Air China Review (Beijing to Shenzhen CA1313- 2006)

Route: Beijing Capital to Shenzhen Airport

Departure date and time of flight: 11:30am on the 18th August 2006

Flight Number: CA1313

Flight duration: 3 hours 10 minutes

Class: Economy Class

Aircraft type: Boeing 737-700

Punctuality of the flight:

The flight departed on time and landed on time.

Any baggage issues:

No issues- the bags arrived on time and in one piece.

Comments on the check-in staff and any issues:

No check-in issues. Everything went perfectly smoothly at Beijing Capital Airport. I arrived around 2 hours early and so had plenty of time to wander around the massive terminal building. The check-in staff were very professional and gave me the seat that I preferred for this flight.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Drinks (including alcoholic – only Tsingtao beer!), and including tea and coffee. 

Comments regarding the first meal:

I must say that on this flight the in-flight meal was one of the best I have eaten on any Chinese airline. The meal was better than that offered on any other international flight with Air China too. It was not too bland, and was just right for the mouth. It kind of tingled in the mouth.

Lunch consisted of a hot chicken curry dish with plain white rice and fresh vegetables. The chicken curry was not spicy, yet it still left a bit of a tingle of pepper in the mouth. Scrumptious. The famous “Yuquan” preserved vegetable pickle was provided as a side dish to put onto to your main hot dish.

The fresh “prawn salad” was indeed fresh. The food must have been prepared the same day- and I was lucky to take this flight because the food that would be provided on the flight back would not be so fresh (it would have been stored in the hold for many hours!).

Oh and not to mention the lovely burberry muffin providing us with an amazing pudding experience. The food came complimentary with standard cutlery and tissues with the “Air China” Beijing Olympic logo on it. A collectors item.

Comments regarding the drinks service:

A second round of drinks were offered after the meal. No alcohol, but plenty of milk, coffee and tea.

Comments regarding the in-flight snacks (if any):

None

Comments regarding the second meal (if any):

None

Comments on the in-flight system (if any):

None

Improvements that could be made:

It was one of the best flights I have had on a Chinese airline. No doubt- everything was as it should be. I just wish that every flight was like this.

Comments on the interior of the aircraft (including seat comfort): 

The 737-700 aircraft had a seat configuration of 3-3 with an all Economy Class seat set up. The plane was clean and the toilets were clean too. It was not full at all. Not bad a flight after all. The crew were friendly too. The plane was coloured in the Beijing 2008 Olympic colour scheme. I chose the photo of this plane to be included in my first book “Newcomers Handbook to China: Including Beijing, Guangzhou, Shanghai and Shenzhen” (2008, Firstbooks Inc)

Overall rating 1-10 (worst-best): 9