United Airlines (UA) is an international award-winning scheduled airline registered and based in Chicago, U.S. United Airlines serves 375 with a well-developed Asian network. The airline serves a number of gateway cities in North America and Europe, with easy connections with its Star Alliance and codeshare partners, Singapore Airlines between Singapore and the U.S. via either Hong Kong or Tokyo. The airline employees over 84,000 people. United operates out of nine airline hubs located in Houston, Chicago, Newark/New York, Denver, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., Los Angeles, Guam, and Tokyo.
 
Route: HONG KONG (HKG) to SINGAPORE CHANGI AIRPORT (SIN)

Departure date and time of flight: May 2015, 21:55

Flight number: UA895 (United 895 heavy)
 
ATC Callsign: United

Flight duration: 3 Hours

Class: BusinessFirst Class

Aircraft type: BOEING 777-224ER (55 aircraft of this type in service)
 
Aircraft registration: N78001
 
Aircraft Serial Number: 1222
 
First flight: 8th November 1998
 
Aircraft name: Gordon M. Bethune
 
Aircraft delivery date (from Continental to United): 27th November 2010
 
Aircraft engine types: Two x GE GE90-92B
 
Frequent flyer program:
 
MilagePlus is the frequent flyer program from United Airlines. You can click here to find more details.
 
Seat configuration for this aircraft:
 
Global First Class: 8 open suites with 180 degrees recline (1-1-1-1 configuration)
BusinessFirst Class: 40 flatbed seats with 180 degrees recline (2-4-2 configuration)
Economy Plus Class: 110 standard seats with 5.0 recline in a 3-3-3 configuration,
Economy Class: 108 standard seats with 4.0 recline in a 3-3-3 configuration
 
Economy Plus is offered on this aircraft type. Economy Plus is not a separate class of service but is standard economy with up to 5 inches of extra legroom. These seats are located nearer to the front of the aircraft and passengers in this section are served first. Charges for these seats will depend on routing and may be purchased at the time of booking or check-in.
 
Punctuality of the flight/route taken:
 
The flight departed on time, and landed on time in Singapore, providing nice views across over Vietnam and Malaysia as we made our way to the tiny city-state.

Any baggage issues:
 
Since this was a connecting flight (I had flown in from Hangzhou to Hong Kong, and was on my way to Singapore, so I did not need to check-in at Hong Kong). You can read more about the baggage rules regarding United here.
 
Lounge experience at Hong Kong:
 
United has a dedicated Club Lounge at Hong Kong airport, located on the 2nd floor after security check. The lounge provides panoramic views across to the departures hall and to the tarmac. The lounge is not as flamboyant as other lounges provided by airlines outside of their home bases0, say for example, the ones provided by the likes of Emirates, Etihad or Qatar Airways; however, it does provide all the creature comforts including showers, and food & drinks.
 
In-flight magazine:

Hemisphere is the in-flight magazine of United Airlines.
 
Comments regarding the pre-flight service:
 
Passengers’ in BusinessFirst Class are offered hot lemon scented towels prior to departure. This is followed by a drinks service, which consists of some of the world’s finest wines, and champagne. In BusinessFirst Class, the cabin crew offer five kinds of drinks prior to departure:

• Fresh orange juice
• Mineral water
• Billecart-Salmon Brut Champagne (founded in 1818)

 
Comments regarding the pre-meal service:
 
Around about 35 minutes after departure, drinks were served from the trolley along with the helping of the huge Macadamia nuts, and salted almonds on bone china plates. I opted for another glass of that fine Champagne (Billecart-Salmon Brut), and also the piper-heidsieck Brut.
 
Comments regarding the first meal:

For the first meal, a choice of four entrées were provided– all selected from a superb range of Asian, Middle Eastern and Western dishes.

Meals are served on a low trolley that gives the passenger an inviting eye-level choice of what's on offer and the airline is also introducing new food service items with a more Asian feel in their BusinessFirst Class. All food in the BusinessFirst Class cabins in United Airlines is served on elegant bone china tableware specially designed and exclusively produced by Narumi of Japan.
 
Starters:
 
Mixed salad with French vinaigrette
 
Main Course:
 
The only option available for this short-haul 3-hour flight was chicken with rice and vegetables. It was a delicious meal, served complete with bread rolls from the basket, and a small pot of mango sorbet.
 
Cheese & Dessert:
 
A selection of Blue d’Auvergne, red Leicester, Taleggio with cabernet paste
 
A selection of fresh seasonal fruit
 
New York Cheesecake
 
Comments regarding the after meal drinks and in-flight snacks:

A second round of drinks was offered after the meal. This included coffee and tea (green tea and earl grey tea). I ordered a cup of coffee. Should any passenger want wine or champagne (even if it is the morning!), then these drinks are served in exclusively designed glassware.

Comments regarding the second meal:

None
 
Comments on the in-flight entertainment system:

An AC power port is located at each seat in Global First and BusinessFirst, there are two outlets for each set of triple seats and one outlet for each set of double seats in Economy.
 
You can click here to read more.
 
Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

Majority of the crew on this flight were locally based in Hong Kong or Singapore. However, there were a few exceptions. One of the male flight attendants in the BusinessFirst Class cabin seemed to be very tired. He looked to be around in this 50s, and was clearly tired and perhaps overworked? What was not pleasing was seeing him go to sleep on a passenger seat next to the galley (no, it was not a crew rest seat). It came clear to me that the rest of the crew were trying their best to make sure that he did not present a bad image to the airline. Other than that the crew were very professional. It clearly came across to me that the cabin crew of Asian origin were beautiful very friendly and customer oriented and young.

Comments on the interior of the aircraft (including seat comfort): 
 
BusinessFirst is offered on all wide-body aircraft (with the exception of domestically configured 777-200s), as well as all internationally configured Boeing 757-200s. BusinessFirst passengers check in at separate counters and can use priority security screening where available. In-flight service includes pre-departure beverages, table linens and multi course meals designed by United's Congress of Chefs on international flights.
 
Passengers are also given priority with boarding and baggage handling and access to the United Club and other airline lounges. The longest domestic routes (such as the 9-10 hour long flights from the East Coast to Hawaii) utilize BusinessFirst equipped aircraft, however these flights are sold as United First but do not allow for complimentary premier upgrades. All BusinessFirst seats recline 180 degrees into a full, flat bed. On all 747 aircraft and legacy United aircraft (registration ending in -UA), the seats alternate facing forward and backwards.
 
On legacy Continental aircraft, and on all 787 aircraft, all seats face forward. Other domestic routes, especially hub-to-hub service and certain non "United p.s." transcontinental flights regularly see internationally configured aircraft with BusinessFirst (and sometimes GlobalFirst) for operational reasons (such as transferring international aircraft from one hub to another). While the physical seats and entertainment are the same as on international flights, the service, catering and other amenities are the same as in domestic first class. Unlike routes marketed as "BusinessFirst" and United p.s., these flights are eligible for complimentary premier upgrades.
 
United Airlines logo and livery: 
 
The pre-merger United logo, commonly nicknamed the "tulip", was first developed in the early 1970s after the airline commissioned designer Saul Bass to develop a new brand image. The logo skilfully represented the airline's monogram as well as a modernized version of the airline's shield logo, which had been adopted in the 1930s, but fell out of use by the late 1960s. The ribbon-like rendering has also been said to symbolize the motion of flight.
 
The Saul Bass livery was updated in 1988 to feature larger lettering on the fuselage, with the rainbow stripes on the side moved down to accommodate the new space.
 
The next livery update came in the early 1990s: the CKS Group-designed "Battleship", a grey fuselage with dark blue underbelly and engines, with blue stripes on the vertical stabilizer, a smaller "tulip" on the vertical stabilizer A smaller, more refined version of the rainbow stripes from the previous livery were incorporated as well. This livery debuted on January 11, 1993. In 2004, the Pentagram-developed "Rising Blue" livery featured a white and lighter blue fuselage, along with a cropped version of the tulip on the tail. In 2011, the newly merged United adopted Continental Airlines' 1991 logo, including the Continental globe, which had replaced the Tulip in the 1970s. The current United livery consists of a white upper fuselage, with a gold globe on a blue tailfin, and a gray underbelly. All mainline aircraft are now painted in this livery, save for the airframes listed in special liveries below, which include two retro liveries. Boeing 787 Dreamliners use a modified version of the livery, with a wavy gold stripe painted along both sides of the fuselage.

This airline has a long way to go when it comes to providing excellent customer service. They really need to learn from the likes of Emirates, Etihad and Qatar Airways if they want to be the best (unless, of course, you have the likes of Donald J. Trump managing the airline, then they're not going to get anywhere). 

Route: Shenzhen Boa’an Airport to Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport

Departure date and time of flight: 11.50am, May 2015

Flight number: ZH9963 (ICAO callsign: “Shenzhen Air 9963”)

Flight duration: 2 Hours 10 minutes

Class: FIRST CLASS

Aircraft type: AIRBUS A320-232 (70 in service)
 
Aircraft registration: B-1841 (First flight 26th May 2014)
 
Aircraft Serial Number: 5986
 
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 check-in:

Located 32 kilometres in the northwest of Shenzhen, Boa’an International Airport is one of the largest airports in the world, however not busy because the majority of flights are domestic (you can fly to Mauritius with China Southern and a few other exotic destinations, mostly on charter flights). In 2014, the airport handled over 36.2 million passengers; the airport is able to accommodate the largest aircraft in the world, the Airbus A380.
 
The first thing you notice as you enter the terminal is how huge it is. It makes Terminal 5 at London Heathrow Airport look like a miniature model toy kit.
 
There were no issues regarding the baggage. Passengers travelling First Class with Shenzhen Airlines 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). Shenzhen Airlines has a separate dedicated check-in, and a separate security customs from all the other airlines at Shenzhen Bao’an Airport.
 
LOUNGE EXPERIENCE at Shenzhen Airport:
 
Shenzhen Airlines have their own premium lounges dotted around the airport, after security. The lounge can be used by Business and First Class passengers, as well as silver and gold members of the Shenzhen 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 Hangzhou. Shenzhen Bao’an Airport was not as busy as I would have imagined. Understandably, Shenzhen is not really a touristy city (it is for work), and the added fact that Hong Kong Airport is just a stone’s throw away – on a clear day you can easily see planes taking off and landing at Hong Kong Airport from Shenzhen.
 
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:

• Dimsum
• Beef with rice

 
I opted for the traditional Cantonese Dimsum, and vegetables. The Dimsum came with a dumplings (both pork dumplings and noodles). 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 cheesecake being served with the main meal.
 
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 Shenzhen Airlines chopsticks, and Shenzhen Airlines 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.
 
Comments on the in-flight entertainment system:

This Shenzhen 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 Shenzhen Airlines are natives of the Guangdong 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 red clothing that comes embedded with the company 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.
 
Shenzhen 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 crewmembers. The aircraft which we flew was the latest new aircraft for Shenzhen Airlines.
 
Shenzhen Airlines logo and livery: 
 
The back part of the livery is red, with the front half white. Shenzhen Airlines have recently made a change to make the red area longer, which works well in theory, but in practice it has caused problems with being able to read their titles. The paint scheme puts the airline’s name partially on the white, but also partially on the red and gold striping.
 
