It has been a very long while (perhaps more than 8 years) since I last wrote and posted a trip report. After reading all the wonderful trip report here, I guess it is about time that I begin posting trip reports again. This will be my first trip report in this community. I hope all would enjoy my writing. Background Back in March, I was discussing with my wife on our year end vacation destination, when I proposed Taiwan as a possible consideration. After some consideration and budget calculation, we decided that it would be a suitable place to visit for our family, plus I could visit a few friends along the way. A look at the possible flight options, surprisingly, gave us Cathay Pacific as the cheapest alternative between Kuala Lumpur and Taipei, obviously with a transit in Hong Kong. So we purchased our tickets almost 9 months in advance of our scheduled departure, and started our painstakingly long countdown for my long awaited (it was almost 19 years since I last visited Taiwan) and my family’s first visit to Taiwan. We would depart Kuala Lumpur on CX722 at 1:45pm, arriving at Hong Kong at 5:30pm before connecting on KA5482 departing at 6:20pm and arriving at Taipei at 8:10pm. Online Check-in 48 hours before scheduled departure, I proceeded to check-in for the four of us (myself, wife, and two kids), and I was ecstatic to find out that KA5482 would be operated by a CX B744. What a great chance to catch B744 again before Cathay retires them. On the other hand, I was also very concerned about the very short transit time at Hong Kong. Any delay in CX722 would mean my missed opportunity with the Queen of the skies. Well, I could only pray that everything would go as plan. To KLIA From Melaka (where I live) to KLIA, the two alternatives to commute to airport are i) taxi or ii) bus, other than self-driving. As this was an early afternoon departure, it gave us the option to try out the express bus service for the first time.
StarMart is one of two running between Melaka and KLIA. The other one is Transnasional.
Comfortable seats
We took the 7:30am bus and arrived at KLIA around 10:00am. Cathay had just finished up with the check-in of CX790, but we only needed to wait for about a quarter of an hour before they started to prepare for CX722.
Cathay Pacific check in counters at KLIA
Check in We were first in line and were called upon when the counters opened. After she typed our names into the system and did not print our boarding passes, I could smell that my worst fear was just about to become a reality. True enough, after a few phone calls with her supervisor, I was told that, due to late arrival of incoming aircraft, our departing aircraft would be delayed, which made the connection at Hong Kong not possible. As all subsequent flights to Taipei were fully booked, Cathay would arrange to rebook us on another carrier to Taipei. While it was normally a fun experience to try out a different airline, but my mood was rather gloomy and disappointed as I had missed my opportunity to fly the B744 on Cathay again. However, there was nothing that I could do other than to accept the fact. To compensate for this mishap, CX offered us food vouchers while they looked for alternatives to rebook us.
Cathay Pacific food vouchers for four of us
We used it to have lunch at this restaurant close to Cathay Pacific counters
We went back to Cathay counter as instructed at 12:30pm, and ground personnel led us to EVA Air across the aisle.
EVA Air check in counters at KLIA
Due to our last minute nature, we were unable to secure window seats. Instead, four of us took up seats in the center row. With check in done and plenty of time before departure, we took the KLIA transit to visit KLIA 2. We returned to KLIA about 1.5 hours before scheduled departure and went straight to immigration. Once inside the terminal, we visited the jungle broad walk before heading to the gate.
Boarding & Flight BR228 was operated by an A330-200. We did not begin boarding until around scheduled departure time.
BR228 operating KUL - TPE today
The seat pitch was a rather comfortable 33” with personal AVOD entertainment system. However, it was of an older generation with no touch screen function, and no power socket to recharge electronic devices on board.
Personal screen at each seat back
Once boarding was completed, we were pushed back and headed to active runway. We were held short of the runway for a good 10 minutes, before we were allowed to enter the active runway and took off close to 4:30pm. Once the captain released the cabin crew from the seats, we were first served a round of beverage with rice crackers.
Orange juice, water, and rice crackers
Dinner service soon followed.
Choices of main dish included chicken with rice or fish with potato. Both were complimented with a smoked duck salad, fresh fruit, cake, and bread roll.
Chicken with rice Fish with potato
The meal was nothing spectacular. Presentation wise, especially for chicken with rice, was rather unimpressive. However, the taste was not bad and portion quite filling. After a couple of movies, we were ready to land on Taipei Taoyuan International Airport. Landing & Ground Activity We landed at 8:30pm and then it was a rush to the immigration. Once luggage were collected, we got ourselves a 10-day unlimited 4G data plan with NTD100 worth of call fees for NTD500, which I thought was good value. Afterwards it was to the bus counter for tickets to our stay at Taipei.
