This was published 1 year ago
Airline review: Firefly Airlines Boeing 737-800, economy, Langkawi to Penang
By Belinda Jackson
Firefly Airlines operate daily services from Langkawi to Penang with fares from $14.
THE FLIGHT
Flight FY2701, Langkawi (LGK) to Penang (PEN); Economy, seat 11F (window); flight time 40 minutes. Daily services from Langkawi to Penang, and twice daily on Mondays, Saturdays and Sundays.
THE AIRCRAFT
Firefly used to fly ATR turboprops down to Penang, but it's anticipating greater demand in domestic and short-haul international travel, so is now running the larger, narrow-body Boeing 737-800s (aka B738s) on domestic and Asia-Pacific routes out of Penang. The plane is only 30 per cent full on this lunchtime flight.
THE LOYALTY SCHEME
As a low-cost carrier owned by Malaysia Airlines, Firefly also shares the same Enrich loyalty program.
CARBON EMISSIONS
Rated at 0.099 tonnes for one economy class passenger flying Langkawi to Penang. Pay to offset emissions at myclimate.org
CHECKING IN
With two flights checking in simultaneously and only two desks open, check-in is best described as a bunfight, as we're still queuing at the counters 10 minutes before departure. I'm one of the last to get checked in, and it's getting pretty tense until… the check-in staff member's mum rings, and the whole line cracks up as they listen to him trying to explain to his mum that he's too busy to talk. Those of us at the end of the queue are literally chased out onto the tarmac, up the staircase and on the plane by the ground crew.
THE SEAT
This plane has only economy class, with seats arranged in a 3-3 formation. The seats are 17 inches (43.2cm) (17-inches) wide with a 29 to 30 inch (73-76cm) pitch, which is enough on the short domestic and Asian routes it services. Lanky passengers can pay an additional fee for seats in the first row, for extra legroom.
BAGGAGE
My fare includes 20kg of checked-in luggage and 7kg carry-on.
ENTERTAINMENT
If you can, choose a seat on the left side of the plane when departing Langkawi for the best views of the lovely Langkawi archipelago; there's no screens supplied, or required, on this short flight.
SERVICE
Luckily, I like orange, as the airline livery is an eye-blinding hue, which the super-smiley staff wear well.
FOOD
You could order a meal beforehand and thus spend the entire 40 minute-flight eating nasi lemak or roti jala – just how food-crazy Malaysians like it. But heading to the renowned street-food destination of Penang, I'm happy to forgo an aluminium tray of noodles and wait until I can throw myself into the nearest street market.
ONE MORE THING
With fares as little as MYR49 (about $14, hand luggage only), you really can't complain about this brief service.
VERDICT
This route competes with a ferry service that (in non-COVID times) runs between Langkawi and Penang, and takes roughly three hours. If you're on any time budget, or hate being delayed by time and tide, go the budget air option.
OUR RATING OUT OF FIVE
★★★
Belinda Jackson was a guest of Malaysian Airlines.
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