Other Asian, Australian and South Pacific Frequent Flyer Programs - Air China Service

Hi everyone,

I am going to fly with Air China soon (SFO-PEK) and then transfer to SGN in economy class on both legs. This is my first time flying with them; I have looked up reviews on different sites but they were mixed. Please let me know how good/bad the service on Air China is if you have flown with them recently. Also how is their service compared to China Airlines? Thanks a lot!

Hi everyone,

I am going to fly with Air China soon (SFO-PEK) and then transfer to SGN in economy class on both legs. This is my first time flying with them; I have looked up reviews on different sites but they were mixed. Please let me know how good/bad the service on Air China is if you have flown with them recently. Also how is their service compared to China Airlines? Thanks a lot!

See recent review here (though it's in F):
CA review (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/18306407-post4.html)

And please do share your experience as well.

Hi everyone,

I am going to fly with Air China soon (SFO-PEK) and then transfer to SGN in economy class on both legs. This is my first time flying with them; I have looked up reviews on different sites but they were mixed. Please let me know how good/bad the service on Air China is if you have flown with them recently. Also how is their service compared to China Airlines? Thanks a lot!

Flying on Y from SFO to PEK is a deathtrap. I've flown that flight before in Y 2 years ago and it was one of the worst trips I've had. You're stuck on an out-dated 747 Combi Aircraft and the service is just terrible (i.e. if you ask for a drink, the FA will tell you to go the galley and get it yourself). The food is inedible (pig skin with mystery sauce) and you get gruel for breakfast (in true Communist style = tasteless and absolutely unappetizing.)

CA has been trying to get rid of those combi aircraft for a long time and they're going to upgrade their planes soon. They're just waiting for the new orders to come in (which have been delayed by a bunch of times by Boeing). I was told by a country manager that CA is getting impatient with the delays and has threatened to just cancel the orders and buy more Airbuses.

Also, get yourself a good book. There are no AVODs in Y. Pack yourself a nice salami sandwich and a bottle of Ambien. Your trip should be better when you're knocked out unconscious and drooling on your seat mate.

I have flown with Air China numerous times on the SFO-PEK route. They are still using an aged 74E on this route. Y class is a bit aged but the same as flying UA on their 744. No PVT, only watching movies on a big screen at the front. No sockets in the seat to charge your device. Two meal service of standard chicken or beef with rice.

Basically, you get what you pay for. I understand CI is sending their newer 744 on the SFO route. You probably can only tell the difference in J/F.

I have flown with Air China numerous times on the SFO-PEK route. They are still using an aged 74E on this route. Y class is a bit aged but the same as flying UA on their 744. No PVT, only watching movies on a big screen at the front. No sockets in the seat to charge your device. Two meal service of standard chicken or beef with rice.

Basically, you get what you pay for. I understand CI is sending their newer 744 on the SFO route. You probably can only tell the difference in J/F.

Yesterday I flew UA PEK-SFO in Y on the 744 and while aged, I'd still take it above CA with those awful Combis. Food was actually passable on UA, and the FA's were good-humored and personable and gave decent service (by UA standard :p )

I personally will not fly Chinese aircraft over the big water, though I will fly them intra-Asia regional. What I can put up with for 3-4 hours is different than 10-12 hours.

. Pack yourself a nice salami sandwich and a bottle of Ambien. Your trip should be better when you're knocked out unconscious and drooling on your seat mate.

+1

Can't complain about what you can't remember.

+1

Can't complain about what you can't remember.

+2

Flying on Y from SFO to PEK is a deathtrap. I've flown that flight before in Y 2 years ago and it was one of the worst trips I've had. You're stuck on an out-dated 747 Combi Aircraft and the service is just terrible (i.e. if you ask for a drink, the FA will tell you to go the galley and get it yourself). The food is inedible (pig skin with mystery sauce) and you get gruel for breakfast (in true Communist style = tasteless and absolutely unappetizing.)

If you changed a few words you'd pretty much be describing UA Y. Inedible food, non-existent service, pretty much no IFE... SFO-PEK is one of the worst UA routes for service systemwide as well. I love SFO but I will not fly to China from SFO anymore.

Thank you everyone for your advice. After hearing terrible stories that my friends told me about Air China, I guess I am not flying with them any more even though I love to check out Beijing Terminal 3. I ended spending like 90 mins on the phone talking with a United agent to switch me to another flights on United & Asiana 3 days earlier than my original departure day.

Flew recently MU PVG-LAX Y. Flight was very nice.
But then again...the flight back is always the best part of any trip to China.:p

Eastbound UA and CA usually take very different routes even on the same day. CA tends to fly over Russia and UA tends to fly over Japan. So if you have a window seat and like to see some white terrain, only CA offers that. Also, if you fly around summer solstice (June/July), it may never get too dark on CA as they fly near 65 degrees north at midnight.

But UA has Channel 9. ^ Listening to the ATC over Korea and Japan and again on approach to USA was actually pretty fascinating. Made a mental note on which airlines seemed to have the more clueless pilots, to avoid those in the future. :eek: