I took a CA flight from PVG to NRT earlier this week and am on my way back on another. Sitting here at the JAL lounge, I thought I'd share a little of my *G experience with CA.

Short summary: don't do it...at least not between China and Japan.

From PVG to NRT (discounted Y):

Check in PVG was very smooth. *G gets the Business Class check in, clearly marked at the counter. GOOD. The CS puts a "Gold Card" sticker on my boarding pass and handed me a voucher to CA's lounge. The lounge was no way near the quality of the ANA lounge next door. It reminds me of China 15 years ago. But it has wireless access, which made up for the lousy seats and decor.

The seat assignment is the business-as-usual-in-China, brain-dead scheme. They absolutely fill the front of the plane and leave the back half virtually empty. NO GOOD.

Flight was uneventful and on time.

From NRT to PVG (discounted Y):

Here's where all the fun began. I arrived at NRT terminal 2 around noon for my 2:55pm flight, and kindly turned away by the check in line attendant. She told me to come back in half an hour when the flight is open for check in. Half an hour later I came back and found hundreds of people lining up. I'm not kidding, hundreds! I walked to the end of the line, which is at the opposite end of the terminal, and luckily saw a CS lady holding a CA sign there. I approached and asked whether there is a way for me to get ahead, mentioning that I'm *G. Without hesitation she bowed, and asked me to follow her. A few minutes later, I'm at the check-in counter, cutting those hundreds of people off completely. GOOD. VERY GOOD. or so I thought.

Then I found out that the flight has been delayed indefinitely. I cannot clear the immigration yet due to the flight status. And there is no lounge until after I clear the passport control. I was given a 1000YEN coupon for food and drinks and off I went.

Terminal 2 is not exactly a *A terminal. CA is the only *A member there and it's JAL personnel who fill the counters. Therefore it was particularly frustrating not having anybody or anything to go to for information. I'm sure a *G would have had better customer service in terminal 1, where all the other *A airlines are.

The flight was delayed by over 3 hours and I finally got in. And the JAL annex lounge I was given access to is not at all bad (better than any red carpet club in the States at least). Probably my last time here. My first experience on CA as a *A carrier is very disappointing.