I'm somewhat intrigued by what is going on in regards to aircraft types which are shown on reservation systems (airline websites, travel agent websites, ...).
Example of this:
I book a flight on CZ for PVG-XIY, shows as 737 before booking. Once booking confirmed, shows as 757 though sometimes shows again as 737.
I book another flight, this time on CA, XIY-PEK, shows as 74E before booking. Once booking confirmed, shows as 738.
What is right in all of this? What aircraft type can I expect to see (if the flight isn't cancelled).
olimaspecto
Jul 7, 06, 3:02 pm
The CA flight will likely be a 738.
I find that often even when they say a widebody it will end up being an A320 or 737.
moondog
Jul 10, 06, 9:33 pm
I have never taken a flight in China (that actually left the ground) where the a/c type was different than advertised. Also, I just looked at Xi'an-Beijing for your for tomorrow and didn't see any 747s:
For those flights you will get a single aisle aircraft, either a 737, 757 or A320/319.
The China domestic market is much like the US domestic market with lots of small single aisle planes flying all over the place. I think the US air traffic control does a much better job, however, of limiting delays but I've heard this is because of some strange Chinese rules regarding military airspace covering the entire country.
To get on a twin aisle on a domestic flight you have to be flying between Guangzhou and Beijing, or Shanghai and Beijing (even most of these flights are single aisles) and rarer and rarer on the Guangzhou to Shanghai route there is a twin aisle. Other than that you are pretty much stuck with single aisles.
moondog
Jul 11, 06, 1:05 am
For those flights you will get a single aisle aircraft, either a 737, 757 or A320/319.
note that mu2101 is an a300 (wide body).
silverkris168
Jul 13, 06, 4:58 pm
Back when I was living in China 10-12 years ago, the main criteria or importance of aircraft types was simply ---is it a modern Western aircraft (e.g. Boeing, Airbus, McDonnell Douglas) as opposed to an old Russian metal?
Reason - the modern planes are more reliable (less chance of your flight being cancelled or delayed due to mechanical problems) and safer. This was not my own opinion, it was advice commonly given by my Chinese colleagues.
At the time, pretty much the main trunk routes (e.g. Beijing to Shanghai) were operated with US or European manufactured aircraft. Air China (CA) was a Boeing client, and MU used Airbus and some MD-11s. Only some flights into the hinterland - like Xinjiang - you would be flying on Russian metal, like the IL86, which was a widebody, twin-aisle plane.
Probably now there are few if any Russian planes still operating in China---anybody know?
phillipas
Jul 14, 06, 1:01 am
I read an article that all Russian aircraft in China have now been retired from civil pax flights - but I do know that some quasi civil flight are still operated by what I think is called China United Airlines - if anyone knows more about this operation I'd love to hear! My local airport sees 1 flight a week - Tu154 operated.
Peter N-H
Jul 14, 06, 1:15 am
Probably now there are few if any Russian planes still operating in China---anybody know?
I happened to have the Chinese Air Carriers timetable next to me when I saw this query.
The list of aircraft types at the front of the book includes the Tupolev TU-154, the Ilyushin IL-86, and the Antonov AN-24.
I started opening the book at random and after scrutinizing about 30 spreads had failed to find a single flight by any of these. Then I started picking Former Soviet Union destinations and found Tupolev flights between Irkutsk and Shenyang and Samara, as well as Yak-42 flights (I'm vaguely under the impression that's a Chinese-built plane, and I flew on one in Yunnan, but that's nearly 20 years ago). But these were with Siberian and Samara Airlines--not Chinese.
I also found Tupolev and Ilyushin flights between Novosibirsk and Beijing, but again with Siberian and Fulkovo--again not Chinese.
This isn't a comprehensive survey, but it seems unlikely that you'll find a domestic flight on Russian/Soviet aircraft now. Out of Beijing the only destinations are Novosibirsk, Pyongyang, and Saint Petersburg, all with non-Chinese airlines. Even MIAT flies a 737 (although I flew on a Russian machine domestically in Mongolia about five years ago).