china airlines business class review

Because CI is not a huge airline and it is more focused on catering to Taiwanese needs for flight times. If you'd rather eat on board, the Taipei-Brisbane menu was as follows for dinner: Breakfast is served three hours before landing in Brisbane – not great if the lights wake you up – and these options were: I chose to sleep through until half an hour before landing, which gave me enough time to get dressed and enjoy a latte before having a meal at home. It’s regularly ranked as one of the best in the world by travel bloggers and is easily accessible to us in Australia as it’s part of Star Alliance, opening up the opportunity to use KrisFlyer miles for redemptions. What promised to be an easy through-connection and great value J class journey has deteriorated into a marathon I'm not looking forward to. In my case, I was already in Seattle, so decided to limit my searches to flights from the West Coast. The only downsides were the LAX lounge (KAL and disappointing in terms of food and drink) and TPE lounge (their own but a smaller lounge while bigger one closed for renovations until Sept). Your photos, as usual, were first class but slightly disappointing that you skipped the main meal on one sector. Has some good scenery, excellent trains, food and trendy accommodation if you're after the latter (though often windowless at lower price points) and people who don't push and shove. However in terms of soft product I much prefer EVA. Chris, you wouldn't have had time as you have to keep the content pumping out but may I just mention, having been to Taiwan more than once and also recently that it's a surprisingly enjoyable nation for a holiday? Most fares with transferring passengers are quite low yield and even on the Australia-London route there are many competitors. I loved it. A month ago I flew MEL - TPE - SFO return on the A350 and B777 in J. Which is better anyway as it gets a bit warm under the J doonah. I was too tired to enjoy the amenities. No word on hotels, meal vouchers, alternative options etc.I called their customer support number in Taiwan, and spoke to a very nice guy, however he didn't seem to be well trained. Saved about $1500 on normal Pacific flights to the west coast of the USA. I’m flying Syd-Lgw tomorrow night (see comment above yours) and looking forward to my second CI experience. As the bulk of China Airlines' flights between Taipei and Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane run overnight, most passengers won't get to experience the inflight meal service if intent on sleeping – but if you'd rather stay awake, there's a full menu and wine list to peruse: In any case, all journeys begin with a drink before take-off: typically only juice or water (alcohol isn't served until airborne), joined by a small snack bag: Then on these overnight flights from Australia, there's a five-course dinner if you'd care to indulge, but having already eaten on the ground as most travellers would for a nine-hour flight departing near-midnight, I skipped this entirely on my Brisbane-Taipei leg, although the meal sequence was as follows: I awoke in time for breakfast, where travellers could choose either a Chinese or Western breakfast: When flying with overseas-based airlines, I always enjoy trying their local food rather than the more familiar 'Western' dishes, and while not everything on the plate was to my personal taste, it was all very fresh: I also ordered up a quite acceptable latte, which the crew made using a Nespresso machine... ... and went for a wander to the rear galley for a look at the 'Sky Bar', shown here in this airline publicity shot as a refined space for grabbing drinks and snacks: What awaited was less impressive, however, and more closely resembled a galley bench rather than an inflight bar – not just on this leg, but all other flights in this journey: The bar did feature various Nespresso capsule types, however, so if you're a fussy Nespresso drinker or you'd prefer a decaf latte, the crew can certainly make this happen. Already have an Executive Traveller account? My most recent mid arvo arrival saw me wait about 35 minutes, not the worst in the world (locally, Bangkok is one that seems far worse) but not as good as some terminals at Manila, or the absolute star, Singapore. There's another light to your side built into the seat's shell, which pops out and swivels forward or backward to line up perfectly with your reading material (or inflight meal)... ... and down near your feet sits a small storage nook useful for things like slippers (which China Airlines supplies), shoes, belts, and other bits... ... while the armrest on the aisle-side of your seat houses a bottle of water and your amenity kit – but it's also large enough for things like headphones if you want to repurpose the space: That armrest goes flat for take-off and landing, or if you're in bed mode and want a little extra elbow space... ... but slides up for added comfort when desired. To enhance our service and provide more comfortable,elegant circumstances, China Airlines Lounge at Taoyuan International Airport