The tail sports the “National Roc.” According to the airline’s website this is “the totem aggregating the traditional and modern Chinese cultures. The design is harmonious and the colors of red and gold are gloriously lined with one on the other, agglomerating the soul of the oriental culture. Tallness and straightness, fullness of vitality, are the reflection of progress and prompt response.”
 
I remember when I first arrived in China in 2002, Shenzhen Airlines had a livery consisting of a green tail-fin with an arrow inside a white circle.
 
Overall rating 1-10 (worst-best): 10

 Qatar Airways (القطرية) is the national flag carrier of the State of Qatar (دولة قطر) in the Middle East. Founded on the 22nd of November 1993, the airline has gone through a rapid expansion in a short time span to serve 151 destinations using 167 state-of-the-art modern, and young aircraft. The airline, which employees a total of around 20,000 people world-wide, is based in the ultra-modern Doha Control Tower at Doha International Airport and serves its destinations across Europe, Middle East, Africa, Australasia, the Indian subcontinent, and East Asia. The airline is the proud holder of a number of awards.
 
As the focused industrialist CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbar Al Baker, says: ‘Travel by air has reached the point where it is now taken for granted in most corners of the globe. With a larger number of passengers and more choice available in the skies today, airlines looking to maintain or grow their position in the marketplace must provide high-quality service with ever-increasing efficiency.’ Mr. Akbar is one of the most influential leaders in the aviation industry. The man lives, breaths, sleeps not just for Qatar Airways, but for Qatar as a whole. It’s because of his deep passion and drive for excellence that Qatar Airways is one of the best airlines in the world. He’s well-known in the industry for this strong drive for results- very enthusiastic person.  Personally, I don’t think Qatar Airways should be a member of any airline alliance because they have a class of their own. It is no match to any other airline I have been on. Alliances may the future for other airlines as a way of survival in the aviation industry, but I don’t think Qatar Airways should be with OneWorld or any other alliance. It just lowers the brand image (my opinion). Etihad Airways has partnered with India’s Jet Airways (not good in my opinion) and Emirates has partnered with Qantas (again…Emirates was better off by themselves).
 
In January 2015, the airline concluded an order for four Boeing 777Fs in a deal worth US$1.24 billion; Qatar Airways also took purchase rights on four more aircraft of the type. In June 2015, it was disclosed Qatar Airways ordered ten Boeing 777-8Xs and four additional Boeing 777Fs for USD 4.18 billion.
 
The Airbus A320 aircraft is used for regional routes around the Eastern Europe, Middle East, Africa, and to South Asian routes. I took this flight as part of a package, flying from Dubai’s brand new airport (Dubai Al Maktoum Intl. Airport- DWC) to Hong Kong, via a stopover and change of airline and flight at Doha Hamad Intl. The new DWC airport is located on the outskirts of Dubai, around a 30-minute taxi ride from the downtown. It is in the middle of a desert near Jabel Ali.
 
Route: DUBAI AL MAKTOUM INTERNATIONAL (DWC) to DOHA (DOH)

Departure date and time of flight: February 2015, 23:35

Flight number: QR1035 (ICAO callsign: “Qatari 1035”)

Flight duration: 55 minutes

Cabin: FIRST CLASS

Aircraft type: AIRBUS A320-232 (31 in service)
 
Unit cost of each Airbus A320: US$97.0 (€92.0) million (2015)
 
Aircraft registration: A7-ADJ (First flight 16 September 2004)
 
Engine Type: Two x IAE V2527-A5
 
Aircraft Serial Number: 2288
 
Aircraft Name: Al Samriya
 
Frequent flyer programme: Qatar Airways' Privilege Club- Q Miles
 
Seat configuration for this aircraft:
 
First Class: 12 seats in a 2-2 configuration
Economy Class: 132 seats in a 3-3 configuration

Any baggage issues:
 
No issues regarding the baggage. For First and Business Class Qatar Airways have a checked baggage allowance of 40 kg and 30 kg total respectively for all routes excluding transatlantic routes. Therefore, for the Dubai to Doha route, they have a 30 kg luggage policy. All routes have a carry-on allowance of one piece not exceeding 7 kg (50x37x25 cm).
 
Comments on the check-in:

I arrived around two hours early for check-in. I was the only passenger flying in First Class on this flight, which meant the 12 seats all for myself! It was interesting to see that on another flight, four Arab chaps carried a falcon each. They told me that each Falcon is prized at around US$1.5 million. In the Middle East (Dubai Airport here), even Falcons (the national bird of most of the ME countries) get to travel in First Class! They had the whole First Class cabin for themselves on that flight...all 18 seats booked for just four people and their birds. P.S. airlines only need to fill all First Class and Business Class seats in order to break even for a flight (Economy Class is just extra profit...so even if Economy Class is full, the airline will most likely not break-even for the flight if the First Class/Business Class are empty/not fully booked)...so, airlines need people like these rich travellers. They can fly up to 300 km/h and can spot food from around 12,000 feet in the air....smart bird.
 
The new airport is practically empty. Only a handful of flights go from here, at the time of writing.
 
Qatar Airways Lounge at Dubai World Airport
 
The Qatar Airways lounge is located after security on the second floor. The lounge experience was pleasant, enjoyable and quiet, as it should be, until the loud, boisterous and drunk members of the Qatar Rugby team entered the lounge. Their captain was the worst culprit of all, as he encouraged the lads to (I quote): “help yourselves to the free food and alcohol while it lasts”. Most of the young men appeared to be British (from their accents), and these were men, not teenagers or kids. If these guys are representing Qatar and behaving like chavs in an international airport First Class lounge, then there is a serious issue and problem that Qatar needs to deal with (these guys were flying Economy Class, but had access to the lounge because they had collected the air miles). It’s a serious image problem to say the least. At first I thought they were a bunch of hooligans who had perhaps come a football match and were on a stopover in Dubai. I was quite shocked and disappointed when I learned that they were professional rugby players representing the Qatar national team. Seriously, these guys were behaving as if they’ve never seen food before, and because it was free, so they were drinking alcohol like fish and eating with their mouths open. They had no manners. If anything, it turned out to become one of the worst lounge experiences ever. It wasn’t just me, but others in the lounge also complained, too. I am sure if the CEO of Qatar Airways, Akbad Al Baker, was in the lounge, he would have had a word with them.
 
Punctuality of the flight:
 
Departed bang on time, however we landed around 15 minutes late due to the air traffic at Doha. The new Hamad airport has two runways and so it can get busy during the airlines peak hours (which are at night time). Time is money when it comes to the aviation industry as fuel costs, combined with landing fees, take-off slot fees, and airport management fees pile on rapidly the longer the aircraft stays on the ground. Qatar Airways, and the ground-handling agents at Dubai are very efficient in what they do and how they operate on time. The captain had plenty of fuel in the tanks in case we had to do a fuel dumping (god forbid!), and everything was well managed for this flight. Once we arrived in Doha, I had two hours to enjoy in the huge lounge before I had to catch my connecting flight to Hong Kong (with Cathay Pacific Airways as CX640). It was a straight walk into the security check at the Premium Terminal and onto the plane for the next flight. There was a lot of time to shop around or wander around the Premium Terminal (which I have seen before).
 
Since I was the only First Class passenger on the flight, so I had the transfer shuttle bus from the terminal to the aircraft all for myself. I was the last passenger to board and the first off the aircraft once we landed at Doha. It was a full on VIP experience.  
 
Comments regarding the pre-flight service:
 
Once you enter the aircraft, the Qatari hospitality makes sure that you have an authentic experience of their culture and customs.
 
Passengers are greeted with a choice of signature welcome drink (orange juice, champagne, apple juice or watermelon juice), and hot or cold refreshing cotton towels.
 
On each First Class seat there were a set of noise cancellation headphones, a rich cotton blanket (each one weighs 2KG!). However, because this was a short flight, so therefore there was no luxury amenity kit.
 
Passengers in First Class can savour the outstanding in-seat service geared to suit their body clock. Passengers can pre-order and can choose to dine, breakfast, or enjoy a light snack at anytime they wish. There was also an antipasti which consisted of fresh olives (without the seeds). I was also provided a small bowl of nuts to go with the champagne drink I had.
 
Comments regarding the meal:

Dinner was served around 10 minutes after take-off from Dubai World Airport. For this very late night flight, I had ordered a vegetarian option for a meal. The meal tray consisted of hot vegetable noodles, accompanied with two soft bread buns and a bowl of fresh fruit. I took a glass of water (to keep me from being dehydrated). But for such a short flight, and because it was late in the evening, I did not each much.
 
Comments on the in-flight entertainment system:

Huge headphones with noise cancellation technology were offered in the Business Class cabin.
 
Qatar Airways has three different IFE systems: Widescreen AVOD, PTV AVOD and Main screen. The digital AVOD (Audio Video on Demand) in-cabin entertainment system is known as Oryx entertainment system, is in use on all the routes. Passengers can select their program either from the panel in the arm of the seat or simply by touching the screen.
 
The AVOD system fall into three categories: 'Information', 'Entertainment’, and 'Communications'. Altogether, there are over 120 channels and levels of entertainment to absorb during your flight (Overall IFE has over 1,000 Video and Audio on-demand options in First Class). Then there is, Oryx, the five-star quality in-flight magazine of Qatar Airways to keep you mesmerized with many stories and useful information.
 
It has a PTV and a remote. This was Qatar's first AVOD system. It is the only system that offers live television.
 
Just like on the Boeing 777-300ER aircraft, the Airbus A320 aircraft have all the seats with AC power plugs for passengers to do their work (or if you want to charge up your phone, camera, laptop etc.).
 
Connections enabling passengers to listen to, or watch on their individual screens, content on their personal iPods or USB devices are available on this aircraft.
 
Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The cabin crew were very hospitable, and proud to work for Qatar Airways. There was a genuine smile on every crewmembers face and you could tell that they really enjoyed their job. There was a real sense of teamwork in the cabin. As a customer (or passenger) it is easy to tell if the cabin crew are not getting along with each other (it does happen like any other job!), and on this flight I could see that everyone was in a joyous mood. If there was something I wanted or a question I had, then no one objected to it. Instead, they tried their best to help me as much as they could. The senior purser was just gem of a person. The whole flight experience was like magic, and everything seemed to go smoothly. Therefore, yes the world can be ideal sometimes.
 
It’s no wonder that Qatar Airways cabin crew were voted the ‘Best Cabin Crew’ in the Middle East for the seventh consecutive year at the 2009 Skytrax airline awards. Qatar Airways has over 120 nationalities as cabin crew who offer a consistent 5-star service to its passengers. Some airline companies have all kinds of motivated mottos that they will look after their customers, but sometimes they fail in this miserably. Qatar Airways however really does make sure that everyone enjoys a smooth, and comfortable flight.
 
Comments on the interior of the aircraft (including seat comfort): 
 
Qatar Airways have 12 First Class seats on their Airbus A320 aircraft with a 2-2 configuration. Each seat has a generous pitch of a 45 inch recline and is 21 inches wide. Generous legroom allows you to stretch comfortably and the built-in massager helps you relax. This is far better than most other airlines around the world. All the seats have a huge 15.6-inch PTV display screen, in-seat reading light, in-seat drinks holders, and in-seat power units.
 
