- Introduction: An Insane Week In The Sky
- Review: China Eastern Business Class 777 Los Angeles To Shanghai
- Review: Grand Hyatt Shanghai
- Review: China Eastern Lounge Shanghai Airport
- Review: China Eastern Business Class A330 Shanghai To Colombo
- Review: Hilton Colombo
- Review: Qatar Airways Business Class A340 Colombo To Doha
- Review: Oryx Lounge Doha Airport
- Review: Royal Air Maroc Business Class 787 Doha To Casablanca
- Review: Hyatt Regency Casablanca
- Review: Royal Air Maroc Lounge Casablanca Airport
- Review: Royal Air Maroc Business Class 787 Casablanca To Doha
- Review: Qatar Airways Business Class A340 Doha To Colombo
- Review: Saudia Business Class 777 Colombo To Jeddah
- Review: Saudia Lounge Jeddah Airport
- Review: Saudia Business Class 787 Jeddah To Manchester
- Review: Pakistan Airlines Business Class 777 Manchester To New York
- Review: Airspace Lounge New York JFK Airport Terminal 5
- Review: JetBlue Mint A321 New York To Los Angeles
China Eastern departs out of Tom Bradley International Terminal, and uses the Korean Air Lounge. I’ve reviewed that lounge before, so won’t be doing so again with this report, other than to say that I’m not a fan of it. It’s typically way overcrowded and has a limited food selection, especially compared to the Star Alliance Lounge and oneworld Lounge at LAX.
Our flight was leaving from gate 156, located at the far end of the concourse at TBIT.
China Eastern 777 at LAX
Boarding began at 11:55AM, starting with first & business class, and we managed to be the first passengers aboard.
China Eastern departure gate at LAX
Having recently flown China Airlines’ new 777-300ER business class with reverse herringbone seats, I was very excited to try China Eastern’s new business class as well.
China Eastern 586
Los Angeles (LAX) – Shanghai (PVG)
Tuesday, July 26
Depart: 12:30PM
Arrive: 5:30PM (+1 day)
Duration: 14hr
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Seat: 11A (Business Class)
We boarded through door L1, where we first found ourselves in the China Eastern first class cabin, which consists of just six seats (I’ll have pictures of that at the end of the review).
China Eastern’s 777-300ER business class cabin consists of a total of 52 reverse herringbone seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration.
There’s a forward mini-cabin with just two rows of business class.
China Eastern 777 mini business class cabin
Then the rear business class cabin has a total of 44 seats, spread across 11 rows.
China Eastern 777 business class cabin
China Eastern 777 business class cabin
Ultimately reverse herringbone seats are among my favorite hard product, though I find the finishes on these seats to be rather boring, personally. I realize that’s a function of personal preference, though I far preferred the China Airlines reverse herringbone seats I experienced a few weeks prior.
China Eastern 777 business class cabin
I had assigned myself seat 11A, the window seat on the left side in the fourth row of the main business class cabin. China Eastern has the Cirrus-style reverse herringbone seats, similar to what’s available on Air France, Avianca, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, etc.
There are subtle differences between that and the B/E Aerospace reverse herringbone seats found on Air Canada, China Airlines, Qatar Airways, Virgin Australia, etc.
China Eastern business class seat 777
China Eastern business class seat 777
China Eastern business class seat 777
The entertainment screen popped out of the seat in front.
China Eastern business class seat personal monitor
Below that was the ottoman, which was spacious. To the left of that was the 110v outlet.
China Eastern business class legroom
The seat controls were located at the bottom left of the seat, and were easy to use.
China Eastern business class seat controls
Above that were the entertainment controls, reading light, headphone jack, USB port, etc.
China Eastern business class entertainment controls, power outlet, headphone jack, etc.
Then next to that was a partly enclosed storage area, with headphones and bottled water.
China Eastern business class seat storage
The headphones weren’t especially good quality.
China Eastern business class headphones
While the bottled water itself was fine, they certainly didn’t spend any extra money on its branding. 😉
China Eastern business class bottled water
Then on the bottom left of the seat were a couple more storage compartments, where the amenity kit and slippers for the flight were located.
China Eastern business class seat storage compartment
China Eastern business class amenity kit & slippers
The slippers were decent quality, and I appreciated that they came with a shoe bag.
China Eastern business class slippers
The amenity kit had Clarins products, though was very bare-bones. It just had earplugs, a dental kit, and two Clarins amenities.