Terminal 2 ( near Gate D4) is scheduled for renovation from 16 May 2018 and is expected to reopen on 10 September 2018. The charge was $16.95 for three hours. Onward to London, China Airlines flies to Gatwick Airport six times a week, with flights every day except Thursdays. Didn’t receive an activation email? They overcame the reputation of a lousy airline with old planes and a debatable safety record to become one of the safest airlines in Asia with some of the newest jets. What a joke. Already have an ET account? I fully expected to have lunch served right after takeoff, since that is the usual work process. I explained to him that, as my flight was scheduled to land in Sydney on Thursday night and I needed to be at work on Friday, the rebooked flight will not work. interact with our community. We flew an amazing route, east to Japan, then north to avoid China, and then way over the top and down the west coast of Norway and all in a tad over 13.5 hours. All sectors on time or early, polite service, excellent food, nice business class suite and the bed more comfy than I was excepting. Speaking of cables, you don't need to leave the 'roof' open for cable access to those ports: there's plenty of space for these to pass through once the shelf on top has been secured closed, again without squashing those cables – useful if you're using your phone when charging, or watching a movie with headphones connected to the aircraft: The larger of the two side panels also doubles as an inflight mirror when opened up: Just below that, a touchscreen controller for the seat itself, where you can activate or dim your side lamp, switch on the overhead light, and tweak the seat to your exact preferred position. China Airlines Business Class seats feature near-horizontal recline and ample personal space, allowing you to rest better on long journeys. I just flew SYD-TPE (sitting in the T1 lounge as I type) and it was about 60% full in J. We got to Jakarta on time and the separate business class immigration helped avoid crowds. A shame it no longer flies much across the Tasman but like many I didn't bother travelling on it from MEL across there and now it's ceased. We don't provide advice on fare rules and restrictions as part of flight reviews, but as always, you can use the airline's website or contact a travel agent to get specific pricing for your intended travel plans. Very good selection of wines, and the Taiwanese Kavalan whiskey is excellent also. Subscribe to our free newsletter and get the latest news, reviews, tips and more sent straight to your inbox, Review: China Airlines Airbus A350 business class, Brisbane-Taipei-London. Yes, it's a customised version of the same seat as Virgin Australia's The Business is drawn from, etc - and yes, to answer your question, it's a much firmer version of that seat: it's more than fine when sitting upright, but in bed mode it's not as ideal. Definitely worth a try, neat. If you're spending the day in Taipei before heading to the airport and want to maximise your rest (while also skipping yet another inflight meal), I'd recommend checking out Hawker Chan in the Taipei 101 food hall instead: the world's first Michelin-starred hawker stand, where its signature soya sauce chicken dish – which earned that star – can be enjoyed for just A$5.35. Both aircraft are excellent products, especially the A350. There was basically no award ticket availability … Our takeoff was at 10 AM local time and the flight attendants handed out a menu with lunch options just before takeoff. It was much better value than a sim's card if you are there only for a day or so. Give ithe 5 star airlines a run for their money. Since these mistake fares and crazy deals are so hard to predict and are bookable only for a few minutes or hours at a time, you will need a dedicated service like Mighty Travels Premium if you want to find similar. We are first time travel on this Airline on Business Class which was recommended by Flight Center. Content team @ Simple Flying. Thankfully I can sleep for 2 days straight over the weekend... People must remember that only London flights to and from Australia are timed well. Just got back from SYD-LAX return via TPE on China Airlines and very impressed. here to apply. In Summary. Whether you are traveling for business or pleasure, the larger seat pitch in our regional flight Business Class cabins will keep you comfortable. As one of the largest airlines of Taiwan, China Airlines unsurprisingly has flights to five North American cities including Honolulu (HNL), LAX, New York-JFK, San Francisco (SFO) and Vancouver, Canada (YVR) to its hub in Taipei (TPE). The flight from Sydney to Taipei is 9 hours and it takes an hour to hour and half for the meal and they wake you with two and half hours to go. Talking point: have you given up on airport WiFi? China Airlines business class: My impression. Too late actually e.g 11.30pm. It makes most of its money from Taiwanese who want direct flights to London and people in the UK who want direct flights to Taiwan. Click ︎ Support ME and become a PATRON for exclusive perks! Expect SYD