Route: Jinan Yaoqiang Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport

Departure date of flight: May 12, 2015, 10:00am

Flight number: MU5572

Flight duration: 1 hour 30 minutes

Class: Economy Class

Aircraft type: Airbus A321 with Sharklets
 
Punctuality of the flight:
 
This short-haul flight departed on time from Jinan.
 
Any baggage issues:
 
No issues- I only had hand luggage.

Comments on the check-in staff and any issues:

No check in issues. Everything went perfectly smoothly at check-in at Jinan Airport. The airport is relatively tiny compared to other airports in second and third tier Chinese cities.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Herbal Chinese tea, orange juice and some other drinks, including tea and coffee. 

Comments regarding the first meal:

For this short-haul flight, we were served with a couple of buns, including a muffin and a packet of dry roasted peanuts.
 
Comments regarding the drinks service:

A second round of drinks were offered before (orange juice and water), during, and after the meal. Plenty of milk, coffee, and tea.

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

None

Comments regarding the second meal (if any):

None

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The cabin crew seemed proud to work for China Eastern Airlines, and provide a very warm and friendly service.

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

Economy Class seats have a pitch of 32 inches, and a width of 18 inches
First Class seats have a pitch of 38 inches, and a width of 21 inches (some aircraft an only Economy Class seating policy).

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

Route: Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport to Beijing Capital Airport

Departure date and time of flight: 07:30 on the May 9, 2015, 2015
 
Flight Number: MU5131

Flight duration: 1 hour 55 minutes

Class: Economy Class

Aircraft type: Airbus A320

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:

This was one of the first flights out of Hangzhou Airport. As opposed to the big airports in China, Hangzhou airport is relatively quieter in the mornings. Because this was an early morning flight, I had to take a taxi from Binjiang District (around a 30-minute drive away in the southern part of Hangzhou), and if you are not connected through an app with the Kwai Didi (mobile app used to call for a taxi), then it is almost impossible to get a taxi in the morning. All the roads around the outskirts of the town are empty…not a whisker in sight (kind of reminded me of my time when I used to live in Suzhou- you could end up waiting for an hour or more for a taxi!). The taxi fare from downtown Hangzhou to the airport is around 120RMB (£12, US$18), any more than that, then you know you’ve been conned!
 
The journey from downtown Hangzhou to the airport gets the taxi to be dragged along the empty, and sometimes dusty/rocky, roads. Keep the window open and try to breathe the ‘fresh’ air if you can!

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Drinks, excluding alcohol, included tea and coffee were served. The beautiful thing about flying with China Eastern is that they are one of the few airline companies in China that offer sugar and milk powder separately.

Comments regarding the first meal:

A delicious helping of pork and congee (hot meal) was served straight after take-off. This was accompanied with a tray containing an orange slice, a simple empty bun and a slice of ham, along with two seeded-olives.
 
Comments regarding the drinks service:

A second round of drinks were offered after the meal. No alcohol was served, but plenty of milk, coffee and tea. Loved it.
 
Comments on the in-flight system (if any):

The IFE system was only activated once during this flight- prior to take off (for the safety demonstration). The PVT screens are not placed behind every seat but overhead.

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The cabin crew were professional and polite. Just a normal flight, without any incidents. The level of English spoken was good, too.

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

This Airbus A321 aircraft for China Eastern has a seat configuration of 3-3 with an all economy seat set up. The plane was very clean and had the latest IFE system installed. The staff were professional and could speak some adequate amounts of English.

Overall rating 1-10 (worst-best):10 

Route: Qingdao Liuting Airport to Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport

Departure date and time of flight: 17:28 on the 23 March, 2015
 
Flight Number: MU2381

Flight duration: 1 hour 50 minutes

Class: Economy Class

Aircraft type: Airbus A321

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:

Qingdao Airport is located on the outskirts of the city, with around a 30-mnute drive required from the downtown. Even though Qingdao is an international airport (Lufthansa flies using their A340-642 aircraft three times a week, at the time of writing). No check in issues. Everything went perfectly smoothly at Qingdao Airport. I arrived around five minutes prior to the check in counter being closed.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Drinks, excluding alcohol, included tea and coffee were served. The beautiful thing about flying with China Eastern is that they are one of the few airline companies in China that offer sugar and milk powder separately.