China Eastern business class amenity kit
Those included cream and lip balm.
China Eastern business class Clarins amenities
Also waiting at my seat were a pillow and blanket, which were pretty good quality. The blanket was comfortable yet not too heavy, which is perfect since most non-US carriers keep their cabins pretty warm.
China Eastern business class pillow & blanket
Overall I thought the seat itself was great, as were the pillow and blanket. While I didn’t love the finishes, I also recognize that seat comfort as such is more important than the finishes.
About five minutes after settling in a flight attendant came by to offer hot towels. I should note that over half of this crew was male, which I’ve never before had on a Chinese carrier. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember ever having a male flight attendant on Hainan or Air China.
China Eastern business class warm towel
Moments later he passed through with pre-departure beverages, including orange juice, champagne, or “the China Eastern cocktail.”
He just held out the tray, and I said “excuse me, what is this one?” “It’s the China Eastern signature cocktail.” “Yes, but what’s in it?” “I don’t know.” Alrighty then…
China Eastern business class pre-departure drinks
Boarding was pretty efficient. While the business class cabin was only booked to be about half full, last minute there seemed to be quite a few upgrades, because business class ended up only having a few empty seats. I’d note that we were the only western passengers in business class, best I could tell. Most of the passengers seemed to be older Chinese couples, and also some Chinese families.
China Eastern business class cabin
Towards the end of boarding, the flight attendant came around with the menu and wine list for the flight. However, we couldn’t actually keep them, but instead he just held the page open for us, let us look at it for a minute, and then took our order.
China Eastern business class menu & wine list
China Eastern seems to rely on a single printed menu for the entire year, since there are four sets of menus in each booklet. They’re color coded, and China Eastern alternates the menu based on the month.
China Eastern business class menu organization
Beyond that, the menu can apply for any sort of flight timing, since for a given month it lists lunch, dinner, and breakfast options, even though only two meals will be served. I had asked about the possibility of having the western starters with the Chinese main course, and was told that wasn’t possible. More on the food later on…
At 12:30PM the main cabin door was closed, and the cabin manager welcomed us aboard “this China Eastern A330” (we were in fact on a 777). She informed us that the flight time would be 12hr30min.
We began our pushback within a couple of minutes, with an Asiana A380 off our left wing.
Asiana A380 at LAX
After pushback we had to hold position for about 15 minutes due to congestion, which the captain announced over the PA.
International lineup at Tom Bradley International Terminal LAX
View after pushing back from gate at LAX
At around 12:45PM we began our actual taxi, and as we taxied out to runway 25L we passed the gorgeous Air New Zealand 777.
Air New Zealand 777 at LAX
We also saw the China Eastern A330 headed to Chengdu via Nanjing.
China Eastern A330 at LAX
We then taxied past American’s Terminal 4…
Terminal 4 at LAX
And then past Delta’s Terminal 5…
Terminal 5 at LAX
Delta 767 at LAX
Then at 12:55PM we were cleared for takeoff, and had a beautiful climb out over the California coastline.
View after takeoff from LAX
View after takeoff from LAX
View after takeoff from LAX
View after takeoff from LAX
Climbing out of LA
The seatbelt sign was only turned off about 15 minutes after takeoff.
At this point I connected to China Eastern’s inflight Wi-Fi. China Eastern is the only Chinese carrier to offer inflight Wi-Fi. As I’ve explained in a previous post, you need to register before the flight in order to use it. This is both a good and bad thing. The good news is that it’s free, though the bad news is that if you don’t pre-register, there’s no way to buy Wi-Fi aboard anymore.
China Eastern inflight Wi-Fi log-in
The system of logging in can be a bit confusing, since you have to enter your flight number, the ID number (which in my case was my passport number), and your verification code, which you’re given when you register for Wi-Fi before your flight.
China Eastern inflight Wi-Fi log-in
I’d note that the Wi-Fi was significantly slower than on other airlines. Furthermore, as is usually the case in China, most Google based sites were blocked, though I was able to get around that with a VPN. Still, some internet is better than none, so kudos to China Eastern for offering onboard Wi-Fi.
After connecting to the Wi-Fi I browsed the entertainment selection, starting with looking at the airshow.
China Eastern business class entertainment selection
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
Rather bizarrely, China Eastern has a system where you can order food through your personal television, though the menu on the TV is much more extensive than otherwise available. Go figure the food ordering system doesn’t actually work.