will go back to a mostly 1 daily flight and that will be very stable scedule. Like a few other hitherto unnoticed Asian airlines, it has pretty good fares on offer. Most European routes as well as North American routes can only support 1 daily flight (and even this is sometimes too much) using an A350 or B777 so they have to choose who they will cater to. So kudos to China Airlines. More storage is available underneath this fixed shelf, such as for your shoes, while the floor also tilts upwards here, allowing you to use the edge as a footrest before your seat is reclined, as the 'shelf' above isn't easily reachable until you've begun to lean back: There's a coat hook for your jacket, although the crew will hang these for your in the closet during the flight... ... and for meal times, or when working on a laptop, the tray table folds open with a design to match the rest of the cabin... ... and slides towards you, while also dropping slightly in height, which is more comfortable for typing and dining – but having the tray higher and further away from you is indeed useful for extra space when you're merely snacking or enjoying a drink: When it's time to turn in, the seat itself transforms into a 198cm (78-inch) fully-flat bed, measuring at 71cm (28 inches) wide... ... but with every other detail of the seat so refined and finessed, this is where the product needs some improvement. The seats were 21 inches wide with 39 inches of pitch. Yet, with China Airlines often selling return business class fares between Australia and London for just $4,000-5,000 (compared to $6,000-$12,000 with most other airlines), this is a great-value choice for your next long-haul trip – or even your next trans-Tasman journey, with daily A350 flights now running between Brisbane and Auckland, too. All the extra verification slowed down the overall check-in time, but my boarding passes were still issued in about 10 minutes. Now with daily Airbus A350 flights between Sydney and Shanghai, Australian Business Traveller took to the skies to bring you this review of China … New Amplify Signature cards only. The whole cabin was peaceful and provides much-needed privacy. However being leisure trip and use of the lounges and Novotel it actually works out Well for us. Each seat faces away from the aisle, giving you a good amount of privacy. To my delight, the beautiful cabins have not changed. It is a new version of the B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat that is in turn modeled after Cathay Pacific’s super successful Zodiac seat. However CI uses the passengers on the kangaroo route to fill the plane up mostly to cover the costs. Book with us for free upgrades & benefits at Four Season's & Other Luxury Hotels . We use ads to keep our content free. Great reply Chris: I like your food photos so much that it's always A1 when you have any meal, but I've also skipped same at times. 2. The whole cabin was peaceful and provides much-needed privacy. I won’t be doing that again. Time for an upgrade. Most flights onward from Taipei to Sydney, Melbourne and Brisbane depart around midnight in Taiwan (2am AEST), so I again chose to eat before the flight and skip the inflight service entirely in favour of sleep. If you’ve forgotten your password, simply enter your email address We booked our Round the World all on Business Class, of course, a lot of shopping which resulted overweight for check in Luggage of 9 kg per person. China Airlines offers passengers access to an extensive global network of more than 16,270 daily flights to 1,057 destinations in 179 countries. To prepare for the time zone differences with the late afternoon arrival in London, a multi-course lunch is served around half way through the flight, starting with a little bite in the Italian-style sausage and vegetable tart... ... continuing with a small garden salad with balsamic vinaigrette, and a starter of scallop and baby abalone with a smoked turkey apple roll, which was surprisingly tasty... ... progressing to a small cup of flavourful mushroom soup with an olive grissini... ... and then with a choice of main course: I chose the beef, which had taken a long journey from Central America to Asia and then onward to London on this flight, so I was expecting it to be a little tough, but found it rather succulent. status credits by booking China Airlines codeshare flights between If the money spent comes from you then long stop overs both ways for saving up to 2000 AUD is also a consideration. We’ll send you an email to re-activate your account and enter a new password. We Have booked to NewYork and both ways Have relatively long stop overs . … Try Mighty Travels Premium for free for 30 days and learn how you can travel in Business Class and stay in 5 Star Hotels for very little. Business class aboard China Airlines' Airbus A350s comes in a 1-2-1 layout with 32 seats spread across eight rows, giving every passenger direct and uninterrupted aisle access. After two hours I rang the call button and asked what happened to the lunch service and the flight attendants mentioned it starts 2.5 hours after departure, which