Comments regarding the first meal:

A delicious helping of Chinese pork and rice (hot meal) was served straight after take-off. This was accompanied with a small tray containing four cherry tomatoes, and a packet of mustard pickle (hot and spicy!).
 
Comments regarding the drinks service:

A second round of drinks were offered after the meal. No alcohol was served, but plenty of milk, coffee and tea. Loved it.
 
Comments on the in-flight system (if any):

The IFE system was only activated once during this flight- prior to take off (for the safety demonstration). The PVT screens are not placed behind every seat but overhead.

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The cabin crew were professional and polite. Just a normal flight, without any incidents. The level of English spoken was good, too.


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

This Airbus A321 aircraft for China Eastern has a seat configuration of 3-3 with an all economy seat set up. The plane was very clean and had the latest IFE system installed. The staff were professional and could speak some adequate amounts of English.

Overall rating 1-10 (worst-best):10 

Route: Guiyang Airport to Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport
 
Departure date and time of flight: 17:30 on the 3rd of January

Flight Number: MU5314

Flight duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

Class: Economy Class

Aircraft type: Airbus A321

Punctuality of the flight:
 
The flight departed and landed on time (rare for this to happen).

Any baggage issues:
 
No issues- the bags arrived on time and in one piece. Despite being the main airport serving the capital city of Guizhou province, Guiyang airport is relatively quiet and a small domestic airport.

Comments on the check-in staff and any issues:

The check-in staff were polite, and very professional. There was no problem what so ever.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Choice of drinks (standard- tea, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, lemonade or coca cola). There was no alcohol served on this flight as alcohol is not served on domestic flights in China. I asked for orange juice, and a coffee. The orange juice was provided from a carton of a local brand (not Dole!), and the coffee was instant (but drinkable). 

Comments regarding the First meal:

A lovely colourful cardboard box was presented with the following contents:

1. A plain bread bun (boring and simple...would have tasted better if they had provided us with butter)
2. A slice of fresh orange

 
The best part of the meal was the HOT and delicious options of: either chicken with rice, or beef with rice. I opted for the chicken with rice. The chicken was tender and well cooked, while both the rice and the vegetables were of an edible quality. Though it was not the kind of quality you would get on most international carriers outside of China, but still very edible and delicious.

Comments regarding the drinks service:

A second round of drinks was offered after the meal. Again, no alcohol was served.

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

None

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

There was no in-flight entertainment system installed on this aircraft, as the aircraft was old. China Eastern Airlines operate a mixture of old and new aircraft. Normally, the older aircraft are used on domestic routes.

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The staff were very proud of their brand image and represented their airline at the highest level possible. When under a situation of high pressure, the staff seemed to act with professionalism and integrity.

Improvements that could be made:

None. For such a short flight, you could not really ask for much.

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

The seats in Economy Class on the Airbus A321 have a pitch of 32 inches recline, and are 17.8 inches wide.

Overall rating 1-10 (worst-best): 8

On September 9th, at a lavish ceremony in Shanghai, China Eastern Airlines unveiled their new logo and livery to be used to all of their aircraft and uniforms.The new China Eastern logo was designed by the famous Chinese brand consultancy Zhengbang, in early 2014. This is the first time that the airline has changed the livery in its 30 years of operation. The logo change has bought along a much needed image revamp for the Chinese airline. 

The airline has kept the ‘swallow’ as the core element of the logo, alongside the red and blue colors. But unlike the ‘circle-logo’ style from the 80s, the new design has a sleek and modern appearance to it. The swallow’s red head and wings stand for ‘sunrise in the east’, which symbolizes hope, excellence and passion. The blue-colored bird tail means ‘be tolerant to diversity’ and this is used to represent the carrier’s various, inclusive and logical services. China Eastern’s letters, C and E, are also visible in the flying swallow.

The company kept the swallow as the logo, because it is believed the bird can bring good fortune. The swallow traditionally leaves in autumn and comes back in spring, bringing hope and luck with it. 

The new logo has been painted on the airline’s first B777-300ER (pictured below). This aircraft will be delivered to the airline in time for the festive October holiday (first week of October is a national holiday in China). 

While the livery appears to be very simple, boring and somewhat disappointing (the aircraft is all white except the airline titles and the tailfin logo), it is not really surprising because this new trend has been followed by many of the world’s airlines, including Air France, Lufthansa and American Airlines. This design was chosen from a total of 56 final logos submitted by a number of top brand consultancies. The airline plans to have all its aircraft kitted out with the new design by the end of 2019.

