Have Perut Will Travel...: HKT Day 1 │ KLIA to Phuket • MH794 • Brendan's Birthday!

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Friday, 7 August 2026

HKT Day 1 │ KLIA to Phuket • MH794 • Brendan's Birthday!

Phuket Again!

A single day after returning from Alor Setar, we were already back on the move. At 8:30am, we left home and headed down to the condo parking lots, where Din, our neighbour cum taxi driver, greeted us with his usual warm smile. Today’s first stop: KL Sentral.

Tanglin Drop Off

Benita tagged along — she had a doctor’s appointment at the Tanglin health clinic, conveniently along our route. We loaded our yellow submarines, got into Din’s taxi, and cruised through the morning traffic. At 9:10am, we dropped her off, wished her well, and continued toward KL Sentral.

Five minutes later, we arrived at the KL City Air Terminal, breezed through a quick security scan, and checked in our yellow submarines. With that done, we crossed the corridor, tapped through the KLIA Express turnstiles, and caught the 9:40am train to KLIA.

Smooth Ride to KLIA

For RM35 (USD9/EUR8), the KLIA Express delivered its usual smooth, delay free ride. Thirty minutes later, we stepped into KLIA and made our way up to the Departure Hall. Boarding passes scanned, escalator descended, and Immigration cleared effortlessly thanks to MyBorderPass.

Starbucks Stopover

A quick check of the FIDS confirmed MH794 departing from Gate H6 at 12:55pm. With time to spare, we settled into Starbucks for a light snack:

Curry Puff
Chic O Cheese
Mushroom Danish
Frozen Strawberry
Frozen Pink Drink
Iced Caramel Macchiato

All for RM104.60 (≈ USD26/EUR22) — classic airport pricing. Mid snack, Malaysia Airlines emailed us: gate changed to G6. No rush; we continued enjoying our treats.

Gate G6 — The Gauntlet

At 11:45am, we headed to Gate G6. Security here was its usual tense affair — stern officers, sharp instructions, and that unmistakable gauntlet vibe. We got through by 12:00pm, descended to the waiting area, and settled in. As Group 5, our boarding time was set for 12:30pm.

Into the Skies

At 1:00pm, MH794 pushed back. After a short taxi, we took off at 1:10pm. The flight was calm and uneventful, and at 1:20pm Thailand time, we touched down. It felt like yesterday we were here — though it had actually been three months since our last Phuket trip. This time, we were back for Brendan’s birthday.

Immigration Chaos

We disembarked at 1:15pm and walked straight into the familiar chaos of Phuket’s Immigration hall. Lines snaked everywhere, instructions were unclear, and the whole process felt painfully outdated. Phuket desperately needs autogates with biometric clearance — the upgrade is long overdue.

Clearing the Hurdles

After an hour, we finally cleared Immigration and Customs. Our yellow submarines were already circling the belt, and spotting them sparked that first real wave of excitement — the trip was officially underway.

I texted Mr. Chainasak, our trusted driver, who replied instantly. He was already waiting outside, ready to take us to Patong. With every step toward the exit, our anticipation grew — warm Phuket air, familiar sights, and the thrill of celebrating Brendan’s birthday on this island once again.

Stay tuned for the next video as our airport transfer takes us to Patong Heritage!