KLIA Kuala Lumpur Airport

Staff at the main info desk were helpful but after that it all goes downhill. All the shops and cafes are before security, hardly anything afterwards which makes no sense. As a frequent flyer I like to go through security etc and then relax and have a meal or some snacks. 2 security checkpoint areas within 100m for bags etc seemed pretty pointless too. At the 2 small cafes after security no bottled drinks were available but no explanation as to why. Although not related to the airport as such but Malindo Air check in staff were extremely unprofessional, lady at the check in desk was having a whole meal whilst checking people in and seemed as though we were all disturbing her breakfast. She also then proceeded to tell us that we needed visas for Jakarta even though we tried to explain we were British citizens and did not require a visa beforehand. She then tried to tell us a small backpack which was to be checked in luggage was oversized and we would have to go check it in elsewhere, it took a conversation with her colleague for her to understand this and she just smirked no apologies or anything.

The low cost airport terminal is at the end of the rail line from Kuala Lumpur, a couple of minutes from the main terminal. Signage is a bit hit and miss but generally just look to go up and up rather than follow the signs exactly. The scene at the terminal is chaotic in an organised way (of sorts) and there are plenty of shops and food options. One thing I did like was the number of power points that one could use to recharge personal electronic devices. There did seems to be an inordinate number of bluetooth apps trying to access my phone, but that may have just been my phone, it got so bad it drained my battery. Once past immigration it is a bit like moving into a desert with narrow corridors and few options for food or drink other than extremely overpriced offerings from rather dirty establishments. I recommend getting a Lounge pass as it is cheaper than buying a sandwich and a coffee (forget about alcohol). Generally, for a low cost option, the terminal does what it is meant to do but buy your food prior to entering the departure and there is water available inside. One thing that was disconcerting was that in the departure pockets the seats face the desk but the customers leave from the rear. I was seated at the front and only belatedly looked around to see that I was the only one left so I had to bolt. Even though it is a low cost terminal it is far superior to Sydney's Kingsford Smith airport.

When I arrived at this airport I was very impressed. Staff at information were helpful and there were many cafes to choose from. My exit via the same airport has however, the exact opposite. I decided to have something to eat once I'd cleared security to find there were only two cafe options. Had I known this I would have eaten before security. I ordered two meals in the Jonker Restaurant and both were inedible. I put it down to just a poor experience and headed for my gate. I then decided to purchase bottled water to take into the plane as this is usually cheaper than on the airplane. I walked between six different vending machines, which all displayed not working signs. I was getting increasingly frustrated so found a member of staff to ask where I could get bottled water from. He really wasn't interested and directed me to the machines I'd already checked and just wandered away. At this point I walked the whole length of departures and was back at my gate. I went in and asked the reception gate staff if they knew how much bottled water was on board, explaining my predicament about water on the plane. They talked with each other and then told me they didn't know and it would probably be best if I got a bottle from one of the restaurants. Right at the other end that I'd just walked from. I gave up at this point and am now writing this review.

The airport was spacious and staff were helpful and friendly, and assist us with courtesy. The airport offered an adequate option of food. The airport was clean, it could be said to be impeccable. Thumbs up for the authority who played their assigned part efficiently.

An absolutely horrific experience. I have never ever come across staff at all food outlets who tried their hardest to make each place look closed in order to avoid customers. If I was the manager I would fire each and every staff member that I came across this evening on the 24th October. All staff busy with iPhones and completely careless. Will do all possible to avoid KUL as transfer point in the future.

Flying Air Asia through low cost KLIA2 was a nightmare walk of at least 3 miles with nary a travelator in sight. It is extremely unfriendly for transit pax - my arriving HKT flt was at the far opposite end to connecting Australian flights out. The walk was exhausting on hard floors and almost all food outlets refused to take even Visa cards despite most transiting pax having nil Malaysian monies on them. Never again for me. I will in future only transit Changi or BKK.

KLIA2 - On departure you have so many shops and bars to choose from prior to immigration its amazing, but then once you go through immigration and security everything disappears, and on the pier I was using not even a foreign exchange. OK maybe I was unlucky and there are better facilities at other parts, but the layout does not encourage you to go looking away from your gate area. Arrivals. Who ever designed the arrivals should be ashamed, ok so depending on which gate you get you will have a huge walk to passport and baggage, that's the luck of the draw, I had the longest possible, but with the use of only 2 moving walkways for the entire 20 minute walk. Then once out of customs into arrivals you are then in the biggest shopping mall you can imagine, and another very long walk to the ground transport and rail services, honestly great for a day out but if after a flight you just want to get home its ridiculous.

Arriving in KLIA is a poor experience, the baggage hall is dimly lit and uninviting and the public toilets are disgusting (or the people that use them are). Once you clear customs, the general arrival area for meeting is far to small for purpose and again is dark and miserable. Its a dirty airport its not maintained or cleaned to a proper standard. Go to get a taxi (other than the airport prepaid one) you have to pay an exit airport fee at separate desk , how would you know this, you don't. So its not so straight forward to get a taxi, the train is a good option if you are staying in the city only. But don't expect that to be clean! KLIA works, it just isn't pretty, they have designed a great airport, but then tried to save money on poor quality fittings and finishing that isn't maintained. Its the same age as Hong Kong, compare the two.

In terms of transiting, the experience I had at Kuala Lumpur was a generally positive one. There was an adequate selection of shopping and dining places, more so than I have encountered at other airports that I have previously been to which allowed me to fill in my transit time with ease. Signage was also more than adequate around the airport and thus it was easy to navigate and find my connecting gate. My one issue with KLIA is the way in which security is conducted at the gate prior to boarding the flight. Attempting to board a full flight on an A380 meant that the queuing times we rather long and as such, the flight did leave later than its scheduled departure time as the line to pass through security was still quite long whilst they were announcing the final call for boarding. This was not aided by the fact that there was only one security line operating for the flight until they had cleared all the first and business class passengers through a separate line which they then opened up to the vast number of remaining economy passengers.

It's a pretty nice airport with a brilliant design but needs renovating for the future. It looks kinda old in some places and could do with updating. The ground staff service could improve. Airport is good for departure and arrival but could do with more seating for customers.