In a welcome post-pandemic recovery move, British Airways is set to finally return and resume its operations to our beautiful Kuala Lumpur, reinstating the route as a daily service that had been a staple before the global disruption caused by COVID-19.
This reinstatement, scheduled for 10th November 2024, marks a significant return to normalcy and competition, notably with oneworld partner Malaysia Airlines, which currently offers double-daily direct flights to the Malaysian capital.
If you ask me personally, it's definitely a hard pass when it comes to comparing both British Airways and Malaysia Airlines. While British Airways has undeniably the better hard product, it's service and crew hospitality are nowhere near the levels of Malaysia Airlines.
British Airways Also Reinstates Flights to Bangkok
Unlike the Bangkok route, which British Airways will initially run thrice weekly, the Kuala Lumpur service is making a full-force comeback with flights every day of the week.
The flight to KL is operating out of Heathrow, with this decision largely influenced by the demands of the business community, signaling confidence in the route's commercial viability and importance.
The flight schedule is as follows:
Flight BA33 will depart Heathrow at 20:45 and arrive in Kuala Lumpur at 17:30 the following day.
The return flight, BA34, will leave Kuala Lumpur at 23:20, reaching Heathrow at 05:35 the next morning.
These flights will be serviced by the four-class Boeing 787-9, offering a range of seating options including eight First Class seats, 42 in Club World, 39 in World Traveller Plus (premium economy), and 127 in World Traveller (economy).
As of now, the Boeing 787-9 fleet does not include the newly introduced Club Suite, with the first aircraft just beginning its refit. It's unlikely that the Kuala Lumpur route will feature the Club Suite-refurbished 787-9s initially, as these are expected to be allocated to more critical routes, possibly including Sydney.
Redeeming Credit Card Points for British Airways Avios
For travelers looking to redeem Avios, one-way Business Class tickets start from 110,000 Avios and £300, though options to use fewer Avios and more cash are available.
As far as I'm aware, currently only the CIMB Travel Credit Cards allow you to redeem your credit card points for Avios. Be sure to check out my Ultimate Guide page for details on which credit card you should use to redeem airline miles.
The delay in the return of these routes can primarily be attributed to aircraft availability issues. The pandemic led British Airways to retire all 31 of its Boeing 747 fleet, significantly impacting its long-haul capabilities. However, with the recent addition of A350 and Boeing 787-10 aircraft, British Airways' long-haul fleet is nearly back to its pre-2019 strength. This recovery positions the airline to reinstate the remainder of its historic pre-COVID routes by the end of the year, beginning with its eagerly anticipated service to Kuala Lumpur.
Final Thoughts
I very much welcome the addition of British Airways' reinstated flight to Kuala Lumpur for several reasons. The main reason is that it will certainly provide competition to Malaysia Airlines, and if you're frequently flying to London and back, this will mean cheaper flights across the board.
As to whether I actually recommend redeeming your credit card points for seats on British Airways? The answer is a definitive no.
British Airways has a pretty poor hard product honestly, and it's something comparable to Malaysia Airlines' own product. If anything, I would recommend that you skip both British Airways and Malaysia Airlines altogether and redeem your flights on Qatar Airways instead, which is superior in every other way when compared to the two carriers.