Four B777-300ER aircraft will be delivered within this year, and starting from November, the new aircraft will serve the Shanghai - Los Angeles and Shanghai - New York route. By 2018, the airline plans to have a total of 20 B777-300ER aircraft in its fleet.

As well as the logo and livery on the aircraft, China Eastern Airlines also unveiled a new uniform for its cabin crew, pilots and all the ground staff based around the world.

中国东方航空（以下简称“东航”）举行全新VIS(视觉识别系统)发布会，以东航新LOGO、基准品牌色、辅助图形和各类延展应用组成的东航VIS正式亮相，这标志着东航在品牌建设道路上迈出了突破性的一步，以VIS为基础的品牌战略将能切实推动东航转型升级，提升国际化经营能力，构建长远的品牌竞争力。

东航新LOGO保留了原LOGO的核心元素“燕子”，传递了燕子吉祥与和顺的寓意。在此基础上，设计团队重点突破了80年代国内企业普遍采用的圆框设计风格，优化了工业设计痕迹浓重的对称式硬朗线条，以灵动舒展的流畅线型和红蓝品牌基准色，将东航简称（China Eastern）的首字母“CE”与核心视觉元素“燕子”巧妙融为一体，呈现出一只轻盈灵动的“领头燕”振翅高飞，彰显出东航人开拓创新、奋发有为、激情超越的进取精神；飞燕姿态巧妙地勾勒出东航的英文首字母“CE”，更利于受众的识别与记忆，显示了东航持续推动品牌无国界的国际化竞争意识；飞燕的翅膀形如飞架天穹的桥梁，尾翼形如连接天际的彩虹，更形似闻名世界的黄浦江湾，象征着飞行不仅能实现迅速位移，还推动着五湖四海人们的人文情感交融。

2013年初，东航经过慎重评估，决定面向全球优秀设计机构征集VIS设计方案，共获得了34个LOGO方案、56个飞机涂装方案。经过多轮内外部研讨筛选、全集团范围公示，于2013年9月最终确定了新LOGO的设计方案和飞机涂装方案，设计方是为中国移动、百度、“鸟巢”、人民网等提供VI解决方案的正邦品牌顾问服务集团。东航换标工作旨在以新LOGO为核心全面优化东航视觉体系，力求构建一个传承既往、紧跟时尚、充分凸现品牌特质的全新品牌形象，使任何地域、任何语言、任何文化的受众都能轻松认知并喜爱这只来自东方天空的灵动“飞燕”。据悉，东航借鉴了国外航企的普遍做法，将采取成本优先的换标方式，如结合机队涂装的自然更替年限进行“零成本”换装，预计完全更换的周期将长达五年左右。

东航9月下旬正式引进的首架777-300ER飞机将是机队全面“换装”的“领头燕”。新飞机涂装通体纯白，接近法航、汉莎、美国航空等全球大型航空公司主流涂装风格，更为简洁、大气、环保，更加凸显东航的中英文名称及尾翼的新LOGO，也更加契合东航“打造世界一流”的战略目标。据悉，拥有全球独特设计和顶级配置、年内交付4架的东航777-300ER将成为布局公司 “太平洋计划”的主力军。未来三年，东航将重点加密北美航线，力争提升跨太平洋航线竞争能力，以全面升级的软硬件服务为远程航线旅客带来前所未有的旅行体验。从11月份开始，首架777-300ER飞机将正式执飞洛杉矶和纽约航线。2015至2016年还将有10架波音777飞机加入东航机队，意味着东航整个北美地区航线将会全部交由波音777机型执飞。到2018年，20架波音777-300ER飞机全部交付后，东航将成为中国最大的该机型运营商。

(Special thanks to China Eastern Airlines and Zhengbang)

China Eastern Airlines is a major airline in the People's Republic of China (PRC). Since being formed on 25th of June 1988, China Eastern Airlines has grown to become one of the world's major international airlines. At the end of June 2012, China Eastern Airlines had a fleet of 305 aircraft, flying to 110 destinations worldwide. The airline has a number of hubs, however the main international hub is at Shanghai Pudong International Airport. China Eastern Airlines is a proud member of Skyteam Alliance, and also owns the subsidiary, Shanghai Airlines. 