Mood lighting is used throughout the flight to keep the passengers in touch with the time zones. So blue, orange, red and yellow shades of the mood lighting is used to highlight the different time zones (dawn, night time, evening and, afternoon). This is so that passengers’ eyes and body can adapt to the different time zones. All the Business Class seats have an electronic touch pad control system allowing them to easily control the seat settings.
 
Qatar Airways logo and livery: 
 
Qatar Airways logo consist of the head of the national animal of the State of Qatar, the Oryx gazelle, as a motif, stuck on a round background of zigzags which resembles the background of the national flag of the State of Qatar. In line with the colors of the national flag of Qatar, the identity uses maroon as its primary color for all logos and branding.
 
The airline advertises heavily internationally including on international television channels like CNN, and BBC World. The airline’s motto is ‘The World’s 5-star airline that takes you more personally’, and this is certainly true when it comes to everything they do for their customers and passengers.
 
The word ‘’QATAR’ occupies the front of the fuselage, using a quite bland font, in huge letters on the livery. The whole logo on the airline portrays the perfect flair and distinctiveness that it deserves. There is a sense of luxury among that design. The grey and maroon colors are adopted from the national flag, and it essentially looks like a large Qatar flag on a plane (with those huge ‘QATAR’ letters on the front of the fuselage).
 
The Arabic name of the airline ‘Al Qatariyah‎’ is rendered in a much smaller, light grey font is barely noticeable on the plane. All the Boeing 777-300ER, and Airbus A340-642 aircraft have the world ‘QATAR’ painted on the belly of the fuselage (it is easily visible from the ground when a plane is flying). In addition, there is the Qatar Airways’ Oryx logo on the winglets of the Airbus A340-600, and on the engine pods of all aircraft. Even the wheels have their interior painted in grey to resemble the brand identity. It looks cool!
 
The Oryx on the plane’s tail is itself a work of art, and suits the airline’s tailfins splendidly. It portrays the authentic culture and heritage of the Qatar people and country. Like most airlines around the world, Qatar Airways have adopted to a more modern and simple livery that portrays elegance, sophistication, and a smooth blend of comfort and imaginativeness. The airline logo stands out like a strong brand, and is proudly displayed on all tableware, cloths, in-flight seat covers, tissue paper, cups, airport buses, and on all the uniforms.
 
Overall rating 1-10 (worst-best): 10

Route: Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to Hangzhou Xiaoshan Airport

Departure date and time of flight: 10:50am, October 2014

Flight Number: HU7361

Callsign: Hainan

Flight duration: 2 hours 20 minutes

Cabin: First Class

Aircraft type: Boeing 737-84P

Aircraft in service: 98

Aircraft registration: B-5636

Engines: Two CFMI CFM56-7B26

First flight: 06/01/2012

Aircraft serial number: 38149 LN:3889

Punctuality of the flight:

The flight departed around 20 minutes late due to the morning rush hour in Guangzhou. We were behind a whole host of big jets such as a couple of Air China A320s, China Southern 777s, and even Hainan Airlines A330s. Rush hour at Guangzhou can be hectic. Both Runways 02L and 02R are used for take-offs (depending on wind). We departed from Runway 02L.

The flight route provided some fabulous views across to the horizon, and even had splendid views when coming into land at Hangzhou. 

Comments on check-in:

My flight into Guangzhou with Dragonair from Hong Kong was delayed. Therefore, because that was an international flight, I had to transfer to a domestic flight to catch this flight to Hangzhou. The sheer scale of Guangzhou airport can test one’s health limits. I had to run as fast as I could. After that 10 minute sprint with all the heavy luggage and clothes, not only was I sweating like a pig, but was also feeling as if I had been to the gym in my suit! But after I arrived at the domestic check-in, everything went perfectly smoothly afterwards.

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 Chinese lunch was offered in the First Class cabin.

A tray containing hot dishes including:

A starter dish consisting of corncob, dumpling and mantou
Hainan style chicken satay with salad and lemon slice
Hainan style chicken with fragrant rice
Egg and seaweed soup
Freshly cut exotic fruit (dragon fruit, melon and water melon)

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 of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The cabin crew seemed proud to work for Hainan Airlines and were very welcoming. The passengers in First Class were kept well informed of any delays, and even the weather situation in Hangzhou. The Captain was kind enough to inform me of the Runway that we were going to land on so that I can take photos of the city.

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

The brand new Boeing 737-800 aircraft with winglets belonging to Hainan 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 and had a fresh smell to it.

Economy Class seats have a pitch of 31 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).

Route: Guangzhou Baiyun Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport

Departure date and time of flight: June 2013

Flight Number: HO1290

Flight duration: 2 hours 40 minutes

Class: FIRST CLASS

Aircraft type: Airbus A320-200

IACO Callsign: Air Juneyao

IATA Code: HO

Aircraft Registration: B-6024

Punctuality of the flight:

By some amazing grace of the almighty, the flight departed on time, and landed on time as well in a rather cloudy Shanghai Hongqiao Airport.

Any baggage issues:

No issues- the bags arrived on time and in one piece. Juneyao Airlines allows upto one bag weighing 30kg in First Class.

Comments on the check-in staff and any issues:

The check-in staff were polite, smiled and very professional. There was no problem what so ever. I had arrived around two hours before departure. I had arrived at the airport at least an hour beforehand, and so there was no problem what so ever. It was nice to be early so then I could manage some aircraft shots.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

After take-off, a variety of drinks (standard- tea, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, lemonade, or coca cola) were offered. As with most of the airlines in China, the drinks (coca cola, orange etc.) were all branded with the Juneyao Airlines logo. A packet of salted almonds was also provided.

Comments regarding the first meal:

Just prior to lunch being served, a wet hand towel was offered.

The meal tray consisted of the following:

* Cold bread
* Two slices of orange fruit
* Cold salad plate with fresh king prawns, creaser salad, chicken wings, and a wedge of lemon slice.
* Warm bread from the basket
* A choice of one of: chicken & rice, fish balls & rice, or pork & rice. I opted for the fish balls & rice.

First impressions were that the food is of good quality. Airline food in China is getting better by the day. The quantity was also just about right- not too much, and not too little either.

Comments regarding the drinks service:

A second round of drinks was offered after the meal.

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 IFE system. On the A320, the overhead screens come down when the safety announcement is made, and then they are hidden away for the rest of the flight.

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The staff were very professional, always had a smile on their faces and were quick to respond to any kind of request from the passengers. The Captain was kind enough to allow me into the flight deck before the flight.

Improvements that could be made:

Perhaps have mood lighting when the aircraft is flying in between different time zones (morning, afternoon and evening) - hey, I could honestly find nothing else wrong with this flight!

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

The Airbus A320-300 belonging to Juneyao Airlines is clean, and had a fresh smell upon entering the cabin. The cabin consists of the trademark purple, burgundy and maroon colours on all the seats, and cushions. The dragon logo of the Juneyao Airlines brand is also proudly displayed on the cushions.

There are eight seats in the First Class cabin, with a 2-2 configuration. Each First Class seat is 48.0-inch seat pitch and 21.0 inch width. There are 144 Economy Class seats in a 3-3 configuration. Each Economy Class seats provides a 31.0-inch pitch, and has a width of 19.0 inch.

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

British Airways is the national flag carrier of the United Kingdom, and operates full international and domestic scheduled air services for the carriage of passengers, freight, and mail and the provision of ancillary services. British Airways operates to 148 destinations around the world with a fleet of 262 aircraft. British Airways are one of the world’s leading scheduled premium international airlines. Their main principal place of business is Heathrow, one of the world’s premier airport locations, which serves a large geographical area with a comparatively high proportion of point-to-point business. Operating one of the most extensive international scheduled airline route networks, together with our code share and franchise partners, British Airways flies to more than 300 destinations worldwide.

The year 2013 is an exciting year for the airline. On the 26th of June 2013, British Airways will take delivery of its first Boeing 787 ‘Dreamliner’ aircraft. British Airways announced that the airline intends to operate the Boeing 787 on its transatlantic routes with Toronto (from 1 September 2013) and Newark (from 1 October 2013) being the inaugural routes. British Airways’ first Airbus A380 will also be delivered on the 4th of July 2013, and three of these aircraft are planned to be in service by the end of 2013. The airline plans to start operating the Airbus A380 on three of it’s lucrative routes, Hong Kong, Johannesburg, and Los Angeles. It will begin regular services to Los Angeles on the 24th of September 2013, followed by Hong Kong from 22nd of October 2013, and then Johannesburg on the 12th of February 2014.

I had the pleasure of flying First Class on media trip with British Airways from London Heathrow Airport (U.K.) to Hong Kong Chep Lap Kok Airport (China), on one of their Boeing 747-400 aircraft.

For it’s services to China, British Airways flies to Beijing (Six flights a week), Hong Kong (14 times a week), and Shanghai (Six flights a week) using the Boeing 747-400, and the Boeing 777 aircraft.

Route: LONDON HEATHROW (LHR) – HONG KONG (HKG)

Departure date and time of flight: June 2013, 18:35pm local time (London)

Flight number: BA25 (ICAO callsign: “Speedbird 25 heavy”)

Flight duration: 12 Hours 10 minutes

Class: FIRST CLASS

Aircraft type: BOEING 747-436 (51 aircraft in service)

Aircraft registration: G-CIVL (First flight 23rd of March 1997)

Delivery date to BA: 28th of March 1997

Aircraft Serial Number: 27478 - line 1108

Frequent flyer programme: EXECUTIVE CLUB

Engines: Four x Rolls Royce RB211-524G

Seat configuration for this aircraft:

• First Class: 14 suites in a 1-1-1 configuration on the main deck (in the nose cone)
  
• Club World (Business Class): 70 flat-bed seats in a 2-4-2 configuration (2-2 configuration on the upper deck), 
  
• World Traveller Plus (Premium Economy Class): 30 seats in a 2-4-2 configuration
  
• World Traveller class (Economy Class): 185 seats in a 3-4-3 configuration
  

Comments on the check- in staff:

Checking in at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 is an effortless affair because of the large numbers of check-in counters, and the abundance of electronic ticket (E-ticket) counters available on site. British Airways has a separate checking-in facility for First Class passengers located at one end of the departure’s hall at Terminal 5. The whole point of travelling First Class is that you avoid all the problems that naturally come with flying. The joys of flying First Class are that there is no need to wait in a queue (well, there are not many passengers who fly First Class so there is not much of a waiting line anyways!), and everything is taken care of for you right from the check-in process to being discreetly whisked through security.

The whole checking-in experience took only around 10 minutes for me to get from checking in my baggage to the duty free area.

Any baggage issues:

No issues regarding the baggage. The baggage limit is three bags (of 32kg each) for those flying in First Class.

For passengers travelling to all other destinations with British Airways, passengers travelling in Club World can carry 2-luggage bags up to 32kg each in the hold.

For passengers flying in Economy and Premium Economy can carry one luggage bag of upto 23kg in the hold.

LOUNGE EXPERIENCE at Heathrow Terminal 5:

British Airways has not just one Lounge, but eight Lounges at Heathrow (six at Terminal 5, and 2 at Terminal 3). Lounges are available at Terminal 5A North (Galleries Lounge after security), Terminal 5A South (Galleries Lounge after security), Terminal 5A (Galleries Lounge at gate side), and Terminal 5B (Galleries Lounge at gate side).

