China Airlines (CI) next ST member
Aug 28, 2008, 10:06 pm
#34
Join Date: Feb 2008
Location: Montréal, Québec, Canada
Programs: Aeroplan, Flying Blue Gold, Dynasty Flyer
Posts: 33
Aug 29, 2008, 8:50 am
#35
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: May 2004
Location: Soon to be LEGT
Posts: 10,928
Flying CX, I stopped by the CI lounge on my way to the Wing. I almost managed to scare the loungedragon with my OK card (they have a miles-earning partnership but I don't think I could enter the lounge if I was flying CI Y).
Aug 31, 2008, 7:46 am
#36
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SZX/HKG/BWI
Programs: UA 1K 1.1MM, CX Diam 1.0MM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC, MGM Pearl
Posts: 2,637
Won't step into a CI airframe even at gunpoint
In my travels, I had come across a CI flight from TPE-HKG when CX was overbooked and that was my one and only ever flight on CI. The airline is generally decent and very nice FAs. But I value my safety greatly.
Ever since last year when a 737-800 exploded into flames last August, it was just another long line of accidents for the safety plagued airline. But when I learned it may or may not have been a missing washer on a bolt that punctured the fuel tank, it pretty much ruled out any future travel for me and my wife on CI.
This is just a case of an airline not taking its safety seriously. Even though CI was lucky enough to get by without any casualties, you can not ignore the facts. This was an accident that could have been easily avoided.
Many have said if ST was pretty much the ghetto of all alliances (Aeroflot, Aeromexico, etc from what past threads have said). I'll say this much, adding China Airlines to the mix certainly doesn't help ST get rid of such impressions that it is a "ghetto alliance."
Ever since last year when a 737-800 exploded into flames last August, it was just another long line of accidents for the safety plagued airline. But when I learned it may or may not have been a missing washer on a bolt that punctured the fuel tank, it pretty much ruled out any future travel for me and my wife on CI.
This is just a case of an airline not taking its safety seriously. Even though CI was lucky enough to get by without any casualties, you can not ignore the facts. This was an accident that could have been easily avoided.
Many have said if ST was pretty much the ghetto of all alliances (Aeroflot, Aeromexico, etc from what past threads have said). I'll say this much, adding China Airlines to the mix certainly doesn't help ST get rid of such impressions that it is a "ghetto alliance."
Sep 9, 2008, 1:27 pm
#40
Join Date: Jan 2006
Location: SZX/HKG/BWI
Programs: UA 1K 1.1MM, CX Diam 1.0MM, Bonvoy LT Titanium, Hertz PC, MGM Pearl
Posts: 2,637
Sep 12, 2008, 11:00 pm
#41
Join Date: Apr 2005
Location: Chicago
Programs: AA ExecPlat, UA Silver, Marriott Titanium, Hyatt Globalist
Posts: 1,446
Growing up in Taiwan in the 80s, I used to fly CI all the time. I never thought it was a bad, except for maybe the food. I remember once from TPE->LAX, the plane was really empty so the FA let us move from coach to business in flight. I didn't know it was a big deal back then since I was only 10.
Sep 21, 2008, 4:59 pm
#43
Join Date: Dec 2006
Programs: SPG Plat, Hyatt Diamond, UA, AA, DL, BA, CX
Posts: 491
I found it interesting that most CI bashing from this thread and past threads came from CX customers. I like CI in skyteam, because Taipei is a decent stop-by, and there's no visa issue compared to using CZ through China.