China Southern or DragonAir?
May 22, 1999 | 10:53 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: YYZ
Programs: Air Canada Aeroplan, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Posts: 625
China Southern or DragonAir?
Hi,
My family and I might travel from Hong Kong to China somewhere in August. Which airlines should my family pick, China Southern or DragonAir?
Thanks!
My family and I might travel from Hong Kong to China somewhere in August. Which airlines should my family pick, China Southern or DragonAir?
Thanks!
May 23, 1999 | 12:44 am
#2
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Arizona
Posts: 213
I will go for Dragon Air. The seats are not as narrow with more knee room. Although China Southern is not that bad either. China Southern will give you Delta miles while I believe Dragon is joining (or have joined) Oneworld. That may be a consideration. Hope this helps.
May 23, 1999 | 1:34 am
#3
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: YYZ
Programs: Air Canada Aeroplan, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Posts: 625
Oh unfortunately I'm not a Delta members so that won't be in my consideration. However, DragonAir is a AsiaMiles (Cathay Pacific) members but not yet a oneworld member so that won't help either because I can collect Canadian Plus points if they are in the oneworld family. So, I'm more concerned about their services and food. Do they use the same catering company or they have their own?
May 23, 1999 | 1:48 am
#4
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Food catered from HKG airport is about the same....
Agincourt, are you only concerned about food catered aboard flights? I think your family will decide fare over food anytime.
If you are travelling from HK, please be aware that there are special tours catered for Chinese nationals. This is usually cheaper than the other tours - but the standards are lower. Food, catering, hotel etc. You have been warned!
Agincourt, are you only concerned about food catered aboard flights? I think your family will decide fare over food anytime.
If you are travelling from HK, please be aware that there are special tours catered for Chinese nationals. This is usually cheaper than the other tours - but the standards are lower. Food, catering, hotel etc. You have been warned!
May 23, 1999 | 3:15 pm
#5
Original Poster
Join Date: May 1998
Location: YYZ
Programs: Air Canada Aeroplan, Cathay Pacific Asia Miles
Posts: 625
We're actually travelling from Canada to Hong Kong on Canadian Airlines then connects to mainland China after few weeks stay in HK. Our concerns are should we join tour operators based in Hong Kong or should we travel on our own. My family said if we're travelling without tour operators, which airlines should we take, China Southern or DragonAir. However, I also saw many HK tour operators usually use DragonAir or China Southern to serve mainland China. So if we decided which airlines are the best, then we might just pick the right tour package/operator with the respective airlines. So that's why we're now more concerned with their services then price. 
May 23, 1999 | 4:24 pm
#6
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 9
I'm also going to Hong Kong and China this summer. The price difference is significant between flying out of Hong Kong and other nearby cities. Guangzhou - 2 hr train away - is a lot cheaper and Shenzhen - just across Chinese border is also cheaper. What I'm planning on doing is checking out Macau - it's a 45 minute - 1 hour boat ride from Hong Kong. Macau is a Portuguese colony until later this year and then crossing into China from there. The border town there - I don't know the name of it, but will post after consulting my Lonely Planet - is a whole lot cheaper to fly out of. Hope this helps - just thought you might want to know about some of your alternatives.
May 23, 1999 | 9:27 pm
#7
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Salt Lake City, UT, U.S.A.
Posts: 260
leroy is true. In fact, many HKGers who often travel to mainland cross the border first before getting onto the planes for much cheaper prices. The city north of Macau is Zhuhai.
But beware of those nasty taxi drivers who often rip travelers off.
[This message has been edited by yeelam (edited 05-27-99).]
But beware of those nasty taxi drivers who often rip travelers off.
[This message has been edited by yeelam (edited 05-27-99).]
May 24, 1999 | 10:58 pm
#9
In Memoriam
Join Date: May 1999
Location: San Francisco UA1K; AA Gold
Posts: 937
WRT Macau, Leroy, the Maritime Museum there is fascinating - one floor about Portuguese exploration & navigation, another about traditional Chinese boats and fishing (with great models, including a 90' junk that splits into two 45', the better to traverse crowded canals or winding streams!). It's right opposite the A-Ma Temple (also worth visiting), and restaurant A Lorcha (a block away) had fabulous Portuguese food, very reasonable and huge portions. So check these out before you catch that flight!
May 26, 1999 | 10:23 pm
#11
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Most businessmen prefer DragonAir as it has very nice business class service and an excellent safety record. I'm not sure if it's still true, but Dragonair used to be managed partly by Cathay.
May 27, 1999 | 12:16 am
#12
Original Member
Join Date: May 1998
Location: Hong Kong soon to be London
Posts: 208
I just returned from Beijing in Dragon Air Economy Class and was pleased. The food was less repulsive than normal, and the stewardesses were friendly. It was much better than the flight up on Air China. Yes, Cathay is a part-owner of Dragon Air, but no Asia Miles 
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Cheers,
HKF
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Cheers,
HKF
May 27, 1999 | 12:37 am
#14
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Salt Lake City, UT, U.S.A.
Posts: 260
FYI: In terms of safety, all KA planes (A-330 and A-320) are maintained by CX Airbus maintainence team in HKG. CX has another team: Boeing maintainence team, which is responsible for CX and Air HongKong B-747.
May 27, 1999 | 1:23 am
#15
Join Date: May 1999
Location: Salt Lake City, UT, U.S.A.
Posts: 260
Agincourt,
From HKG to Shenzhen (SZX, the city just north of HKG) Airport, you can take the jet-powered catamaran (six departures daily), which leaves from Kowloon (a part of HKG). Ph: 2851-1700 for info and 2789-5421 for reservation.
(Info from Lonely Planet-China 6th edition)
From HKG to Shenzhen (SZX, the city just north of HKG) Airport, you can take the jet-powered catamaran (six departures daily), which leaves from Kowloon (a part of HKG). Ph: 2851-1700 for info and 2789-5421 for reservation.
(Info from Lonely Planet-China 6th edition)