China Eastern business class (theoretical) on-demand menu
China Eastern business class (theoretical) on-demand menu
On this flight I would have killed for a decent looking filet.
China Eastern business class (theoretical) on-demand menu
The entertainment selection was okay for a Chinese carrier. The movie selection was surprisingly decent, while the TV selection was terrible, with just a few western sitcoms.
China Eastern business class entertainment selection
China Eastern business class entertainment selection
China Eastern business class entertainment selection
After browsing the entertainment selection I checked out the two lavs, located in front of the main business class cabin. They were fairly spacious, though already smelled terrible, despite the fact that they seemed to have some odor neutralizing crystals hanging in bags from the handles, door, etc.
China Eastern business class lavatory
China Eastern business class lavatory
While I wasn’t familiar with the brand, the toiletries were decent.
China Eastern business class lavatory amenities
The real fun on this flight started when I returned to my seat, as Matthew and I both noticed a strong cigarette smoke odor in the cabin. We brought it to the attention of the cabin crew, and they said “oh, it’s the oven.” Hmmm…
At that point the meal service began. The lunch menu read as follows:
The beverage list read as follows:
Service began with tablecloths being distributed.
China Eastern business class lunch — table setting
After that the canapés and hot towels were offered. This consisted of balik salmon with blinis & a goat cheese zucchini roll, which were quite decent.
China Eastern business class lunch canapes — balik salmon with blinis & goat cheese zucchini roll
After that drinks were offered with mixed nuts. I ordered a gin & tonic.
China Eastern business class lunch — mixed nuts with gin & tonic
Then the starter was served, including summer squash and red quinoa salad with marinated prawns, as well as cauliflower veloute.
China Eastern business class lunch — appetizer and soup
The shrimp were fairly tasty, and the combination of tomatoes, cheese, and walnuts, complemented it nicely.
China Eastern business class lunch — summer squash and red quinoa salad with marinated prawns
The cauliflower veloute was also nice.
China Eastern business class lunch — cauliflower veloute
I wasn’t served a spoon with the soup, and it took several minutes to flag down a flight attendant to get one.
Bread was offered once the appetizer plates were cleared, which seemed a bit backwards. We also weren’t served water with the meal, despite asking repeatedly.
China Eastern business class lunch — assorted bread
Once appetizers were cleared, the main courses were served. Matthew had the pan seared veal chop.
China Eastern business class lunch — pan seared veal chop
I would have gone with the Chinese option, but I don’t eat pork, and they weren’t willing to serve me the Chinese main with the western starters. I also don’t eat veal (at least let the animals live a little before slaughtering them, in my opinion!), which left me with the braised duck with fettuccine.
It tasted every bit as horrible as it sounds, and the smell was perhaps the worst part. They at least cleared it quickly.
China Eastern business class lunch — braised duck leg with fettuccine
Then dessert was served, including cheese and fresh fruit.
China Eastern business class dessert — fruit & cheese plate
Lastly, Haagen-Dazs ice cream was served, without a choice of flavors. I asked about a spoon, and was told it was already in the top of the cap. While they do indeed have tiny built-in spoons, the last time I used one of those was at recess in middle school. Most airlines still serve you a “real” spoon with ice cream.
China Eastern business class dessert — Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream
Lastly the crew came around with a box of chocolates, which was a pleasantly surprising touch.
China Eastern business class dessert — chocolates
After lunch I ordered a cappuccino. I was served hot water with a nasty powder, rather than a freshly made one.
China Eastern business class lunch — “cappuccino”
I had noticed in the galley that they had a legitimate espresso machine, so was confused by why they weren’t using it.
China Eastern business class espresso machine
Later in the flight I ordered another one and specifically asked for a freshly made one rather than a powdered one, and was told they don’t have that. Later I wandered into the galley to go to the lavatory and noticed the crew having a huge cappuccino party in the galley, making cappuccinos for themselves with illy pods. At least eight crewmembers were in the galley drinking them while chatting. Well, I’m happy they enjoyed the cappuccinos at least.
The meal service was done about 90 minutes after takeoff. I appreciated that the service was quick, since I hate when a mediocre meal is drawn out for hours on end.
While the crew was quick, they were sloppy and weren’t friendly. They didn’t smile once, and communicated very abruptly. Furthermore, the service was disorganized. Bread was served way after the starter, water and drink refills were never offered, etc.
