China Eastern seat selection - cannot find on website
Sep 18, 2025 | 2:38 pm
#62
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,306
Sep 18, 2025 | 2:48 pm
#63
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,314
Third-party travel apps/platforms seem to completely outclass official apps of the airlines in China, to a point that users there generally don't have to be bothered with the official apps. I personally haven't used them, but I've seen my Chinese friends use mostly those third-party super-apps for all sorts of things related to travel (including seat selection). Between umetrip (航旅纵横) and TravelSky, they don't seem to need to ever use official apps of the airlines.
Sep 18, 2025 | 5:48 pm
#64
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Dec 2000
Location: Shanghai
Posts: 46,160
Third-party travel apps/platforms seem to completely outclass official apps of the airlines in China, to a point that users there generally don't have to be bothered with the official apps. I personally haven't used them, but I've seen my Chinese friends use mostly those third-party super-apps for all sorts of things related to travel (including seat selection). Between umetrip (航旅纵横) and TravelSky, they don't seem to need to ever use official apps of the airlines.
Sep 18, 2025 | 6:05 pm
#65
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 1,314
Sep 21, 2025 | 11:40 am
#66
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 2,306
Just to round this off, I emailed the Nth American office (bought ticket in the UK) as I saw that as an option elsewhere on FT. They wrote back to say that I already HAD seats assigned, and were the ones I was hoping to get. So I have no idea how that all worked but they were very easy to get an answer out of.
Sep 26, 2025 | 2:43 pm
#67
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 12,561
Couldn't believe that China Eastern is asking USD126 for some seats on my upcoming MXP-PVG flight. Other seats in the forward part of the Economy cabin are going for USD63, whereas middle seats in that part of the plane cost USD14. Pretty bad. I just selected seats towards the rear of the cabin.
Their system doesn't seem to recognise my Flying Blue Platinum status either, so I expect zero special treatment on this trip. I did manage to get my FB number entered into the booking by calling a very cheerful agent on the German line. Needless to say that the website is beyond useless.
Their system doesn't seem to recognise my Flying Blue Platinum status either, so I expect zero special treatment on this trip. I did manage to get my FB number entered into the booking by calling a very cheerful agent on the German line. Needless to say that the website is beyond useless.
Oct 5, 2025 | 9:55 pm
#68
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: Montreux CH
Programs: FB Platinum, M&M FTL, BA Blue
Posts: 12,561
Managed to get an emergency exit row seat at check-in at the airport. It was free due to my Air France KLM Flying Blue Platinum status. It wasn't so great though, because of the people waiting to use the toilet, so you couldn't stick your legs out in front. Also, the trolley was often parked there while the FAs loaded it and people were dodging around it, banging into my seat and trampling over my feet.
Otherwise, a perfectly good Economy class flight with acceptable but not great catering. Can't complain, ticket was 568 Euros.
Otherwise, a perfectly good Economy class flight with acceptable but not great catering. Can't complain, ticket was 568 Euros.
Oct 23, 2025 | 2:30 pm
#69
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: SYD
Programs: QF Plat, VA Plat, MH Silver, IHG Plat, Accor Plat
Posts: 674
There is something weird happening with seat selection on their website now. It seems to be a click and drag to the seat you want but it doesn't seem to work when trying to do this on a phone. Will try doing it on the desktop and see if that works...
Mar 5, 2026 | 2:50 pm
#70
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How do you find the ticket number for a China Eastern booking? I made mine via Chase Travel, and no ticket number was provided. Does China Eastern have another way to make a seat assignment like via WhatsApp?
Mar 5, 2026 | 3:26 pm
#71
Join Date: Jun 2011
Location: FRA/SXB
Programs: FB Silver; Accor Silver
Posts: 3,995
You must ask your OTA for the eTicket number. There is definitely one, without it you cannot do much. Mainland Chinese airlines do not use PNR- search all the other discussions on this topic.
You can make seat selection on their mini programme on Wechat, or their own standalone app, quite easy with the ticket n. Whatsapp has very limited functionality in mainland China (text only) due to local restrictions.
You can make seat selection on their mini programme on Wechat, or their own standalone app, quite easy with the ticket n. Whatsapp has very limited functionality in mainland China (text only) due to local restrictions.