Rowill64

Hi - I'm looking to go from YVR to DEL in December and am getting a good fare with China Southern Airlines.

The routing goes YVR - CAN - DEL, with a fairly short (2.5 hour) lay-over in CAN.

Does anyone have any experience on long haul flights with these guys? The fare, timing and routing are quite good, but I'm mildly suspicious of the comfort and in-flight service etc. for such long flights.

Anyone with first hand experience who can share will be much appreciated.

Thanks

dkc192

Mods, perhaps this thread should be moved to the Other Asian etc. airlines forum?

obscure2k

Please follow this thread in Other Asian Airlines.....
Thanks....
obscure2k
TravelBuzz Moderator

SirJman

They arent the best, and CAN is a pretty grim airport to transit in, and if you have SkyTeam lounge access, you will be quite disappointed by the lounges in CAN (but granted if you are going to DEL, CAN will seem like heaven), I have flown them in order to save cash, and would fly them again, it just depends the amount being saved.

Also, most of the cheap CZ flights book into non mileage earning fare classes. Just beware.

Santander

Having flown both multiple times, I generally prefer CZ to CA (Air China). I generally choose CZ over CA for domestic flights because their schedule seems to work better for me. I'm assuming you'll be flying in Y, so expect semi-edible food and torturous seats YVR-CAN. I believe the regular Y cabin is 3-4-3 on a 777 which is what most carriers have on a 747. Even UA 777s are 9-across. Check out Premium Economy (W, Z) fares, they're usually available for a pretty reasonable price and is a pretty good compromise between price and comfort.

I assume you're not a SkyTeam elite so the lounge in CAN will be pretty irrelevant to you (only 2.5 hour cnx anyways). I'm not sure about the YVR route but English proficiency by both ground and in-flight crew is not so good. If you just want to get to DEL cheaply, you'll survive on CZ.

Akiestar

I've flown on the CZ 77E, and it's bearable, but as much as possible aim for a bulkhead seat, a seat in the front economy cabin, or get premium economy. I've been hearing that economy in the back is tortuous. Be warned though that the seats can appear worn and the lavatories aren't the best out there. Also, the quality of English among CZ crews is inconsistent, but you'll definitely survive.

If you're interested, I posted a summary of my CZ experiences in this thread: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/other...cz-review.html. I kinda got lazy into writing the actual report, so I hope the summary will do.

If it helps, I like CZ so much I'm flying them again this September when I go to Europe for studies abroad.

spc354

If all goes well, no problems. If there is a delay of any sort, they appear to wash their hands of the problem. As a ST Elite+ I flew them CAN-NRT connecting to DL, and their delay left me stranded until I fixed things on my own. Also, they were absolutely uncooperative when it came to crediting my FF account. I ended up getting a fraction of the miles even though I flew paid business class (still fighting that). My experience with MU is much much better, and they are my choice now once they have become a part of the ST. Service on board is indifferent for business class as well economy of course.

manureva744

I flew CZ on SYD-CAN-Sanya-CAN-NRT.

SYD-CAN, check in was fast as I was the first there and Elite+. I asked how much it would cost to get an upgrade and the manager took my boarding card, looked at my files and told me that as I was an Elite+ he will bump me up to Premium Economy.
Had access to the lounge with my Elite+ card, CZ use the NZ lounge in SYD.
Flight was on a A333. Premium Economy was 2-4-2 and I had a bulkhead row.
Food was good, toilets cleaned throughout the flight. The crew was OK. the man serving me was a bit rough on the edges but he did what he had to, hand out food and drinks, nothing more.

Transit in CAN from international to domestic was a little of a schlep really with a very long tunnel to take after having gone thru immigration and customs.

Domestic flights to and from Sanya were on A320. Flights weren't too full. In Y only limited drinks and peanuts were served. On the way back I asked to be put in Y+ as an Elite+, the girl at the desk obliged to do so but at no time was there any smile or kind attitude. She was more of a robot !
Lounge in SYX is very basic in its comfort but plenty of biscuits, dried noodles etc...
Flight to CAN in Y+, they served a sort of burger with an unrecognisable meat. This was probably the 2nd worst meal I had on a flight. hardly touched the sandwich.

After arrival in CAN same trek back to international terminal in that long dark tunnel... not nice.
Took me a while to find the checkin area for CZ to NRT. There I requested to buy an upgrade to J for my flight to NRT. Took a couple of people, phone call and they did it. Ran to the check in counter and I got 1A. I think the upgrade cost me 300 or 400 USD.
Went thru security than immigration and I was on my way to the lounge. What a sad excuse for a lounge. TINY ! couple of sandwiches, fridges full of drinks and voila... Seen better lounges in the world.
Flight to NRT was really good. Business was pretty much empty, may be 6 or 7 pax.
Crew was really nice. felt bad for the girl who kept on kneeling each time she brought me something like sleepers or portable PTV, or asking for my choice of meal.
Food was good, all on one tray maybe due to the short flight time. portable TV had a small number of movies, most of them in french ! watched one movie, slept some and we were in NRT in no time.

All in all, CZ is an OK airline. Nothing to write home about but not the worst either really. You should be fine with your flights.
Food was