After the meal I decided to work for a bit longer on my laptop. I eventually headed to the galley to check out the snack selection. There was a small basket setup with nuts and other sweets, including Ritter Sport chocolate… mmmm!
China Eastern business class snack basket
I’d note that while the cabin was quite bland, there were at least some decorative flowers near the galley, which added a pop of color.
China Eastern business class floral arrangement
Eventually we were passing over Alaska headed towards Russia.
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
While I wasn’t hungry, I figured I’d order what was described on the menu as a “Western Western Exquisite Western Snack.” It consisted of a stale piece of bread with some salmon, as well as a side of fruit. The fruit was decent, though I’m not sure what made it triple Western or Exquisite. 😉
China Eastern business class midflight snack
After having the snack I decided to take a nap for a bit. The bed itself was great for sleeping, and the pillow and blanket did the trick.
China Eastern business class flat bed
China Eastern business class flat bed
Here’s the airshow when I went to sleep:
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
Meanwhile here’s the airshow when I woke up:
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
Altogether I managed to get about 3.5 hours of sleep, which was pretty good.
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
As I’ve mentioned before, the smell of cigarette smoke was prevalent in the cabin throughout the flight, and we eventually figured out that the pilots were smoking like chimneys the entire flight, probably every 15 minutes or so. Here are the two posts I wrote on that, which have a lot of interesting comments from readers as well:
- Live From 34,000 Feet: Someone Keeps Smoking On My China Eastern Flight
- We Tried To Call Out Our Flight Crew For Smoking…
As you might guess based on the above, we called out the crew, and hilarity ensued.
About 90 minutes before landing the pre-arrival meal was served. The menu read as follows:
I wanted to go with the Chinese option for this meal, though they were out by the time they got to me. So since I don’t eat pork, I had the shrimp, scallops, and fennel ravioli.
The starter consisted of Boston lettuce with toasted pecans and cherry tomatoes.
China Eastern business class meal — lettuce with pecans and cherry tomatoes
I will say that the ravioli was better than the pasta dish I had with the first meal, though it was still pretty lousy.
China Eastern business class meal — shrimp, scallop, and fennel ravioli
Meanwhile Matthew had the pork tenderloin.
China Eastern business class meal — prosciutto wrapped marinated pork tenderloin
At around 4PM Shanghai-time the captain provided us with updated arrival information, informing us we should be landing at around 4:30PM. The views on approach were quite nice, and it was a fairly nice day by Shanghai standards.
View on approach into Shanghai
View on approach into Shanghai
While the touchdown itself was smooth, we had a ridiculously abrupt stop, as the pilots seemed to not only apply the reverse thrusters and speed brakes at high speeds, but also the actual brakes at high speeds. This caused the sensation of being pushed forward much more than usual (and this was in spite of the fact that we had plenty of runway remaining).
Taxiing at Shanghai Pudong Airport
Clearly the crew didn’t correctly do their safety checks, because as we taxied in an older Chinese passenger walked back to her seat, having been in the lavatory during landing. As we taxied in, the flight attendant held her by the wrist and walked her back to her seat.
Taxiing at Shanghai Pudong Airport
Fortunately our taxi to the gate took only a few minutes, and we were there by 4:35PM, almost an hour ahead of schedule.
Taxiing at Shanghai Pudong Airport
Shanghai Pudong Airport Terminal 1
We pulled in right next to a China Eastern A330. We arrived at a gate, which is a blessing, since on my last flight into Shanghai we had a remote stand, which wasn’t fun.
China Eastern A330 Shanghai Airport
As we waited for the plane’s door to open, the flight attendant at L2 was texting on her phone, though turned around so she was facing the door rather than passengers, thinking passengers wouldn’t notice. I thought that was really unprofessional, to turn away from passengers as they deplane, rather than bid them farewell.
On that note, I should mention that while all Chinese airlines prohibit passengers from using cell phones on the plane (even in airplane mode), China Eastern didn’t seem to enforce that rule.
We deplaned through door L1, where we got to see the first class cabin, consisting of just six seats.
China Eastern 777 first class cabin
There were two center seats, which actually convert into double beds. This is the only first class product in the world that converts into a double bed, other than Singapore’s Suites Class.
China Eastern 777 first class cabin
On top of that there were four fully enclosed window seats.
China Eastern 777 first class seat
Immigration was pretty quick, and within a few minutes we were off to the Grand Hyatt Shanghai.
