When mum and I decided on our destinations for the Euro Trip back in February, we had left the vital bit the last thing to decide on - which airline?
Some friends told us to take Qatar Airways, rightfully so because they have had an excellent service record and they were in fact on promotion (which was just nice). Some proposed Singapore Airlines for the same reasons (which was quite expensive at that time). But mum wasn't sure about any other airlines but the airlines she grew up with, back in hay-day when there were absolutely no competitions.
So we did. "Plus, we should probably help them out"
We decided on Malaysia Airlines, largely because it should feel most like home when we're traveling 13 hours to Paris, and about 9 hours from Istanbul back to KL. Plus, the rates were pretty competitiv with Qatar Airways. So after locking in our tickets, we were ready for our long haul flights.
***
It was my first experience being on board Boeing A380 Double Decker that probably accommodated nearly 500 of us en route to Paris - and it was insanely amazing. I was wondering why we had two entrances (top and bottom) had I only seen the stairs going up the upper deck when I went to the lavatory halfway through the journey.
I was like, F*CK, this is a huge plane! As if seeing the huge plane's take-off through the external camera wasn't an indicator that the plane was gigantic. Minus the glamourised flawless take-off and the magnificent A380 at its glory sky high, the most worthy thing to speak about when it comes to Malaysian Airlines, above anything else and beyond was its service.
I have had always heard of the metaphor 'Home away from home' but nothing ever came close to pinning or living more like in that definition than being in THAT particular April 10, MH 20, 11.40PM flight from KL - Paris.
Smiles and welcome greetings were expected, but not the bit when they realised I had trouble sleeping, so they gave me a few more pillows and suggestion of some drinks to relax me. Or that part where they chatted with my mum because she had wandering eyes, or that bit when they noticed my colourful socks, or when they assured my mum she could have as much peanut snacks as she wanted, or the part when they asked us our destinations and shared some suggestions. All these with instinctive sincerity.
I haven't been trying a lot of other airlines, but others that I had used previously were not even the slightest bit of close to the service I had received from this spectacular bench of stewards and stewardess from this flight. I had forgotten why Malaysia Airlines was what it was, but that flight reminded me everything about my childhood, about my dad, about my mum, and why it was the most prestigious airline ever graced the sky in the 90s. It was like the Ratatouille of flight. Their hospitality was impeccable.
(while I slept like a baby the entire flight from Istanbul - KL)
I remembered trusting them with my toys, my games, and my parents who traveled a lot with them and in that 13 hours of probably the most amazing flight I had ever been on in my entire life, I remembered why exactly, why WE ALL loved Malaysia Airlines - its Malaysian Hospitality.
I had decided to share this story because I regretted not tweeting it to @MAS right after the flight, I regretted not telling the world what a remarkable the team @MAS had supporting its back, I had regretted not giving them credit.
All the deserving credit.
Love,
Jacqueline Rowena @ Jacqkie.
Some friends told us to take Qatar Airways, rightfully so because they have had an excellent service record and they were in fact on promotion (which was just nice). Some proposed Singapore Airlines for the same reasons (which was quite expensive at that time). But mum wasn't sure about any other airlines but the airlines she grew up with, back in hay-day when there were absolutely no competitions.
So we did. "Plus, we should probably help them out"
We decided on Malaysia Airlines, largely because it should feel most like home when we're traveling 13 hours to Paris, and about 9 hours from Istanbul back to KL. Plus, the rates were pretty competitiv with Qatar Airways. So after locking in our tickets, we were ready for our long haul flights.
***
It was my first experience being on board Boeing A380 Double Decker that probably accommodated nearly 500 of us en route to Paris - and it was insanely amazing. I was wondering why we had two entrances (top and bottom) had I only seen the stairs going up the upper deck when I went to the lavatory halfway through the journey.
I was like, F*CK, this is a huge plane! As if seeing the huge plane's take-off through the external camera wasn't an indicator that the plane was gigantic. Minus the glamourised flawless take-off and the magnificent A380 at its glory sky high, the most worthy thing to speak about when it comes to Malaysian Airlines, above anything else and beyond was its service.
I have had always heard of the metaphor 'Home away from home' but nothing ever came close to pinning or living more like in that definition than being in THAT particular April 10, MH 20, 11.40PM flight from KL - Paris.
Smiles and welcome greetings were expected, but not the bit when they realised I had trouble sleeping, so they gave me a few more pillows and suggestion of some drinks to relax me. Or that part where they chatted with my mum because she had wandering eyes, or that bit when they noticed my colourful socks, or when they assured my mum she could have as much peanut snacks as she wanted, or the part when they asked us our destinations and shared some suggestions. All these with instinctive sincerity.
I haven't been trying a lot of other airlines, but others that I had used previously were not even the slightest bit of close to the service I had received from this spectacular bench of stewards and stewardess from this flight. I had forgotten why Malaysia Airlines was what it was, but that flight reminded me everything about my childhood, about my dad, about my mum, and why it was the most prestigious airline ever graced the sky in the 90s. It was like the Ratatouille of flight. Their hospitality was impeccable.
(while I slept like a baby the entire flight from Istanbul - KL)
I remembered trusting them with my toys, my games, and my parents who traveled a lot with them and in that 13 hours of probably the most amazing flight I had ever been on in my entire life, I remembered why exactly, why WE ALL loved Malaysia Airlines - its Malaysian Hospitality.
I had decided to share this story because I regretted not tweeting it to @MAS right after the flight, I regretted not telling the world what a remarkable the team @MAS had supporting its back, I had regretted not giving them credit.
All the deserving credit.
Love,
Jacqueline Rowena @ Jacqkie.
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