Route: XI’AN XIANYANG AIRPORT (XIY) - SHANGHAI PUDONG (PVG)

Departure date and time of flight: September 2012

Flight number: MU2155 (ICAO callsign: “China Eastern 2155”)

Flight duration: 2 Hours 10 minutes

Class: FIRST CLASS

Aircraft type: AIRBUS A320-200 (129 in service)

Aircraft registration: B-6760 (First flight 26th June 2011)

Aircraft Serial Number: 4627

Seat configuration for this aircraft:

First Class: 8 seats in a 2-2 configuration on the main deck
Economy class: 150 seats in a 3-3 configuration

Comments on the check-in staff and any issues: 

Located 41 kilometers in the northwest of Xi’an city, Xi’an Xianyang is surprisingly a large and busy international airport. With three terminals, the airport covers 5 kilometers  and is the largest in northwest China. In 2011, the airport handled over 21 million passengers; I departed from Terminal 3, which was opened recently in May 2012. With the new terminal’s opening, and with a new runway being in operation, the airport will be capable of handling over 33 million passengers a year. The airport is ready to host the largest aircraft in the world, the Airbus A380.

Any baggage issues:

No issues regarding the baggage. Passengers travelling First Class with China Eastern are allowed a generous 40kg free of charge, and 30 kg (66 lbs) for Business Class. For domestic flights, each piece of checked baggage must not exceed 50 kg (110 lbs). China Eastern has a separate dedicated check-in, and a separate security customs from all the other airlines at Xi’an Xianyang Airport.

LOUNGE EXPERIENCE at Xi’an Airport:

China Eastern Airlines has a premium lounge just after security. The lounge can be used by Business and First Class passengers, as well as silver and gold members of ‘Eastern Miles’- the China Eastern Airlines loyalty program. The lounge has sufficient space for buffet food (Chinese only), comfortable relaxing chairs, electric massage chairs, and a small cinema (25 seats maximum). There are also shower facilities available in all the lounges. There are many options for hot and cold Chinese food and Western food.

Punctuality of the flight:

Departed on time, and landed on time at Pudong Airport. Xi’an airport was not as busy as I would have imagined. Understandably being a touristy city that Xi’an is, there were a lot of foreign passengers at the airport. We departed from runway 23L at Xi’an, and had to make a turnaround back to Shanghai, which upon take-off provided a beautiful view of Xi’an city from around 9,000 feet. The Bell Tower in the middle of the city could easily be seen from the sky. At Shanghai Pudong we landed on 35L (which provided a lovely view of the Shanghai F1 circuit as we were stacking).

Comments regarding the pre-flight service:

Hot and cold towels were offered prior to departure in the first class cabin. First Class passengers are offered a selection of drinks including champagne, apple juice, orange juice and a variety of teas (Chinese and Western). The cabin crew took the orders for the lunch service from all the passengers in the First Class cabin prior to departure.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

The meal service commended with air hostesses handing out hot towels. A selection of fine nuts was offered along with a choice of drink (orange juice, apple juice, and a selection of teas).

Comments regarding the main meal:

There were two options for the main hot dish meal:

-       Fish cakes with rice
-       Beef with rice

I opted for the circular fish cakes with rice, and vegetables. Two ridiculously delicious fish cakes were served with hot and fresh boiled white rice. The fish cakes tasted similar to pasties. The accompanying vegetables went well with the dish. There was also a small plate of creaser salad with seasoning sauce, and a bowl of fresh fruit salad.

It was also a nice thing to see a warm roujiamo being served with the main meal. Roujiamo is a traditional food from Xi’an and very much popular with people from all around China. It looks like a cross between a Western style burger and a Turkish kebab. The main meat is beef. Roujiamo can be slightly oily too. 

Delicious soft and hard bread rolls were offered from the basket (including garlic bread!). All meals were served on fine bone china, and came with China Eastern chopsticks, and China Eastern branded stainless steel cutlery.

Comments regarding the after meal drinks and in-flight snacks:

Hot and cold drinks were served after the main meal. These included Chinese and Western tea options, as well as soft drinks. Alcohol was served on this flight.

Comments on the in-flight entertainment system:

This China Eastern Airlines Airbus A320-200 aircraft has no individual TV screens (not even in first class), only the small screens that pop out for the pre take-off safety video.

