Bangkok to Riyadh Malindo Airways Flights

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  About Riyadh

Riyadh is the capital of the desert country of Saudi Arabia. It is the financial hub of the city and has been recognised to play a pivotal role in contributing to the country's economy. The city is also famous for its religious heritage.

Best time to visit Riyadh

For a desert city, the only time that would be pleasant is during the winters. Riyadh too enjoys pleasant winters as it welcomes a quaint and cool air. Winter months in Riyadh are from November to March. However, it is from December to February that the city enjoys the best winter breeze and cool air. The temperatures during winters range from 9 degree Celsius to 26 degree Celsius. As the temperature is capable of dropping to such lows, it is best to pack appropriate clothes for the trip. The days might not be as cold as the nights, but they will have brisk winter wind passing through the city streets. A light jacket is recommended when planning for a vacation in Riyadh during winters. The season does see a peak in tourists too as it is one of the most favourable weathers for Riyadh. The city is packed with tourists who wish to explore the desert capital of Saudi Arabia. Hence, the hotel prices also skyrocket during this time. It would be difficult for you even to get reservations at restaurants owing to the excess crowd in the city.

You will be amazed by how the city has very favourable winter temperatures in contrast to their unbearable summers. As Riyadh is quite close to the Tropic of Cancer, much of the temperature is hot and dry. Add the desert fact and the summers can be next to impossible to deal with. The temperatures during summer cross 44 degree Celsius. You will not be able to step out in the city as the summer heat would lead to health perils. From dehydration to heat strokes, your body might be susceptible to such health concerns during summer. Avoid summers at all cost. Even though the hotel and other prices in the city drop during the offseason, the heat is not worth it. The summers are from late March to October. Interestingly, the city does witness thunderstorms and monsoon between May to September. The storms are not ideal for engaging in tourist activities. Out of these months, April and October are the only favourable ones when you can enjoy the cool breeze of the desert without having to spend exorbitantly on the hotel and other services.

Places to visit in Riyadh

Center Point is a colossal skyscraper that is located in Riyadh. It is the fifth tallest skyscraper in Saudi Arabia while being the third-towering building with a void, after the Shanghai World Financial Centre and 85 Sky Tower in Taiwan. The second famous tourist attraction is the Masmak Fortress. The structure is created by clay and mud-brick. It once played a pivotal role in safeguarding the city of Riyadh from attacks. You should also visit the King Abdulaziz Historical Center, which is basically the National Museum of the country. It is the largest in Saudi Arabia and was established back in 1999. Not just the exhibits within the museum premise but even the architecture of the building is quite exquisite. The Riyadh Zoo is also recognised in the neighbourhood for inhabiting a slew of desert animals, including desert elephants and tigers. The setting has a very cool vibe with brown structures and green lawns. Adding to your historical excursion would be to visit the Murabba Historical Palace. It is a historic building and has been strategically built.

Things to do in Riyadh

Riyadh has a handful of things that can be done in the city. Indulging in some fun sheesha bar scenes and nightlife is something the city raves. Riyadh does have some of the finest restaurants and food establishments. You can actually make reservations for some luxe restaurants and indulge in their fusion food and international cuisine. You can further engage in some shopping too as the city does have a plethora of options available. Aside from this, you can enjoy a walk in Salam Park. It has an artificial waterbody built within the park to give it a serene vibe. Visiting the Wadi Hanifah valley would also be quite a treat. You can actually dip your feed in the waterbody that flows in the valley. Many people flock over to this spot to get some impeccable social media-worthy pictures. To add to your delight, you can further explore the cuisine and authentic Arab food that you'll find in the Najd region's village. Al Hokair Land is also an option that you can check out in Riyadh. It is basically a fun amusement park that has rides and make-believe castles.

Food and restaurants in Riyadh

Once known to be a barren desert with nothing interesting to do, Riyadh has now managed to transform into a thriving capital city of Saudi Arabia. The city has managed to bring forth a new image, that of a flourishing city which has equal tourist opportunities as its other Middle East counterparts. Over the years, Riyadh's food culture has seen a tremendous change from being traditionally strict to Western. It has acquired the taste of Western food culture and has incorporated the same in its own streets. There are many authentic Arabic food establishments. Simultaneously, the city also has room for international cuisine with many Asian, Mediterranean and European cuisine. To start your Riyadh rendezvous, you should visit The Globe. It is the most famous and expensive establishment that caters to an exclusive fine-dining experience. It is nestled atop the Al Faisaliah Tower and overlooks the exquisite city. The place serves a lovely melange of European and Arab dishes. However, it is their High Tea that attracts the most attention.

