur if you are visiting this place and not having the local delicacies. But since you're in Southeast Asia, why not? It is part of the Asian culture after all, isn't it?

One of the popular Japanese sushi restaurant the locals go to aside from Sushi King, Sakae Sushi and Sushi Tei, Zanmai Sushi is rather well-known too. The first Zanmai Sushi I went to was The Garden's Zanmai Sushi outlet. When I was first introduced to Sushi Zanmai, I didn't like the idea of having to queue up for food! But I got used to it after numerous visits to the Garden's outlet.

This time, I took photos of my lunch at the Zanmai Sushi outlet at Bukit Bintang. I have just started blogging to document my traveling just so I could reminisce when I want to. I previously didn't like the idea of taking photos of my lunch or dinner and that's why I do not have much documentation of my previous eatery visits. I just got a new phone and I got very excited to document my traveling.

At the outlet, you don't have to queue up! GREAT! The service was always swift and professional. The staff would quickly show you your seat and start taking down your order. Food served with great cleanliness ( something I am always concerned about) and that pleases me to say the least.

I often order the chawan mushi which is the steamed egg in a cup. Zanmai Sushi's chawan mushi often comes with a prawn and some mushrooms in it.

Other than that, I love their Salmon Sashimi and I dare say it's really good!

Every month or so they have weekly promotional items which were fixed ahead. They would let you know what promotional items to anticipate the following weeks and I would always order one of those just so I could try something they are trying to push forward.

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Shopping in KLIA

I landed at the KLIA airport and was warmly greeted by this lengthy banner! You wouldn't be able to  imagine my contained excitement to check out the 'more than 350 shopping and dining outlets' as soon as I saw this banner.

Two minutes of walking and I saw all these designer stores with sales assistants standing outside. Funny how the KLIA Airport was rather empty. It wasn't as merry as the Changi Airport. I landed at about 6pm and I suppose I loved the tranquility and not having to jostle with fellow shoppers. All attention on you and you will find yourself slowly pacing from one store to another store although I find it quite intimidating for the sales assistants to be judging you from top to bottom.

Note that there is a Lonely Planet Cafe in KLIA! Aside from the very obvious Starbucks Coffee sign at the back, there are a few more coffee shops around.

Just like the Changi Airport, I bumped into several stores depicting the signboard 'perfumes & cosmetics'. For some reason, I do feel that it'd be a good idea to shop around since you have all the attentive sales assistants to you. The cosmetics shopping of the more notable brands like MAC or Bobbi Brown aren't any cheaper than that of in the city, just so you know.

The Aigner store at the KLIA Airport is definitely something worth mentioning. I have rarely seen an Aigner store in the Kuala Lumpur center. Sale banners greeted me as I strutted in and the sales assistants were very friendly!

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A Very Asian Thing: Koi Cafe Bubble Milk Tea in Singapore

Koi Cafe Singapore is often lauded as the most popular bubble milk tea in Singapore. Although they face fierce competition from some worthy contenders like Gong Cha and Chatime, Koi Cafe seems to be the local favourite bubble milk tea cafe.

To date they have 16 outlets island wide! Every time I pass by a Koi Cafe, it is always busy with customers. I finally gave in and put it to test- whether the bubble milk tea is a good as the hype projects.

The Vivo City outlet: Pleasant layout!

Cleanliness            : Pass

Waiting Time          : Pass

Customer Service  : Pass

Price                     : Pass

Pearl Milk Tea

For someone foreign to these Asian hypes, I think you should try a cup of bubble milk tea as part of your Asian food journey!