We would be taking bus 1968 to Xindian
Rather spacious seating in the bus
See more
Verdict
EVA Air
7.5/10
Cabin8.0
Cabin crew8.0
Entertainment/wifi7.0
Meal/catering7.0
Kuala Lumpur - KUL
7.5/10
Efficiency8.0
Access7.0
Services7.0
Cleanliness8.0
Taipei - TPE
7.8/10
Efficiency8.0
Access7.5
Services7.5
Cleanliness8.0
Conclusion
Overall, it was a rather mix emotional flight experience. The journey did not begin on a great note, as we did not get to board our scheduled flights, and I missed out on the chance to fly the B744. We also did not manage to get window seats on EVA Air due to the last minute nature of our rebooking. However, being a direct flight, we were able to land at Taipei just about the same time as our Cathay flight despite late departure from Kuala Lumpur. Flight experience on EVA Air was rather pleasant. The seats were comfortable and the pitch wide enough for the journey. The entertainment system was a bit outdated, but the selection was comparable to what I found in Cathay. Catering could have been better, but being in economy class, I should not complain too much because it served its purposes for filling me up.
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It sounds like CX handled the situation in a very professional manner, rebooking you on a direct flight (even on a carrier outside of their alliance, be thankful they didn't put you on one of those nasty MH B738s with 30 pitch!). They provided food and an arrival time comparable to your originally booked ticket. That said, I understand your disappointment at CX stealing your dreams, I guess it is better then flying CX and finding out they did one of their notorious aircraft swaps ;)
The BR hard product looks good for a regional flight (I'm pretty sure this hard product is at least as good as what CX has in their prehistoric B744 cabins). The catering looks better than what CX would offer you.
CX handled the lost connection right - rebooking you on BR was probably not cheap for them. Not having a window seat would have been the worst for me, compensated in part by flying another airline. The food looks great by European Economy standards, and you would not get any for free on a domestic flight in the US. Could you provide details on the 4G plan ? (where did you get it, special conditions, etc.) I am interested. It is great to see the Flight Report community expand worldwide (I enjoyed Melaka last year, despite my visit being reduced to a single day due to a plane rescheduling). Thanks for this comprehensive report, and welcome among the contributors ! :)
I purchased the package from ????? in Taoyuan Airport. I have a snapshot of the plans available, yet I do not know how to attach it in this reply. It has various plans cater for different day span. Once you enter the arrival hall, the sign will lead you to the counters. All they need is a copy of your passport and they will install the SIM card for you.
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9 Comments
Nice to see that Flight Report has English readers/members in Malaysia, too ! I was in Melaka for one day last month. ^^
CX agent had the right reflex to rebook you on a different carrier, I'm not sure that every airline would do this to their pax in such a situation.
You got one of the BR regional A332 aircraft, which even if they are not old are equipped with rather old seats and IFEs, event in business class.
See you for another contribution.
It sounds like CX handled the situation in a very professional manner, rebooking you on a direct flight (even on a carrier outside of their alliance, be thankful they didn't put you on one of those nasty MH B738s with 30 pitch!). They provided food and an arrival time comparable to your originally booked ticket. That said, I understand your disappointment at CX stealing your dreams, I guess it is better then flying CX and finding out they did one of their notorious aircraft swaps ;)
The BR hard product looks good for a regional flight (I'm pretty sure this hard product is at least as good as what CX has in their prehistoric B744 cabins). The catering looks better than what CX would offer you.
I look forward to return legs on CX.
While I am grateful of the efforts by CX to rearrange my travel plans, it does hurt not to have window seats on a flight.
Please stay tune for my return journey, which also involves a change of flight and aircraft type.
Please stay tune for my upcoming trip reports soon.
Not having a window seat would have been the worst for me, compensated in part by flying another airline.
The food looks great by European Economy standards, and you would not get any for free on a domestic flight in the US.
Could you provide details on the 4G plan ? (where did you get it, special conditions, etc.) I am interested.
It is great to see the Flight Report community expand worldwide (I enjoyed Melaka last year, despite my visit being reduced to a single day due to a plane rescheduling).
Thanks for this comprehensive report, and welcome among the contributors ! :)
I purchased the package from ????? in Taoyuan Airport. I have a snapshot of the plans available, yet I do not know how to attach it in this reply. It has various plans cater for different day span. Once you enter the arrival hall, the sign will lead you to the counters. All they need is a copy of your passport and they will install the SIM card for you.
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