China Eastern 777 business class bottom line
China Eastern has a lot of potential. Their new 777s have a great first & business class product, with reverse herringbone seats and Wi-Fi, making it the best hard product offered by an airline based in mainland China.
Unfortunately that’s where the positives end. The service was sloppy and borderline rude, the constant smoke in the cabin (and lying about it) was unpleasant, and the main courses were disgusting.
Still, China Eastern has a great hard product and Wi-Fi, which are two of the features of business class I value most.
It’s so disappointing when an airline has so much potential, but is a complete flop when it comes to the soft product.
Unfortunate, but then, cultural and corporate practices seem to add up to an unpleasant experience by western standards and expectation, at least.
As a longtime aviation mechanic, what concerns me is those same cultural and corporate influences adding up when it comes to maintenance and repair.
Also, the pilots disregard for well established rules and norms about smoking makes me wonder about what other inconvenient details they might see as irrelevant.
I have read...
Unfortunate, but then, cultural and corporate practices seem to add up to an unpleasant experience by western standards and expectation, at least.
As a longtime aviation mechanic, what concerns me is those same cultural and corporate influences adding up when it comes to maintenance and repair.
Also, the pilots disregard for well established rules and norms about smoking makes me wonder about what other inconvenient details they might see as irrelevant.
I have read accounts of the willingness to cheat or otherwise find their way around training testing and certifications requirements on the part of many Asian airline personnel.
This would be owed unfortunately to cultural realities and norms., of what are referred to as "third world/developing nations" of which China is definitely one.
IMO the only Asian airlines who hold a first world standard through out the entirety of their operation would be those of Japan.
The Japanese take great pride in whatever they do and strive to do it as best as it can be done. A distinction that is simply part of their cultural realities and norms.
If I book a business class with Air China, China Eastern Airlines, or China Southern Airlines through an online booking website (Expedia, Justfly.com, et) how can I be sure that business class seat will be a flatbed?
I flew business on the China Eastern 777 twice in past two weeks. First flight from LHR to PVG. Second flight from PVG-JFK. Here are few notes:
- I really liked the herringbone seats. They become a comfortable flat bed. On both flight, I slept very nicely.
- Smoke. I read this review before my two flights and I was really worried about these smoke accidents. During my two flights I never smelled...
I flew business on the China Eastern 777 twice in past two weeks. First flight from LHR to PVG. Second flight from PVG-JFK. Here are few notes:
- I really liked the herringbone seats. They become a comfortable flat bed. On both flight, I slept very nicely.
- Smoke. I read this review before my two flights and I was really worried about these smoke accidents. During my two flights I never smelled any smoke in the cabin, but I did smell cigarette smoke in the first class bathroom on my first flight. No smell on the second flight.
-Food. I found the quality of the food different in the two flights. The food on the flight originated at LHR was not good. It looked old and not inviting. On the flight originated at PVG, it was a different story. It looked fresh and inviting. My speculation is that they may carry their food from China, so it is fresh when the flight is departing from China...not as fresh when flying back...pure speculation.. it may just be thata the local LHR catering provider is bad
- Media: pretty decent list of movies. It would be good if you can turn off the Chinese subtitles which take 1/3 of the screen. Not much music selection
- Crew was friendly and did a good job on both flights
In conclusion, I had a good experience. Flights got me to the destination on time, I had very good sleep and enjoyed the comfy space to work on my laptop and watch movies. I will be happy to fly China Eastern again. Good luck and safe travels!!!!
@Bob
There's a thing called spell checker for you "cultured" “non-Neanderthals” to use. A piece of advise? Use it before you engage on name-calling.
@Bob
Please leave your self-serving condescending comments to your "cultured" "non-Neanderthals" self. Your comments added no value whatsoever and only exposed your racial bias. (BTW, are you African? If not, you are as Neanderthals as the Chinese.)
I will fly MU any day over the lousy US 3 on trans-pac routes.
I have flown MU and experienced cigarette smoke in the cabin during the flight. The chinese passengers and crew i had to deal with were a bunch of pushy, uncultured Neaderthals.
I flew MU LAX-PVG recenlty and then DL PVG-LAX. I was really impressed with MU. The hard product was great and the soft product was just fine. It probably helped that my expectations going in weren’t high. And then on the way back on DL I was disappointed. DL was no where near as nice as MU in either the hard or soft products. On DL I didn’t even eat because the flight attendants didn’t...