I looked up for more information on this cafe and realised that they have outlets at all major hotspots:

Toa Payoh 62561169
Blk190 Toa Payoh Central #01-562 S(310190)

Marine Parade 64404869
Blk83 Marine Parade Central #01-562 S(440083)

Chinatown 65368330
People's Park complex #01-16 S(059108)

Ang Mo Kio 64591518
Blk704 Ang Mo Kio Ave8 #01-2545 S(560704)

Bishan 62581729
Blk513 Bishan Street 13 #01-502 S(570513)

Bugis+ 68846817
Bugis Plus #01-01 S(188067)

Clementi 67731476
Blk 442 Clementi Ave3 #01-101 S(120442)

Tampines 67899106
Blk510 Tampines Central 1 #01-250 S(520510)

Bedok 62461780
Blk205 Bedok North Street 1 #01-381 S(460205)

Compass Point 68818470
Compass Point Shopping Centre #01-39 S(545078)

Lucky Plaza 67358917
Lucky Plaza #01-15 S(238863)

Jurong East 65690271
135 Jurong Gateway Road #01-331 S(600135)

Yishun10 67547639
Yishun 10 Multiplex #01-02 S(768794)

Buona Vista 67795643
Buona Vista MRT #01-02/03 S(139345)

Millenia Walk 63369427
Millenia Walk Shopping Mall #01-K12/K13 S(039596)

Vivo City 62724085
Vivo City Shopping Mall #B2-26A S(098585)


... and to realise that it's actually trademarked as KOI, not Koi.

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Maid Uniforms for Shanghai-Based Spring Airlines' Flight Attendants

I was writing about how the Jetstar flight attendants' self-presentation set off monotonous vibes and here we have a Shanghai-based airline, Spring Airlines which is attempting to dress their flight attendants in butler and maid uniforms.

It's a great marketing strategy since this serves as a point of attraction, promoting the airline (proven since I had no idea this airline existed previously!). Certainly, some men might enjoy the sight of flight attendants in these uniforms but let us delve into the consequences of this decision.

1. It may prove a backlash on the existing stereotype which glorifies the career as a flight attendant being glamourous and all-beautiful. Now that this is introduced, would this be inferred as demeaning? Would they then be considered as 'maids', really, in plane?

2. Would this serve as an appeal to the younger generation who are more likely to favour Cosplay (which involves costume dress-up)? This could break the barrier of the perceived no-nonsense atmosphere in the cabin which can be mundane at times. It suddenly transforms into a Disneyland, put it that way.

3. You would find costumes like these in the adult shops too. Would this hence sexualise the flight attendant presentation? Well, I suppose it has been for a long time, anyway, so why complain?

4. We have doormen and butlers in lavish hotels. How does this differ from that of in the plane?

(I do not own the rights to this picture)

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Flight Review 4: Flying from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore with Jetstar (KUL-SIN)

I am very impressed with Jetstar this time! From my previous posts, you would have guessed that I am very critical and it's not easy to get a positive rating from me. I flew from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore with other airlines as well: Tiger Airways and Air Asia.

Check-in Staff Hospitality:

Not bad at all but their check-in counter in KLIA is located at the very end. You may web check-in but you would still have to collect your boarding pass there.

Cabin interior:

This trip has changed my my impression of Jetstar. My previous trip from Singapore to KL was not a very pleasant one - with rather worn-out seats etc. This time, I was flying with a new Airbus and it was quite good.

Flight attendants:

They offered good hospitality and were humble all along. Of the several Southeast Asian airlines I flew with, Jetstar's staff were most helpful.

Very minimal effort is put into how they they offered good hospitality and were humble all along. Of the several Southeast Asian airlines I flew with, Jetstar's staff were most helpful.should present themselves or maybe it was indeed how they are supposed to present themselves? Budget Airline flight attendants? Other budget airlines seem to invest more into this. And their uniforms are very boring. Hope they would improve on this and they'd be an overall really good airline to travel with. Air Asia flight attendants have better uniforms and look more aesthetically pleasing.

Timing:

We departed 10 minutes late due to congestion (sic) but we managed to arrive 5 minutes earlier than scheduled arrival! This is making me favoring Jetstar over other budget airlines already! They are reliable and on-time.