The British Airways Lounge at Heathrow’s Terminal 5 is not just ordinary Lounge, but rather similar to a 5-star hotel. You can have breakfast, lunch or dinner. You can sleep in one of the many small ‘sleeper’ rooms, take a shower (20 shower suites available), watch some movies, catch up on the latest current affairs, have a massage, facial treatment, or just go shopping. The Lounge caters for passengers transferring at Heathrow, as well as those departing as well.

For those travelling in First and Club World class (and for Gold Executive Club members flying long haul), British Airways can have a complimentary two-tier treatment menu at the Elemis Travel Spa at Heathrow’s Terminal 5, or Terminal 3. At Terminal 5, there is even a 20-seat cinema for live sporting events and tailored entertainment. Wireless internet is available free in all the lounges.

Passengers can sip a glass of vintage champagne or a cocktail from the Concorde Bar, while choosing their meal. Concorde rooms are available at London Heathrow T5 and New York JFK. 

Punctuality of the flight, and route taken:

The aircraft departed bang on time, but landed an hour late due to heavy thunderstorms and lightning in the Guangdong area. London Heathrow Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, and certainly gets busy during the peak hours unlike some other airports around the world. Considering that Heathrow only has two runways (27L/09R, and 27R/09L) where one is used for take-offs, and the other for landings, so therefore there tends to be a long queue of aircraft waiting to take-off (as was in this case). However, if you are an aviation enthusiast, then Heathrow is heaven for you because you can see airlines from all around the world (and going away to all corners of the world).

We departed Runway 09R at Heathrow on a standard Clacton departure towards Ipswich, then North Sea, Scandinavia, North Russia, Siberia, North Mongolia, Inner Mongolia, and then finally down towards Hong Kong. The beauty of sitting in First Class of the Boeing 747-400 is that it is remarkably quiet (except for the slight ‘thud’ heard from the front nose wheels as they kiss the ground on take-off and landing). 

Effectively it’s like sitting in your own private living room with a huge TV screen in front of you, amazing food, great views of the world outside, and an awesome personalised service. It’s with the luxuries of life such as this that you truly appreciate how lucky you are sitting in First Class. I know why the Beckhams love flying First Class on BA so much! Nevertheless, who was in the First Class section on this particular flight, apart from Yours Truly? Well, that’d be telling! 

Comments regarding the pre-flight service:

Passengers’ in First Class are offered hot lemon scented towels prior to departure. This is followed by a drinks service, which consists of some of the world’s finest wines, and champagne. Passengers are also treated to a plate of Macadamia Nuts (dry roasted and salted from Kenya), and toffee covered warm almonds. The huge nuts go well with any wine. I opted for a glass of Chardonnay (Barwick Estates Black Label Chardonnay 2009, Margaret River, Western Australia 1997). The high flow of the fruit juices dance as they make down your throat. It’s a sheer delight to drink high quality wine like this on a flight. It’s arguably one of the most prestigious appellations to the wine world, and sets itself apart as one of the finest expressions of Chardonnay in the world. The aromatic grassy and herbaceous aromas with refined gooseberry and citrus fruit adds to the refreshing acidity and long mineral finish to the tongue. 

Many of the British Airways classics are greatly adored by passengers around the world. Nothing less is expected from an airline that was once known as ‘World’s favourite airline’. 

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Unlike in the other cabins (including in Business Class), passengers in the First Class cabin can choose to wine and dine as and when they want- even up to 30 minutes before landing. Since I did not have much to eat, I decided to have dinner early on so that I could get a long sleep afterwards. Around about 30 minutes after departure, drinks were served from the trolley along with another helping of the huge Macadamia Nuts, and warm toffee covered almonds. I opted for the Champagne this time (Laurent-Perrier Grand Siècle). The Grand Siècle is the prestige cuvee of the House of Laurent-Perrier and is named in honour of the ‘Sun King’, Louis XIV, who presided over an era known as the ‘Grand Siècle’ or ‘Great Century’. At the Palace of Versailles, Louis XIV was the first French King to drink Champagne. This multi-vintage Champagne is created from finely selected grapes sourced from the 100% Grand Cru Vineyards in the twelve most prestigious villages such as Ambonny, Avize, Cramant, and Le Mesnil. The blend is 50% Pinot Noir, and 50% Chardonnay. The wine is aged for at least 5 years on its lees before release in its replica 17th Century bottle. 

There was also the celebrated British Airways complimentary bar service, including various alcoholic beverages, and soft drinks. Ground coffee, and decaffeinated coffee or tea (English Tetley tea, and Chinese green tea) were also available. On top of this, there were a selection of herbal teas including green tea with jasmine, peppermint, blackcurrant, and chamomile with honey.

A complete range of timeless and classic spirits, digestifs, and liqueurs were offered including: Tio Pepe, Ciroc Vodka, Zacapa XO Rum, Woodford Reserve Kentucky Whiskey, and many others.

Comments regarding the first meal:

British Airways have taken their in-flight menu to new heights, and indeed, it is called ‘Height Cuisine’ menu. The recipes used have been specially developed using the ingredients that are naturally high in a fifth taste known as Umami (after sweet, sour, bitter, and salt). The taste of Umami was identified in Japan, and it offers a pleasant savoury taste in many foods such as tomatoes, seaweed, and Parmesan cheese. The new first class dining experience brings out the best of BA’s traditions and rituals.  

British Airways claims to source their ingredients locally wherever they can. Whereas East-West fusion cuisines are considered exotic as part of most in-flight meals, at British Airways they have a more common presence in their in-flight dining on flights to the Far East. Dinner service consisted of the following:

Starters:

• Tiger prawn and wasabi timbale with watermelon, lime, and coriander salad

• Meze plate of chic-pea, cumin, and lentil salad, labneh with beetroot, baba ghanoush, falafel, and za’atar cheese croissant

• Asparagus, and chervil soup with pecorino cheese

• Fresh seasonal salad with choice of vinaigrette dressing with golden rapeseed oil or creamy garlic and herb dressing. 
  

I opted for the stylish looking prawn and wasabi timbale. The dish has carefully adopted characteristics of a fusion of Asian and Western cuisines, such as matching beautifully created roll of the prawns, a bit like a big wrapped sushi with elegant garnish of lime and coriander salad. It is exactly this openness to new ideas and respect for tradition, which has enabled British Airways to not just survive, but also gracefully thrive when it comes to providing a 5-star quality in-flight meal in the 21st century.

Main Course:

There were four options for the main course, including:

• Beef and aubergine curry with Chinese leaves, chye sim, and steamed rice

• Sustainably-sourced Severn and Wye haddock with creamy basil, lemon, and caper sauce, gnocchi, cherry tomatoes, and spinach

• Roasted breast of Gressingham duck with peppercorn and honey glaze, blackcurrant sauce, pea and mint mash, glazed icicle radishes, and baby carrots.

• Seared scallops on a sweet pepper, cashew and spring onion salas with spicy ginger dressing.
  

From the available options I opted for the well-presented haddock with creamy basil dish. As well as upholding the traditional and authentic taste of British cuisine, this dish also incorporated certain herbal concepts which blended in well with the lemon and caper sauce. The sweet essence of the cherry tomatoes and the spinach gave way to a soft and elegant sweet smell that blended in neatly with the baby carrots. The presentation off the dish was immaculate and just as it should be, and it tasted as good as it looked. A variety of freshly baked bread was served from the basket. Perhaps I should have also tried the traditional Cantonese option of beef and aubergine curry.

The main course came with a large bone china bowl containing a generous amount of fresh seasonal salad served with vinaigrette.

Dessert:

• Strawberry and white chocolate velvet mousse with sweet mint jelly

• Peach and almond tart with raspberry sauce and vanilla custard

• A selection of fresh fruit, and ‘artisan du chocolat’ luxury chocolates. 
  

I could easily have gone for a ‘peach and almond tar’; however I opted for the ‘strawberry and white chocolate’. The soft and creamy strawberry and white chocolate mousse is really an extravaganza of a dessert- it’s both fun and whimsical. Just at the moment you pop your tongue into this, it becomes more intense by the second. This dish hits all the right buttons when it comes to presentation, and absolute British taste in the sky.

Cheese plate:

• Reblochon – a soft, unpasteurised, nutty-tasting cheese made from cow’s milk
  
• Blacksticks Blue – A soft, blue veined cheese with an outstanding creamy, smooth yet tangy flavour
  
• Quickes Farmhouse Cheddar – A spicy, caramel-flavoured cheese with a buttery texture. This is a classic unpasteurised cheese.
• Melusine Goat’s Cheese – A French goat’s cheese with a distinct tar flavour. 

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

Ground coffee, and decaffeinated coffee or tea (English Tetley tea, and Chinese green tea) were also available. On top of this there were a selection of herbal teas including green tea with jasmine, peppermint, blackcurrant, and chamomile with honey.

The galley of the First Class cabin is located on the main deck of the Boeing 747-400 (in between the First Class and the Club World cabins’), and is available for snacks throughout the flight. Beechdean farmhouse dairy ice cream from jersey cows makes you feel that English food never tasted so good. You could have easily forgotten about all those extra calories when plucking each spoonful of ice cream from the beautifully decorated tub. Oh, and of course, the hot pot noodles were available in abundance throughout the flight. There was also plenty of traditional English cheese served with Jacobs English biscuits.  

Other than this, the ‘First Class’ kitchen also offered the following all throughout the flight:

-       fresh wraps, salads and bite-sized sandwiches
-       delicious hot dishes such as hot Chinese noodles, and tasty soups
-       luxury cakes and Fair-trade chocolate
-       Fine wines, fruit smoothies, soft drinks and juices from the fridge.
-       Fusilly pasta with cep mushrooms, leek, garlic, and parsley sauce
-       Beef burger with Monterey Jack cheese, gherkin, tomato, and chunky chips
-       A fine selection of fresh fruit and cheese with biscuits
-       Cookies, raisins, and other snacks in the basket

Comments regarding the second meal:

I chose to have breakfast served around an hour prior to landing at Hong Kong Airport. So I thought…we were delayed for another hour due to heavy Cumulonimbus clouds and active thunderstorm activity over Hong Kong airspace.

There was a good selection of options available including:

Starters:

• Chilled fruit juice
  
• An energising fruit smoothie of plum and blueberry
  
• A selection of fresh seasonal fruit
  
• A selection of cereals
  
• Yoghurt with pecans, strawberry, granola, and compote.
  
• A wide selection of breakfast pastries and rolls
  

Though I adore orange juice very much, I decided to commence the meal with an energising smoothie of plum and blueberry. Smoothies are popular with healthy eating crowds, and that includes me. High in protein and low in sugar and fat, drinking this powerful drink was the perfect way to wake up. Even though many smoothies include crushed ice, and frozen yoghurt, thankfully this one did not. The milk and all other ingredients were organic. All breakfast trays came complete with a choice of bread from the breadbasket (I could not resist those Danish Pastries), and a bowl of fresh fruit. Preserves were provided by Wilkin & Sons Ltd of England.

Main breakfast dish:

• Full English breakfast consisting of scrambled free-range eggs, grilled bacon, Saddleback pork sausage, baked Portobello mushroom, hash-brown potatoes, fried bread, and baked beans.
  
