Air China opinion

[FormerFlyer]

Looking at using Air China to go to SYD J class in July - saving about £700 each compared to OS.

How do you rate them? Any recommendations for the Beijing stopover on the way home? I've checked the usual hotels there and was wondering if it's worth staying for more than one night to give us time to check out some of the local sights etc, or should just go home?

Thanks for your feedback & Happy Crimbo :D

[FormerFlyer]

anyone got any idea? :confused:

[christep]

CAn I suggest going over to Flyertalk (http://www.flyertalk.com) and asking there? There are Trip Reports and all sorts - do a search on Air China.

[FormerFlyer]

Thanks for that - I will do.

Ta.

[FormerFlyer]

Well I've trawled through Flyertalk and there's hardly a mention of Air China, so I'm back here!

Anyone got ANY idea, please?!

[BRUpax]

How does the Air China fare compare with Emirates? I have no personal experience with Air China, but that's because I would never fly with them in the first place, not even if I could save £700 !

[FormerFlyer]

Just wondering - why would you never fly with them in the first place? What's made you come to that decision?

The CA fare is £1370 and I can go basically whenever I want in 2003 - the best EK fare I can see is around £1600 for travel in May or June 2003. Must be paid in full & ticketed immediately - May & June are not my ideal choice of travel months.

The OS fare I did have booked was £2000ish, but have just canx it today.


I used to confuse Air China with China Airlines but discovered there are def. different companies - the latter's the one which frequently crashed.

[BRUpax]

For me it's more to do with training standards, CRM and culture. A western Captain will for instance make every effort to minimise pax discomfort in turbulence (level change/weather avoidance etc.) whereas many eastern Captains will just plod on through regardless.

[FormerFlyer]

Oh fair enough - I was wondering a bit whether you had safety standards concerns, and if so whyso.

Cheers.

[Borat]

This won't help much with Air China, but have you checked out JAL? Went LHR-SYD via Narita outbound, and SYD-LHR via Kansai (with inclusive nightstop inc breakfast) just before Xmas for 600 sterling. Very good service and good IFE throughout. Might be worth a go. Have flown with a number of Asian airlines (including a number of Chinese carriers) and found them all to be fine.

Only cause for concern is the old "loss of face" business in Asia. Understand CRM is not all it should be with some airlines. CRM appears to mean Captain's Right Mate in some cultures, and he's not to be questioned by FO or FE. Not ideal to say the least.

You pays your money......

[FormerFlyer]

Yeah my other half did BNE with JAL in early December for silly money but it was Y class.

Call me a snob but I can't find any decent J class fares with them, as I like a bit of comfort when doing longhaul ;)

Brunei used to do good fares but they just don't seem to have any avail through any of the usual consolidators any more.

[CHIVILCOY]

Air China opinion


I would certainly recommend a stopover in Beijing at least for a couple of days. It's a fascinating city, a mixture of modern and old and a great place just to walk about and see the sights such as the forbidden city and tiananmen square, there is also the opportunity to visit the Great Wall as day tours run regularly and can easily be booked from any hotel. The hotels are superb and they will certainly look after you.
I would go and visit now as it will probably be spoilt in a few years time.

I flew economy to Beijing with Air China a few years ago from LHR in a 747-400 and had no complaints, some passengers might complain about the rather naive inflight entertainment that was on offer then, but if anything they have probably improved allround since then as they were undergoing a transition to entice more westerners to fly with them.

[mr.777]

FormerFlyer

I've never travelled on Air China,but a friend of mine flew to Oz on them a couple of years ago and said they were fine.In flight food was very "chinese"(not your take away variety though...get my drift?!).
Both flights empty,particularly PEK-SYD.
If I was you I'd give it a go.Speaking as an airline employee who has travelled most places on most airlines,on a flight that length,unless you travel business/first,theres not a lot a fat lot of difference.
A stop over in Beijing is a good idea,which is what my friend did.Apart form breaking up the journey,you can visit the Great Wall etc.
Hope this helps.......at least youre not flying on Cubana in April like me!