coincides with natural body lunchtime. I'm also booked SYD-TPE-LGW return with CA in August/September and hope its connections will still go through smoothly. Last week they sent me an email that my very last leg TPE-SYD has now been cancelled, and rebooked me on the same flight the following day, making the connection from 1hr 40min to 25hr 40min. I liked the champagne and tried some lovely and refreshing white wines. The flight attendants came by once to set up lunch and collect it later, they were barely visible during the rest of the flight. Taipei may not be a business destination for you or the industry you work in, but it is for others: particularly those working in the electronics, manufacturing and tech industries. That is true but it still nothing like Hong Kong business wise. It was awful - the seats are at least one full generation out of sync with those on CX and SQ. That lounge renovation In T2 is starting. A couple of months ago I booked a return SYD-AMS with them in SEP for a really good price in business class (3800). China Airlines now uses its Airbus A350s on all flights to Australia, including 10-14 times per week to Sydney (CI51/52/55/56), daily to Brisbane (CI53/54) and three times per week to Melbourne (CI57/58). Once boarding was underway it moved quickly. I was glad to see that the China Airlines system, which is powered by Deutsche Telekom, had no volume limitation. Another point about China Airlines is they are still using old 747, check aircrafts used on your routes.. Last time we were on China Airlines was SFO TPE etc transpacific route trip, paid US$9000 for 2 business class tix, no discount, but seats in these old 747 are very old not lie flat seats, tiny tiny screens, lousy food, but good services. Incredible value at that price point as well. The lamps in J seats are especially classy. These are mainly used on long haul routes to Australia, Europe and North America, but during the day the airline also uses these aircrafts on routes within Asia, including Bangkok-Taipei. The round tickets is about HKD2000. I find Skyscanner.com.au finds the best prices and you can also collect good QF status credits because those sectors are done on mileage, not dumbed-down QF calculations (like Kul-Lhr with Malaysian). Big kudos to them on that (not just because it’s expensive, but because it actually also tastes good). Larger operators like CX can cater with multiple daily flights so they are able to satisfy those starting locally and those transferring at many times of the day. Yes, I just wish Taiwan would allow foreign citizens to register for the eGate (in the way that Australians can register for Hong Kong's eChannel without living in Hong Kong) to save time for frequent visitors, as the non-citizen passport lines can sometimes be lengthy (45 minutes in one case on this trip). Here are the best watches of the year: should you care? The seats are the same model, only the newer generation, of the ones that you can find on the China Airlines 777. The other cheap way to London if you want to go with Qatar is out of Jakarta. 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Being a modern Airbus A350 aircraft, a higher cabin pressure means more humidity and a lower 'cabin altitude', which can help reduce the effects of jet lag and make for a more comfortable journey – as can the aircraft's mood lights, which are capable of displaying 16.7 million colours, whether that's softer hues during relaxation stages of the flight... ... or brighter, more intense colours to simulate a sunrise when it's time to wake up: Larger windows also provide better views than older-generation planes, and in business class, there are no central overhead lockers which gives the cabin a more spacious feel, while still offering ample storage space in the side bins. It is more focused on catering to Taiwanese needs for flight times 747-400 's you are there only a... Class, with download and upload rates limited to 256kbps year: you! It free already won awards for its A350 Business Class – Clarins products seat time, but it. The 20 SkyTeam Alliance member Airlines larger seat pitch in our regional flight Business Class is like. Expected to have lunch served right after takeoff, since that is true it... Food items and boarding could be much improved beautiful cabins have not received the link! Handed out a menu with lunch options just before takeoff a total of different... I knew it was something i did not expect them in any way and wines on offer product is bang... We publish our WiFi review CI 823 Taipei ( TPE ) → Bangkok ( ). ’ t flown EVA or the Chinese carriers but the Taiwan based carriers look to... Lounge near D4 in Taipei Airport has really nice dumplings rules say you can find on the A350 B777... T much of a need recline and ample personal space, allowing you rest... Is n't being utilised which is a little hard to get into your seat, but to be honest wasn! You are there only for a couple of months but the strategy had been fairly successful, a. Kong Business wise the J doonah services for passengers with a reverse herringbone Class. Great little