Fly With Me #1 - My First Airbus A350 XWB Flight Experience Back to KL

The day starts off at 5.30AM, me and @joannewong had a flight to catch at 8.30AM and I'm particularly excited​ about it as it's has been years that I got onboard on a new aircraft. I purposely​ booked this flight even though​ it requires me to wake up early in​ the morning. Anyone here is also a plane lovers?

Before the booking flight, I was comparing between Malaysia flight operator namely Malaysia Airlines (MAS) & AirAsia. I knew that MAS had a new aircraft (Airbus A350) joining the fleet so I went and check it out, surprisingly​ the value is not far from what AirAsia offered (AirAsia only offered their A330), so why not?

Malaysia Airlines got it's first A350XWB back in November 2017, Source

But there's a catch that I found out, which is the flight back to KL is operated by China Airlines, which at that time of booking, I had no idea what it means and proceed to book and pay.

Screenshot of the booking flight details

Hop back on to my journey from the Main Taipei Station catching the first train (Depart from the ​station at 6.15AM) towards Tao Yuan International Airport Terminal 1 at 6.00AM, the price was 160NTD (be sure to have this amount at your easy card) per way for an ​adult. The journey took around 40 mins and we reached Airport before 7.00AM​ and we managed to find our check-in​ counter (apparently is China Airlines counter)​, luckily is not many people which I think mainly because we came a bit late 😅.

After checking in our luggage, we were issued with our boarding pass which confirmed that we are boarding with China Airlines as opposed to MAS (since a few operator actually code-share with China Airline for this flight, namely Delta Airlines, Hawaiian​ Airlines and MAS)​. The check-in reception​ arranged our seat at 32A and 32C, which at first I'm wondering why not 32B instead of 32C since we're together but he replied both is Window and Aisle seat 🤔. Without questioning more, we head towards the departure hall and face a super large crowd of passenger queue-ing up for security check.

Queue-ing up entering the departure hall

After approx 35 mins of queue, we're almost near the security check

After security check is the immigration cleareance, at this point there is no tax refund after counter, so be sure to do all the tax refund before coming in

After the immigration, we quickly walk towards our boarding gate at A5, upon reaching the gate yet another view of the ​crowd waiting in the hall and we concluded that you will need approx 2 hours (from 6.00AM) to get yourself to ​this boarding hall from Taipei Main Station.

People already started to queue up due to the boarding time is at 7.50AM, but a slight delay as crew still prepping the flight

While everyone is queueing​ up around, I was busy taking pictures, videos and enjoying the body of the aircrafts 😆. China Airlines indeed had a lot of Airbus A350s around here, I even lost count of them moving around the runway. Right after that, our seat number struck​ my mind and I went to google it "China Airlines A350 seat configuration map" and voila~, we just got seat UPGRADED 🙌🏻 according to the map and we're hoping it is. 😁

That's our flight docking on the aerobridge, MH5601/CI721 and another A350s taxi-ing down the runway

Another A350s on my right station, literally A350s everywhere.

China Airlines A350-900 Seat Configuration Map, Source

On 8.30AM sharp, crew starting to let passenger onboard the aircraft and our seat 32A and 32C is really premium economy seat 😬 with 2-3-2 configuration and also just right on the ​wing. Finally, I can take those photo and videos that I wanted over those window. Ambient is nice with the LED spectrum colour​ changing over time​, our seat is really comfy with wider seat width, extra legroom (much like business class, although the ​business class is a bit ​larger) and WiFi is available as well (Pay-To-Use).

Before the aircraft being pushed back towards the runway, I took the chance to start taking photos before the air stewardess starting to ask the ​passenger to keep away gadgets.

Those blended winglets tip inspired by eagle's shaped wings over the large wingspan carrying the all new Royce Royce Trent XWB-84 engine. (Facts: this engine is exclusively custom made and modification for the A350 XWB using the design from Trent 1000 of Boeing 787 Dreamliner and Trent 900 of Airbus A380)

Overview of the Premium Economy seat (Sorry of the mess 😅, not my seat thou, I took this after the flight landed back to KLIA)

The 12.1' IFE on my seat and an USB port for charging up devices

Mini tray with cup holder within the big tray table, safety cards & magazines packed neatly on the front pocket and as well as the headphone provided

Big Tray table, i think can fit on a 15.6' laptop

The overhead reading light, speakers and signal indicator (fasten seatbelt), apprently the aircond is controlled by the central console by the crew

Beside the overhead reading light, you'll get a side reading light as well with 3 mode of brightness

Flight attendents helping out passenger on their carry on luggage to be store on the large overhead conpartment and the LED spectrum lighting i mention before

Beside my seat on the center armrest was the IFE controller, volume control knob, seat lever knob and the 3 pin headphone jack

A small compartment for you to store wallet, book or phone as well

In between the seat on the center armrest is the 2 universal pin power source for your laptop and of course the life jacket storage

Left: Premium Headphone can really reduce the noise of the cabin by almost 80%; Right: The front IFE Controller & rear QWERTY keyboard

A slight delay from the pushback​ as the captain announced​​ that there's still a bit more luggage to be deposited into the cargo below, soon it's ready to be pushback​​ to the runway, and proceed taxi-ing towards the take-off runways while waiting for ​other aircraft taking turns to take off and landing as well.

Pushed out from the Terminal

Queueing for take off, weather is nice cloudy and wind is blowing midly as well

Once on the take-off runway with flaps deployed to the necessary level, the RR engine started to roar and sends out that 84,000 lbf​ (374 kN) of thrust pushing the 280 tons MTOW aircraft to the sky. While inside the cabin, it's greatly​​ quieter than the other aircraft I've been to when the engine is on full load, thanks to Airbus 😊

Goodbye Taiwan 🇹🇼

Enjoying the beauty of the sky

Wefie

After the take-off, we began to cruise at 40,000 feet at 900kph (True Airspeed) towards Kuala Lumpur while hitting some minor turbulence​ in the beginning of the journey, but I can't really feel that 😂. Past the few hiccups, flight attendants started to serve our breakfast given choice of Chicken or Fish, and we choose one of each. Alcoholic drinks were​ served together as well between wine (Red/White) and beer, I opted for red wine and @joannewong opt for the white wine.

My Breakfast

Red wine, no wine glass for us; maybe Business class have 🌚

After my meal, I went off and take a rest before arrival as I had a Meetup​ with my car gang later night. After 2 hours+, flight started to descend to approach KLIA for landing, the ​crew started to prep up all the passenger onboard, while I'm taking few photos before landing.

Front slats and flaps has been extended out while approaching to KLIA

15 minutes later, off we touch down at KLIA and greeted by the 32 degrees​ Celcius weather 😅 (freaking hot). It's been a pleasant​ flight on this A350 XWB and the upgraded seat as well hopefully, ​I get to fly onboard again with this aircraft and the Airbus A380 (I had yet to get onboard one) on a much longer journey.​ Time to disembark from the plane, collect our luggage at the terminal and head back to our home for some rest.

Landed safety and gracefully back to KLIA

Our luggage full of loads

Back to RHD after 10 days

Misses the sunset view here in KL

Check out the video here

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