I flew MU LAX-PVG recenlty and then DL PVG-LAX. I was really impressed with MU. The hard product was great and the soft product was just fine. It probably helped that my expectations going in weren’t high. And then on the way back on DL I was disappointed. DL was no where near as nice as MU in either the hard or soft products. On DL I didn’t even eat because the flight attendants didn’t get up to even try to start service until more than an hour after takeoff. I would recommend MU over DL on the route any day.
i've never flown China Eastern biz class but i have flown China Airlines and China Southern airlines Biz class. Both had mediocre food (which China Airlines being horrific...the worst to date....easily beating out AirFrance). But the China Southern flight had pretty good service I must say. And the hard product was very nice. China Airlines' service was the worst ive ever received in biz class and their hard product was absolutely laughable. Had to ask...
i've never flown China Eastern biz class but i have flown China Airlines and China Southern airlines Biz class. Both had mediocre food (which China Airlines being horrific...the worst to date....easily beating out AirFrance). But the China Southern flight had pretty good service I must say. And the hard product was very nice. China Airlines' service was the worst ive ever received in biz class and their hard product was absolutely laughable. Had to ask for refills on wine and after 2 refills in one 7 hour flight the attendants became annoyed with me. And the wine cup sizes were about 2.5 ounces. Geez...
MUCH better product on Delta. But the price is higher with Delta...
I took this flight in Business Class today. Here is my review:
Seating: not nearly as comfortable as other Business class seats I've experienced. Bed laid flat, but it was extremely narrow and hard to find a comfortable position to sleep. The seat was also pretty hard. Pillow was small and hard- I found a second one, which helped a little. Blanket was fine, but the cabin was kept so warm I didn't really need...
I took this flight in Business Class today. Here is my review:
Seating: not nearly as comfortable as other Business class seats I've experienced. Bed laid flat, but it was extremely narrow and hard to find a comfortable position to sleep. The seat was also pretty hard. Pillow was small and hard- I found a second one, which helped a little. Blanket was fine, but the cabin was kept so warm I didn't really need it.
Service: Friendlier than I expected based on the reviews here. Quick and efficient. They never once asked if I wanted a refill of my beverage- I had to ask. I was surprised a few times by the flight attendants bickering in the serving area (which unfortunately was right in front of my seat).They weren't even trying to be quiet about whatever they were arguing about.
Food: Absolutely the worst I've ever had in Business class. Based on the reviews here I ordered the Chinese dinner. It was a lot of fish and gray glutinous blobs of something I couldn't identify. The lobster was so over cooked and rubbery I gave up. For breakfast I decided to opt for the Western menu and had an omelette. It was decent but a little dry. The flight attendant poured me one tiny cup of coffee and when I asked for a refill (twice) she seemed surprised "oh you want more?" Well, yeah, I can drink three tiny tea cups of coffee.
Amenities: the toiletry bag is pretty paltry- comb, toothbrush and paste and two teeny tiny samples from Clarins. I was given pajamas, but they were so heavy that I would have suffocated in the overheated cabin.
Entertainment options: pretty good. A few new movies, and TV selections.
Cigarette smoke- luckily I did not detect anyone smoking
The stink of The chinese Food permeated the entire cabine. The coffee weak and powdered crap. Sçreams, rude, and animalistic noises. Chinese airlines.
I will be taking this flight in July. I'm disappointed about the food....I also don't eat lamb or veal. Guess I'll be packing some power bars in my bag! And, I cannot tolerate cigarette smoke so I pray that won't be present.
> Unfortunately that’s where the positives end. The service was sloppy and borderline rude, the constant smoke in the cabin (and lying about it) was unpleasant, and the main courses were disgusting.
Yup - that's my experience with China Eastern. Awful in a way that US domestic airlines can't even compete with. That said, what else is a person to do with 150k delta points?
I'd rather flying with AA, United and Delta, than Flying China Eastern airlines, The Service and food is extremely horrible,
Yap, I Experience Flying with MU, and never ever again, Service sucks, Food extremely Inedible, A Miles Miles Behind Cathay, Singapore, Asiana, ANA, JAL, and even Delta Airlines,
Thank you for the open and candid review of China Eastern business class. The lie flat seats, and the service, all come with a much higher price than coach class. I often wonder about the actual differences in service and comfort between airlines in business class. Korean Airlines goes to most of the places I visit in Asia, and they have a more expensive product with their business class. Air Canada business class is very...