Elements, which is associated with Four Seasons chain of hotels, is a perfect place to indulge in breakfast and brunch meals. The place has dedicated cuisine for each day. Spazio, in Riyadh, has a fan in the royal family. Prince Waleed bin Tala has a soft spot for Spazio, and once you visit the Italian setting with its fancy art deco, you will realise why the place is so good. To get to the roots of the traditional Saudi dishes, you should head to Najd Village. Prevalent in the food industry since 1996, the establishment offers authentic Saudi meals such as moqalqal (a peppered lamb dish) and matazzez (Saudi dumplings). The place also offers vegetarian food as well as caters to the meat-loving crowd. The area can accommodate up to 1000 guests and offer exemplary services. Do not miss Set Al Sham too. The place is well-known in Riyadh for its slew of dishes inspired by the Syrian, Egyptian and Lebanese cuisine. The decor is also quite fancy while the buffet spread is perfect if you wish to go back with a full tummy and a happy soul.

How to reach Riyadh

Flight connectivity to Riyadh from India is quite good. Much of the Middle Eastern countries are well-connected with Indian cities. Riyadh too, has good connectivity with Indian cities such as Mumbai, Kochi, Goa, Bangalore, Delhi, Chennai, to name a few. Delhi is probably the only city in India with nonstop direct flights to Riyadh. Most of the other cities have flight layovers before reaching Riyadh. Airlines such as Srilankan, Air Arabia, Etihad Airways, flydubai, Gulf Air, Emirates, Oman Air, Saudia, IndiGo, have excellent flight connectivity to Riyadh. These airlines ensure to keep dedicated flights flying to Riyadh. The most popular routes often picked to reach Riyadh are from Dubai, Jeddah and Abu Dhabi. As for other international routes to Riyadh, they are connected by Middle Eastern cities such as Sharjah, Bahrain, Muscat, to name a few. International cities such as Cairo and Colombo also have flight connectivity to Riyadh. The layovers do take some time and extend the flight duration to Riyadh. Ideally, you can reach Riyadh in approximately six hours and ten minutes.

Flight tickets to Riyadh are comparatively pricey than its other Middle-Eastern counterparts. The ticket prices to Riyadh range from INR 24,000 to INR 30,000. This could be steep if you look at the ticket prices of other Middle-East cities. However, depending on where you get your flight from in India as well as the airlines you choose, the ticket prices could vary. Riyadh is also a popular city and much-visited by the Indian crowd. Hence, you can make your flight bookings to Riyadh online and even earn some discounts or cheap deals. It is essential that you first check which season you are booking your ticket for. That factors a major chunk of your flight ticket price to Riyadh. Depending on the same, you will be able to further receive more online flight deals and discounts to Riyadh. It is recommended that you book your flight tickets and make hotel reservations to Riyadh together. When you combine the two bookings, you might receive some good online flight and hotel deals to Riyadh. This would also enable you to bring down the cost of your trip.

  About Malindo Air

Malindo Air or Malindo Airways Sdn Bhd is the hybrid-full service carrier that is based out of Malaysia and is owned by Indonesian group, Lion Air. The headquarters is located in Petaling Jaya, Selangor. The name Malindo came into existence to express coagulation between 'Mal' of Malaysia and 'Indo' of Indonesia. It is basically a corporate pact that has been signed between the two countries. The airline operates from Kuala Lumpur International Airport as well as Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport, located in Subang, Selangor.

Currently, the carrier has a fleet including Boeing 737-900ER, ATR72-600 and 737-800 aircraft that operate for international and domestic destinations. Malindo Air's operations commenced in 2013 with Lion Air's president Mr Chandran Rama Murthy as the CEO of the airline. Inauguration of the airline took place in Kuala Lumpur from where the first Malindo Air flight took off. Since then, the airlines have seen tremendous expansions with the airline connecting to regional destinations of Southeast Asia, including India, Nepal, Thailand, Singapore and Indonesia.

The same year, Malindo Air also started its operations in Sultan Abdul Aziz Shah Airport with ATR72-600 as the first aircraft to take off. Malindo Air has been operating a slew of scheduled passenger services catering to cities in Malaysia and reaching other domestic routes such as Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Thailand and Australia, to name a few. Malindo Air offers a plethora of in-flight services and baggage allowance to make the passenger's experience comfortable.

