China Eastern opinion
Jan 27, 2017, 2:52 pm
#16
Join Date: Nov 2011
Location: Formerly at PIT, now planted near MSP.
Programs: No flights since April 2019 (Medical Issues). Lost all my status.
Posts: 1,483
I flew DL Biz from USA to PVG and MU Biz from PVG to USA. MU was better, except for the movie selection and the lack of English subtitles.
Jan 27, 2017, 3:16 pm
#17
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Location: San Antonio
Programs: DL DM, Former AA EXP now AY Plat, AC 75K, NW Plat, Former CO Gold, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium
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I fly this route often and as in most circumstances, the value of this award depends upon what you as the consumer prioritize.
The pros:
-For those flying directly to PVG, the direct flight without having to connect in DTW / SEA / LAX is fantastic
-The hard product in J is about as good as there is out there. Especially when then aisle movable arm-rest is down, the seat is down-right roomy (even better by a bit than the DL ex NW 332 / 332
Now for the downsides:
-The catering is not good, even by airline standards, especially if you opt for the western cuisine.
-The service is poor- the staff is not particularly customer oriented, especially compared to other asian carriers, such as SQ, NH, JL, or KE (they do this odd thing where they come with a menu, ask what you like, then you order and they take the menu away)
-The cabin is HOT compared to US carriers which I really dislike
-Sometimes the pilots smoke on the plane and you can smell it all the in the back of the J cabin
In sum, if you value convenience and hard product like I do then MU is a great option. If you value soft product and service, I would look elsewhere. Generally, 80K miles for a direct flight to asia in a 773 seat is a good value IMO.
The pros:
-For those flying directly to PVG, the direct flight without having to connect in DTW / SEA / LAX is fantastic
-The hard product in J is about as good as there is out there. Especially when then aisle movable arm-rest is down, the seat is down-right roomy (even better by a bit than the DL ex NW 332 / 332
Now for the downsides:
-The catering is not good, even by airline standards, especially if you opt for the western cuisine.
-The service is poor- the staff is not particularly customer oriented, especially compared to other asian carriers, such as SQ, NH, JL, or KE (they do this odd thing where they come with a menu, ask what you like, then you order and they take the menu away)
-The cabin is HOT compared to US carriers which I really dislike
-Sometimes the pilots smoke on the plane and you can smell it all the in the back of the J cabin
In sum, if you value convenience and hard product like I do then MU is a great option. If you value soft product and service, I would look elsewhere. Generally, 80K miles for a direct flight to asia in a 773 seat is a good value IMO.
Note the 777 is 1-2-1 unlike the A330. Thus the post above about seating was on a different plane type.
Jan 27, 2017, 5:38 pm
#18
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: The Internet
Programs: Alaska Mileage Plan
Posts: 714
Lived in China for 3 years. Generally speaking China Eastern is the worst of the 3 major Chinese airlines. I'd avoid them if you have another option. Very poor at service recovery, inflight service isn't particularly good or friendly, food is worse than the other Chinese airlines.
Also, when redeeming award tickets, you have to pay fuel surcharges on MU. You don't when booking Delta's own flights.
Personally I'd try to get to Seattle and connect to Delta's own flight onward to Shanghai. There is usually pretty good availability. You may be able to pick up the connecting flight on Alaska if you leave from Newark.
Also, when redeeming award tickets, you have to pay fuel surcharges on MU. You don't when booking Delta's own flights.
Personally I'd try to get to Seattle and connect to Delta's own flight onward to Shanghai. There is usually pretty good availability. You may be able to pick up the connecting flight on Alaska if you leave from Newark.
Jan 29, 2017, 7:45 am
#19
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/2MM, AA Plat, IC Diam. Amb., Peninsula regular, amanjunkie
Posts: 5,848
There are extensive comments on MU Business Class in a thread in the Other Asian carriers forum on FT. Included in it are my comments on a diversion we experienced from PuDong to Hongqiao and the ugly scene that ensued there as pax fought to get to PuDong.
I've never noticed the cabin temp as an issue on MU. That said, I don't notice it on KE either.
Beware narrow body aircraft flying intra-Asia routes like BKK sometimes. That's a real downgrade from the widebodies, and far inferior to KE on ICN-BKK. I did notice smoke from the cockpit on my recent BKK-PVG flight.
Oh, and there's limo service in U.S. gateways and PVG for *all* paid Business pax, unlike say VS which offers limo service in New York and London only to certain high fare classes. I'll be booking the limo service from JFK to the airport hotel we're staying at. Better than the AirTrain and the hotel shuttle. No limo service on award tix, though.
For those paying for J, this is an exceptional value, especially on tickets originating in Asia. We're paying about $2500 for J BKK-JFK-vv and earning around 30,000 MQM's, 6,000 MQD's, and upwards of 50,000 RDM's.
I've never noticed the cabin temp as an issue on MU. That said, I don't notice it on KE either.
Beware narrow body aircraft flying intra-Asia routes like BKK sometimes. That's a real downgrade from the widebodies, and far inferior to KE on ICN-BKK. I did notice smoke from the cockpit on my recent BKK-PVG flight.
Oh, and there's limo service in U.S. gateways and PVG for *all* paid Business pax, unlike say VS which offers limo service in New York and London only to certain high fare classes. I'll be booking the limo service from JFK to the airport hotel we're staying at. Better than the AirTrain and the hotel shuttle. No limo service on award tix, though.
For those paying for J, this is an exceptional value, especially on tickets originating in Asia. We're paying about $2500 for J BKK-JFK-vv and earning around 30,000 MQM's, 6,000 MQD's, and upwards of 50,000 RDM's.
