Air China -Really a Part of the Star Alliance?
May 2, 2014, 8:10 pm
#16
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: LAX
Programs: UA 1K MM, AA EXP, BA Silver, Marriott Plat., Hertz Pres. Circle, Avis First
Posts: 917
May 2, 2014, 9:52 pm
#17
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: SF Bay Area
Programs: UA MileagePlus (Premier Gold); Hilton HHonors (Gold); Chase Ultimate Rewards; Amex Plat
Posts: 6,680
1. The food in Y was better than the UA food in Y
2. Plenty of overhead bin space, even after everyone boarded. CA customers don't try to take their entire luggage stash with them in the passenger cabin, unlike UA customers
They were on time for each flight, too!
May 2, 2014, 10:49 pm
#18
Join Date: Jun 2010
Location: ROC/NYC/MSP/LAX/HKG/SIN
Posts: 3,215
I flew ORD-PVG-SZX and return last week. The connection between Shanghai and Shezhen was on Air China. As is sometimes the case with connections outside UA, seats to the connection are not assigned until check in, which is always a source of anxiety. But the situation regarding check in and baggage on a connection from/to UA is rally bad with Air China. On the outbound, after clearing immigration in PVG, I actually had to hand carry my luggage over to the Air China check in counter, even though it had been checked through to SZX at ORD. Then, on the return Air China would not interline the checked luggage, so I had to first check it to PVG, then claim it and recheck it to ORD at UA. If Air China is really part of the Star Alliance, it seems to operate fairly independently with little cooperation with UA.
Also, like others said, take the ORD-HKG and take a train, or even better yet, ORD-PEK-SZX. You travel less time by going the polar to PEK instead of PVG.
...Only if you know Mandarin and understand how things work in China. However, compared to NH/JL in NRT, CA is inferior in terms of services, hard product/soft product, and also the IRROPs handling. I always get my relatives on CA, but I have never been on CA before.
May 2, 2014, 11:47 pm
#19
Join Date: Mar 2014
Location: EWR
Posts: 2,112
May 3, 2014, 3:09 am
#20
Join Date: Sep 2008
Programs: A3 *G, AA exePlat, AS MVP 75k Gold, JL sapphire, UA silver
Posts: 4,035
Had IRROPS with them, it was clumsy, but handled like any other airline would, and certainly better or at least the same that UA handles IRROPS for non-status people.
In the air, there is no comparison, they blow UA out of the water, especially in F and J. Even Y was pleasant enough.
In the air, there is no comparison, they blow UA out of the water, especially in F and J. Even Y was pleasant enough.
It was UA award ticket!
May 3, 2014, 3:49 am
#21
Join Date: May 2012
Programs: United 1k
Posts: 434
I have to say that transiting in PVG is a whole different ball game, I swore to myself, never to transit here again - even with one world flights, you still have to pick up your luggage, go re-check and go through immigration ....
May 3, 2014, 6:37 am
#22
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jan 2002
Location: Canada
Programs: UA*1K MM SK EBG LATAM BL
Posts: 23,314
...Only if you know Mandarin and understand how things work in China. However, compared to NH/JL in NRT, CA is inferior in terms of services, hard product/soft product, and also the IRROPs handling. I always get my relatives on CA, but I have never been on CA before.
Their F seat is a nice suite (like LX), their longhaul J seat is flat bed CO style, their service and food in those cabins, while certainly not SQ, is way above what UA serves up.
IRROPS handling is no worse than if you tried to get IRROPS handled with UA with no status.
May 3, 2014, 11:55 pm
#23
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: NYC
Programs: AADULtArer
Posts: 5,693
I flew CA on 3 flights back in December/January, and it did have 2 things going for it:
1. The food in Y was better than the UA food in Y
2. Plenty of overhead bin space, even after everyone boarded. CA customers don't try to take their entire luggage stash with them in the passenger cabin, unlike UA customers
They were on time for each flight, too!
1. The food in Y was better than the UA food in Y
2. Plenty of overhead bin space, even after everyone boarded. CA customers don't try to take their entire luggage stash with them in the passenger cabin, unlike UA customers
They were on time for each flight, too!
May 4, 2014, 4:47 am
#24
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: OneWorld Emerald (BA GGL), *A Silver (Miles & Less), Skyteam Pleb (KLM FlyingBlue), Mucci Platinum
Posts: 907
Touché
Touché - clearly you've had experience travelling in China. Folks have absolutely no understanding of the concept of queuing - very uncivilised. It's a pity, given the number of interesting places to visit.
May 4, 2014, 4:48 am
#25
Join Date: Jul 2011
Programs: OneWorld Emerald (BA GGL), *A Silver (Miles & Less), Skyteam Pleb (KLM FlyingBlue), Mucci Platinum
Posts: 907
May 4, 2014, 5:02 am
#26
Join Date: May 2009
Location: SIN (with a bit of ZRH sprinkled in)
Posts: 9,456
CA is pretty good about honouring all *A benefits, never had issues with them.
Then, I find it a joke that a United Elite won't be allowed into their own lounges while any other *G would be allowed in..
Or that Lufthansa decided that TK flights will suddenly only earn 25% status miles etc.
There are REALLY MUCH, MUCH WORSE examples of *A airlines giving a damn about the alliance than CA, where sometimes things run a bit different.. (but never actually bad. Forgot my Gold card some time ago, no problem to check my status up with CA and access lounge, while LH decided without the card, even with status printed on the BP, it's no access for you..)
Then, I find it a joke that a United Elite won't be allowed into their own lounges while any other *G would be allowed in..
Or that Lufthansa decided that TK flights will suddenly only earn 25% status miles etc.
There are REALLY MUCH, MUCH WORSE examples of *A airlines giving a damn about the alliance than CA, where sometimes things run a bit different.. (but never actually bad. Forgot my Gold card some time ago, no problem to check my status up with CA and access lounge, while LH decided without the card, even with status printed on the BP, it's no access for you..)