Fleet size of Malindo Air

As a young airline which has recently seen a tremendous demand and passenger traffic, Malindo Air's fleet consists of 38 aircraft that include ATR 72-600, Boeing 737-800 and Boeing 737-900ER. There are about 800 flights that are operated by Malindo Air. Malindo Air has signed codeshare agreements with two airlines, namely Batik Air and Turkish Airlines. A codeshare agreement is basically a business understanding within the aviation industry where two or more airlines combine to use and market the same brand name of the airlines. They are allowed to use the flights of the other airlines as part of their own. Along with this, Malindo Air also has interline agreements, which is a voluntary agreement between airlines to accommodate passengers travelling on itineraries. All Nippon Airways, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, XiamenAir, Etihad Airways, Pakistan International Airlines and Turkish Airlines have interline agreements with Malindo Air.

Baggage Allowance

Cabin baggage

Business-class - The first class and business class passengers get extra perks of carrying two pieces of luggage along with a laptop bag or a handbag. This means you can carry a total of three baggage along with you in the cabin. The main cabin bag should not go beyond 56 x 36 x 23 cm while it shouldn't weigh more than 10kg.

Economy class - With respect to cabin luggage, the airline is quite strict about the weight and dimensions of the baggage allowed in-flight. For economy class, the passenger is allowed to carry one bag of cabin luggage along with a laptop bag or a handbag. However, you will need to make sure that the dimension of the bag doesn't exceed 56 x 36 x 23 cm and not weigh beyond 7kg.

Checked baggage

Domestic and international flights (Boeing and ATR) - Maximum baggage allowance in Malindo Air weighs about 32 kg. Business class though allows 40 kg on Boeing aircraft. In case you have extra baggage that needs to be accommodated, you will need to pay an extra fee for the same. Baggage allowance of the same weight is followed by codeshare flights of Malindo Air.

Non-standard baggage

Aside from the regular baggage that passengers carry for their journey, some non-standard baggage is also accommodated by Malindo Air. These include perishable goods such as frozen meat and seafood that must be preserved in a way that follows the airline's standards. Passengers flying with sports equipment are also allowed to carry them, as long as they fall under the protocols set by the airline. You will have to peruse through the official website of Malindo Air to get more clarity on the same. Sporting equipment could include bicycle, bowling ball, surfboard, golf bag and more. Baby strollers are also allowed in free of cost as part of the overall baggage.

Wheelchairs are also inclusive of this deal but need to be tagged at the check-in counter. It is essential that you follow the protocols with respect to wheelchairs if you need the equipment to be accepted by the airline. Electronic and electrical items are prohibited as they would interfere with the aircraft's navigational system. However, there are some exceptions that you can carry along with you.

Musical instruments that are small can be carried along with the passenger. However, if they are huge and bulky, they would require the 'limited release tag' along with a fragile label to ensure the item doesn't get damaged. Along with this medical equipment and supplies such as syringes and other injectable medication would require a certificate.

In-flight services

Business class - The first class and business class in-flight services provided by Malindo Air are quite lavish. The seats are recliner made of full-leather and offer 45 inches of legroom. The spaciousness of the business class seats teamed with power supply sockets for gadgets makes it convenient for passengers. The passengers also receive a personalised check-in lounge access at the Kuala Lumpur International Airport. Besides, this, Malindo Air's in-flight services also include entertainment decks to keep the passengers amused. A personal tablet of 11.1 inches has several TV shows, movies and games to entertain the passenger. The food is also specially catered to satiate the taste buds. In case you have some special dietary requirements and need alterations in your meal, you can inform the airlines beforehand. They will get you what you need. The aircraft's business class also has WiFi connectivity to make sure that professionals can continue with their work without having to take a break.

Economy class - The economy class has limited in-flight services in Malindo Air. However, comfort and great hospitality are still top-notch. The reclining seats in the economy class have seat pitches of 32 inch, as opposed to the 45-inch one that is available in the business class. Although the legroom is not as spacious as one would find in the business class, it is quite decent and worth the money. Along with good recliner seats, the airline also has in-flight entertainment services. These include all the latest Hollywood movies, TV shows and even games. Plus, they are available right on the seat and are personalised, which make it easier for the passenger. Depending on the duration of the flight, you will need to book for a meal in advance. It would be better to mention any dietary restrictions to the airlines in advance to avoid any last-minute concerns and discomfort with respect to food.

