Master thread to document China Southern's entry (merged threads)
Nov 3, 2007, 9:19 am
#17
Join Date: May 2005
Location: EUR
Programs: FB Plat./BA Gold (thanks BD)/A3 *Gold/HH Diamond/A Club Gold
Posts: 918
This is cool! I have just booked a CZ flight literally two minutes before coming to find this news on Flyertalk!
I'll be flying on Holidays Nov. 18th from Guilin to Kunming with Mrs JSFR and friend (3 days after the joining date
)
What do people think are my chances of getting Elite Plus benefits? Will they have heard of Skyteam in Guilin???
I'll be flying on Holidays Nov. 18th from Guilin to Kunming with Mrs JSFR and friend (3 days after the joining date
)What do people think are my chances of getting Elite Plus benefits? Will they have heard of Skyteam in Guilin???
Nov 3, 2007, 1:33 pm
#18
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: NWA Plat
Posts: 197
This is cool! I have just booked a CZ flight literally two minutes before coming to find this news on Flyertalk!
I'll be flying on Holidays Nov. 18th from Guilin to Kunming with Mrs JSFR and friend (3 days after the joining date)
What do people think are my chances of getting Elite Plus benefits? Will they have heard of Skyteam in Guilin???
I'll be flying on Holidays Nov. 18th from Guilin to Kunming with Mrs JSFR and friend (3 days after the joining date
)What do people think are my chances of getting Elite Plus benefits? Will they have heard of Skyteam in Guilin???
Nov 4, 2007, 7:09 am
#19
Join Date: Jul 2002
Location: France, Shanghai
Programs: Flying Blue life Platinum , *A Gold ,PC Plat. IC Royal Ambassador , SPG Platinum
Posts: 418
Aeroflot says CZ will become member of SkyTeam tomorrow, on November, 1:
The earning tables have already been loaded.
Flying Blue hasn't updated their earning tables yet
DL Skymiles - ditto
www.skyteam.com - still nada
Anyone else?
The earning tables have already been loaded.
Flying Blue hasn't updated their earning tables yet
DL Skymiles - ditto
www.skyteam.com - still nada
Anyone else?
Nov 4, 2007, 9:13 am
#20
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Originally Posted by website
Miles based on the flown distance in miles and the booking class are the Aeroflot Bonus Qualifying Miles.
There are also bonuses credited based on your SU status, but those are only RDMs, not EQMs.
Nov 6, 2007, 12:52 am
#21
Join Date: Nov 2005
Programs: NWA Plat
Posts: 197
CZ finalized joining date: Nov 15
China Southern today sents out a notice to all its employee stating that the joining date is on Nov 15th in Beijing. The news should be out very soon.
Congratulations, China Southern! Welcome all Flytalker on board China Southern!
Nov 6, 2007, 5:02 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: IAH
Programs: La Ministreuse de Surréalisme, CO Plat, MR Plat, SPG Plat
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Just my 2 cents; but based on ground staff at HKG for CZ, they are not SkyTeam ready. I have three more flights this week so hopefully I will change my mind. I usually fly them a few times a year and today was my worst experience by far.
Nov 6, 2007, 6:33 am
#23
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 2,956
My first CZ flight this morning
We just flew CZ for the first time ever on a domestic flight PEK-SHE this morning. Imagine our surprise when reading the inflight magazine that as of 15 Nov they are part of skyteam (we had been trying to figure out where to put our mileage credit).
Notes on experience:
It seems as if ex-China flights only come up as full fare on the normal booking channels. If you want a discounted fare you must go through a Chinese travel agent or online booking site such as eLong.com. Bookings are not quick and easy and usually involve a phone call or some emailing though they do speak English.
We arrived at PEK terminal one about 3 hours before flight. It seems as if CZ occupies this entire terminal. There was no line at checkin. I am very tall and asked about an exit row at checkin and they said it was against regulation. Perhaps because I don't speak Chinese? I was given bulkhead instead on the A321 which was good enough for the one hour flight. I did not have my DL FF# attached to my res so no way to know if they are picking up status yet. I will try on the return flight on Thursday.
Everything else went smoothly. Most of the FAs seemed to speak basic English. Economy class service was beverage and peanuts on this 8:30 am flight.
Now I want to know if I will receive full mileage credit with DL for this discounted fare class on flights that occurred before 15NOV.
When can we book award seats?
This is a new option for those of us who always whine about ways to get to Australia on Skyteam, though still out of the way from N. America.
Are transit visas required for Guangzhou?
Notes on experience:
It seems as if ex-China flights only come up as full fare on the normal booking channels. If you want a discounted fare you must go through a Chinese travel agent or online booking site such as eLong.com. Bookings are not quick and easy and usually involve a phone call or some emailing though they do speak English.
We arrived at PEK terminal one about 3 hours before flight. It seems as if CZ occupies this entire terminal. There was no line at checkin. I am very tall and asked about an exit row at checkin and they said it was against regulation. Perhaps because I don't speak Chinese? I was given bulkhead instead on the A321 which was good enough for the one hour flight. I did not have my DL FF# attached to my res so no way to know if they are picking up status yet. I will try on the return flight on Thursday.