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The cabin crew were very professional and friendly. Most of the cabin crew for China Eastern Airlines are natives of the eastern region in China (this is especially true for the cabin crew in First Class or Business Class cabins). The airline management is very particular on how their cabin crew staff should be like. They have to be of a certain weight, and height, and must be acquainted to beauty with a smile (this is what I was informed!). Most of the cabin crew do speak good English (especially those in Business/First Class).  

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

The First Class seats have 58-inch pitch and 20-inch width. The Economy Class seats have a 32-inch pitch, and an 18 inch width. First Class seats feature a reclining angle of 170 degrees. For such a short domestic flight, passengers were offered a pair of luxury cotton slippers, and a thick cotton blanket. The cabin had a pleasant smell, and was very clean. All of the eight seats in the First Class section are covered with a luxury grey cloth that comes embedded with the phoenix bird logo. It creates a sense of comfort, elegance, and belonging to the Chinese culture. It also gives a very warm, fresh, spacious, modern, and touching feeling when you enter the cabin.

China Eastern Airlines have improved quite a lot on most aspects of their aircraft interior. This includes the aircraft seating, the smell of the interior cabin, the cleanliness of the aircraft toilets, and the general positive attitude of the cabin crew members. The aircraft which we flew was the latest new aircraft for China Eastern Airlines.

China Eastern logo and livery: 

China Eastern Airlines logo consists of a red and blue circle rain containing a swallow bird flying in the middle. The top half of the circle is red representing a bright sunset, while the bottom half is blue representing the sea. In the eyes of most Chinese people from the East region, the swallow is of a noble character because people praise it and love it.

The fuselage is all white except for the three cheat lines that circle the body of the plane (just below the windows). The three cheat lines are (in order top to bottom): red, gold, and blue.  

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

Route: Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport

Departure date and time of flight: 08:30am in July 2012

Flight Number: MU5306

Flight duration: 2 hours 20 minutes

Class: Economy Class

Aircraft type: Airbus A321

Punctuality of the flight:

The flight departed around 55 minutes late due to strong winds and rain in the Guangdong region. As we sat in the plane, one could feel the A321 swaying gently side to side because of the wind.  

The flight route provided some fabulous views across to the horizon once we had departed. The skies over Shanghai provided splendid views when coming into land at Hongqiao.  

Once we landed on the ground in Shanghai, the visibility was very clear. From the terminal building you could get a clear view of Pudong (IFC and the Jinmao Tower) with the naked eye. Photos are shown below.

Any baggage issues:

No issues- I only had hand luggage.

Comments on the check- in staff and any issues:

No check in issues. Everything went perfectly smoothly at Guangzhou airport despite the bad weather. There was no rush and everyone was very professional in what they did.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Just drinks (non-alcoholic), and including tea and coffee.  

Comments regarding the first meal:

For this two-hour flight, a choice of Chinese or Western breakfast was offered in the Economy Class cabin. I opted for the Western breakfast.

A tray containing hot dishes including:

1.     A warm omelette, two cherry tomatoes, a soggy piece of lettuce, and sautéed potatoes.
2.     A warm cake containing almonds and vanilla.
3.     A bread bun

The above dishes were accompanied with tea or coffee.

Comments regarding the drinks service:

A second round of drinks were offered before (orange juice and water), during, and after the meal. No alcohol, but plenty of milk, coffee and tea. There was also apple juice as well.

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

None

Comments regarding the second meal (if any):

None

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The cabin crew seemed proud to work for China Eastern Airlines, and were very welcoming.

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

The brand new A321 aircraft belonging to China Eastern Airlines had a seat configuration of 2-2 in First Class, and a configuration of 3-3 in Economy Class. The plane was very clean, felt fresh, and the toilets showed signs of a new plane out of the factory.

Economy Class seats have a pitch of 32 inches, and a width of 18 inches (139 seats)
First Class seats have a pitch of 38 inches, and a width of 21 inches (20 seats).

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

_ Route: Wuxi Sunan Shuofang International Airport (苏南硕放国际机场)to Guangzhou Baiyun Airport

Departure date and time of flight: 14:40pm in January 2012

Flight Number: MU2927

Flight duration: 2 hours 10 minutes

Class: Economy Class

Aircraft type: Airbus A320

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 Wuxi airport. Chinese Eastern Airlines have 6 specified check-in desks allocated for their airline. There are also specific desks for Shenzhen Airlines, China Southern Airlines, and Air China.

