Bloomberg: Chinese Airlines Are Flooding the World With Super-Cheap Airfares
Dec 12, 2016, 6:42 pm
#1
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Bloomberg: Chinese Airlines Are Flooding the World With Super-Cheap Airfares
Killing four empty hours at Guangzhou airport waiting for a China Southern connection to Sydney may not be everyone’s idea of fun. For Gina Capella, it was a no-brainer.
The 43-year-old Boston resident and her friend saved hundreds of dollars last year choosing China Southern Airlines Co. over a direct flight from Seoul with Korean Air Lines Co. or Asiana Airlines Inc. “We didn’t mind the layover because it was so much cheaper,” she said. “Like, almost half the price.”
The 43-year-old Boston resident and her friend saved hundreds of dollars last year choosing China Southern Airlines Co. over a direct flight from Seoul with Korean Air Lines Co. or Asiana Airlines Inc. “We didn’t mind the layover because it was so much cheaper,” she said. “Like, almost half the price.”
Dec 13, 2016, 11:26 pm
#4
Join Date: Sep 2014
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Yeah, I could have easily gotten LHR-MNL for Ł270 recently but ultimately decided losing my sanity wasn't worth it and decided to try EK instead.
Maybe in the future when/if the military doesn't control the majority of the airspace I might try a Chinese carrier but until then I will go with other Asian ones.
Maybe in the future when/if the military doesn't control the majority of the airspace I might try a Chinese carrier but until then I will go with other Asian ones.
Dec 14, 2016, 2:56 pm
#5
Join Date: Sep 2015
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The worst inflight "meals" I have ever eaten, were served on board Chinese airlines.
I had "chicken" on a domestic flight, that could've easily passed as flavoured tofu, very soft rubber or mushrooms, but not chicken. The badly translated ad in the back of the seat didn't help. The crew was friendly, but that's about it.
I had "chicken" on a domestic flight, that could've easily passed as flavoured tofu, very soft rubber or mushrooms, but not chicken. The badly translated ad in the back of the seat didn't help. The crew was friendly, but that's about it.
Dec 14, 2016, 8:33 pm
#6
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The worst inflight "meals" I have ever eaten, were served on board Chinese airlines.
I had "chicken" on a domestic flight, that could've easily passed as flavoured tofu, very soft rubber or mushrooms, but not chicken. The badly translated ad in the back of the seat didn't help. The crew was friendly, but that's about it.
I had "chicken" on a domestic flight, that could've easily passed as flavoured tofu, very soft rubber or mushrooms, but not chicken. The badly translated ad in the back of the seat didn't help. The crew was friendly, but that's about it.
Dec 14, 2016, 8:51 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2014
Posts: 602
Interesting topic, even if the article itself is poorly written (China Airlines is not a China airline, etc.)
On the route I fly frequently between Europe and Asia, CA is indeed half the price of the competition now, and in the next couple of days I'll be giving them a chance in favor of EK that I used to take.
The hard product on both is comparable (in Y). The real concern is the likelihood of IRROPS due to frequent airspace closures over China, which is one good reason to avoid transferring there, compounded with the Chinese carriers' lack of will or ability to deal with it the way that minimizes the chaos.
Transferring can also be a PITA for other reasons: changing terminals at PVG on a CZ itinerary where one sector was a codeshare on KL metal, I had to go out of the building completely so that I could walk into the other terminal and check in again for the onward flight, a major hassle. This caveat is not supposed to apply to CA at PKG though.
As for the catering, from my experience, the strongly-flavored Chinese (and Indian) dishes are some of the best food I've ever had onboard. For some reason they seem immune to reheating-induced blandness most airline food succumbs to. Whenever there's a choice, I'd always go with a Chinese, Indian or other strongly-flavored option for the meal on any airline. On the CZ flights I took, the food was above average, and the service was lightning-fast.
On the route I fly frequently between Europe and Asia, CA is indeed half the price of the competition now, and in the next couple of days I'll be giving them a chance in favor of EK that I used to take.
The hard product on both is comparable (in Y). The real concern is the likelihood of IRROPS due to frequent airspace closures over China, which is one good reason to avoid transferring there, compounded with the Chinese carriers' lack of will or ability to deal with it the way that minimizes the chaos.
Transferring can also be a PITA for other reasons: changing terminals at PVG on a CZ itinerary where one sector was a codeshare on KL metal, I had to go out of the building completely so that I could walk into the other terminal and check in again for the onward flight, a major hassle. This caveat is not supposed to apply to CA at PKG though.
As for the catering, from my experience, the strongly-flavored Chinese (and Indian) dishes are some of the best food I've ever had onboard. For some reason they seem immune to reheating-induced blandness most airline food succumbs to. Whenever there's a choice, I'd always go with a Chinese, Indian or other strongly-flavored option for the meal on any airline. On the CZ flights I took, the food was above average, and the service was lightning-fast.
Dec 15, 2016, 12:57 am
#8
Join Date: Jan 2005
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My experience with PRC airlines is limited to CA J/C class long-haul (Europe-Asia, CONUS-Asia). Based on that, I found the hardware more than adequate on those flights (flatbed, duvet etc.) IFE was ok but limited especially for recent Hollywood blockbusters and popular TV shows. Service had rough edges (not SQ but not the worst of stateside carriers either) which could be ameliorated if one spoke Mandarin; English language was a bit limited (at least amongst the FAs in Biz on those flights).
Jan 21, 2017, 11:46 pm
#10
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The Chinese big 3 (CZ, MU, CA) are a better trio in economy than either the US big 3 (UA, DL, AA) or the EU big 3 (BA, LH, AF/KL). Their pitch is generally better and food is better too. In business they also aren't bad although I've found, living in China, that their fares in business class are generally higher ex-PRC than the foreign airlines.
Jan 22, 2017, 1:23 am
#11
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For some reason, the 2017 biz class fares on CA ex-SIN to North America have shot up drastically, by more than US$1250, compared to what was available as recently as November 2016. Ah well. Shoulda known it wasn't gonna last.
Jan 23, 2017, 8:54 am
#13
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Jan 23, 2017, 11:29 pm
#15
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Encountered the same in Dec 16 on an international flight with CA. Irritated me considerably but what the hell. Read the book on the ipad instead. Apparently mobile phone flight mode doesn't exist in the PRC.