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Lufthansa Strike

Lufthansa's latest ambitious scheme to expand has resulted in a protest which was based on wage dispute. The airline aimed to cut down jobs by 2015. On Monday, they have cancelled most of their flights and it was reported that only several German airports were at stake. Losses were estimated up to €20 million.

You may want to avoid booking Lufthansa for these few days. It seems that they keep having strikes and protests that it is normalized into a culture now. One question, how would this negatively affect their careers when they apply for a position in another airline company? Would they be deemed as the rebels and troublemakers, hence a minus point? I see this as a business decision that might propel Lufthansa to a better direction but let's just hope they all reach a settlement and travelers could fly with Lufthansa with ease.

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Flight Review 3: Flying from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur with Jetstar (SIN-KUL)

Check-in Staff Hospitality:
They are welcoming and helpful.

Timing:
Very punctual.

Boarding service:
Organized compared to other budget airlines like Tiger Airways and Air Asia. Just to share my experience, don't even bother to purchase the 'Board me First' privilege when you fly with Tiger Airways. One time when I purchased it, the staff just allowed everyone to rush through the gate. On the contrary, Jetstar's system is in such a way that the passengers at the back rows were called upon first followed by the rest, the front rows being the latest to be called upon.
I have to commend their good service in boarding the passengers- efficient and fast.

Cabin Experience:
The interior of the plane looked a bit run-down compared to Air Asia planes.

Cabin Attendants:
Didn't look professional. Something has to be done on their self-presentation. Air Asia flight attendants often (not all the time) look polished whereas the Jetstar flight attendants didn't seem like they cared much of how they present their airline.

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Shopping for Cosmetics and Fragrances in Changi Airport ( MAC, BobbiBrown, Estée Lauder etc)

Indeed a shopping paradise! The Changi Airport claims that they offer really low, competitive prices with discounts up to 40%! Whoa! I spent a lot of time lingering around to compare their prices to the local stores and oversea stores I often visited and indeed the prices here are cheaper, in general. And this is one of the major reasons why they deserve being awarded as the World's Best Airport 2013!

Take Bobbi Brown, for an example. The usual foundation that I buy is cheaper by about 4 dollars here. No big deal but imagine having a shopping spree here, purchasing up to 10 items, how much would you have saved? I noticed a lot of miniature perfume sets which were very tempting and the packaging is often different from counters in the shopping malls like Tangs Plaza or ION Orchard in Orchard road.

I went to Isetan and Parkson in KLCC, in Kuala Lumpur, the capital of Malaysia and due to impulsive buying and the stereotype that things are presumably cheaper in Kuala Lumpur, I bought several pieces of mascaras. I bought a few units of Estee Lauder Double Wear Mascara and Sumptuous Mascara in Isetan because they had some promotional voucher give-aways, only to realise that it's cheaper to get them here! How upsetting! It costs about 36SGD or 37SGD for one piece of mascara in Kuala Lumpur and the exact one only costs SGD31.70 in Changi! I have made a loss of SGD40 to be exact. I could have have a free mascara!

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Lion Air Crash in Bali

This morning I woke up to a plane crash news which took place in Bali. According to today's The Straits Times news article written by Karamjit Kaur, the plane crash crashed into the sea just off the well-known Bali island.

To be frank, I am a bit worried of taking any other airlines other than the ones which I have always taken, Air Asia and Tiger Airways. This piece of news caught my attention particularly because I fly often and that I was planning to fly to Bali. Lion Air had a promotion a few months back and I was indeed very tempted to fly with Lion Air.

News have surfaced that the jet probably crashed before reaching the runway. And guess what? It was not a very old airplane either! It was a Boeing 717-800 airplane which was sent to Lion month just a ripe one month ago! Of course, it could be deciphered as a very exclusive case since how often does Lion Air crash into the sea? I am thankful that nobody was severely injured and no deaths have been reported. Nonetheless, it has considerably tarnished the Lion Air image, I would say.