There were around 15 AWACS surveillance aircraft belonging to the Chinese Air Force at the airport (they were mostly Russian made IL-76/Antonov aircraft).The Chinese Air Force use Wuxi airport as a training field, as well as a base for surveillance aircraft that do sorties over the South China Sea, Taiwan, Korean, and around the Hong Kong peninsula.

Wuxi is a beautiful and small airport located only 14 miles from Suzhou, and is equipped with excellent western style facilities for passengers. It is after all an international airport that serves the two main cities of Suzhou and Wuxi. Passengers can fly to far away destinations such as Japan, Korea, and all over China.

From Wuxi city centre you can take a taxi which costs around 60RMB and takes around 40 minutes. The airport’s only runway 21/03 is 3,200 meters by 50 meters (10,499 × 164 ft), and can handle aircraft up to the size of a Boeing 747-400 or even a Boeing 777 (Yangtze River Express use their Boeing 747-400 for cargo operations) . But most of the civilian aircraft are of the size of a Boeing 737-900, and Airbus A321. The airport was built in 1955 for military use, and commercial flights only started in 2004 hence why so many military aircraft can be seen here. When runway 03 is used for take-offs (as was the case on our flight), aircraft have to taxi down runway 21 and then turn around at the threshold piano keys to perform the take-off run (because the taxiway is too close to the military hangers so for safety reasons civilian aircraft are not allowed to go close to them). 

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Just drinks (non-alcoholic), and including tea and coffee.  

Comments regarding the first meal:

For this two hour flight, Chinese Eastern Airlines provided just a hot ham burger. The meal service started around 20 minutes after take-off from Wuxi airport. Honestly, more food could have been provided for a 2 hour flight. A bun was not enough.

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 of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The Cabin Crew seemed proud to work for China Eastern Airlines  and were very welcoming. Just a normal flight, without any incidents.

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

The Airbus A320 plane 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.

Economy Class seats have a pitch of 31 inches, and a width of 18 inches (159 seats)
Business Class seats have a pitch of 40 inches, and a width of 21 inches (8 seats).

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

Route: SHENZHEN (SZX) - SHANGHAI HONGQIAO (SHA)

Departure date and time of flight: December 2011, 16:30pm local time (Beijing)

Flight number: MU5330 (ICAO callsign: “China Eastern 5330”)

Flight duration: 2 Hours 10 minutes

Class: FIRST CLASS 

Aircraft type: AIRBUS A300B4-605R (7 in service)

Aircraft registration: B-2325 (First flight 28th March 1995)

Aircraft Serial Number: 707

Seat configuration for this aircraft: 

First/Business Class: 24 seats in a 2-2-2 configuration
Economy Class: 250 seats in a 3-4-3 configuration

Comments on the check-in staff and any issues:

The check-in process was a smooth one with no hassle or long queues.I was met at the taxi rank by the China Eastern representative, who took me straight to the special VIP First Class counter. It was a hassle free and rapid process.

First Class passengers can pass through the fast track security lane. The staff were very polite, and efficient in processing the security procedures of all the passengers smoothly and in a punctual manner without any problems. 

Any baggage issues:

No issues regarding the baggage. Passengers travelling First Class with China Eastern are allowed a generous 40kg free of charge, and 30 kg (66 lbs) for Business Class. For domestic flights, each piece of checked baggage must not exceed 50 kg (110 lbs). China Eastern has a separate dedicated check-in, and a separate security customs from all the other airlines at Shenzhen Airport.

LOUNGE EXPERIENCE at Shenzhen Airport:

China Eastern Airlines has a premium lounge just after security. The lounge can be used by both business and first class passengers, as well as silver and gold members of ‘Eastern Miles’- the China Eastern Airlines loyalty program. The lounge has sufficient space for buffet food (Chinese only), comfortable relaxing chairs, and a small cinema (25 seats maximum). There are also shower facilities available in all the lounges. There are many options for hot and cold Chinese food, though Western food is not available in the lounges at Beijing Airport at the time of writing. 

Punctuality of the flight:

Departed on time, and landed on time (now, that’s rare for Shenzhen Airport!).