• Smoked salmon with asparagus and scrambled eggs on toasted English muffin
  
• Waffles with caramel and cinnamon butter
  

I opted for the English breakfast. It’s the one dish on the menu of all British Airways flights that I really look forward to. Many people in the UK swear by a traditional English breakfast in the morning as the only proper start to the day- and in true British culture British Airways offers one of the best English breakfasts in the sky. There is a long-standing tradition of a cooked breakfast, consisting of meat and egg products, with bread, washed down with gallons of English tea or coffee, across the UK, including Scotland and Wales, as well as Ireland. British Airways uses fine ingredients such as organic potatoes, tomatoes, prime English bacon, and free-range eggs for their English breakfast. There is nothing quite like it, and naturally the chefs at British Airways catering department do a fantastic job in not letting their passengers down. It gives a taste of true British food in the sky.

Ground coffee, and decaffeinated coffee or tea (English Breakfast, Earl Grey, Mint Humberg, Honeycomb Camomile, Red Berry Fool, and Jasmine Pearls). On top of this there were a selection of herbal teas including green tea with jasmine, peppermint, blackcurrant, and camomile with honey.

Comments on the in-flight entertainment system:

All Club World and First Class passengers are provided with noise cancellation headphones that come complete with the BA logo on the sides. 

Every suite in the First Class cabin comes with a 15-inch flat screen (Personal Television- PTV). BA’s in-flight entertainment system is called HighLife Entertainment. The movies, and music albums vary according to the route (so for China, there were a mixture of Asian and Western movies etc.), and every month a new list entertainment options crop up. First Class passengers can also use the USB port and RCA jack for enjoying their laptop, iPod or digital camera on the bigger screen. Compared to some of the other carriers, such as Qatar Airways, Cathay Pacific, Etihad Airways and Emirates, the products provided on British Airways came across as being out of date, and shabby.

I was assigned seat 1A (right at the front of the plane), and to my disappointment the IFE screen did not turn on. Since the First Class cabin was mostly empty (only 3 other passengers in the cabin!), therefore the senior purser asked me to sit anywhere I liked and try to see if the IFE on the other seats worked. So, I then I sat in seats 2A, 1K, 3A...none of their IFE systems worked. I actually felt like playing musical chairs in my own private jet. Despite the crew restarting the IFE system it still did not work. I finally managed to get the IFE to work on seat 4E at around 1 hour into the flight. While the whole incident may have been embarrassing for British Airways that the IFE in their First Class was not working, I managed to occupy 3 First Class seats in the mean time.

HighLife Entertainment’s Audio and Video On Demand (AVOD) system puts the passengers in full control of all kinds of audio, video and games entertainment. Passengers can choose from over 200 entertainment options and play, pause, stop, fast forward and rewind to fit in with their own schedule. These large PTVs and noise cancellations headphones are available on all longhaul flights (Boeing 777, 747, and 767 aircraft).

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

Representing the truly global and multicultural ethos of British Airways, the cabin crew come from a variety of cultures. Naturally, on this flight, the cabin crew were from China, and the United Kingdom, and so the languages spoken were Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese Chinese, and British English. The cabin crew at British Airways are very proud of their airline, and their product. Detail to personal service is the key to the success of the airline. 

With all due respect and with no offense being targeted against anyone, the one thing I noticed was that the majority of the cabin crew on this flight came across to being in their 40s and 50s. While this is great because they have a lot of experience, and seniority counts a lot with companies such as BA, Lufthansa, United....so on long-haul international flights you do get highly experienced cabin crew who have been doing the job for 20+ years for example...but you may ask why is this so? Why do the majority of Middle Eastern and Asian airline companies have younger, more attractive, and healthy looking cabin crew (men and women), and most European and North American airline companies don't? Simple answer to that is discrimination laws and airline trade unions exist in Europe and North America..i.e. companies in countries where unions and discrimination laws exists, such as with BA, cannot say they must only hire women, must be white/Asian, slim etc. Whereas companies such as Air China, Air India, etc. do openly advertise that their cabin crew must be native Indian, Chinese, and be of a certain height, race, build, age etc.  

In the 1990s, British Airways used to be known as ‘The World’s Favorite Airline’. It probably is, but the main reason why this slogan is not used anymore is because of the number of routes the airline serves (it’s not as much as they used to go to, and not as many routes as some other airlines). Other than this there is no reason why British Airways can still be the world’s favorite airline. Indeed, their customer service is second to none in whatever they do. The staff were very polite, and brought along a true international flavour to the cabins. 

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

In line with the airline’s livery, all the aircraft seats are covered with a navy blue fabric. In Economy Class, the seats have either blue or red ‘bibs’ on the headrest, while in Club World, and First Class the seats have an elegant white bib on the headrest.

The new First Class seat has a 78” inch pitch, and a 21” inch width (one of the most generous in the airline industry). There are 14 First Class suites in the First Class section of the Boeing 747-400. Every First Class passenger gets BA’s signature Anya Hindmarch amenity kit bag containing premium skincare products including eye gel, lip balm and moisturiser. First Class passengers are also provided with a pair of wonderfully soft cotton pyjamas, and luxury slippers. Each of the 14 suites on the Boeing 747-400 includes a personal power supply for laptops and electronic devices. At the time of writing, over 80% of BAs long haul aircraft are fitted with the very latest First cabin. The new First Class is available on flights between London Heathrow and Lagos, New York JFK, Shanghai, Tokyo Haneda, Tokyo Narita, Hong Kong and Sao Paulo (subject to availability).

The seat transform into a comfortable 198cm (6ft 6in) long fully flat bed with a luxurious quilted mattress, crisp white cotton duvet and pillow. In the First Class cabin, the cabin crew make the bed for you, so it saves you the hassle. The seat is wide and long enough for you to get a good long stretch of the legs (and back if you want to lie facing with head down).

British Airways logo and livery: 

Based on the original logo, and design that featured on Concorde, the current British Airways logo was designed in 1997 by Newell & Sorrell. The colours are blue, and red. The additional colour is grey. All aircraft feature the word ‘BRITISH AIRWAYS’ in blue (British Airways uses its proprietary typefaces Mylius Sans and Mylius Serif, both designed by Rodney Mylius at Newell & Sorrell.), printed below the windows (and before the wing). On the 747 aircraft, the words appear above the main deck windows and just before the wing. Just before the cockpit windows and, at the front of the words, BRITISH AIRWAYS, there is a dash of the flag, which looks like an upside down tick. It starts with a navy blue, and the ‘flair’ of the logo is coloured in red. The engines of all the aircraft are painted in a matching navy blue.

The bellies of all British Airways aircraft are painted in royal navy blue. The tail-fin consists of an elegant version of the national flag of the United Kingdom, The Union Jack. It gives the feeling of a flag flying on the tail. Overall, the British Airways logo portrays elegance, romance, flair, and a touch of true British patriotism. It’s easy to identify for passengers, and also Air Traffic Controllers.

Overall opinion:

While it was a fabulous flight experience overall with a flawless service. Nevertheless, I think that generally British Airways charge much more in return for the service and product that you get overall (on average BA charges over £6,000 GBP for a First Class seat on a long-haul flight such as this compared to maybe around £3,500 by Emirates, Etihad or Singapore Airlines). It is a well known fact in the aviation industry that airlines make their money for each flight by filling out the First and Business Class cabins- and Economy Class seats are just extra profit. So, a plane needs to fill all of it's First and Business Class seats in order to break even for that flight, and all the money from Economy Class seats is just profit. This particular flight probably just broke even because Business Class was 50% full, and First Class hardly had 3 full-paying passengers (2 were off-duty BA pilots (free staff flight!), and I was not full-paying/media), and even Economy Class was only around 60% full. 

From my own experience I do believe that some of the Middle Eastern and Asian carriers provide a much better service in their Business Class than British Airways do in their First Class cabin (though the BA Business Class product is very good - in par with other major intentional airlines..check here). Their in-flight customer service was also below par compared to some of their Asian and Middle Eastern arch rivals...I found this problem to be evident with other European and North American airline companies I have flown with...I am not sure of the exact reasons. Nevertheless, in my opinion, it's those 3 golden rules of customer service that need to be considered always: 1. Greet the customer BEFORE the customer greets you, 2. Never say NO directly (except in a health & safety/serious situation), and 3. Let the customer come back to you again and again without pushing them too much. I think one of the key factors for the high price/less product offerings from most European and North American airlines could be because of the high fuel prices (99.9% of the Middle Eastern and Asian carriers have a lot of financial backing from their governments without unions getting involved in their management affairs).

I think it would be a great idea to get rid of the First Class cabin on ALL BA planes, and just replace it with a top notch Business Class product that matches/surpasses other arch rivals products. For all the A-Listers and the Celebs that do fly BA First Class commercially (even the Royal Family do sometimes), then BA should consider having a separate BA Executive Jet business branch that caters just for that elite market (Qatar Airways have done this very successfully...they have got rid of their First Class cabin and introduced Qatar Executive private jets for the elite). Hardly anyone - except celebs, Hollywood stars, and Royalty - flies First Class these days. In 99% of the flights I have taken I can say from personal experience that the First Class cabin is hardly ever even 40% full (even on Qatar, Emirates and Etihad!). There is not that much difference between First Class and Business Class in any case. Though I think that BA would not look into eliminating it's First Class section because it's the British national flag carrier and they want to keep some pride. 

China Southern Airlines was formed on 1st July 1988 and is one of the three major carriers in China. The airline’s hub is at the ultra-modern Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport- which has in time become China’s 3rd busiest airport, as well as becoming a major international passenger and cargo hub . China Southern Airlines has 450 aircraft, including 4 Airbus A380-800 aircraft, the largest aircraft in the world. The airline has 4 of the 787 Dreamliner on order, which should commence service in late 2012. The airline has also got another 126 aircraft on order at the time of writing. China Southern is a proud member of SkyTeam and together the 16 member airlines offer its 384 million annual passengers a worldwide system of more than 14,500 daily flights covering 958 destinations in 173 countries. In 2010, China Southern Airlines reported a net profit of CNY5.8 billion ($883 million). In 2011, China Southern Airlines earned four-star status from Skytrax, the world’s most prestigious airline performing evaluation organization.

China Southern ordered five A380s in April, 2005, becoming the first A380 client in China. China Southern Airlines is the seventh A380 operator. In October 2012, China Southern Airlines started using the A380-841 on the Guangzhou to Los Angles route, and also started using the A380 on the Guangzhou to Shanghai Pudong route as a test route. The fifth and final A380 aircraft for China Southern Airlines will be delivered in late 2012 or early 2013.   

The configuration for the domestic flights is that the First Class suites are known as ‘Deluxe First Class’, and the Business Class is known as ‘First Class’. For international flights, such as the Guangzhou to Los Angles route, China Southern Airlines will use the First Class and Business Class as names for the respective cabins on the Airbus A380. At the moment of writing there are 2 daily flights between Guangzhou and Beijing (and vice-versa).

I decided to check out their brand new Business Class cabins (known as First Class on the domestic route) of this brand new aircraft that just entered service in September with the airline.