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Flight Review 2: Flying from Kota Kinabalu to Kuala Lumpur (Transit)

I planned for a trip to Kota Kinabalu but there weren't much flight options for me if I were to fly from Singapore directly. Hence, I decided to go over to the neighbouring country, Malaysia and fly from Johor Bahru to Kota Kinabalu. If you're planning to go to Kota Kinabalu, you could opt for a flight with Air Asia and transit in Kuala Lumpur. To skip the hassle, I went to Johor Bahru and took a flight from there.

After a 15-minute ride from Johor Bahru, I finally reached Senai Airport ahead of my scheduled time. I lingered around the Senai Airport and found it to be quite new. More on that in my next post.

The gate only opened at the scheduled gate-closing time and right away it was displaying 'Final Call' on the flight information screen. It was a rather long queue and we all waited for at least 5 to 7 minutes for the Air Asia staff to sort things out and start letting us pass through the gate. However, it was systematic. They allocated three queuing rows which divided the passengers into different compartments of seats in the cabin. 1st queuing row: Row 1 to 10 ie.

It was a delayed flight. Several passengers got into the cabin only to be called upon for their flight verification. Typically, the flight attendants seemed professional although I have to say they need to do some voice control to avoid disturbing the passengers in the last few rows. I noticed that when I went to the lavatory at the end of the cabin.

It was a two and a half hours flight. This flying trip was overall pleasant. It could be improved if they had not let us queue up for so long at the gate and if the staff meticulously and thoroughly checked the passengers' flight itinerary at the gate (so that they do not have to enter the cabin to call upon passengers for flight verifications which caused us the flight delay).

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Flight Review 1: Flying from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore (KUL-SIN) with Air Asia

I often fly from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore with Air Asia since their rates are usually (not always) the cheapest. Their rates are the cheapest compared to the other competitors given that you book in advanced. If you would like to travel impromptu to Singapore from Kuala Lumpur, it's usually best to look at Jetstar and Tiger Airways.

Flying with Air Asia is rather satisfactory although I nowadays prefer flying with Jetstar for their excellent service. For some reasons, Air Asia is able to employ professional flight attendants but the service is not always very warming. They dress well and speak well but in terms of willingness to serve the cabin passengers, two thumbs up for Jetstar.

Mind you that the Air Asia cabins are always full, if not 75%, for KUL-SIN. That could very well be ratonalised by the fact that they offer the best prices when you book early.

In terms of timing, Air Asia is just average. Never major delays except for once  heard from my friend who was flying from Singapore to Indonesia and was delayed for an hour or two.

One selling point is that it's convenient for the passengers to check-in through the Air Asia website and reach the gate about half an hour before the departure. However, do not that this flight flies from the LCCT airport and not the KLIA airport.

These two trips that I had were overall pleasant although it'd be a bit tedious to walk a distance from the gate to the plane when it is raining since your pathway is merely an open-door, sheltered path. When it was raining, it was chaotic. The Air Asia employees however would very kindly distribute Air Asia umbrella for you. 

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Flying from Singapore to KL (SIN-KUL) with Tiger Airways Review 1

I flew many times with Tiger Airways and will continue flying with them. I often fly from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur with Tiger Airways and their service isn't flawless but acceptable. What to moan about when the fares are always relatively cheaper compared to the leading airlines? If you feel a bit adventurous, why don't you take a bus to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore? I took Causeway Link a few times to Malaysia and you may read the 'ups and downs' I have experienced with them. Yes, I have to exaggerate by using 'ups and downs' because I had a very bad experience with them. On the bright side, they are economic and comfortable in relative to other available buses. Other than Tiger Airways, I flew with Jetstar from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur before.

