China Airlines Business Class awards available - Is CI any good?
Dec 5, 2012, 6:58 am
#1
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China Airlines Business Class awards available - Is CI any good?
CI has plenty of availability in Business at the moment, LAX-TPE and onwards to places like MNL. Their business class doesn't seem to have lie flat beds though like CZ.
Has any one used them in business? Wonder if they charge YQ on award tickets?
Has any one used them in business? Wonder if they charge YQ on award tickets?
Dec 5, 2012, 11:35 am
#3
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CI has only a few aircraft with newer seats, still not true lie flat, but a bigger recline and somewhat comfortable. Most of CI aircraft business class is equivalent to most others' premium economy or domestic "first" (yes, it is even worse than the horrible DL 767-300ER "BusinessElite"): a wider seat with a bit more recline, but not nearly enough to assume any comfortable position. That is the reason why CI has so much O availability, and usually less or no S availability: it's business class is really premium economy, and thus is a rather poor value for the miles. (Unless you are on one of the few routes where CI has its newer aircraft, and I think that LAX may be one of those routes...but check on china-airlines.com for more info.)
Dec 5, 2012, 12:01 pm
#4
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Check the "Other Asian airlines" section here on FT. There's someone who keeps a pretty comprehensive list of information on the Taiwanese carriers (CI and BR).
Dec 5, 2012, 6:13 pm
#7
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Thanks tentseller .... only issue with CZ is the high taxes ($330) ... just wondering if CI was an alternate ... but from what I've gathered CZ is by far the best with true lie flat seats in Business.
Dec 5, 2012, 8:02 pm
#8
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Dec 5, 2012, 8:46 pm
#9
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Originally Posted by tentseller:19803562
If MNL is your goal the easiest/best ST biz redemption is CZ LAX CAN MNL.
Plus transiting ICN has to be top 5 in the world in terms of ease of use.... transiting mainland china of the other hand: let's just say their airports are not yet in the top 5.
Fyi neither is Taiwan's IMHO; the CI TPE terminal I transited last week was a total dump.
Dec 5, 2012, 9:04 pm
#10
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Personally I prefer KE which has minimal YQ & also an A380 on the LAX leg going LAX-ICN-MNL.
Plus transiting ICN has to be top 5 in the world in terms of ease of use.... transiting mainland china of the other hand: let's just say their airports are not yet in the top 5.
Fyi neither is Taiwan's IMHO; the CI TPE terminal I transited last week was a total dump.
Plus transiting ICN has to be top 5 in the world in terms of ease of use.... transiting mainland china of the other hand: let's just say their airports are not yet in the top 5.
Fyi neither is Taiwan's IMHO; the CI TPE terminal I transited last week was a total dump.
However CZ has the best availability which is more suitable for date critical trips. My situation is also different for I can feast in Guangzhou, doing my version of "The Layover" without waiting at the airport.
Dec 6, 2012, 1:08 am
#11
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I def would go for KE, MU, or CZ's more business like products (i.e. flat beds). Heck, if you can score a DL flatbed via 747, 76W, or 77L I'd do that over CI.
Dec 6, 2012, 1:49 am
#12
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I just did SFO/TPE in October business. Not a true lie-flat, but the same as KL or AF medal. I also did TPE/HKG/TPE in November. 330 on the way out with a 744 return. Even had F class on it!
Dec 6, 2012, 4:54 am
#14
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Though the DL hard product (the lie flats) are great, I'm told the CZ flight attendants are up to Asian standards so the service is likely to be superior to DL. It is sad to say that while the DL BE flight attendants do give good service they don't go the extra mile; using your name for instance. Asian crews will often use your name even when you're not in your seat - I don't know how they do it, but it's a nice feeling.
Dec 6, 2012, 5:44 am
#15
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CZ has great availability - 2 tickets just about every day for 120K miles. CI has a lot of days. DL has no low and most medium aren't that convenient.
Though the DL hard product (the lie flats) are great, I'm told the CZ flight attendants are up to Asian standards so the service is likely to be superior to DL. It is sad to say that while the DL BE flight attendants do give good service they don't go the extra mile; using your name for instance. Asian crews will often use your name even when you're not in your seat - I don't know how they do it, but it's a nice feeling.
Though the DL hard product (the lie flats) are great, I'm told the CZ flight attendants are up to Asian standards so the service is likely to be superior to DL. It is sad to say that while the DL BE flight attendants do give good service they don't go the extra mile; using your name for instance. Asian crews will often use your name even when you're not in your seat - I don't know how they do it, but it's a nice feeling.