Route: BEIJING CAPITAL (PEK) – GUANGZHOU BAIYUN (CAN)

Departure date and time of flight: November 2012

Flight number: CZ3104 (ICAO callsign: “China Southern 3104 heavy”)

IATA Code: CZ

IACO Callsign: CHINA SOUTHERN

Flight duration: 2 Hours 15 minutes

Class: FIRST CLASS

Aircraft type: AIRBUS A380-800 (4 aircraft in service)

Aircraft delivery date to CZ: 14th September 2012

Aircraft registration: B-6139 (first flight 26th March 2012)

Engines: 4 x Rolls Royce Trent 970

Aircraft Serial Number: 88

Frequent flyer programme:  Sky Pearl Club

Seat configuration for this aircraft:

First Class (known as deluxe first class on domestic routes): 8 Suites in a 1-1-1-1 configuration
Business Class (known as first class on domestic routes): 70 seats in a 1-1-1-1 configuration,
Economy Class: 428 seats in a 3-4-3 configuration (lower deck), and 2-4-2 configuration (upper deck)

Any baggage issues:

China Southern Airlines flies from Terminal 2 at Beijing Airport. Terminal 2 has been designated as the terminal used by airline companies that are members of the SkyTeam Alliance. First and Business Class passengers have a separate checking-in area which makes the whole experience a quick, smooth and hassle free one. After checking-in First and Business Class passengers can have the special privilege of walking on the red carpet that leads to a separate security and customs area just for First and Business Class passengers. The whole process from check-in to the airline lounge and gate takes around 10 minutes at the most. It’s very convenient. Gate 21 is specially used for the Airbus A380-800 flights from Guangzhou to Beijing. Terminal 2 has two sections, a domestic flights section and an international flights section. 

Each piece of checked baggage may not exceed 50kg in weight and 40*60*100cm in dimension. For the domestic routes, every piece of check-in baggage cannot exceed 50kg and must be under a volume of 40x60x100cm; for international or regional routes, every piece of check-in baggage cannot exceed 32kg, and the total sum of the three edges of each piece should not exceed 158cm (or 62 in). Baggage not within the specified range cannot be transported unless approved by China Southern Airlines otherwise.

The free baggage allowance (including checked and carry-on baggage) for all passengers of domestic routes is: 40kg for First Class passengers, 30kg for Business Class passengers and 20kg for Economy Class passengers. Passengers with an infant-fare ticket is granted 1 kg of free baggage allowance.

LOUNGE EXPERIENCE at Beijing Capital Airport Terminal 2:

First and Business Class passengers flying with China Southern Airlines on domestic flights from Beijing Capital Airport can enjoy the usage of one of the three lounges:

·         A lounge exclusively for First and Business Class passengers
·         A lounge for China Southern Gold and Platinum members
·         A lounge for all First and Business Class passengers flying with Skyteam

The lounge offers some of the finest hot and dish dishes, as well as a whole selection of hot and cold drinks. The lounge also focuses on providing an excellent array of internet facilities (all complimentary), reading materials in various languages, and live television. Clean and spacious shower and bathroom facilities are all available should one wish to use them.

Punctuality of the flight, and route taken:

Because of the heavy traffic in Beijing, the flight departed around 2 hours late. The Captain did everything he could to bring the flight into Guangzhou as quickly as he could. Beijing Capital Airport is one of the busiest airports in the world, and certainly gets busy during the peak hours unlike some other airports around the world. However, it is also worth taking into consideration that Beijing has 3 runways, and sometimes all three are used simultaneously for take-offs or landings. So it is common to see three planes landing at the same time (each runway is spaced out by at least a mile), or likewise it’s common to see three planes taking off at the same time.

Our flight was around 60% full. While Economy Class on the lower deck and the rear of the upper deck seemed to be 100% full, the Business Class (known and treated as First Class on domestic routes) on the upper deck was only around 10% full, and the real First Class (known as Deluxe First Class) was empty (only the relief Captain was in one seat). The actual flight time was 2 hours and 15 minutes, while the total time taken including delayed was 4 hours and 15 minutes (the Captain did a fantastic job in shaving off 30 minutes by flying fast).

Comments regarding the pre-flight service:

Business and First Class passengers are offered wet towels, and a choice of welcome alcoholic and non-alcoholic drinks including apple, orange, and water.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Drinks from the trolley included red and white wine. Various juices were also offered, including orange, apple, lemon, and grapefruit. There were four types of wine on offer:

Jinjue white/red wine - Chinese
Dynasty white/red wine 2008 – Chinese

I opted for the Dynasty Chinese wine to accompany my dinner.

Comments regarding the first meal: 

China Southern Airlines have taken their in-flight menu to new heights in all of their international and domestic flights (OK, some domestic flights may still be an exception, but international flights have definitely been improved). For the A380 flights, the food is much better than that offered on other aircraft. This is simply because the airline wants to showcase the aircraft and its amazing product. The recipes used have been specially developed using the ingredients that are naturally high in quality, but low in salts, sugars, oil, and carbohydrates. The chefs at China Southern Airlines have made the dishes catered for both Western and Chinese tastes in mind- and that comes evident with the flavours that explode in the mouth as you take each spoonful.

The dishes for the A380 services are specially designed and made by the chefs at the famous Beiyuan restaurant in Guangzhou. The restaurant is more famously known as Beiyuan, and began in 1928. It is now a brand synonymous with matchless Chinese fine dining. The exquisite culinary skill of their chefs is inspired by the Lingnan Cuisine. Liu Haisu, a renowned Chinese oil painter and art educator, once visited a banquet in this restaurant at the grand old age of 87. Whereupon it is known that he took a paint brush and wrote: ‘Fine taste that lingers infinitely’.

A light dinner service consisted of the following on this A380 flight:

Appetizers:

Hot spicy green soy bean salad, and sweet osmanthus, lotus root stuffed with sticky rice; and chicken jelly with lily and jasmine

What made this dish special were the carefully cut lotus root pieces stuffed with the sticky rice. You just can’t argue with the chefs at the Baiyun Restaurant. The chicken jelly tasted somewhat bland without any particular sweet, sour, or salty feel to it.

Soup:

Pigeon boiled with American ginseng and wolfberry.

My first thought when this dish came forward was, ‘pigeon?, shall I eat that?!’. In fact to my nice surprise there was not a single scent of pigeon meant anywhere- it must have all dissolved in the soup!

Entree:

There were three options for the main course, including:

Brised been tendon
Braised duck with traditional secret recipe
Peppered pan-fried bream fish

I opted for the ‘peppered pan-fried bream fish’ dish. The fish was not spicy at all, though I do dare say that it was oily. However if you blended in a nice spoon of fish, rice and vegetables then that would have been perfect.

Steamed aromatic rice accompanied the main dish.

Comments regarding the after meal drinks and dessert:

Ground coffee, and decaffeinated coffee or tea (English Tetley tea, and Chinese green tea) were also available. On top of this, there were a selection of herbal teas including green tea with jasmine, peppermint, blackcurrant, and camomile with honey.

On the A380 aircraft is a bar located on the lower deck behind the cockpit (for the Deluxe First Class passengers, and on the front of the upper deck for the First Class passengers (i.e. for the Business Class passengers if this were an international flight). The bars have various bottles of international and local Chinese wines, and spirits.   

The bar also offered the following all throughout the flight:

-       Sweet warm soup with white fungus, pear, and wolf berry
-       Fine wines, soft drinks and juices.
-       Seasonal fruit basket
-       BAXY Ice Cream

BAXY ice cream is actually very nice. It is China’s answer to Haagen Dazs, and it does an equally good job too. The warm soup is a popular Cantonese dessert dish. It does not taste too sweet, but the warmth and the texture of the wolf berry blended in with the warm pear give it a truly healthy and authentic flavour. I remember trying the same dish at the Lai Heen restaurant at The Ritz-Carlton, Guangzhou around two years ago. It was nice to try this beautiful dish on the A380 aircraft. Next to every first and business class seat there is a bottle of Chinese branded premium mineral water.

Comments regarding the second meal, and drinks:

Ground coffee, and decaffeinated coffee or tea (English tea, and Chinese green tea) were also available. Just prior to landing passengers in the First and Business Class were offered a bottle of thick yoghurt and an orange.

Comments on the in-flight entertainment system:

In-flight entertainment at China Southern Airlines has improved dramatically in the past number of years. The Personal Television (PTV) behind each seat in First and Business Class is a generous 16 inches, while in the Economy Class cabin it is 6.9 inches. There are over 400 channels offering movies, songs, serials, TV serials, and even games in at least 5 different languages (Mandarin Chinese, Cantonese, English, French, Japanese, Korean, and others). All Business and First Class passengers are provided with noise cancellation headphones. In Economy Class, passengers are provided with normal headphones. All seats in Business and First Class come with a plug for the laptop.

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

All of the cabin crew spoke very good English, and were very professional in what they did. In complete contrast to domestic flights, China Southern Airlines seems to choose their best staff for international flights to show the perfect Guangdong hospitality. The cabin crew are all native Chinese, and came across as being very proud to work for their company. The warm welcome and the hospitality provided on China Southern Airlines is something that some Western carriers can learn from. The high quality of service and personalisation totally exceeded my expectations from this crew, and airline. Everything from the check-in process to the disembarking went smoothly. I have no doubt that China Southern Airlines will be a airline that would rival any other western 5-star airline.

During the flight, I sat in the Premier First Class and had a long educated chat with the relief Captain. I asked him why the Business Class was almost empty while the Economy Class was full, and whether that would be a good business model. He told me that the A380 must have the Business and First Class full to at least 80% in order for the airline or the flight to make profit. While Economy Class was 100% full, that did not necessarily mean that the flight can hit the profits. The A380 is an amazing product, and passengers in China should feel proud to spend and enjoy the fruits of the aircrafts service and food. One-way flight tickets on Business Class from Beijing to Guangzhou start from around RMB 4000 on the A380, and considering what China Southern Airlines offers, it really is worth spending that amount of money on it for the privilege.

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

All the newer aircraft have bright sky blue clothing fitted onto the Economy Class seats. The Business Class seats come in three shades of grey, while the First Class seats are fitted with royal purple clothing, and pillows with the lotus company logo. Business and First Class seats can be turned into a flatbed during night flights, while both the Economy and Premier Economy cabins have seats with a comfortable pitch. This Airbus A380 being new, and so all the main features of the plane (PTV, seat comfort, ambiance, and environment, toilets etc.) were clean and modern.

Business and First Class seats also come with personal seat lamp, personal seat controls (for turning seat into a bed etc.), and a large luxurious dove feather blanket. The aircraft, which I flew on was brand new, and smelt new and fresh too! First Class seats have a fully flat bed (78 inch pitch, and 26 inch width), Business Class seats have a flat bed (78 inch pitch, 26 inch width), and Economy Class are very comfortable (37 inch pitch, 17.2 inch width). The A380 does not have a Premium Economy Class cabin. All seats in all classes have a PTV (Personal TV).

The most amazing thing about flying the Airbus A380-800 is that it is quiet- remarkably quiet even on take-off and in the cruise. The quietness of the cabin allows passengers to talk to each other at ease and without the hassle of having to shout or be afraid of having your ears popped. While in the climb, the ears don’t pop either. The cabin air pressure does not make you fatigued either. You just got to thank the remarkable engineers at Airbus for creating a castle in the sky. It really is like being inside a luxurious building, but flying at 35,000 feet. People take such luxuries of life for granted without knowing how much human effort and sacrifice went into making their lives easier and comfortable. Many test pilots and engineers have probably lose their lives in the cause of making life easy for others to enjoy. The A380 is an amazing piece of technology.

