Penang to UK via KL connecting flight times

dreamypuma

Hi

Hoping someone can help.

I'll be visiting Kuala Lumpur in March, and whilst there taking an internal flight to Penang booked with Air Asia.

Air Asia get me back to KL LCCT at 1455hrs. I then have to get to KLIA to catch an Emirates flight departing at 1930hrs.

Has anyone got any experience of doing this, are my times realistic?

Initially I felt comfortable with the 4.5hr difference, but now reading about Air Asia and also the 20km ride from LCCT to KLIA i'm starting to doubt myself.

Any advise to put my mind at ease would be helpful.

Bob_the_Saver

Shouldn't be a problem. KL-LCCT can involve a bit of a walk from the plane but immigration is usually pretty fast. Inter-terminal transport is just outside.

Saying that anything can go wrong although snow delays won't be a problem. Personally I tend to have an overnight stop between flights in KL.

claire16c

I think I booked tickets online through Air Asia website to get a transfer from LCCT to KL downtown - but you could buy them to several places, when you get outside all the coaches are waiting, although they do sometimes take a while to leave!

I guess it will all come down to if your first flight departs on time. I have to say we took about 8 flights with Air Asia and they all left on time and seemed pretty efficient.

dreamypuma

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

Shouldn't be a problem. KL-LCCT can involve a bit of a walk from the plane but immigration is usually pretty fast. Inter-terminal transport is just outside.

Saying that anything can go wrong although snow delays won't be a problem. Personally I tend to have an overnight stop between flights in KL.

Thanks Bob.
Are Air Asia as prone to delays as much as I hear? is the bus transit between airports reliable and consistent?

I've heard about queues at LCCT Immigration that can take 60mins. Is this true?

dreamypuma

claire16c wrote: »

I think I booked tickets online through Air Asia website to get a transfer from LCCT to KL downtown - but you could buy them to several places, when you get outside all the coaches are waiting, although they do sometimes take a while to leave!

I guess it will all come down to if your first flight departs on time. I have to say we took about 8 flights with Air Asia and they all left on time and seemed pretty efficient.

Thanks Claire. Just heard a few stories about Immigration queues and chaos at LCCT.

Doshwaster

That schedule sounds fairly easy. There are regular shuttle buses (every 15-20 mins or so) and the journey takes about 20 mins. Just make sure you go direct and not via KL Sentral.

The last time I did that journey I flew Penang -> KL on Malaysian. It was a little more expensive but a lot less hassle as they fly into KLIA and will interline baggge.

Have fun in Penang. It's one of my favourite places in SE Asia.

dreamypuma

Doshwaster wrote: »

That schedule sounds fairly easy. There are regular shuttle buses (every 15-20 mins or so) and the journey takes about 20 mins. Just make sure you go direct and not via KL Sentral.

The last time I did that journey I flew Penang -> KL on Malaysian. It was a little more expensive but a lot less hassle as they fly into KLIA and will interline baggge.

Have fun in Penang. It's one of my favourite places in SE Asia.

Thanks Doshwaster. Didn't realise that there was a bus to KLIA via KL Sentral. I think that would be a disaster. I'll keep an eye out for that.

Can't wait to get sampling all the street food.

Bob_the_Saver

dreamypuma wrote: »

Thanks Bob.
Are Air Asia as prone to delays as much as I hear? is the bus transit between airports reliable and consistent?

I've heard about queues at LCCT Immigration that can take 60mins. Is this true?

We've used them dozens of times, the odd small delay but no big problems, Immigration has only ever been 10 mins tops for us but I tend to walk 'briskly' from to plane to get in front of fellow passengers from our flight. As you enter the building if you take the stairs at a good pace you can pass about 50 on the escalator.

One big tip for there especially. pick a queue with a male rather than female immigration offices, they can be much faster at their work. Not sexist just fact try it and see, I'm not joking.

HANG ON A MO, if you're coming from Penang you shouldn't be going through immigration it's an internal flight. I won't delete the comments they might help others.

mad_rich

It's one of those questions that comes down to your attitude to risk. And your (or your insurer's) ability to pay if it doesn't work out for you.

If the flight from Penang is on time, or even a little late, no problem.

But who's to say it won't be cancelled, or significantly delayed, or diverted, or retimed so that you miss the connection. If this happens, neither airline will be interested in helping you.

It's a relatively small chance, but could end up being costly. I would probably book this flight, but I would make sure I had insurance that would cover me for a missed connection. I'd probably also keep one eye on the Air Asia website in the days and hours leading up to the flight, just to make sure it hasn't been cancelled or retimed, and another eye on the weather, and general state of the airline and both airports on the day of the flight.

You have the benefit that there's a few flights to KL per day. There should be at least one more after yours that could act as a backup and still get you there in time for the Emirates flight.

dreamypuma

Bob_the_Saver wrote: »

I tend to walk 'briskly' from to plane to get in front of fellow passengers from our flight. As you enter the building if you take the stairs at a good pace you can pass about 50 on the escalator.

Thank again Bob. I thought it was just me that did this on budget flights! LOL!

Interesting and valid point about immigration. I guess my main risks to manage are the potential for flight delays and transit to KLIA.

dreamypuma

mad_rich wrote: »

It's one of those questions that comes down to your attitude to risk. And your (or your insurer's) ability to pay if it doesn't work out for you.

If the flight from Penang is on time, or even a little late, no problem.

But who's to say it won't be cancelled, or significantly delayed, or diverted, or retimed so that you miss the connection. If this happens, neither airline will be interested in helping you.

It's a relatively small chance, but could end up being costly. I would probably book this flight, but I would make sure I had insurance that would cover me for a missed connection. I'd probably also keep one eye on the Air Asia website in the days and hours leading up to the flight, just to make sure it hasn't been cancelled or retimed, and another eye on the weather, and general state of the airline and both airports on the day of the flight.

You have the benefit that there's a few flights to KL per day. There should be at least one more after yours that could act as a backup and still get you there in time for the Emirates flight.

Our annual policy expires on 29th January so I have definitely been
looking at the inclusions and exclusion in alternate policies.

Thanks for the advise, I think I may look at some contingency plans for the event of flight delays.

Are trains from Penang to KL an option?