Thank you for the open and candid review of China Eastern business class. The lie flat seats, and the service, all come with a much higher price than coach class. I often wonder about the actual differences in service and comfort between airlines in business class. Korean Airlines goes to most of the places I visit in Asia, and they have a more expensive product with their business class. Air Canada business class is very nice to Beijing. However, there is no AC business class lounge in Beijing. I am thinking of trying China Eastern or China Southern business class, but if the service is as bad as you describe, I will gladly pay more for better business class seats and service, and choose JAL or Korean. I am truly amazed that the pilots were smoking during the flight. That should be reported to the NTSB.
I live in Shanghai and have flown extensively on all the Chinese carriers and I am afraid to say this is the standard. It is a serious problem in China in general where service is not viewed as an important thing. No matter where you go, service is invariably bad. I am not sure why this is the case, but it might have something to do with never having to compete for business. There are...
I live in Shanghai and have flown extensively on all the Chinese carriers and I am afraid to say this is the standard. It is a serious problem in China in general where service is not viewed as an important thing. No matter where you go, service is invariably bad. I am not sure why this is the case, but it might have something to do with never having to compete for business. There are so many people that they never need to worry about filling seats, as people need to fly anyway.
I also don't get why they are not flexible on the menu, what difference could it possibly make if you had the western starter and Chinese main? I just don't get that at all. Also, on the coffee machine, I would have definitely called them out on that shit, that is ridiculous. I don't see this kind of thing changing any time soon, so MU will remain light years behind other Asian airlines.
To the guy who posted under the name J, give the defense a rest. You don't need to defend it out of national pride. MU are a poor airline, there is no doubt about that. AA are miles ahead of them.
Just like in economy class, you don't get a choice of coffee and tea brands. Perhaps the 'branded Illy coffee' was for First Class passengers only.
What if you had Wendy on this international flight and this unpolished crew on that old broken A330? I think a lot of how we rate airlines is due to chance. A lot of people say after one bad flight "NEVER AGAIN!" in the same way people have a good flight and say "wow this airline is awesome." I have spent several flights talking with China Southern and Air China FAs, at times discussing what...
What if you had Wendy on this international flight and this unpolished crew on that old broken A330? I think a lot of how we rate airlines is due to chance. A lot of people say after one bad flight "NEVER AGAIN!" in the same way people have a good flight and say "wow this airline is awesome." I have spent several flights talking with China Southern and Air China FAs, at times discussing what happened to the FAs on your China Southern first class flight. I figured out the reason why FAs sleep in first or business class. Management, in an effort to save weight/cost, don't put enough crew beds for the FAs, which is why you have previously seen them sleeping upright in jumpseats or in the first class cabin. Combine their hours with the constant shifts of time zones and Chinese travelers, you might see why their job ain't easy. It doesn't excuse straight up broken seats and lying but perhaps you might want to talk to them a bit more before rushing to judge.
That being said, I just finished a Singapore Suites flight that left me with a seriously bad taste when the purser greeted me by saying "You are not who I expected you to look like" with an expressionless face. As a 24 year old with a baby face, I was then carded during the meal for ordering champagne, which has never happened in first class. Yet on my Singapore regional business flight, the crew shower me with gifts when I mentioned I had a little sister and the purser even shared some of her own pandan cake with me. It is all chance and people have off days and on days.
You DO know that lamb is often slaughtered younger than veal, right? ;-) I've always found the veal argument funny.
J, give it a rest. No one cares.
So is anyone saying anything good about AA an American propaganda minion? Ironic, as AA is probably one of the worst airlines in the skies, way behind the likes of MU etc.
What an utter gong show. The only thing missing was the cabin crew "selling" ypgrades.
i took the same flight once. The food was indeed mediocre, but at the same level as UA/AA flights i took. Service? Major Asian airlines (Chinese, Korean, Japanese) are way better than any american airlines. And i don't believe any crew would have smoked in the cabin. if you are the only one smelled it, go see a doctor about your nose.
and, yes, i'm a Chinese government-hired propaganda minion. lol
Why are comments being deleted from this website? Are they moderated for pre-approval?
I still say the seats look good. I guess some folks crave something a little more ostentatious .
My wife is from Shanghai and knows people who work at China Eastern. She flies back and forth between San Francisco and Shanghai frequently so she's very familiar with the airline. The one thing most westerners might not realize is that most of the business and first class occupants are not paying customers. Few chinese citizens will actually pay at the counter for an official upgrade, instead a quiet conversation is had with the lead...