Popular routes and top cities for Malindo Air

Malindo Air is quite in demand with flight operations of over 800 flights in a week that takes about 57 domestic and international routes in Malaysia as well as the continents of Asia and Australia. There are many popular routes and cities that the airline operates. These include Bangkok, Colombo, Delhi, Hanoi, Ho Chi Minh City, Langkawi, Lahore, Perth, Trichy, Wuhan, Trivandrum and Yangon. With regular flight connectivity to these destinations, it becomes a favourable airline to choose for passengers. Much recently, Malindo Air also acquired services to newer destinations. These cities include Melbourne, Phnom Penh, Bangalore, Brisbane, Bali, Batam and Kota Kinabalu. Much of the popular routes chosen by Malindo Air include South Asian cities such as Bangkok, Hong Kong, Delhi, Mumbai, Langkawi and more.

Why travel by Malindo Air?

Malindo Air is recognised for its premium services. The business model that they follow focuses on enhancing the comfort and luxury for the passengers to have a smooth flight. Over the years, the airline has managed to reach a stature as a sought-after one, thanks to the cheap air fare and the good connectivity. For travellers who are opting for reaching destinations in the South Asian space, Malindo Air is a good airline to pick up. You can book Malindo Air flights on all travel portals as well as the official website of the airline. Further, on the same, you can find Malindo Air's flight schedule available on the site. It would be convenient for the traveller to find Malindo Air flights online as they are available and perfectly connected. Not to mention the in-flight services of Malindo Air is also quite excellent. The baggage allowance at Malindo Air along with its lengthy features of luggage is also ideal for travellers. There are many services that make the airline convenient. It also includes the easy web check-in that can be availed on the official website. Malindo Air checks off all the boxes for being one of the most affordable international airlines. Hence, it should definitely be considered.

  About Bangkok Airport

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is often referred to as Bangkok Airport. It is one of the two major international airports that serve Thailand. Although Don Mueang International Airport was also recognized for its international flight services. However, the same was halted in 2007. Now the airport serves as a hub to low-cost airlines that connect in Bangkok. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is sprawled across 8,000 acres of land and is one of the biggest international airports in the Southeast Asian region. It is also a hub for aviation in Bangkok.

Suvarnabhumi Airport was originally chartered with limited domestic flight services. However, it soon started expanding to add more domestic and international flights. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is currently the important hub for Thai Smile Airways, Thai Airways International and Bangkok Airways. The airport basically serves as a regional gateway to several foreign carriers too. It has been recorded to be the 17th busiest airport in the world and 11 busiest in Asia. The airport has the capacity to accommodate about 60 million passengers in a year. There are over 95 airlines that operate from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.

About Airport Terminals

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport has three terminals in total. Terminal 1 and Terminal 2 are responsible for operations of international flights. Meanwhile, Terminal 3 is focussed on domestic flights to cater to connectivity in Thailand. The two terminals are located right next to each other while the domestic terminal or Terminal3 is 500 meters away from Terminal 2. The distance between the terminals is not massive. The proximity often makes it confusing. The departure and arrival zones in the international terminals have dedicated immigration counters as well as check-in and baggage to make it easy for the travellers. The terminal's roof has been designed aesthetically with the use of structural elements and bays that have been placed in cantilevered wavelike forms. The airport is capable of accommodating an Airbus A380. There are two parallel runways at the airport with a total of about 120 parking bays for flights. The passenger terminal is recorded to capacitate about 76 flight operations every hour. An underground rail link station has also been constructed to connect the terminal with the city centre. Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport's terminal passenger terminal is famed for being the fourth-biggest building in the world, following Hong Kong International Airport, Beijing Capital International Airport and Dubai International Airport.

About Airport Authority

Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is funded and operated by the Airports of Thailand Public Company Ltd. (AOT). The airport's body is responsible for six international airport ventures in Thailand. Four more airports have been added recently under its wing. The statutory body received recognition as one of the most valuable airport operators across the globe. The organization was established in 2002 after a consortium between private firms and the state-owned Airports Authority of Thailand. The Thailand government holds a higher share in the consortium with about 70 per cent stock. The Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport is the most profitable venture for the airport's authority with passenger statistics of about 63,379,077, as recorded in the year 2018. Over the years, the airport management has done a phenomenal job of efficient connection of the international airport with the city centre. They have also worked towards fixing some of the pressing matters to bolster the functions and efficiency of the airport in terms of safety and connectivity.

