What previously set KN apart from other Chinese airlines, was that it was owned by the army (as opposed to other more mundane government entities). As a result, it offered features like military airports (e.g. its home base was Beijing Nanyuan, which long ago was displaced by a much needed shopping mall), pilots who enjoyed aggressive flying, and almost no cabin service.

But, the PLA was forced to divest its equity as a part of the general cleanup campaign, and now KN is part of the China Eastern Group.

As such, it's more like other Chinese airlines than it is its former former self. I haven't flown them much recently though because the military airports were one of the main reasons I gave them business previously.

And, I definitely wasn't aware that they now have lie flat seats.

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