Comments regarding the pre-flight service:

First Class passengers are offered a selection of drinks including champagne, apple juice, orange juice and a variety of teas (Chinese and Western). Passengers are also handed out hot towels prior to departure to refresh up. The cabin crew took the orders for the lunch service from all the passengers in the First Class cabin prior to departure.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

The meal service commended with air hostesses handing out hot towels. A selection of fine nuts was offered along with a choice of drink (orange juice, apple juice, and a selection of teats). 

Comments regarding the main meal:

There were two options for the main meal:

-       Hainan chicken with rice, and vegetables
-       Prawns in dumpling and egg fried rice, and vegetables

I opted for the prawn dumpling with rice, and vegetables. Three delicious prawn dumplings were served with hot and fresh boiled egg fried white rice. The accompanying vegetables went well with the dish. There was also a bowl of Caesar salad with seasoning sauce, and a bowl of fresh fruit salad.  

Delicious soft and hard bread rolls were offered from the basket (including garlic bread!). All meals were served on fine bone china, and came with China Eastern chopsticks, and China Eastern branded stainless steel cutlery.

Comments regarding the after meal drinks and in-flight snacks:

Hot and cold drinks were served after the main meal. These included Chinese and Western tea options, as well as soft drinks. Alcohol was served on this flight.

Comments on the in-flight entertainment system:

This China Eastern Airlines Airbus A300B4-600R aircraft has no individual TV screens (not even in Business/First Class), only the bigger screens at the front of each compartment. 

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The cabin crew were very professional and friendly. Most of the cabin crew for China Eastern Airlines are natives of the Eastern region in China (this is especially true for the cabin crew in First Class or Business Class cabins). The airline management is very particular on how their cabin crew staff should be like. They have to be of a certain weight, and height, and must be acquainted to beauty with a smile (this is what I was informed!). Most of the cabin crew do speak good English (especially those in Business/First class).  

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

The Business/First Class seats have 58-inch pitch and 20-inch width. The Economy Class seats have a 32-inch pitch, and an 18 inch width. Business Class seats feature a reclining angle of 170 degrees. For such a short domestic flight, passengers were offered a pair of luxury cotton slippers, and a thick cotton blanket. The cabin had a pleasant smell, and was very clean. All the seats in the Business/First Class section are covered with a luxury grey cloth that comes embedded with the phoenix bird logo. It creates a sense of comfort, elegance, and belonging to the Chinese culture. It also gives a very warm, fresh, spacious, modern, and touching feeling when you enter the cabin.

China Eastern Airlines have improved quite a lot on most aspects of their aircraft interior. This includes the aircraft seating, the smell of the interior cabin, the cleanliness of the aircraft toilets, and the general positive attitude of the cabin crew members. The interior was not bad for an aircraft that has been flying since 1995 (18 years!).

China Eastern logo and livery: 

China Eastern Airlines logo consists of a red and blue circle rain containing a swallow bird flying in the middle. The top half of the circle is red representing a bright sunset, while the bottom half is blue representing the sea. In the eyes of most Chinese people from the east region, the swallow is of a noble character because people praise it and love it.

The fuselage is all white except for the three cheat lines that circle the body of the plane (just below the windows). The three cheat lines are (in order top to bottom): red, gold, and blue.  

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

Route: Shenzhen Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport

Departure date and time of flight: 10:30am on the 20th June

Flight Number: MU5314

Flight duration: 2 hours 30 minutes

Class: Economy class

Aircraft type: Airbus A300B4-600R

Punctuality of the flight:

The flight departed and landed on time (rare).

Any baggage issues:

No issues- the bags arrived on time and in one piece. I had to check in 26KG of extra luggage at Shenzhen airport (around about 49KG in total). The total price for this came to 450RMB (approx 40 GBP Sterling). Unlike other airports in China, at Shenzhen airport they do give you a receipt for your extra baggage. Perhaps it was a special case as Shenzhen is going to be hosting the 2011 Universaide in august so the local government wants everything to be efficient and according to international standards.

Comments on the check-in staff and any issues:

The check-in staff were polite, and very professional. There was no problem what so ever.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Choice of drinks (standard- tea, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, lemonade or coca cola). There was no alcohol served on this flight as alcohol is not served on domestic flights in China. I asked for orange juice, and a coffee. The orange juice was provided from a carton of a local brand (not Dole!), and the coffee was instant (but drinkable). 

