Prior to COVID-19, a good backup option for many of our readers using Asia Miles or Avios points to redeem Business Class flights from Asia to Europe was on British Airways services from Bangkok or Kuala Lumpur through to London.

While BA never stopped flying between London and Singapore during the pandemic, both Bangkok and KL flights were suspended, and they have taken a long time to be resurrected.

That’s mostly due to the airline falling significantly short of long-haul fleet capacity, following the retirement of over 30 Boeing 747-400s during the pandemic.

Once international travel began to rebound, BA understandably focused on restoring long-haul capacity on its lucrative North Atlantic market first, especially while many Asian countries retained strict border measures for a lot longer.

Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur are back

Finally, following a four-year hiatus, British Airways is restarting flights from Bangkok to London and from Kuala Lumpur to London later this year, adding another relatively easy redemption option to take advantage of for our Singapore-based readers, when award space is limited on flights to and from the Lion City itself.

Bangkok London

BA operated daily flights between Bangkok and London Heathrow prior to COVID-19, but this time round there are a couple of changes, when the route restarts in late October 2024:

• Flights will operate only three days per week, initially at least.
• Flights will operate to and from London Gatwick, not Heathrow.

Here’s how the schedule looks.

Bangkok London
From 29th October 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	BA2230 777-200ER
BKK 22:55		LGW 05:30*
Duration: 13:35

* Next day

London Bangkok
From 28th October 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	BA2231 777-200ER
LGW 21:00		BKK 15:55*
Duration: 11:55

* Next day

These flights will offer three classes of service – Economy (World Traveller), Premium Economy (World Traveller Plus) and Business Class (Club World).

Unfortunately, Club Suites is not offered on these aircraft, so it’s the older yin-yang configuration installed on these aircraft.

One potential benefit for couples in this layout is a ‘mini-suite’ in the middle rear-facing pair at each row, which can be quite nice with the privacy dividers raised either side of you.

Overall though, these are pretty dreadful seats that are well past their prime.

You can redeem award seats on British Airways’ Bangkok flights using any Oneworld airline’s frequent flyer currency, with some examples shown below.

British Airways award redemptions Bangkok to/from London (one-way)
FFP	Economy	Premium Economy	Business
	35,000* / 40,000**	50,000* / 77,500**	100,000* / 110,000**
	35,000	55,000	75,000
	40,000	55,000	89,000
	37,600	71,100	94,900

* Off-peak dates (2024)
** Peak dates (2024)

Taxes and fees per passenger between Bangkok and London are approximately:

BA’s mandatory taxes and charges on award tickets are fairly steep as you can see, especially when departing from London with Air Passenger Duty to also contend with.

Kuala Lumpur London

BA will reinstate daily Boeing 787-9 flights between Kuala Lumpur and London’s main Heathrow airport from mid-November 2024, offering four classes of service.

That means there’s also a First Class option on this route.

Here’s how the schedule looks.

Kuala Lumpur London
From 11th November 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	BA34 787-9
KUL 23:15		LHR 05:20*
Duration: 14:05

* Next day

London Kuala Lumpur
From 10th November 2024

			Days
			M	T	W	T	F	S	S
	BA33 787-9
LHR 20:45		KUL 17:30*
Duration: 12:45

* Next day

The Boeing 787-9 includes a nice First Class product, with only eight seats in a 1-2-1 configuration across two rows.

Unfortunately in Business Class is remains the older Club World seat layout, however BA is planning to refit the new Club Suites product to these 787-9s in the coming years.

You can redeem award seats on British Airways’ Kuala Lumpur flights using any Oneworld airline’s frequent flyer currency, with some examples shown below.

British Airways award redemptions Kuala Lumpur to/from London (one-way)
FFP	Economy	Premium Economy	Business	First
	40,000* / 45,000**	55,000* / 80,000**	110,000* / 120,000**	119,000* / 147,500**
	35,000	55,000	75,000	90,000
	40,000	55,000	89,000	135,000
	37,600	71,100	94,900	142,300

* Off-peak dates (2024)
** Peak dates (2024)

Taxes and fees per passenger between Kuala Lumpur and London are approximately:

Again, the taxes and charges on award tickets are a big consideration when redeeming on British Airways, but award space on the Kuala Lumpur route does seem more generous than for Bangkok flights, based on our searches from mid-November onwards.

Guaranteed award space for Avios members

Don’t forget that British Airways Avios members can access guaranteed award space at T-355 days before departure, including on these reinstated Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur flights.

Here’s what they load at 8am Singapore Time each day, 355 days in advance:

• 4 Business Class
• 2 Premium Economy Class
• 8 Economy Class

That can make this a good backup redemption for a Europe trip for those making advance travel plans, in case you don’t find something better in the meantime.

You can cancel your BA Avios redemption and receive all points, taxes and fees back in your account up to 24 hours before departure, less a S$69 service fee per passenger.

Singapore still gets two daily flights

British Airways already restored capacity on its Singapore – London route back to two daily services, with one daily extension to and from Sydney, in line with pre-COVID frequencies on these routes.

From April 2024, one of these flights upgrades back to the Airbus A380, as it was before the pandemic.

Don’t forget you can also jump on guaranteed Avios awards on BA flights from Singapore to London and Singapore to Sydney at 355 days before departure, but you’ll have to be quick with this one especially if you want Business Class, as they often get snapped up fast.

British Airways is finally returning to both Bangkok and Kuala Lumpur from London later this year, routes that lost their service at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic back in 2020.

While the Bangkok service only operates three times per week initially, and serves London’s second airport Gatwick instead of Heathrow, it’s still good to have the option back.

Kuala Lumpur seems to boast the bulk of the award space, thanks to its daily link to London Heathrow, with First Class also included on these Boeing 787-9 flights. Those aircraft will also eventually get Club Suites in Business Class (but not yet).

The news comes as British Airways upgauges one its Singapore – London flights to the Airbus A380 in just a couple of weeks from now, adding even more capacity to this popular route.

(Cover Photo: Steven He)