Hey,
I just bought a 1-way ticket to KLIA and was given a call by Malaysia Air today about the whole thing. Apparently I may be asked to show a ticket out of Malaysia before I leave? Anyone know about this? I actually am leaving Malaysia by boat to Sumatra after about a week there. Obviously I am not going to buy that ticket until the day before I leave in Penang. The lady on the phone said that I could buy a cheap ticket to Singapore from KL and then cancel it a couple days before hand for a full refund. I'd go ahead and do this but for the fact that it sounds a little unreliable. Again anyone who's done this and has any knowledge on the subject would be doing me a great deal of help. I'm not sure if it matters, but I am leaving from LAX and I am a U.S. citizen.
Thanks
From my experience getting money back from Malaysian Airlines is next to impossible - I am having no luck getting a refund for a flight they cancelled so I would be very wary of buying a ticket unless you intend to use it.
Nowadays when you check in at the airport, say in London or LAX, they ask you for a return or onward ticket, or proof of visa. This is to cover themselves, to make sure you will be allowed into the destination country. The fact that MAS actually phoned you suggests they are enforcing this rule at LAX.
Another option is to buy a train ticket to Spore, or else a flight with AirAsia which is cheaper than MAS.
I get asked to show my residency permit and others get asked for tickets. It is all hit and miss. Airlines are covering themselves, but in reality you will be very unlucky if they ask you for an exit ticket when you land. Agree with #1...forget a refund from MAS! If you are concerned suggest #2 is right and buy a cheap one from AirAsia
Maybe get a very cheap ticket to Thailand on Firefly or Airasia just to have something to show them.
Or you could get an expensive but fully refundable ticket on a major airline..
I have done this for the same problem with Indonesia:-
Go through the ticket buying process online with another airline, e.g. SQ, for a suitable outward ticket, perhaps KL-Singapore. If you print the flight itinerary just before the point where you have to pay it looks virtually the same as the one you can print just after you pay. Just show that print out.
I don't think MAS would easily be able to check an SQ reservation when checking you in, nor could immigration on arrival.
As for refunds, in my experience they are possible for full fare tickets but not usually for cheap tickets. The last time I refunded a full fare ticket there was an administration fee of about US$50, and you may be able to buy a cheap outward ticket for less than that.
Thanks so much for all the help! I definately appereciate the heads up on Malaysian Airlines and the idea of flying to Medan is great, but I'm supposed to meet a friend in Penang and travel over there together. My thought was this: buy an Air Asia ticket from KL to Kuching to use several months later when I get back from Sumatra. I am only concerned because I'll be coming into Malaysia on a new visa when I pick up this flight. Would they look at me with any suspicion if I bought that ticket towards the tail end of a three-month Malaysian visa? And would there be any chance of a negative consequence for leaving on that first visa only to come back on a second to use my flight? I'm probably looking too far into this, but I don't want a long trip over there to be marred by a technicality in the first few months. Thanks again.
trusted partner
