I just had the - ummmm - pleasure, to be seated across the aisle from a US-American couple on CA781 PEK-ZRH.
It started very normal. Boarding was early, I was happy enough with my seat 31H (first row of economy, very nice legroom and no "traffic" besides very frequent water service from the crew.
Flight was mostly full (about 85-90% in Y) but lightly in C.
Aircraft was a A330-200 (Version 1, as seatguru calls it)
The couple in question was on seats 31J and 31L - arguably the best "couple seats" in Economy.
About an hour in flight - shortly before the first drink service - the female part of the couple went up and walked down the aisle (hardly noticed by myself at this point) - then came back about two minutes later.
"We are in Economy!!" she was shouting at her boyfriend (couldn't spot any rings - and later the manifest showed different last names, thus assuming so) in a level that was heard across almost the whole forward economy cabin.
Then they started to loudly (slightly less loud than her first initial outbreak) to discuss how this happened.
For a few minutes, before the drink service started in full.
I was wondering what was going on. At that moment I thought they apparently bought Premium Economy, but since there was no Y+ on this aircraft, they got the best Y seats available. Which are more or less what Premium Economy actually is on Air China.
More pitch. And that's about it. Which is why - at this moment - I realized it's usually sold at a very low extra premium cost, and that sometimes I got "upgraded" there as a *G member without costs even when the Y cabin wasn't full.
So they were missing their "Premium Economy" experience somehow.
Now while it's probably known to a frequent traveller that Premium Economy isn't the same on all airlines - on some it's just a bit more seat pitch and maybe a slightly improved IFE or food - on others its a reasonably different class of it's own where one could feel outright cheated by getting a downgrade. I made my last SEN-requalification with some LH Y+ flights, and I can very well assure you I'd have been very unhappy if I was downgraded to their regular Economy.
But on Air China - and I knew that - it wasn't really a big deal, hardly a difference between seats 31J/L and their Premium Economy seats.
So, now the drink service rolled on. They complained heavily to the crew, who were a bit irritated by their shoutings "Why are we in Economy? We booked "PREMIUM economy!!!" and so on. They eventually asked them - just as everyone else - for their drink wishes as well as telling them they'll investigate it, served them, and eventually everyone else was settled too. Or so I thought.
Seconds after the trolly went down the aisle a bit more, they kept on complaing on what happened. Their English was showing they were from some kind of (Southern) US state (I can't really differenciate, but it didn't sound like some Boston or NYC accent to me) and they were telling each other that "we got another 8 hours to go and we will not accept this". 8 hours is about what it's from ZRH to somewhere like Atlanta - a bit more than to JFK, BOS or the like. I didn't asked for details.
But about 15min later, when they were basically still discussing with each other the very same issue - that they were in "poor ECONOMY" and not in glorious "PREMIUM economy" and that they paid "100 dollar" more than everyone else for their flight, I was getting slightly irritated.
So, I eventually asked them, in a friendly manner, what's the discussion about, and tried to explain them that the only difference between Economy and Premium Economy on Air China was a slightly increased seat pitch, and that due to a aircraft change this one didn't had a "proper Economy comfort section", but they got the best seats and they'll most probably get their surcharge back rather easily. They'd have none of it. Immediately telling me off, they told me that they are FREQUENT FLYERS, and that they know better, that they shouldn't be there, and what not. I rested my case. The women then .....ed (in a voice clearly meant so I could hear it) that I "sided" with "them" (the crew, apparently) and that I "belong" to them.
I didn't answered. I realized at this time those were DYKWIA kind of people, and that I was happy to have the aisle between them and me. But it went on..
Shortly after, the drink service finished, and the crew came rather quickly with the cabin crew manager and two crew members (those who served the drinks) to the two pax in question.
They explained very much the same as I just did a few mere minutes to them - that due to an aircraft swap, this aircraft didn't had premium economy seats, that they got bulkhead seats which were at least equal in pitch, and that they'll get back the surcharge paid. It wasn't in the best English, but clearly understandable by even myself, a non-native English speaker on the other side of the aisle. Cabin crew manager then disappeared (his English wasn't that great - actually quite a bit worse than that of the crew serving the aisle) and the other two staff tried to explain in (reasonable well) English the same again. The couple would have none of that. At that moment, they started demanding they want to be seated in Business class, due to them having bought Premium Economy and it not being available.
They went on and on, explained they're "very frequently flyers", and that it's "normal airline behaviour" to upgrade Premium Economy class passengers to Business class if such class wasn't available.
I was having trouble to hold myself together at that point, but managed so. Crew eventually told them "they'll check with the flight manager", and went off to prepare the meal service.
