Air China J experiences
Apr 10, 2019, 12:50 am
#106
Join Date: Oct 2013
Location: Singapore
Programs: OZ Diamond, BAEC Silver, Marriott Platinum, HH Gold
Posts: 515
Hi,
Just as further data points:
- We did FRA-PVG yesterday on the A359. Overall planes look still fairly new. Seats were OK in general, given I am 1.75m tall - perhaps for someone else taller the foot cubicle area might feel a bit small. I managed to sleep roughly 6h so that’s quite OK I believe, given it was a redeye. Service was a bit patchy though eg. I somehow never got a hot towel during the initial round after take off; they seem to serve food in a strange manner i.e. the would bring you your starters, and then choice of main course but they would only bring the bread a few mins later (?). Other airlines do the bread round first, as far as I have experienced. Food-wise pretty OK, I must say - fairly solid overall. Cabin was 3/4 full. All in all, for what I paid (1500EUR for FRA-NRT with overnight in PVG, not too bad, even if I did not manage to get it as cheap as EUR 1200 for the same route a while back during sale). They also gave us (we requested this per email in advance) a free ride to our hotel in PVG. It was a Mercedes S Class and the driver waited for us close to 90min after landing, due to slow immigration lines. So this was appreciated, despite that the chauffeaur service for J passengers only works once on the first leg i.e. we had to get our own taxi the next morning back to the airport.
- Today we did PVG -NRT on a A332. Very comfortable seats for the 2h flight to NRT. Crew much nicer, especially one crew member from Japan I believe.
All in all, so far, quite OK for the price. Let’s see the return leg in a couple of weeks.
Hope this helps.
Just as further data points:
- We did FRA-PVG yesterday on the A359. Overall planes look still fairly new. Seats were OK in general, given I am 1.75m tall - perhaps for someone else taller the foot cubicle area might feel a bit small. I managed to sleep roughly 6h so that’s quite OK I believe, given it was a redeye. Service was a bit patchy though eg. I somehow never got a hot towel during the initial round after take off; they seem to serve food in a strange manner i.e. the would bring you your starters, and then choice of main course but they would only bring the bread a few mins later (?). Other airlines do the bread round first, as far as I have experienced. Food-wise pretty OK, I must say - fairly solid overall. Cabin was 3/4 full. All in all, for what I paid (1500EUR for FRA-NRT with overnight in PVG, not too bad, even if I did not manage to get it as cheap as EUR 1200 for the same route a while back during sale). They also gave us (we requested this per email in advance) a free ride to our hotel in PVG. It was a Mercedes S Class and the driver waited for us close to 90min after landing, due to slow immigration lines. So this was appreciated, despite that the chauffeaur service for J passengers only works once on the first leg i.e. we had to get our own taxi the next morning back to the airport.
- Today we did PVG -NRT on a A332. Very comfortable seats for the 2h flight to NRT. Crew much nicer, especially one crew member from Japan I believe.
All in all, so far, quite OK for the price. Let’s see the return leg in a couple of weeks.
Hope this helps.
May 1, 2019, 7:06 am
#107
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: London
Programs: Hilton, IHG - BA, GA, LH, QR, SV, TK
Posts: 17,008
PEK FRA in a packed 77W business-class cabin. Wasn't thrilled to be offered a chicken pizza after the 02:30 take off, so had a drink, watched Netflix then slept well on the lie-flat bed. "Western" breakfast was fine, though the service is agonizingly slow, and the language skills of the cabin crew were pretty basic.
The chap next to me refused the offer of slippers, but removed his shoes and spent a fair amount of time picking between his toes. He'd been allowed to spend the time taxiing out to the runway in a reclined position with no seat-belt: crew were reluctant to address the issue until i insisted, so i guess he was a person of importance.
The chap next to me refused the offer of slippers, but removed his shoes and spent a fair amount of time picking between his toes. He'd been allowed to spend the time taxiing out to the runway in a reclined position with no seat-belt: crew were reluctant to address the issue until i insisted, so i guess he was a person of importance.
May 3, 2019, 8:42 am
#109
Join Date: Jun 2008
Programs: TK*G (E+), IHG Plat Ambassador
Posts: 7,884
Aug 1, 2019, 9:38 am
#112
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
Where did you see it? It does not exist as far as I know. Fly Air China long haul J about 20 times a year. Never seen that. Only once in First class the steward asked me when I would like to eat and they would do it for me. In J, never.
Aug 1, 2019, 9:48 am
#113
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: Stockholm
Programs: SQ, SK, QR
Posts: 386
I wouldn't go in having any expectations...I'm sure the food is terrible anyway, just like the regular food on the onboard menu.
Aug 1, 2019, 6:51 pm
#114
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Miles and Smiles Elite Plus, Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 474
Aug 2, 2019, 2:51 am
#115
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
Its listed online. You have to book it before your flight like Singapore's Airline Book the cook service: https://www.airchina.us/US/GB/info/meals/premium.html
Aug 2, 2019, 4:50 am
#116
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Miles and Smiles Elite Plus, Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 474
Aug 2, 2019, 8:24 am
#117
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2007
Posts: 4,477
the seats are lovely and I like aisle. A330 has more legroom than B747/777/787. IFE is decent and you get to see a lot films that you might have missed 6-10 years ago.
Service is good and the cabin crews always try their best. Beverage service is between a 3 and 4 star hotels. Average nothing surprising nothing bad.
The lounge food is, ah, a reflection of the airline itself. It is better than what you got on the Air China long haul. But again, a good solid 3.5 star airlines in my opinion.
Aug 2, 2019, 1:12 pm
#118
Join Date: Jul 2009
Location: New York, NY
Programs: Independent
Posts: 470
I don't suppose there are any rumors of seat retrofitting, or flying the A350 to JFK? Sadly Air China seems to be the best way to actually use my Star Alliance program miles up for lie-flat seats (or cash!)
Aug 2, 2019, 6:30 pm
#119
Join Date: Aug 2009
Location: YYZ
Programs: AC 75k, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 1,154
No plan of retrofitting, CA plan to use 350 to Europe mainly because there are no more US China route authorities left so they use 77W to maximize number of passengers carried.
Aug 8, 2019, 12:16 am
#120
Join Date: Jul 2009
Programs: Miles and Smiles Elite Plus, Hilton Gold, Marriott Titanium
Posts: 474
Can I ask which are the best J seats for a 777-300er and 787? Its for a couple who are flying together. Do we need to call up Air China to select seats? The tickets are purchased via AMEX travel so I cant seem to manage my booking online