Assalamualaikum w.b.t.
I did something stupid, it started off last year and the impact is felt until yesterday. So here goes.
Every calendar year, I have been allocated a certain amount of travel budget. In 2014, I miraculously managed to utilize the budget and walk away a happy camper. In 2015, by the time I was done with the US trip planning, I realized I still have some budget left, but I was running out of time to use it. I wanted to let the budget slide when suddenly the topic came up when I talked to Anton.
So based on his advise, I find the cheapest ticket that suit my remaining budget (that is not under any kind of promotion), buy the ticket with tentative travel date in 2015. Once all claim is done, I can change the travel date to my actual travel date in 2016 (changes cost bear by yours truly), which is fine, its only a fraction compared to the budget that I would consider to be under utilized.
Long story short, I bought a round trip ticket to London from Lagos with Royal Air Maroc. Its a 4 hours flight to Casablanca and few hours transit before another 3 hours flight to London. Date is adjustable. So throughout 2016, I've been trying to squeeze in my travel so that I can utilize that ticket. Some failed (unconfirmed) arrangements happened one after another, and I was pressed to use the ticket.
Suddenly there was a light bulb moment. Why not I travel back to Malaysia from London, using MAS :) taadaa.... I've been wanting to fly with MAS (long haul) since MH370 happened. just to show my solidarity with our national airline.. So that was what I did, for Raya Haji. This was how the travel looks.
Date Day From ETD To ETA Flight Airline
8 Sept-16 Thursday Lagos 0630 Casablanca 1100 AT0554 Royal Air Maroc
8 Sept-16 Thursday Casablanca 1330 London 1650 AT0800 Royal Air Maroc
10 Sept-16 Saturday London 1155 KL 0745 (+1) MH003 Malaysia Airlines
11 Sept-16 Saturday KL 0850 Alor Setar 0850 MH1204 Malaysia Airlines
15 Sept-16 Thursday Alor Setar 2125 KL 2230 MH1253 Malaysia Airlines
17 Sept-16 Saturday KL 2315 London 0555 (+1) MH002 Malaysia Airlines
18 Sept-16 Sunday London 1810 Casablanca 2135 AT801 Royal Air Maroc
19 Sept-16 Monday Casablanca 0100 Lagos 0530 AT0555 Royal Air Maroc
Tengok pon pening kan...hahaha.. and I have to explain one by one each time people here asked, how do you travel this time? (We asked the questions a lot here.. somehow flight plan is not a private information among the expats..haha)
I didn't realize it was a stupid plan, until I arrived back yesterday. Imagine I started my journey back in Malaysia on Saturday, Ija picked me up at Putrajaya 8PM
17th Sept (GMT +8)
2000H : Ija picks up
2100H: Reached KLIA, check in
2315H: ETD, but the flight was delayed due to technical issues
18th Sept (GMT+8)
0200H: Departed to London
1500H: Arrived in London
18th Sept (GMT+1)
1000H: Arrived in London
1810H: ETD to Casablanca, Alhamdulillah departed on time
2135H: Arrived in Casablanca
19th Sept (GMT+1)
0100H: Departed to Lagos, on time
0530H: Arrived in Lagos.
The thing that I failed to realized is, Lagos is not my final destination...hahaha.. bodoh kan..
I booked a domestic flight back to PHC at 0700H same day, but after discussing with my colleague, in anticipation of delays etc, I switched my booking to the afternoon flight.
1515H: ETD to PHC (we were delayed due to bad weather)
1700H: Finally departed to PHC
1800H: Arrived in PHC waited for the bus to RA
1830H: Arrived in RA
1830H 19th Sept GMT+1 is equals to 0130H 20th Sept GMT+8
So in total, I spent 53 hours on the road for the leg back from KL to PHC... hahaha.. amek kau, nak sangat pengalaman kan...
Serik weh.. biaq la bayaq mahai sikit. Tak nak dah travel camni. The moment I got home, took shower, had dinner, solat maghrib and tak dan isyak I was totally knocked out! Mangkit midnight for Isyak.
Pengalaman kan... hahaha..
Till next time. This year nampaknya akan ke London lagi...another pertimbangan kurang bijak dari saya ya tuan2 dan puan2..
p/s; KBB p tanya how many days I was away. Bila jawab 1 and half week, dia macam tak caya, tanya dia balik, rasa macam lama ka...? dia cakap ha'ah.. Aik.. sibuk pulak orang cuti lama..hehehe. (menurut firasat hamba, tak la lama mana pon..) :)
I did something stupid, it started off last year and the impact is felt until yesterday. So here goes.