When the crew was gone, I couldn't really stop myself from asking if they're really expecting an upgrade to Business class. I have to admit, I wasn't entirely friendly towards them at this point, but still was very neutral (as the crew who came back at this point already confirmed pretty much) and honestly interested how they're believing they were due Business class seats when they pretty much got the product they paid for - which is the best Economy class seat on the plane, plus a refund.
I got more of the insults already having started above for "siding with the crew", and decided I'll not talk to them for good, however stupid they'll behave. And luckily I did.
So the crew came back cutting them off, telling them they'll get a form for the refund, and went off again. Then meal service started.
It was beef or seafood, I had the seafood, and while it was a bit chewy, it was reasonable good for Economy class. 6/10 I'd say. The rice was pretty good, the salad fresh, and the small snack pack actually rather tasty. And the dessert couldn't be fouled either. Reasonable Economy class quality. Or "Premium Economy", if you'd like to say that.
While the boyfriend ate his food, the girlfriend just complained how awful it was. And kept on complaining for the next few hours. Eventually - after watching a movie and reading a bit - I fell asleep. Upon waking up, nothing had changed. We were now about 6 hours into the flight, and apparently they were still complaing. I don't think the crew was much interested or interacted with them anymore at this point, and they were quite clearly still in their bulkhead Economy class seats. So I tried not to care much. Realized the women was very hungry at that point (and did shout so), somehow refusing the cookies offered to her several times (they're not great, but perfectly acceptable as a snack - guess it's always the same kind of yellowish cookies - two pieces per pack - so maybe others could agree or disagree with that)
She went as far as calling the food "Dog food" and if her boyfriend is expecting her to eat that..
Anyway, after having had a cookie myself, I decided I'm more hungry, and that I luckily grabbed an instant noodle pot in Chengdu (after asking the lounge staff there if that was actually acceptable, which they happily agreed it - their sign to not take out food was probably meant more against mass-takings) - went to the real galley with it, had it filled with hot water, returned to my seat and after a few minutes started to eat it. I'm easily getting hungry on flights, so I wolfed it down quite fast, not-intentionally apparently getting a lot of attention from the hungry women across the aisle.
When the next crew member came on water duty a few minutes later, she immediately demanded to get "the same pot as that guy", pointing at me. Flight attendant answered that this wasn't offered, turned around to me and asked if I was finished (I was), then happily took them empty pot.
The face of the women across the aisle was rather priceless I've to say.
And now they really got into some kind of massive tantrum, pushing her boyfriend. I had put on my earphones (quite okay by Economy class standards, actually) and tried to ignore them at my best at this point. But boy they went on and on.
Another hour later, before the second meal service, the cabin crew manager came with a form (probably for the happened downgrade), and had them fill it out. That - luckily - took them ages, and they were quiet while doing so. He came back a sensible moment later, filled out the many blanks they left together with them, then handed them their copy (it was one of those forms where you'll fill out 3 identical sheets at once and they can get separated afterwards) and left. He wouldn't come back later.
Second meal drink service came. Not more than the average complaints across the aisle. Second meal service came. It was slightly better than before (7/10) and the choice was between chicken noodles and pork rice. I had the chicken noodles.
Apparently, now even the women ate her "dog food". Mumbling and complaining went on a bit, but soon we reached ZRH and finally everyone was let off the aircraft. Just the couple was stopped at the aircraft door by some staff.
Unfortunately I couldn't hear very well what was going on, but I doubt it was some very warm welcome to Zürich.
Anyone else been on CA781 PEK-ZRH on Wednesday, 5th June and could second what I heard (or even better, tell me what happened to the couple in ZRH
)
I doubt their next 8 hours flight was better (and I checked, no departure to the US on that evening anymore from what I understood) and while I enjoyed the lovely 28C evening on the sun terrasse of the SEN lounge for a bit before heading home, I couldn't think of a stranger experience I've made on Air China, ever.
Just felt like sharing this experience about the "Premium Economy" couple here on FT, hoping someone else was on the same flight on 5th June or happened to notice a strange couple on a ZRH-UnitedStates bound flight a day (?) later.
I have to say I admit the crew to staying so professional and not involving any kind of air marshall. The couple was heavily abusive towards the crew, China in general, and myself. I'd say in that order. I was thinking for a short while (after I tried to explain them what Premium Economy on Air China was about and then getting sh... for it) to actually report the issue in a proper report to the crew and have even ZRH authorities involved in it. But it seems that the crew at least did the second part themselves, probably the first one as well.
It's one thing to get the (small) monetary amount back you've paid to upgrade to Y+ on CA - it's another thing to complain the whole flight long about it and demand upgrades to Business class as well as insulting the airline staff, the airline's home country as well as other passengers (who, if I may compliment myself, probably were slightly more experienced flyers overall as well as on Air China)