Everything else went smoothly. Most of the FAs seemed to speak basic English. Economy class service was beverage and peanuts on this 8:30 am flight.
Now I want to know if I will receive full mileage credit with DL for this discounted fare class on flights that occurred before 15NOV.
When can we book award seats?
This is a new option for those of us who always whine about ways to get to Australia on Skyteam, though still out of the way from N. America.
Are transit visas required for Guangzhou?
Nov 6, 2007, 8:42 am
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MOW
Programs: KLM Flying Dutchman forever, bmi Diamond Club (is there a theme here?), LH, BA, EK, DL nobody
Posts: 1,877
I've never been to CAN but I believe it is safe to guess it's set up the same way other big Chinese airports are - that is, there's no transit zone and you have to enter China even when changing between flights. Check with Timatic whether you need a visa for this or not. Most (?) nationalities get 24 hours without a visa in this situation. So do you if you're American:
National U.S.A. (US)
Transit CHINA (PEOPLE'S REP.) (CN)
CHINA (PEOPLE'S REP.) (CN)
Visa not required provided:
- continuing to a third country by same/first connecting aircraft within 24 hours; and
- holding confirmed ticket and documents required for onward journey.
Leaving the airport transit area is allowed.
Overnight facilities are available outside the airport.
However, and only applicable if arriving at and departing from: Shanghai Hongqiao or Pu Dong airports: visa not required provided continuing to a third country within 48 hours and holding confirmed onward ticket and all documents required for next destination.
Transit CHINA (PEOPLE'S REP.) (CN)
CHINA (PEOPLE'S REP.) (CN)
Visa not required provided:
- continuing to a third country by same/first connecting aircraft within 24 hours; and
- holding confirmed ticket and documents required for onward journey.
Leaving the airport transit area is allowed.
Overnight facilities are available outside the airport.
However, and only applicable if arriving at and departing from: Shanghai Hongqiao or Pu Dong airports: visa not required provided continuing to a third country within 48 hours and holding confirmed onward ticket and all documents required for next destination.
Nov 6, 2007, 8:59 am
#25
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 2,956
Are you talking about international flights? When it comes to domestic flights, only full Y is available outside of China. See this thread for way more info
Nov 6, 2007, 9:25 am
#26
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: PSM
Posts: 69,232
Nov 6, 2007, 9:29 am
#27
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Feb 2001
Location: IAH
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CAN does have a transfer area in the international terminal area so if you are within the guidelines, you'll be fine without a visa.
Nov 6, 2007, 11:32 am
#28
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2003
Location: MOW
Programs: KLM Flying Dutchman forever, bmi Diamond Club (is there a theme here?), LH, BA, EK, DL nobody
Posts: 1,877
Delta is in. Just got this (bolding is mine):
Off to check whether they've updated their ridiculous earning tables yet.
EDITED TO ADD: No, they haven't
Hello Mr. apoivre
We're looking toward the Far East and so should you.
Enjoy expanded mileage-earning and redemption opportunities on China Southern Airlines.
Yep, it's great news. You are now able to:
Earn base miles, class-of-service bonuses, elite tier bonuses and elite qualification miles on eligible China Southern fares and flights including various discounted economy fares
Redeem miles on all worldwide China Southern-coded and operated flights, including service to and from Shanghai (where we will begin service in March 2008*) and Beijing
Plus, China Southern—which will join the SkyTeam® alliance later this year and provide you with a full range of SkyTeam benefits—offers additional non-stop service to China from the U.S., and connecting service to many exciting Chinese and Asian destinations.
Make your China Southern reservation today, provide your SkyMiles number and then check out the Yangtze River, Tiananmen Square, The Great Wall, The Forbidden City and the 2008 Olympic Games.
And don't forget to visit delta.com for all your travel needs, bla bla bla
We're looking toward the Far East and so should you.
Enjoy expanded mileage-earning and redemption opportunities on China Southern Airlines.
Yep, it's great news. You are now able to:
Earn base miles, class-of-service bonuses, elite tier bonuses and elite qualification miles on eligible China Southern fares and flights including various discounted economy fares
Redeem miles on all worldwide China Southern-coded and operated flights, including service to and from Shanghai (where we will begin service in March 2008*) and Beijing
Plus, China Southern—which will join the SkyTeam® alliance later this year and provide you with a full range of SkyTeam benefits—offers additional non-stop service to China from the U.S., and connecting service to many exciting Chinese and Asian destinations.
Make your China Southern reservation today, provide your SkyMiles number and then check out the Yangtze River, Tiananmen Square, The Great Wall, The Forbidden City and the 2008 Olympic Games.
And don't forget to visit delta.com for all your travel needs, bla bla bla
EDITED TO ADD: No, they haven't
Last edited by apoivre; Nov 6, 2007 at 11:47 am
Nov 6, 2007, 6:40 pm
#29
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: PDX
Programs: AS MVPG
Posts: 2,956
https://www.delta.com/skymiles/about...#chinasouthern
Nov 7, 2007, 4:12 am
#30
Join Date: Jul 2005
Location: MAA
Programs: BA bronze, Marriott silver
Posts: 2,804