The stairs of the Airbus A380 on China Southern Airlines are decorated with a blue ribbon all throughout. It’s perhaps a salute and garnish to this new aircraft.

China Southern Airlines logo and livery: 

With one of the most nostalgic airline liveries around, China Southern Airlines adorn a red lotus flower (the symbol of Guangzhou) against a sky blue background. The fin consists of this beautiful lotus flower. The fuselage is all white except the cheatlines that wrap the nose and body of the plane, but stop short of the tail of the plane. The cheatlines consist of a thick sky-blue line, with a slightly thinner gold line running below it. This pattern of sky-blue and gold is repeated below as well. Sandwiched in-between the top and bottom sky-blue and gold cheatlines is a dark blue cheatline. This dark blue cheatline widens out when it wraps the nosecone of planes. All the planes have a silver belly.

The titles of China Southern are written across both sides of the fuselage in both English capital letters, and in Chinese. All planes proudly display the Sky team logo next to the cockpit window on both sides. In 2011, the China Southern Airlines logo was ranked at number 5 in the top 20 airline brands globally. In the same year China Southern Airlines was ranked 6th in the top 100 brands in China.  

Route: Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to Beijing Capital Airport

Departure date and time of flight: 13:30pm in November 2012

Flight Number: FM9103

Flight duration: 2 hours 20 minutes

Class: First Class

Aircraft type: Boeing 757-200

Punctuality of the flight:

The flight departed around 30 minutes late due to the late arrival of the in-coming flight. The majority of the flights coming in from Beijing are normally delayed because of the heavy traffic at Beijing Air Traffic. On the way to Beijing I took a photo of the sky over the city, and there were at least 15 jet stream contrails! I fondly recall that Geneva and London seem to have so many jet stream contrails.

Any baggage issues:

No issues- I only had hand luggage. On Shanghai Airlines, First Class passengers can carry up to 40kg of luggage.

Comments on the check-in staff and any issues:

I was originally scheduled to fly on China Eastern Airlines on their brand new Airbus A330 aircraft on this domestic route. However, 2 hours prior to the flight time I was informed by the airline that the flight had been cancelled because of some ‘technical’ issues. Therefore, I was reassigned to this Shanghai Airlines flight because China Eastern Airlines and Shanghai Airlines have a code-share agreement. 

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 light refreshment was offered in the First Class cabin.

A tray containing hot dishes including:

1.     Char shew crisp
2.     Egg yolk in a white bun
3.     Orange flavoured rice cake
4.     Coffee flavoured rice cake
5.     Passion fruit mousse cake
6.     Platter of seasonal fruit

Bread from the basket was offered as well. I took a soft 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. In all there were a choice of 37 drinks in the First Class cabin. These included soft drinks, fruit juices, tea, coffee, wine, beer, and liquors. If that was not enough then try opting for a glass of fresh milk or herbal 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 Shanghai Airlines  and were very welcoming. The passengers in First Class were kept well informed of any delays, and even the weather situation in Shanghai.

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

The ageing Boeing 757 aircraft belonging to Shanghai Airlines had a seat configuration of 2-2 in First Class, and a configuration of 3-3 in Economy Class. The plane was not clean and the toilets showed signs of an aged plane- quite easily in fact as it had the old 1980s style toilet as opposed to the new toilet that most modern aircraft have.

The cabin crew told me that in a few years the aging 757s will be replaced with Airbus A330 or even the Boeing 787; and the remaining 757s will be re-configured into cargo aircraft.

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): 9

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

Based at both Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, and Shanghai Pudong Airport, Juneyao Airlines is China's first private airline. Founded in 2005, the airline has a fleet of 22 aircraft (20 Airbus A320-200, and 2 Airbus A319 aircraft), flying to 32 destinations including  Hong Kong.


Route: Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to Xi’an Xianyang International Airport

Departure date and time of flight: September 2012

Flight Number: HO1250

Flight duration: 2 hours 20 minutes

Class: FIRST CLASS

Aircraft type: Airbus A320-200

IACO Callsign: Air Juneyao

IATA Code: HO

Aircraft Registration: B-6018

Punctuality of the flight:

As soon as you see a drop of water over the skies of Shanghai, you can assume that the flights are going to be delayed (for unknown reasons- even the Captain could not tell me). However, on this occasion our flight departed on time, and landed on time at the other end. The flight actually displayed the best service that Juneyao Airlines has to provide. Everything went smoothly and without any problems throughout the whole flight experience. 

The best part of this flight route is when the plane goes right over the famous Qinling Mountains near Xi'an. The Qinling Mountains are one of the longest and largest range of mountains that geographically set the north and south of China apart. Peaking at over 6,000 feet, the mountains provide a spectacular view when arriving into Xi'an. 

Any baggage issues:

No issues- the bags arrived on time and in one piece. Juneyao Airlines allows upto one bag weighing 30kg in First Class.

Comments on the check-in staff and any issues:

The check-in staff were polite, smiled and very professional. There was no problem what so ever. I had arrived around two hours before departure. I had arrived at the airport at least an hour beforehand, and so there was no problem what so ever. It was nice to be early so then I could manage some aircraft shots.

Juneyao Airline Lounge:

The airline lounge used by Juneyao Airlines is not owned by the airline itself. Passengers flying with other airlines (except Air China, China Eastern and China Southern Airlines), also have access to this lounge which is located on the 2nd floor of Terminal 2 (near area A). There are plenty of food options, and drinks available. The Club Lounge is clean, smells fresh, and the clientele are mostly business travellers.

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Just prior to departure, the cabin crew offered a wet towel, and a choice of drinks consisting of orange juice, apple juice, and water.

After take-off, a variety of drinks (standard- tea, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, lemonade, or coca cola) were offered. As with most of the airlines in China, the drinks (coca cola, orange etc.) were all branded with the Juneyao Airlines logo. A packet of the trademark Juneyao Airlines salted almonds was also provided.

Comments regarding the first meal:

On Juneyao Airlines, First Class passengers are offered a choice of when they would like to eat their meal. I ate my meal around about 30 minutes after departure.

The meal tray consisted of the following:

* Cold salad plate with salami rolls, beef balls, a slice of fresh papaya, and a carnival of vegetables.
* Warm bread rolls from the basket
* Sweet corn and pork chops soup
* A plate of fresh fruit consisting of watermelon, and orange slices
* A choice of one of: chicken & rice, fish & rice, or pork & rice. I opted for the fish & rice.
* Butter provided by Anchor.
* A bowl consisting of sweet Chinese pudding (made from soya bean curd).

The fish meat came with small bones and skin still attached to it. However, it was edible and nice to the tongue. The meal was served on bone china, and with stainless steel cutlery (which is thankfully making a comeback onto in-flight meals around the world). The best part was the delicious Chinese pudding provided at the end of the meal service.

Comments regarding the drinks service:

Second rounds of drinks were offered after the meal.

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 IFE system. On the A320, the overhead screens come down when the safety announcement is made, and then they are hidden away for the rest of the flight.

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The staff were very professional, always had a smile on their faces and were quick to respond to any kind of request from the passengers. Even on this flight, the Captain was kind enough to allow me into the flight deck before, and after the flight, so I took the opportunity to take some good shots of the controls of this A320.

Improvements that could be made:

Perhaps have mood lighting when the aircraft is flying in between different time zones (morning, afternoon and evening) - hey, I could honestly find nothing else wrong with this flight!

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

The Airbus A320-300 belonging to Juneyao Airlines is clean, and had a fresh smell upon entering the cabin. The cabin consists of the trademark purple, burgundy, and maroon colours on all the seats, and cushions. The dragon logo of the Juneyao Airlines brand is also proudly displayed on the cushions.

There are eight seats in the First Class cabin, with a 2-2 configuration. Each First Class seat is 48.0-inch seat pitch and 21.0 inch width. There are 144 Economy Class seats in a 3-3 configuration. Each Economy Class seats provides a 31.0-inch pitch, and has a width of 19.0 inch.

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

Based at both Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, and Shanghai Pudong Airport, Juneyao Airlines is China's first private airline. Founded in 2005, the airline has a fleet of 22 aircraft (20 Airbus A320-200, and 2 Airbus A319 aircraft), flying to 32 destinations including  Hong Kong.

Route: Shenzhen Bao’an Airport to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport

Departure date and time of flight: August 2012

Flight Number: HO1112

IACO Callsign: AIR JUNEYAO

IATA Code: HO

Flight duration: 2 hours 20 minutes (turned out to be nearly 4 hours and 30 minutes hours with added delay!)

Class: FIRST CLASS

Aircraft type: Airbus A320-200

Aircraft Registration: B-6022

Punctuality of the flight:

The plane was delayed for over two hour because of ‘military activity’ in the South China Sea area. This is not the first time such delays have occurred, and probably won’t be the last time either. The captain, an expat from Italy, informed me that the Chinese Air Force was performing sorties over the South China Sea in response to Japan claiming the purchase of the controversial Diaoyu/Senkaku Islands. He claimed that the ATC had informed him that the fighter jets were doing sorties over places such as Suzhou (Guangfu), Wuxi and other nearby military airbases. So therefore we could not take-off, and even if we did then we would waste fuel by stacking over the Shanghai area.

Any baggage issues:

No issues- the bags arrived on time and in one piece. Juneyao Airlines allows upto one bag weighing 30kg in First Class.

Comments on the check-in staff and any issues:

The check-in staff were polite, smiled and very professional. There was no problem what so ever. I had arrived around two hours before departure. I had arrived at the airport at least an hour beforehand, and so there was no problem what so ever. It was nice to be early so then I could manage some aircraft shots.

The morning rush hour was an indication of Shenzhen’s airport’s rapid growth in recent years. There were aircraft of all sizes ranging from a minute A318 up to the Boeing 747-400. Many international airlines have also started flying from Shenzhen airport in recent years, such Korean Airlines, Tiger Airways, Uni Air, SilkAir, UPS, FedEx, SF Express, Air Asia, and Asiana Airlines.

Shenzhen airport’s new runway (16/34) which is located at least a mile away from the main terminal buildings over reclamation land started operations in July 2011. Once the new terminal 3 building is complete and open in late 2012 or early 2013, then it will make sense to use both runways (15/33, and 16/34). The new runway is able to accommodate all types of aircraft, including the Airbus A380 and the Boeing 787 Dreamliner.

Juneyao Airline Lounge:

The airline lounge used by Juneyao Airlines is not owned by the airline itself. Passengers flying with other airlines (except Air China, China Eastern and China Southern Airlines), also have access to this lounge. There is plenty of choice for food and drinks available. However, the interesting thing is that the toilets in the normal terminal building are far more cleaner and well suited than the old fashioned toilet they provided in the First Class lounge (the door did not close, the flash did not work, and basically it’s perhaps the next best thing after your average bog in the fields). Not as glamorous and flamboyant as other airline lounges. If I was you, I would rather go and use the airplane toilet (yes, it’s that bad).

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Just prior to departure, the cabin crew offered a wet towel, and a choice of drinks consisting of orange juice, apple juice, and water.