Comments regarding the first meal:

A lovely colourful cardboard box was presented with the following contents:

1.     A plain bread bun (boring and simple...would have tasted better if they had provided us with butter)
2.     A muffin (either a blueberry or strawberry)
3.     A preserved packet of pickle (OK...nothing special...went really well with the ‘boring’ plain bread bun!)
4.     A small packet of preserved strawberry jam (it was good, but there was no butter to go with the meal!)

The box came with a printed message on the top: ‘For love, for you’. It was sweet...but the food wasn’t.

The best part of the meal was the HOT and delicious options of: either chicken with rice, or beef with rice. I opted for the chicken with rice. The chicken was tender and well cooked, while both the rice and the vegetables were of an edible quality. Though it was not the kind of quality you would get on most international carriers outside of China, but still very edible and delicious.

Comments regarding the drinks service:

A second round of drinks was offered after the meal. No alcohol was served.

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):

There was no in-flight entertainment system installed on this aircraft, as the aircraft was old. China Eastern Airlines operate a mixture of old and new aircraft. Normally, the older aircraft are used on domestic routes.

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The staff were very proud of their brand image and represented their airline at the highest level possible. When under a situation of high pressure, the staff seemed to act with professionalism and integrity. 

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

China Eastern Airlines have improved quite a lot on most aspects of their aircraft interior. This includes the aircraft seating, the smell of the interior cabin, the cleanliness of the aircraft toilets, and the general positive attitude of the cabin crew members.

The seats in Economy Class on the Airbus A300 have a pitch of 32 inches recline, and are 17.8 inches wide.

Business Class seats on the Airbus A300 have a pitch of 58 inches recline, and are 20 inches wide.

Overall rating 1-10 (worst-best): 8

Route: Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to Shenzhen Airport

Departure date and time of flight: 15:30pm on the 10th of April 2010

Flight Number: MU5329

Flight duration: 2 hours 10 minutes

Class: Economy Class (only one class)

Aircraft type: Airbus A300-600R (a very old aircraft)

Punctuality of the flight:

The flight was delayed by over an hour and a half, and without any reason given.

Any baggage issues:

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

Comments on the check- in staff and any issues:

The check-in staff were polite, and very professional. There was no problem what so ever.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Choice of drinks (standard- tea, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, lemonade or coca-cola). As with most of the airlines in China, the drinks (coca cola, orange etc.) were all branded under the China Eastern Airlines logo. There was no alcohol served on this flight.

Comments regarding the first meal:

“Lunch” consisted of a lovely soft cake slice (banana flavor), Apple flavored crisps, a slightly dry cinnamon pastry and beef flavored sweets. It was nothing exciting. It was just your average meal on a domestic flight with China Eastern Airlines.

Comments regarding the drinks service:

A second round of drinks was offered after the meal. Again, no alcohol was served.

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

In this very old A300 there was no IFE. To make matters worse my seat light was not working (and neither was the seat light of other nearby seats that I tried), the “Channel” and “Volume” button was not working either, and to make matters even more worse the “Flight attendant Call button” was not working either!

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

As with the standard of the majority of the Chinese airline companies, some of the staff were professional but their English level was below par international standards- perhaps Survival 2 or A1 in accordance with the European CEFR standard! (For Flight attendants’ the required English level should be around B2 globally!). The crew are aware that their airline is perhaps not up to the standards matchable to, say, airlines from western countries or that are seen to be more advanced.

Improvements that could be made:

The toilets need to be cleaner. The cabins were filthy and need to be cleaner. The seat IFE needs to be maintained properly. The in-flight food is a disgrace; however I fear that this would not improve as it’s the same for most Chinese airline companies. The staff speak poor English and this needs to be addressed seriously (i.e. what if there is an emergency?).

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

The aircraft was not clean at all. As with most aircraft that are operated by Chinese airlines, the cabin had a strong stench of urine and an air of discomfort. It was the kind of smell you may have got on an old Russian Aeroflot Il-62 or Il-86 aircraft! The seats, and aisles and the toilets were all filthy. I hate to moan and groan about these things but it is important to mention them.

The seats were comfortable but not clean. There was a horrible stench. I would think twice before flying with this airline company if I have to again. For long haul flights I would refrain from flying with them at all for many of the reasons outlined above (food, smell, health issues, language problems etc.).

Overall rating 1-10 (worst-best): 2