Airport Counter Service:
1. One time I arrived late at the counter and checked in late. Nonetheless, the staff was still very considerate and helped me through the process. Compared to Air Asia, their staff often went by the book and strictly would not help you through late check-in.
2. On a separate occasion, the check-in gate was not open even though it was close to the scheduled gate-opening. I approached the manager and asked if they would quickly open a new counter specifically for SIN-KUL since the queue was very long. Mind you, the queue is usually very long because several counters were opened to cater for several destinations, not just one. The manager was very helpful and directed his staff to open new counters. He smiled and replied, "We would always make sure passengers will have enough time to get to the gate..." What a great response with good hospitality! Just this young, Indian manager though.
3. The staff at the service counters for check-in are usually very, very moody. They do not smile at us. I have exchanged my experience with several other passengers in the past. They share the same thought: the staff at the service counters do not smile at the passengers. When I flew with Malaysia Airlines, they have always provided me very good hospitality. Guess it is due to the fact that it is a budget airline and hence the less hospitality? I have no idea!

Timing:
1. On one very odd occasion, the gate only opens at the scheduled closing time! Nonetheless, we still reach the destination as scheduled because the flying only takes about 30 minutes to 45 minutes.
2. Never had a very significant delay. If there was, it was only a 5-minute delay. But overall, the arrival time was always either punctual or a tad bit of delay.

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Sky Shuttle from Singapore to Senai Airport

I could not find any review on the Sky Shuttle from Singapore to Senai Airport and I hope my post would help you on understanding how it works and how to travel to Senai Airport from Singapore.

Firstly, I will write a review on the experience. I thought that it was a very convenient ride although rather long. It takes about one hour to one and a half hours depending on the traffic. You wouldn't want to be in Johor Bahru (in Malaysia) during the peak hours 4.45pm to 5.45pm (give and take).

How far is Senai Airport from Malaysia CIQ?
My dear Mr Google told me it is approximately 25 kilometers away.

Where to board the Sky Shuttle? 
At Malaysia CIQ (Malaysian Customs), at Bay 24. It didn't take me long to look for it. As you exit the customs counters, you would be welcomed by banners to direct you to the bays. There would be banners reminding you of Bay 24 being the Sky Shuttle bay.

How often does the Sky Shuttle depart from Malaysia CIQ?
Not very often! This is very, very important. You would want to schedule your arrival so that you do not have to wait for two hours if the bus has just left. The Sky Shuttle comes in the interval of 2 hours!


Malaysia CIQ to Senai Airport:

0600, 0800, 1000,  1200, 1400, 1600, 1800, 2000, 2330

What if I am not flying with Air Asia?
Then you'll have to pay for the trip. It is reportedly to be 4 SGD which is very cheap compared to taking a taxi from Johor Bahru to Senai Airport. You may book your ticket online at their website: www.causewaylink.com.my

What if I am flying with Air Asia?
If you're flying with Air Asia, you do not need to pay for this! It's free!!! Go to http://www.causewaylink.com.my/eticketing/web/booking/guest_details.php to register your Air Asia Booking Reference of 6 characters. Then you would be prompted to register your details and print the Travel Itinerary from the website. You would have to show this Travel Itinerary to the Sky Shuttle bus driver at Bay 24 at Malaysia CIQ.

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Causeway Link Singapore to Malaysia

As mentioned, I would write on my experience on taking the Causeway Link bus from Singapore (Kranji MRT) to Malaysia.

When I first tried to research on how to travel, I found it to be very difficult because no blog gave me a clear picture of what I would be expecting or the journey flow. Hence I hope this post would serve as an informative guideline for all my readers :)

You may purchase a ticket to Malaysia or you could just purchase a ticket to the Malaysia CIQ. If you prefer flexibility like me, you would want to travel up to Malaysia CIQ. From there, you would then board any available bus to Johor Bahru or Larkin. There is another reason why I choose to purchase a ticket just up to the Malaysia CIQ. My first experience with Causeway Link was a very bad experience. I purchased a ticket under 2 SGD to reach Larkin but the Causeway Link buses left all of us at the Malaysia CIQ, passing by us and never stopped to pick us up. Several others and I were left dumbfounded waiting for a Causeway Link bus and we resorted to the SBS Transit bus. Even though I was just ripped off about 1 SGD, I felt that it was unjustified to be cheated because I first bought the ticket with the hope of reaching Larkin with Causeway Link. I do not wish to influence anybody into not taking Causeway Link but I would advise you to just purchase the ticket up to Malaysia CIQ, not Larkin. You would be paying the extra dollar for the trip that you'll never get. This is not a defamatory comment at all cost. Just a very honest review and I would expect my readers to have their own judgement calls in purchasing the tickets.