My wife is from Shanghai and knows people who work at China Eastern. She flies back and forth between San Francisco and Shanghai frequently so she's very familiar with the airline. The one thing most westerners might not realize is that most of the business and first class occupants are not paying customers. Few chinese citizens will actually pay at the counter for an official upgrade, instead a quiet conversation is had with the lead flight attendant for a quid pro quo upgrade in exchange for cold hard cash. As a result - the flight attendants don't look at the passengers in biz/first as real customers and the "customers" come to expect a poor service because they had never actually paid for biz/first. China Eastern operates more like a mainland domestic carrier than an international carrier, you can't compare it with the likes of Cathay or Singapore.
As an American married to a Shanghainese women, these...unspoken rules do irritate me but I caution against any quick judgement of another culture. Let's just say things work very differently over in China, and if you spent some more time in China learning the culture there - you'd know what i mean.
Regarding the food, as the poster mentioned above - you have to order Chinese food when on a Chinese carrier. If you've spent some time in Shanghai you'll know how bad their interpretation of what western food is, and that's in a tier 1 international city. It would be equally unreasonable if I were to expect AA to have authentic Chinese food. As a fellow international traveler, it confounds me that you wouldn't try the local cuisine to broaden your horizon. Would you travel on JAL/ANA and choose the spaghetti over their excellent Japanese cuisine?
I trust you don't eat lamb either. " I also don’t eat veal (at least let the animals live a little before slaughtering them, in my opinion!), which left me with the braised duck with fettuccine"
The Chinese menu looks good and I bet it was, disappointing neither of you guys tried it. MU is just a throwback to old school state owned enterprises in China a decade ago. You don't order the Western food at a Chinese state owned company. Ever. Chinese catering on MU in F to LAX is actually good and quite authentic, I can't see why J should be much different. Plus the Long Jing tea (highest-end...
The Chinese menu looks good and I bet it was, disappointing neither of you guys tried it. MU is just a throwback to old school state owned enterprises in China a decade ago. You don't order the Western food at a Chinese state owned company. Ever. Chinese catering on MU in F to LAX is actually good and quite authentic, I can't see why J should be much different. Plus the Long Jing tea (highest-end Chinese green tea) in F is lovely and presentation spot on, definitely more expensive than any of that sorry western western booze selection. It's on your J menu, and I bet it's the exact same as whats served in F, same with the other teas. When in Rome!
I was expecting worse given my initial expectations from the first posts. I like how this review seems fairly balanced. Given the bed worked fine, if you could've eaten the Chinese food things seemed "decent".....minus the smoking....and certainly with potential.
@Imperator
Because every Chinese who says anything good about China Eastern is a government-hired propaganda minion.
And we're off ...
You keep mentioning you don't like China Eastern's seat trimmings, yet have no problem with American's blob of grey drabness? Okay...
FWIW - I'm sure the Chinese hate AA as much as you people hate MU... plus I doubt they'll miss you and your Delta SkyMiles redemptions... so carry on
Why were they burning cigarettes in the oven?
I wonder when China Eastern's propoganda minions will start chiming in.
Wow! That "braised duck leg with fettuccine" looks truly repulsive. And the fact the crew held the espresso machine only for themselves and the smoking in the cabin by the crew. Why do you keep flying chinese airlines??
I actually think that duck fettuccine looks pretty good...but, this is coming from someone who loves cafeteria food off all kinds (school, hospital, etc.)...
I've noticed that Emirates uses the Nespresso pods on their flights, yet their cappuccinos taste horrible in Business Class.
Not sure if First Class is different.
I'd advise you to book Emirates Business Class at least once and review it.
Thanks for the pics of First Class - however it looks like somebody left their iPhone at the seat plugged in to charge!
Given the crew's lies about the cigarette smoke, l would have called them out about the cappuccino lies. Poor service is bad enough, but when they're outright lying to people, it's unacceptable, imo. "You said you didn't have a machine, why did you lie? What are you drinking?" They probably wouldn't care but might think up more plausible lies next time.
I flew China Eastern once from PVG-HKG. The passengers were Chinese tourists, and oh my gosh were they bad! They were yelling and screaming the whole flight, and ate their really smelly food on the ground. And when we landed, they reached into the belt at baggage claim to retrieve their bags. And the flight attendants did nothing about it, and just ignored them. I will never fly China Eastern Airlines again!