At the Airport

Check-in

Singapore Airlines operates eight check-in counters in Row L at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, located on the right side of the airport terminal. Three counters are set aside for Business Class passengers, while four are dedicated to Economy Class passengers. Singapore Airlines dedicated one separate queue for KrisFlyer Elite Gold or Star Alliance Gold members. The check-in was smooth, and the friendly ground staff warmly welcomed us. Our check-in was processed efficiently, and the ground staff invited us to the lounge while waiting for our flight. The ground staff recommended the lounge closest to our boarding gate, but since we had time and based on our previous experience in the Plaza Premium First Lounge, we told the staff we wanted to use the Plaza Premium Lounge. The ground staff thoughtfully provided the estimated time from the main terminal to our departure gate at the satellite terminal.

Plaza Premium Lounge

Singapore Airlines used to operate the SilverKris Lounge at Kuala Lumpur International Airport, but the lounge closed down during COVID and never reopened. Singapore Airlines uses the contracted lounge – Plaza Premium Lounge- as a replacement. Located on Level 2 near Gate G of the main building of KLIA, the Plaza Premium Lounge serves several airlines and is also open to holders of Priority Pass, a paid lounge access membership programme. Plaza Premium Lounge uses a natural wood furnishing interior and wooden partitions to create small sections of the seating area. The use of yellow and ample lighting gave the lounge a spacious and contemporary look. The lounge mainly has dining tables and chairs, simultaneously catering to passengers’ dining and working needs. Plaza Premium Lounge cordoned off a small section near its entrance for airlines’ premium passengers, and a lounge staff guards this section diligently to prevent non-airline guests from using it. There are more seating options in this reserved section of the lounge. Other than the dining tables, in the centre of this section, we also spotted armchairs furnished by the walls for relaxation. A fairly huge selection of food is served in the lounge: buffet and à la minute food. The buffet food is mainly located opposite the bar counter and at the à la minute counter. There is also a chiller with fruits and vegetables for passengers. The food served in the lounge is delicious, mostly Malaysian Cuisine. In the reserved section, there is a small buffet table consisting of pastries for the convenience of premium passengers.

Plaza Premium Lounge in Kuala Lumpur International Airport has two shower rooms in the far corner of the lounge. Despite the crowd in the lounge, we were in the front of the queue for the shower room. Shower room booking must be done via a QR code displayed in the shower facilities area. The shower rooms are rather small but serve the purpose of providing lounge guests with a good shower. There were no ledges in the shower room to place my carry-on, and I had to leave my backpack on the floor. The sink countertop space is also rather tight. Plaza Premium Lounge provides guests with good-quality shower amenities, including a dental kit and shaver. The shower rooms are fitted with a toilet and a walk-in shower. Despite only having a regular shower head, the water pressure is very good.

The Aircraft

Singapore Airlines flies several different aircraft on the Singapore-Kuala Lumpur route. For this trip, we took the A350-900 Medium Haul Variant.

The Cabin

Singapore Airlines A350-900 Economy Class cabin is segregated into two sections, with 126 seats in the forward section and 137 in the rear. The cabin looks cheerful, with light blue and grey seats. The navy blue carpeting is a great choice as it makes the cabin look clean and reinforces Singapore Airlines’ branding, as this blue is also painted on their aircraft livery. The choice of lilac mood lighting used during boarding exudes a calming effect, while the white lighting used during the cruising made the sardine class feel more spacious. Due to the short flight and the passenger sleeping beside me, I did not have the opportunity to visit the lavatory.

The Seat

The Economy Class seats in Singapore Airlines A350-900 on both long haul and medium haul variants did not differ. Each of the 263 Economy Class seats has a seat pitch of 32″ and is 18″ wide, capable of a maximum recline of 6″ via the seat recline button on the armrest. The seats are very comfortable despite their thin-looking padding, which is also suitable for long-distance flying. The legroom is also very generous, with a wide berth from my knee to the seat in front, and I could even stretch out my legs. The airline is very thoughtful in fitting not one but two power charging options in these Economy Class seats. The more convenient power outlet comes in the form of a USB-A power outlet under the TV screen, while the other is an international power outlet installed in front of the seats nearer to the floor. However, I find the charging speed on these USB-A charging ports a tad slow.

Singapore Airlines A350-900 Economy Class has a bi-fold tray table that comes with a small vanity mirror, which is especially useful for passengers flying for longer flights. The bi-fold table unfolds into a relatively large tray table, sufficient for passengers to place their laptops on. I like the compartmentalised design of the seat pocket, which increases the storage capacity tremendously. On top of the main seat pocket, there are two additional smaller pockets designed in front of the main pocket, which is great for storing smaller items like passports and power cables. The large main seat pocket also allowed me to stow some items despite being filled with inflight literature. Unlike other airlines where the overhead reading light and attendant call buttons are activated from the IFE controller, the overhead lighting on Singapore Airlines A350-900 Economy Class is activated from the touchscreen personal TV as the airline had eliminated the IFE controller.

Inflight Entertainment

Singapore Airlines A350-900 Medium Haul Variant is fitted with an 11.1″ personal TV in every Economy Class seat. I was glad that the KrisWorld was operational despite the short flight time. However, earplugs were not being distributed due to the short flight time. Armed with the reusable earplugs I had gotten from my previous flights with Singapore Airlines, I was able to enjoy KrisWorld’s in-flight entertainment system. Singapore Airlines had eliminated the IFE controller, which I thought was a good move as everything else was accessible via the responsive touchscreen function on the IFE screen. Singapore Airlines KrisWorld has a myriad of entertainment, from up-to-date movies, TV shows, and games, which are well organised in an intuitive menu layout that will keep passengers for hours. Singapore Airlines A350-900 is equipped with Wi-Fi facilities, which are free for passengers travelling in Business Class and KrisFlyer members flying in Economy Class. However, the Wi-Fi was not turned on during this short flight.

Refreshment

Due to the short flight time, no meals were being distributed to passengers in Economy Class. Flight attendants quickly sprung into action, distributing a small cup of apple juice to all Economy Class passengers as soon as the seat belt sign was turned off.

Service

Despite the short flight time and the very limited time for the cabin crew to distribute the drinks, the professional flight attendants still served with a smile. We also saw cabin crews helping passengers look for empty overhead bins to stow their carry-ons.

Afterthought

The Singapore Airlines A350-900 Economy Class seats were very comfortable for this short flight, and there was a good amount of legroom. The inflight entertainment was stocked with movies and TV shows to entertain passengers who brought along their own audio devices. Despite having a full flight of passengers to serve in a short time, the cabin crew still does their job with a smile.