HEL - PVG. May 27th
Airbus 350
Considering all check in need to be done over the counter, I was a bit late arriving in the airport, but surprisingly even 1.2hr was sufficient to do all check-in coz the airport was really empty. Check-in included verifying green code for entering China which generated based on your covid test results.
I waitlisted the upgrade but was unable to clear T37. I decided to ask over counter when check in, the lady blurted out there was vacancy but later confirmed J was full. I couldn't figure out why the plane would be this full when right now entering China is super troublesome and foreigner visa is restricted.
Lounge was closed as expected. But Tax free, and some essential shops were opened, though they closed early at 5pm.
Very few ppl during the check-in and security, but when I finally reached boarding gate there were already significant amount of passengers waiting in line for boarding, like showing up from no where.
Later I had a chat in the flight with pax sitting next to me, and got told that 95% of pax in this route nowadays are from UK transfer via HEL, as all UK-CN routes are suspended from China side since January due to the diplomacy conflict....So UK pax going to China either take LFH via Frankfurt (cheaper but very often get cancelled) or take Finnair via HEL. That explained the full J and almost full Y that day. The transfer UK pax all have to stay airside overnight in vantaa airport while taking necessary covid test. They were supplied with basic blanket and pillow from Finnair though.
And during the day time, Finnair broadcasted several times to sell the last J seat to them and it was taken in the morning already. So I guess that was the one mentioned from my check-in counter.
On board experience was almost same as before Covid era. But there were no supply for blanket and pillow for hygiene reason. Not sure if that is case for J .
Arrival in China side was first waiting in seat for staff measuring the temperature first. When everybody temperature was cleared, then disembark row by row. In the land side there were several check points which verify your code and handing out the covid test appliances. Then all ppl went through separate booths for nose and throat sampling. After that ppl were separated based on their final destination after arrival, (nowadays each airline company only have one route to China per week), and sent to quarantine hotel for 14 days.
Frankly speaking, I was cautious for the procedure after arrival in China since I read that the whole process was quite unpleasant and sometimes even unreasonable. But at least in PVG, the whole process was very smooth, staff were very polite and efficient, even taking the nose sample was much more gentle than in Terveystalo.... It was about 2 hrs in total for clearing all things before going to the quarantine place.
Now sitting in a four star hotel in Shanghai, I will try to enjoy the quarantine confinement for the next two weeks.