Kranji MRT - Singapore *CIQ - Malaysia CIQ - Johor Bahru or Larkin

 *CIQ: Customs

1. Approach the bus right outside the Kranji MRT and you would find a counter nearby. It was a very small counter, just a little wooden table and an elderly man sitting there. Purchase your ticket there.

2. How comfortable! It was a weekday evening at 4 pm and that explains why it was rather empty. You wouldn't want to travel from 4.30 pm to 6.00 pm because it would be extremely crowded. The first time I took this bus, it was a Friday evening, right at 4.30 pm. Everybody would rush to the bus because the bus gets full really fast and you would have to wait for another bus to arrive.

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Traveling from Singapore to Kuala Lumpur via bus

I have always travelled to Kuala Lumpur from Singapore by flight and since it was my first time taking a bus to Kuala Lumpur, I decided to write about it. :)


1. Using the MRT, just hop onto any MRT and get to the Red Line. Look for the Kranji stop. If you're staying near Orchard or City Hall (which are in the Red Line), it shouldn't be difficult. Just get into the train and Kranji is just a few stops away.

2. Johor Bahru is a Malaysian city nearest to Singapore. If you'd like to cross the border, that's where you'd want to reach. SBS Transit 170 and Causeway Link both would take you directly to Johor Bahru from Singapore. I have experienced both bus operators and I would write about it on a seperate post next time.

3. On the way to the buses which are right outside the MRT awaiting for passenger, you may want to taste some local delicacies. Cheap chicken rice at SGD 2.00!

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Food in Air Asia flight: Uncle Chin's Chicken Rice

I pre-booked this meal when I booked the flight from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. I didn't finish the meal in the plane and that's why I requested for a paper bag or plastic bag from the air stewardess and she handed me the plastic bag in her supposedly-dirty hand glove? Read more on that by reading my post 'Flying from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore with Air-Asia (KUL-SIN).

So why do you have to pre-book the meal online?
1. Flying with Air Asia, which is a budget airline, means that they do not provide you in-flight food and hence you have to make your purchase separately.
2. You may purchase it on board but you get a discount when you purchase it online! :)

So why do you need to eat if the flight takes only an hour?
1. Simply because you anticipate that you'd be hungry?
2. Especially when you travel to a place you've never been to before and you were rushing when you were making your way to the airport, you might miss your dinner etc. and this is when in-flight food might help filling your tummy! And when the arrival time is really late and you question the hygiene of the food at the airport of your destination, you might want to just pre-book the meal!

 

 When the food arrived, the packaging was hot at touch. It was Aluminum foil packaging, I suppose and it was average to my taste buds. For the best experience, add in the chili sauce that comes with it. It wasn't very spicy when I tasted it. I thought the chicken rice was rather bland until I had it with the chilli sauce. I thought that the sauce complemented the chiken rice really well. The chicken meat was in the form of chicken slices. Mr Chin's Chicken Rice is supposedly to be really well-known and hence they have it on board. I wouldn't say it was the best chicken rice I have tasted. Since I am rather picky at food, I would say it was an average chicken rice.

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Flying from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore with Air Asia (KUL-SIN)

Traveling in Southeast Asia is undoubtedly cheap with the existence of several very competitive budget airlines! This time I was flying from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore. I flew many times from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore via Air Asia and Tiger Airways and hence I am able to give an honest and unbiased review on these airlines.