Top airlines flying from Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

The demand for Bangkok in India as a tourist destination is quite high. Hence, there are several Indian airlines that operate from the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport as well. In fact, the first flight to fly to the Bangkok Airport was a Lufthansa Cargo which took off from Mumbai. Some of the Indian airlines that operate from the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport include Air India, GoAir, IndiGo and Vistara. They have direct connectivity and fly on a regular basis. Airlines such as Thai Airways and Thai Smile, which predominantly operate from Suvarnabhumi Airport also have direct services to Indian cities such as Mumbai, Bangalore, Delhi Ahmedabad, Chennai, to name a few.

As an international tourist destination, the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport also sees much air traffic from international flights. Some of the prominent airlines that operate from the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport include Air Astana, Air China, Air France, Air Macau, All Nippon Airways, Asiana Airlines, Austrian Airlines, Bangkok Airways, British Airways, Cathay Pacific, Cambodia Airways, China Airlines, Druk Air, EgyptAir, Emirates, Ethiopian Airlines, Etihad Airways, Finnair, Garuda Indonesia, Gulf Air, Japan Airlines, Jetstar Asia Airways, Kenya Airways, KLM Royal Dutch Airways, Korean Air, Lufthansa, Malaysia Airlines, Nepal Airlines, Norwegian Air Shuttle, Oman Air, Qatar Airways, Shenzhen Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Srilankan Airlines, Swiss, Thai Airways, Turkish Airlines, Uzbekistan Airways, Vietnam Airlines and Ural Airlines. These airlines cater to various parts of the world and have impeccable connectivity. There are reservations for cargo flights to function from the Suvarnabhumi Airport. They are Lufthansa Cargo, Cathay Pacific Cargo, DHL Aviation and Singapore Airlines Cargo.

Facilities at the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

ATMs and currency exchange - There are foreign exchange booths and ATM kiosks available at the airport. You can withdraw money or exchange to local currency to make your trip convenient.

Baggage - Baggage services are available with plastic wrapping and porter services. You can also find trolleys at regular intervals.

Internet and communication kiosks - There are internet kiosks that have established at the airport. You can get your work done while you wait for boarding. There are telecom desks where you can purchase local mobile SIM numbers to avail WiFi. Postal services are also available.

Restaurants and cafes - There are many food establishments and restaurants at the airport's terminals. The departure zone has a slew of joints, including ones with liquor and coffee.

Medical care - Medical rooms and pharmacies have been installed at regular intervals. You can make last-minute purchases of prescribed medicine, or you can get necessary tablets or toiletries.

Prayer rooms - Devoted prayer rooms and multi-faith corners have been established at all terminals. There are monks' reception rooms also available at the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.

Transit hotels - To make the passenger's experience at the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport good, they have also installed an in-transit hotel. You can check-in for the few hours you need to wait and even rest as much as you can.

Spa and massage - The airport is blessed with good serviced spas and massage parlours. For in-transit passengers who need to take a second flight or who need to wait due to layovers, can avail this service.

Smoking zones - There are dedicated smoking lounges in the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. These are available at all the terminals' departures and arrivals. You can even purchase boxes in case you need it for the time being.

Special assistance – The airport also has professionals who cater to the special needs of passengers who fall under the category of senior citizens, expecting mothers and physically disabled. The professionals have been trained to help out the individuals by enabling a smooth transition of their check-in and boarding processes.

How to reach Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport

By Bus and car rentals

The Airport Shuttle bus operating from the city is another efficient way to reach the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. These buses have a direct connection to the airport from within the city, making travel cheaper and easier. Along with the buses, you can always book a ride to the airport too. There are five routes from the airport that have a direct connection with the Bangkok Airport. These routes connect from Bangkok's downtown as well as Chonburi Province, connections from North Bangkok and Bang Na Bang Pakong which stands at the South. The main entrance to the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport though is at the Samut Prakan Province. There are elevated highways and flyovers which need to be used to reach the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. You can find a car and rental booking booths at the airport's arrival segment. Even the entrance to the airport has a dedicated taxi counter where you can book your ride to the city.

By Airport Rail Link

One of the best ways to reach the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport opened in 2010 after much delay but has since managed to receive good passenger traffic. Called the Airport Rail Link (ARL), the rail is operated by SRTET which is a subsidiary of the State Railway of Thailand. The long 28.6 km gauge line runs at an elevation for most of its length. The link directly connects to the passenger terminal building off the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport. The rail services start at 6:00 in the morning till 24:00. There are two interchange stations called Phaya Thai and Makkasan which run on different lines, also available. The future plans to expand the airport is also in talks where the Airport Rail Link plans to merge and complement the SRT Red Line commuter service. This way, you wouldn't need to change the metro links to reach the Bangkok Suvarnabhumi Airport.