Tomorrow I will attempt to fly from Kuching to Baku in Azerbaijan. I start with a confirmed 1045 Malaysia Airlines flight to Kuala Lumpur booked a long time ago partially using points that were expiring.
All other arrangements were built around this but plans took multiple turns as most options for the remainder of the trip were on standby.
- My original plan was to fly standby from Kuala Lumpur to Istanbul to connect to Baku, all on Turkish Airlines.
- However, I found that Wizz Air had great prices (confirmed) from Abu Dhabi to Baku as well, and if I took Etihad on standby from Kuala Lumpur to Abu Dhabi, I could have a nice 2 day stay in Abu Dhabi. It seemed attractive to have half the journey on a confirmed basis rather than entirely on standby, as with Turkish. This option was about cost-neutral with my original plan on standby.
- In the weeks leading up to now, Etihad’s flight from KL to Abu Dhabi became completely full. I resorted to booking a backup flight from Singapore to Abu Dhabi in addition, as well as a refundable flight from Kuching to Singapore. The Singapore flight then became rather full as well.
- I looked at backups from KL and Singapore to Dubai (two from each city) leaving a little after the Etihad flights, and then taking the bus to Abu Dhabi for my stay and then my flight to Baku.
- Then a couple of weeks ago Wizz Air cancelled my flight from Abu Dhabi to Baku, shifted me forward by a day but offering me a refund or alternative dates as well. With this development, it seemed best for me to revert to my very first plan of standby on Turkish Airlines to Istanbul and then Baku.
It’s my nature to think and over-analyse, weigh up scenarios and risks. Here are some of the factors that I consider:
- Through devious means I learnt that the loads on both legs of the Turkish flights were very favourable. The only thing counting against it was the 2h45 connecting time in Istanbul which was a little tight on standby as one is checked-in leg-by-leg. Missing the connection would mean a long connection of about 12h for the next flight to Baku.
- I struggled with the debate between the stress of changing it on Etihad vs getting on Turkish but missing the onward connection. There was an element of FOMO (fear of missing out) due to Etihad leaving about 3h before Turkish.
- Added to that was the kind offer from Wizz of being able to refund my ticket until 3h prior to departure. If Wizz had an earlier cancellation deadline, the simple answer would be to go Turkish.
- The flight from KL to Abu Dhabi is about 4h shorter than that to Istanbul; 7h vs 11h. However, with its earlier departure I’d end up in Abu Dhabi on a 8h transit during the time that I should be sleeping. On the other hand, the longer flight to Istanbul with its later departure is (strangely) more restful.