For today, I will be writing on my fly from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore last week and would particularly elaborate on that particular fly. The flight is usually known as KUL-SIN, KUL being the abbreviation for Kuala Lumpur and SIN being the abbreviation for Singapore. Air Asia usually flies from Kuala Lumpur LCCT Airport and lands at Terminal 1 of Changi Airport.

Went in early and the plane was not full yet. Trust me, evening flights with Air Asia from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore is usually full. Most of the time when I was flying with Air Asia, the plane would be full, if not 90% full.


Notice the red seats? Those are known as the 'Hot Seats' which are 'premium' seats, I suppose. When you book your flights on Air Asia, after filling in your details, you would be prompted to choose seats. You have to pay a very minimal amount of fee to book those Hot Seats. I guess the seats are more comfortable? I have no idea! Being a constant traveller, I realised the need for comfortable seats but I didn't think I have purchase a seat if the flying journey takes only 45 minutes.

Flying with Air Asia is not bad. On an average, the flying takes about 30 minutes to 45 minutes although the flight ticket often shows a duration of an hour.

Flight:
For this particular flight, the gate closed exactly at the fixed gate-closing time. This is odd to me because every time I fly with Air Asia before this, they usually close exactly at the time stated in the boarding pass but rather a little later. However, for this particular flight, it was the longest time I ever had to wait with the rest of the cabin passengers at the runway. I estimate it was about 10-15 minutes. We started flying later than our scheduled time and eventually arrived 10 minutes later than the scheduled arrival time. I have to defend Air Asia on this. It was probably due to the rainy day? When I flew with Air Asia, the arrival time varies but never any later than 10 minutes from the arrival time.

Hospitality:
The air stewardesses dressed in red and they seem to be working very well in a team, I must say! I was, however, disappointed when I handed my empty drinking plastic cup to the air stewardess pushing the food trolley, she politely declined, "Later," with a stop-sign hand gesture and never came back to me to take it. I then asked another air stewardess to pick my empty plastic cup for disposal. Towards the end of the flight, I asked an air-stewardess for a paper bag or a plastic bag and she replied, "Sure" with a warming smile. Then she came to me with plastic gloves, holding the rubbish plastic bag on one hand for the disposal of all the disposable eateries and on the other hand my plastic bag. Hmm.. I don't know what should I feel about it. I presume it's a tad bit unhygienic to hand me a plastic bag in your supposedly 'dirty' glove? That aside, everything was fine.


For this flight, it was not a very good flight. As I said, I flew many times with Air Asia but have never written a review on their flights in the past. Just when I decided to do it, it was one of the below-average flights I ever had. That aside, it was still not too bad considering it is a budget airline.

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Where to Find a Money Exchanger in Singapore?

The other day I was in a hurry and hence I was worried that I couldn't find a money exchanger in the Changi Airport. Guess what? Within 10 minutes of walking, I found two different areas in Changi Airport with these Bank Money Exchangers! :) And they operate 24 hours a day!

 

Found this information from Changi Airport's website:

Terminal 1

• Departure Transit Lounge East, Level 2
• Departure Transit Lounge West, Level 2
• Departure Check-in Hall Central, Public Area, Level 2
• Arrival Hall, Public Area, Level 1

Terminal 2

• Departure Transit Lounge North, Level 2
• Departure Transit Lounge South, Level 2
• Departure Check-in Hall Central, Public Area, Level 2
• Arrival Hall, Public Area, Level 1

Terminal 3

• Departure Transit Lounge North, Level 2
• Departure Transit Lounge South, Level 2
• Departure Check-in Hall Central, Public Area, Level 2
• Arrival Hall, Public Area, Level 1

  Hope I helped! :)

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Skytrain and Changi Airport MRT

You have just landed at Changi Airport and you plan to go to the Changi Airport MRT but how?

Well, there are three terminals: Terminal 1, Terminal 2 and Terminal 3. Looking for the Changi Airport MRT (otherwise easily identified as 'Train to City' on the signages in the Changi Airport) can be quite a hassle for first-timers. Budget Airlines passengers flying with Tiger Airways and Air Asia would usually board at Terminal 1.