After take-off, a variety of drinks (standard- tea, coffee, orange juice, apple juice, lemonade, or coca cola) were offered. As with most of the airlines in China, the drinks (coca cola, orange etc.) were all branded with the Juneyao Airlines logo. A packet of salted almonds was also provided.

Comments regarding the first meal:

Just prior to lunch being served, a wet hand towel was offered. Some of the passengers had already eaten their meal while on the ground, because they could not wait to eat as we were delayed. So I was one of the few passengers who wanted to experience the true flying in-flight meal service WHILE flying!

On Juneyao Airlines, First Class passengers are offered a choice of time of when they would like to eat their meal. I ate my meal around about 30 minutes after departure.

The meal tray consisted of the following:

* Cold salad plate with fresh king prawns, creaser salad, chicken wings, and a wedge of lemon slice.
* Warm bread from the basket
* A plate of fresh fruit consisting of dragon fruit, melon, and watermelon
* A choice of one of: chicken & rice, fish & rice, or pork & rice. I opted for the chicken & rice.

First impressions were that the food is of good quality. Airline food in China is getting better by the day. The quantity was also just about right- not too much, and not too little either.

Comments regarding the drinks service:

A second round of drinks was offered after the meal.

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 IFE system. On the A320, the overhead screens come down when the safety announcement is made, and then they are hidden away for the rest of the flight.

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The staff were very professional, always had a smile on their faces and were quick to respond to any kind of request from the passengers. The Captain was kind enough to allow me into the flight deck before the flight, so I took the opportunity to take some good shots of the controls of this A320.

Improvements that could be made:

Perhaps have mood lighting when the aircraft is flying in between different time zones (morning, afternoon and evening) - hey, I could honestly find nothing else wrong with this flight!

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

The Airbus A320-300 belonging to Juneyao Airlines is clean, and had a fresh smell upon entering the cabin. The cabin consists of the trademark purple, burgundy and maroon colors on all the seats, and cushions. The dragon logo of the Juneyao Airlines brand is also proudly displayed on the cushions.

There are eight seats in the First Class cabin, with a 2-2 configuration. Each First Class seat is 48.0-inch seat pitch and 21.0 inch width. There are 144 Economy Class seats in a 3-3 configuration. Each Economy Class seats provides a 31.0-inch pitch, and has a width of 19.0 inch. As per the words of the Captain, Juneyao Airlines provides one of the most comfortable first class seats on the Airbus A320 aircraft. 

Passengers in First Class are provided with cushy slippers, and earplugs.

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

Route: Shanghai Hongqiao Airport to Guangzhou Baiyun Airport

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

Flight Number: FM9309

Flight duration: 2 hours 20 minutes

Class: First Class

Aircraft type: Boeing 757-200

Punctuality of the flight:

The flight departed around 20 minutes late due to the morning rush hour in Shanghai. We were behind a whole host of big jets such as an Air China 747, China Southern 777s, and even Hainan Airlines A330s. Rush hour at Hongqiao can be hectic.

The flight route provided some fabulous views across to the horizon, and even had splendid views when coming into land at Guangzhou.  

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 Hongqiao airport.

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 First Class cabin. I opted for the Western breakfast.

A tray containing hot dishes including:

1.     Oats porridge blended with corn cereal
2.     A warm omelette, boiled carrots, a soggy piece of broccoli, sautéed potatoes and a small slice of bacon.
3.     A warm croissant from the bread basket.
4.     A pot of yogurt
5.     A pot of freshly cut exotic fruit (dragon fruit, melon and water melon)
6.     Anchor butter and strawberry jam

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 Shanghai Airlines  and were very welcoming. The passengers in First Class were kept well informed of any delays, and even the weather situation in Shanghai.

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

The ageing Boeing 757 aircraft belonging to Shanghai Airlines had a seat configuration of 2-2 in First Class, and a configuration of 3-3 in Economy Class. The plane was not clean and the toilets showed signs of an aged plane- quite easily in fact as it had the old 1980s style toilet as opposed to the new toilet that most modern aircraft have.

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: 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

Air China (中國國際航空公司) is the national flag carrier of the People’s Republic of China (PRC), and operates full international and domestic scheduled air services for the carriage of passengers, freight, and mail and the provision of ancillary services. Air China operates to 185 destinations around the world (including domestically in China), with a fleet of 268 aircraft (with another 271 aircraft on order, including 15 new Boeing 787-7 aircraft).

Beijing Capital Airport is the hub for Air China, and Air China Cargo. The third largest building in the world, Beijing Airport is second only to Atlanta in terms of passenger movements in the world. In 2009 it was voted by Conde Nast magazine as the most popular airport in the world. Second biggest terminal to Dubai and you can fit all of Heathrow’s five terminals inside it – and still manage to have 17% to spare! Air China occupies part of the main terminal with their separate domestic and international terminals. Chengdu Shuangliu International Airport, and Shanghai Pudong International Airport are the other two hub airports for Air China.

I had the pleasure of flying with Air China from Beijing Capital Airport (China) to Shanghai  Hongqiao Airport, on one of their last remaining Boeing 767-300ER aircraft (and it will be phased out). I flew First Class, but since this aircraft only has a two class configuration, (Business and Economy), so the service provided was equivalent to that provided to First Class passengers.

Route: BEIJING (PEK) - SHANGHAI HONGQIAO (SHA)

Departure date and time of flight: October 2011, 13:30pm local time (Beijing)

Flight number: CA1517 (ICAO callsign: “Air China 1517”)

Flight duration: 2 Hours 10 minutes

Class: FIRST CLASS

Aircraft type: BOEING 767-332ER (One aircraft in service)

Aircraft registration: B-2499 (First flight 30th May 2000)

Aircraft Serial Number: 30957 - line 797

Frequent flyer programme: Phoenix Miles

Seat configuration for this aircraft: 

First/Business Class: 30 seats in a 2-2-2 configuration on the main deck
Economy Class: 200 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 Air China representative, who took me straight to the special VIP First Class counter. It was a hassle free and rapid process.

The security gates are also well organised and manned by the local staff. First Class passengers can pass through the fast track security lane (and yes, it is indeed fast here at Beijing). 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. Perhaps western overcrowded airport security companies (particularly at airports such as Heathrow, Paris, and Frankfurt) can learn a few lessons from the Chinese. Even though China does not have any serious terrorist threat, the security here is taken very seriously and everything is done very efficiently. 

Any baggage issues:

No issues regarding the baggage. Passengers travelling First Class with Air China 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).

LOUNGE EXPERIENCE at Beijing Capital Airport:

Air China has a number of lounges at all the three terminals at Beijing Airport (Terminal 1, 2 and 3). These lounges are known as the Air China VIP lounges. Phoenix miles members (Gold, and Platinum) can use the lounges upon showing their cards. There are separate lounges for Business and First Class passengers. While both the Business and First Class lounges have buffet food (Chinese only), comfortable relaxing chairs, and a small cinema (25 seats maximum), the main difference between the Business and First Class lounges is that the First Class lounge also has beds. First Class passengers can hire the bedrooms (each room comes along with a single bed) for up to as many hours as they want. 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 (rare in China!). First Class passengers are collected from the lounge, and taken to the VIP shuttle bus (or the gate). In this case we were taken to the waiting VIP shuttle bus that took us straight to the plane. We were lucky to have excellent weather conditions, and not a long queue. A straight in taxi to runway 36R, and a take-off without any delays. Landing at Shanghai Hongqiao was also a delightfully quick experience – no hustle and bustle (and no waiting around or circling over Shanghai!).

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
-       Cod fish with rice, and vegetables.

I opted for the codfish with rice, and vegetables. Lovely soft chunky battered codfish covered in breadcrumbs served with hot and fresh boiled white rice. The accompanying vegetables went well with the dish. There was also a bowl of boiled tofu sticks (delicious!), and a bowl of roasted honey chicken salad (with generous portions of crunchy leaves, and tomatoes as well).  

Delicious soft and hard bread rolls were offered from the basket. All meals were served on fine bone china, and came with Air China chopsticks, and Air China 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 is not served on domestic flights in China.

Comments on the in-flight entertainment system:

The Boeing 767-300ER aircraft has no individual TV screens (not even in Business/First Class), only the bigger screens at the front of each compartment. However, the new interactive entertainment system offers hundreds of movies and music selections, plus a whole range of online games. Most of the high tech gadgets are only available on the latest Boeing 777 aircraft, and perhaps also the Boeing 737-800NG aircraft. For most of the flight we were shown the route map.

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The cabin crew were very professional and friendly. Air China 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!). The cabin crew at Air China represent all the 56 minorities of China, and 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 42-inch pitch and 19 inch width. The Economy Class seats have a 34-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. 

Air China logo and livery: 

The red phoenix bird is the brand symbol of Air China, and is proudly displayed on the tailfin of every aircraft. The symbol has been present ever since the airline first commenced operations in 1988. The phoenix logo is also the artistic transfiguration of the word “VIP”.

Air China is one of the few world airlines that still has a cheat line going through right the way across the whole fuselage. Two dark blue cheat lines run from the nose of the plane to the back of the tailfin, essentially wrapping the aircraft. The top cheat line is slightly thinner than the bottom cheatline.

The national flag is proudly displayed near the first door, and following the national flag are the words in capitals, and black colour ‘Air China’ in English, and then in Mandarin Chinese. The belly of the aircraft is painted in a light grey.

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

Route: Sanya Phoenix airport to Guangzhou Baiyun airport

Departure date and time of flight: 23:35pm, March 2011

Flight Number: HU7021

Flight duration: 1 hour and 5 minutes

Class: FIRST CLASS

Aircraft type: Boeing 737-800NG

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:

Phoenix airport is a small airport that caters mostly for domestic flights within China. Despite around five flights scheduled to depart in the late evening there were, however, only two check-in staff members. I was lucky to be travelling First Class as I was allowed to jump the queue to check my baggage. However, if I was travelling Economy Class, then it may have been another story. 

The First Class lounge at Phoenix airport:

The Phoenix First Class lounge seemed to be a bit empty when it came to providing decent food and drinks. The fridge was effectively clean dry, there were no alcoholic drinks, and it was not quiet either. Instead, there was a loud TV-set playing state-owned news. I must say that the electronic massage chairs laid out on the main concourse for non-First Class passengers seemed more comfortable than any of the seats in the First Class lounge! Even though you would have to pay for those but it would be well worth every single Yuan spent!

Comments regarding the pre-meal service:

Just non-alcoholic drinks, tea, or coffee. The tea and coffee were served on bone china cutlery.

Comments regarding the first meal:

Just a packet of seaweed coated peanuts and another packet of roasted green peas. Both delicious. For a short flight such as this there was not much you could ask for.

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

Comments of professionalism of the cabin crew:

The cabin crew were OK and polite. Just a normal flight, without any incidents. Blankets and slippers were offered to those travelling in first class. The crew were really nice. Even the captain came out of the cockpit prior to departure to say hello to the first class passengers.

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

The Boeing 737-800 on Hainan Airlines has a 2-2 configuration with 12 seats in First Class, and a 3-3 configuration with 150 seats in Economy Class. The First Class seat has a 76-inch recline so effectively can be very comfortable for short-haul, medium-haul, or long-haul flights.

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