Jan 29, 2017, 8:51 am
#20
Join Date: Oct 2007
Posts: 239
Jan 29, 2017, 8:58 am
#21
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: ATL
Programs: DL DM, Hyatt LT DM, Wyndham DM, Hertz PC, HH Gold, SPG Gold, Marriott Gold
Posts: 2,038
Economy but my review of some of the items that would carry over into your questions.
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...omy-class.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...omy-class.html
Jul 16, 2017, 5:20 am
#22
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: DL DM, AA Plat, Hertz Pres. Club. SPG Gold
Posts: 574
There are extensive comments on MU Business Class in a thread in the Other Asian carriers forum on FT. Included in it are my comments on a diversion we experienced from PuDong to Hongqiao and the ugly scene that ensued there as pax fought to get to PuDong.
I've never noticed the cabin temp as an issue on MU. That said, I don't notice it on KE either.
Beware narrow body aircraft flying intra-Asia routes like BKK sometimes. That's a real downgrade from the widebodies, and far inferior to KE on ICN-BKK. I did notice smoke from the cockpit on my recent BKK-PVG flight.
Oh, and there's limo service in U.S. gateways and PVG for *all* paid Business pax, unlike say VS which offers limo service in New York and London only to certain high fare classes. I'll be booking the limo service from JFK to the airport hotel we're staying at. Better than the AirTrain and the hotel shuttle. No limo service on award tix, though.
For those paying for J, this is an exceptional value, especially on tickets originating in Asia. We're paying about $2500 for J BKK-JFK-vv and earning around 30,000 MQM's, 6,000 MQD's, and upwards of 50,000 RDM's.
I've never noticed the cabin temp as an issue on MU. That said, I don't notice it on KE either.
Beware narrow body aircraft flying intra-Asia routes like BKK sometimes. That's a real downgrade from the widebodies, and far inferior to KE on ICN-BKK. I did notice smoke from the cockpit on my recent BKK-PVG flight.
Oh, and there's limo service in U.S. gateways and PVG for *all* paid Business pax, unlike say VS which offers limo service in New York and London only to certain high fare classes. I'll be booking the limo service from JFK to the airport hotel we're staying at. Better than the AirTrain and the hotel shuttle. No limo service on award tix, though.
For those paying for J, this is an exceptional value, especially on tickets originating in Asia. We're paying about $2500 for J BKK-JFK-vv and earning around 30,000 MQM's, 6,000 MQD's, and upwards of 50,000 RDM's.
Jul 16, 2017, 5:33 am
#23
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Jul 16, 2017, 9:24 am
#24
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/2MM, AA Plat, IC Diam. Amb., Peninsula regular, amanjunkie
Posts: 5,848
Opposite approach to booking KE tickets, because MU is tier 1 and KE is Tier 4 (for now).
Jul 16, 2017, 9:29 am
#25
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/2MM, AA Plat, IC Diam. Amb., Peninsula regular, amanjunkie
Posts: 5,848
Jul 16, 2017, 12:01 pm
#26
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Join Date: Sep 2013
Programs: DL DM, AA Plat, Hertz Pres. Club. SPG Gold
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No. DO NOT book as DL codeshares, because then you'll get RDM's and MQD's as if it were a flight on Delta metal. So your $2600 BKK-JFK-vv Business ticket would earn about 27,500 RDM's for a Diamond Medallion. If booked on an MU code, then same itinerary earns about 57,000 RDM's for a Diamond. In any case, as far as I've seen, the tickets would be much cheaper on MU codes.
Opposite approach to booking KE tickets, because MU is tier 1 and KE is Tier 4 (for now).
Opposite approach to booking KE tickets, because MU is tier 1 and KE is Tier 4 (for now).
Jul 16, 2017, 12:19 pm
#27
Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: Delta PlM, 1M
Posts: 6,365
I believe it has to be both MU codes and MU paper (or at least non-DL paper) to earn RDMs based on miles.
If it matters, you also get MQDs based on miles flown (at a very nice rate).
Still seeing very nice C prices on them. $2.6k RT AI JFK-BKK on the very first random stab for next March.
If it matters, you also get MQDs based on miles flown (at a very nice rate).
Still seeing very nice C prices on them. $2.6k RT AI JFK-BKK on the very first random stab for next March.
Last edited by exwannabe; Jul 16, 2017 at 12:26 pm
Jul 16, 2017, 2:07 pm
#28
Join Date: Dec 2004
Location: ATL
Programs: DL SkyMiles PM/2MM, AA Plat, IC Diam. Amb., Peninsula regular, amanjunkie
Posts: 5,848
That's right. Good clarifying point. Make sure to book directly with MU or via an OTA like Orbitz that will issue tickets on MU stock. If you are ticketed on DL 006- stock, even with MU coded flight numbers, you would earn RDM's based on dollars not distance.
Aug 21, 2017, 6:05 pm
#29
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Programs: DL DM, AA Plat, Hertz Pres. Club. SPG Gold
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Just bought an MU J ticket JFK-SIN on Orbitz. Do you know what numbers MU ticket stock starts with?
Aug 21, 2017, 7:39 pm
#30
Join Date: Jul 2017
Programs: Delta
Posts: 22
Just flew MU JFK-PVG last week in business and both ways were on 777 300ER. The temperature was a bit on the warm side, food in my opinion was not good, service was okay, seat was roomy and comfortable, headphone was a joke in business, rows 6 and 7 are in their own mini section so there is more privacy. Did smell smoke for the only time at about an hour before landing at PVG.