1. Walk towards to Skytrain to get to Terminal 2 (T2).

2. Upon reaching the gate, just wait for the Skytrain to arrive. Usually it doesn't take long. You would be able to board the Skytrain within 1 to 3 minutes. And it does not take long to get to Terminal 2 either. It would be about 3 minutes.

Just in case, you wish to get to Terminal 2 from Terminal 1 from 0230 hours to 0500 hours, you may take the free shuttle bus at Terminal 1 Departure Hall, Door 5.

3. The next mission: Look for the 'Train to City' signage and follow its direction.

4. You will soon arrive at an escalator, a long escalator. If you need to get to Terminal 3 or to the Crowne Plaza Hotel, just walk ahead. If you would like to get to the MRT, walk down the escalators. Then, purchase a ticket from the ticketing counter.

5. You have now arrived at the MRT platform! And you could check the arrival and departure or flights there too. Wait for the train to arrive. You may board either one on both sides, whichever arrives first. Both trains would be going towards Tanah Merah MRT.






6. In the train!

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Changi Airport as the World's Best Airport 2013

Changi Airport prides in being the most-awarded airport since it opened. I often travel to and from Changi Airport and I have to admit, they really do live up to their motto: The Feeling is First Class. It boasts top-notch amenities and over 300 shopping and dining outlets!

I flew with Air Asia from Kuala Lumpur to Singapore on last Wednesday. Well, I was actually traveling back to Singapore from Kota Kinabalu via a transit in Kuala Lumpur and I couldn't help myself but falling in love with this airport! And guess what? The very next morning, the 2013 Skytrax World Airport Awards announced Changi Airport as the World's Best Airport of the year!

Let me tell you why...

Buy electronics at a fraction of price at Changi Airport

A stretch of luxury retail stores awaiting for you!

One of the very few Victoria Secret outlets in Singapore, aside from Victoria Secret ION Orchard, Victoria Secret Marina Bay Sands and the one in Sentosa Island.

Who says it's only for the women? It is a shopping paradise for men too!

You will never get lost with all the signage!

Notice how clean and well-organised this place is? Changi Airport launched a programme 'Flying Or Not, You Shop We Absorb' which means... 7% GST waived!!! So which are the participant stores in this programme?

Terminal 1:

Bengawan Solo
Perfumes & Cosmetics
Relay
The Cocoa Trees
Watsons

Terminal 2:

Bee Cheng Hiang
Carlo Rino
Chocolates.Candy.Delicatessen
Chomel
Delsey
Eu Yan Sang
Flight 001
Guardian Beauty & Health
Ice-Watch
i-Sound
KedaiKueKue
Mini Toons
Perfumes & Cosmetics
Pocket Full of Posies
SK Jewellery
Times Travel
Umeya
Vignette

Terminal 3:

Bata
Bengawan Solo
Better Vision
Bratpack
Chomel
Cocoa & Co.
Cotton On
Durian Mpire
Electronics Hub @T3
Eu Yan Sang
Giordano
Helen
Home-Fix The D.I.Y Store
Kidztime!
Kim Joo Guan
La Famille
Maiden Cove
Mini Toons
My Kiddos
o.d.m.
Perfumes & Cosmetics
Planet Toy
Pocket Full of Posies
Poh Kim Video
Purple Attic
Samsonite
SK Jewellery
Soda POP
Sophisca
SPELL
Sugar Cube
Sunglass Hut
Swatch
SZAN
The Body Shop
The Cocoa Trees
The Planet Traveller
Times Travel
Watsons

If you are a tourist who has done a lot of shopping in Singapore to only come to realise of the GST waiver at the Changi Airport, fret not! You may claim the 7% Government Service Tax from your purchases in Singapore from a counter in the Changi Airport (with T&C, of course :) )

And just in case, you need some extra Singapore dollars, just change some currency at the 24-hour money exchangers in the airport.

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