Every calendar year, I have been allocated a certain amount of travel budget. In 2014, I miraculously managed to utilize the budget and walk away a happy camper. In 2015, by the time I was done with the US trip planning, I realized I still have some budget left, but I was running out of time to use it. I wanted to let the budget slide when suddenly the topic came up when I talked to Anton.
So based on his advise, I find the cheapest ticket that suit my remaining budget (that is not under any kind of promotion), buy the ticket with tentative travel date in 2015. Once all claim is done, I can change the travel date to my actual travel date in 2016 (changes cost bear by yours truly), which is fine, its only a fraction compared to the budget that I would consider to be under utilized.
Long story short, I bought a round trip ticket to London from Lagos with Royal Air Maroc. Its a 4 hours flight to Casablanca and few hours transit before another 3 hours flight to London. Date is adjustable. So throughout 2016, I've been trying to squeeze in my travel so that I can utilize that ticket. Some failed (unconfirmed) arrangements happened one after another, and I was pressed to use the ticket.
Suddenly there was a light bulb moment. Why not I travel back to Malaysia from London, using MAS :) taadaa.... I've been wanting to fly with MAS (long haul) since MH370 happened. just to show my solidarity with our national airline.. So that was what I did, for Raya Haji. This was how the travel looks.
Date Day From ETD To ETA Flight Airline
8 Sept-16 Thursday Lagos 0630 Casablanca 1100 AT0554 Royal Air Maroc
8 Sept-16 Thursday Casablanca 1330 London 1650 AT0800 Royal Air Maroc
10 Sept-16 Saturday London 1155 KL 0745 (+1) MH003 Malaysia Airlines
11 Sept-16 Saturday KL 0850 Alor Setar 0850 MH1204 Malaysia Airlines
15 Sept-16 Thursday Alor Setar 2125 KL 2230 MH1253 Malaysia Airlines
17 Sept-16 Saturday KL 2315 London 0555 (+1) MH002 Malaysia Airlines
18 Sept-16 Sunday London 1810 Casablanca 2135 AT801 Royal Air Maroc
19 Sept-16 Monday Casablanca 0100 Lagos 0530 AT0555 Royal Air Maroc
Tengok pon pening kan...hahaha.. and I have to explain one by one each time people here asked, how do you travel this time? (We asked the questions a lot here.. somehow flight plan is not a private information among the expats..haha)
I didn't realize it was a stupid plan, until I arrived back yesterday. Imagine I started my journey back in Malaysia on Saturday, Ija picked me up at Putrajaya 8PM
17th Sept (GMT +8)
2000H : Ija picks up
2100H: Reached KLIA, check in
2315H: ETD, but the flight was delayed due to technical issues
18th Sept (GMT+8)
0200H: Departed to London
1500H: Arrived in London
18th Sept (GMT+1)
1000H: Arrived in London
1810H: ETD to Casablanca, Alhamdulillah departed on time
2135H: Arrived in Casablanca
19th Sept (GMT+1)
0100H: Departed to Lagos, on time
0530H: Arrived in Lagos.
The thing that I failed to realized is, Lagos is not my final destination...hahaha.. bodoh kan..
I booked a domestic flight back to PHC at 0700H same day, but after discussing with my colleague, in anticipation of delays etc, I switched my booking to the afternoon flight.
1515H: ETD to PHC (we were delayed due to bad weather)
1700H: Finally departed to PHC
1800H: Arrived in PHC waited for the bus to RA
1830H: Arrived in RA
1830H 19th Sept GMT+1 is equals to 0130H 20th Sept GMT+8
So in total, I spent 53 hours on the road for the leg back from KL to PHC... hahaha.. amek kau, nak sangat pengalaman kan...
Serik weh.. biaq la bayaq mahai sikit. Tak nak dah travel camni. The moment I got home, took shower, had dinner, solat maghrib and tak dan isyak I was totally knocked out! Mangkit midnight for Isyak.
Pengalaman kan... hahaha..
Till next time. This year nampaknya akan ke London lagi...another pertimbangan kurang bijak dari saya ya tuan2 dan puan2..
p/s; KBB p tanya how many days I was away. Bila jawab 1 and half week, dia macam tak caya, tanya dia balik, rasa macam lama ka...? dia cakap ha'ah.. Aik.. sibuk pulak orang cuti lama..hehehe. (menurut firasat hamba, tak la lama mana pon..) :)
