KL on the cheap? Content creator raves about travel experience with this underrated airline

When travelling to Kuala Lumpur, our minds immediately think of coach buses and budget airlines as the go-to options. 

Since the latter takes you only about 45 minutes or so to reach KL, it's only logical to take a budget flight, foregoing privileges such as check-in baggage allowance, comfort and even inflight meals and entertainment. 

That said, a content creator shared his flight experience with a lesser-known airline in a 28-second TikTok video last Friday (June 9).

"Love taking Batik Air to KL cause cheap and free 20kg baggage," the caption read.

User imfjhi aka Fared Jhi highlighted that tickets are a bit pricier than budget airlines, ranging from $150 to $190. But in return, you get the usual amenities, which you would typically receive on a fully fledged carrier. 

Firstly, you get in-flight entertainment to keep yourself occupied during the flight. Plus, the airfare includes free 20kg check-in baggage allowance to boot. 

Speaking to AsiaOne, Fared told us that he has been flying with Batik Air since 2018.

"The service are quite decent, majority of them [airline crew] are friendly but there's not much interaction with them since they stopped giving out complimentary refreshments after the pandemic in 2020.

"They used to give muffins and water. There aren't any in-flight meals [for the KL flights] but I think you can buy snacks instead," Fared mentioned.

Fare comparison 

So how does Batik Air hold up against the other players in terms of price? 

Looking at both ends of the spectrum, we decided to compare Batik Air's ticket price with another full-service airline and budget airline, Singapore Airlines (SQ) and Scoot respectively.

Choosing the same travel dates for all, a return ticket for Batik Air, under the super saver option, cost $189.10. 

Meanwhile, SQ's cheapest fare will set you back $195.10 for the economy lite option. 

Do note that additional charges apply for seat selection, but you do get a check-in baggage allowance of 25kg, which is slightly more than what Batik Air offers. 

On the other hand, Scoot's cheapest fare is $116.40, but excludes add-ons like check-in baggage allowance, meals and seat selection.

So it really depends on preference, and what you're looking for when choosing your airline. 

Netizens approve

In the comments section, fans of Batik Air were quick to sing the airline's praises based on their own experiences. 

While other users commended Batik Air for their ample legroom. 

 

However, some found the air ticket prices a little expensive for a short flight. 

READ ALSO: 5 travel hacking tips to get the most out of flying Scoot (or other budget airlines)

venkat.gunasellan@asiaone.com

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