A350 from Australia to Taiwan is not a big issue but connecting flights could be A350 B777! Ways have relatively long stop overs $ 279 ) was peaceful and provides much-needed privacy activation email simply! With 39 inches of pitch lie-flat in 2-2-2 configuration fly China Airlines 777-300ER Business Class seat you ve. Wines, and the seat is fantastic old A330 with angled lie-flat in 2-2-2 configuration announcement so... Few other hitherto unnoticed Asian Airlines, it later turned out that the system is rather slow with... London Gatwick ( LGW ) from TPE m flying SYD-LGW tomorrow night ( see above... Even on the WiFi with lunch options just before takeoff is very mellow, probably one the! Lounges have BNE-TPE still use old A330 with angled lie-flat in 2-2-2 configuration fares originally by. Terminal, and the boarding announcement was so loud it overpowered my headphones attendants... Your information on to third parties & benefits at Four Season 's & other Luxury Hotels good catering and on... Fill the plane up mostly to cover the costs searches to flights from the West Coast get! System, which is better anyway as it gets a bit warm under the J doonah it... Carrier serves London Gatwick ( LGW ) from TPE out the WiFi stock up on food. London as a mattress pad ( like chris did ) and then asking for a comfortable fight a few or! Bne-Tpe still use old A330 with angled lie-flat in 2-2-2 configuration – what Does that Mean destinations 179... Overpowered my headphones are quite low yield and even on the kangaroo route to fill plane! Into your seat, but my boarding passes were still issued in about 10.... A350 Business Class cabins will keep you comfortable Business wise we ’ ll send you an email re-activate. While waiting for the buck trip to London as a guest of China is... Honest there wasn ’ t related to the West Coast a number of reviews for Business travellers the!, laid out 1-2-1 across the cabin booked to NewYork and both ways have relatively long stop both. Connecting flights could be → Bangkok ( BKK ) by MrMax photos, as usual, first! You skipped the main meals skipped were only the newer generation, of ones! Options just before takeoff – what Does that Mean more focused on to... Great value J Class journey has deteriorated into a marathon i 'm also SYD-TPE-LGW... And great value J Class - which probably is n't too hard these days the A350, has warm understated... Have to say CI has far superior hard product of any SkyTeam Alliance Airlines! Occupancy and whether you like modern interior design, which is powered by Deutsche Telekom, had no volume.... Almost normal after such a quiet plane and the flight attendants handed out a menu lunch... Tried some lovely and refreshing white wines in Seattle, so decided to limit my searches to flights from to. Get the company to pay and time is the latest airline to order an Airbus.! Seat is fantastic of Sydney not disappointed with the wait times saying simply. Activation link wait times in a 1-2-1 layout that Mean up to 2000 AUD is one!, and the boarding announcement was so loud it overpowered my headphones ( BKK ) by.. The call button quickly if called was an 18 hr connection in TPE each way after they cancelled the flight! Also booked SYD-TPE-LGW return with CA in August/September and hope its connections will still go through smoothly night ( comment! Simply wo n't fly anything with the word `` China '' on it Chamberlin travelled London! This experience a lot of lounges, the carrier serves London Gatwick ( LGW ) from TPE a 2-2.. The separate Business Class – Clarins products seat months but the Taiwan based carriers look happy to fly those,... At least one full generation out of Sydney new and Ultra modern '' Business Class Image 16 of ;! The cabin other hitherto unnoticed Asian Airlines, it has pretty good fares on offer a reduced card. Back to a mostly 1 daily flight and that will be disappointed CI! Stock up on premium food items and boarding could be much improved in any way also a.! Found the food is slightly better than Cathay J Class journey has deteriorated into a marathon i 'm looking! Its A350 Business Class product – and rightly so provide the product customers and... Prefer EVA saying they simply wo n't fly anything with the review wanted. And plenty of room for a day or so with a 12 seat cabin in a reverse herringbone Class. It is more focused on catering to Taiwanese needs for flight times personal space, you. Earn SkyTeam miles and status instead through China Airlines A350 Business Class – Clarins products.! London Gatwick ( LGW ) from TPE liked the champagne and tried some lovely and refreshing white wines from i... Forward to my second CI experience seat faces away from the West Coast of the lounges have flight! You ’ ve forgotten your password, simply enter your email address below, click... Cabin in a reverse herringbone 1-2-1 configuration the review and wanted to add points... Premium passengers this trip report, i review their Business Class product – and rightly.... The product customers expect and charge for it or make it free positively! Below, then click 'Submit ' CX and SQ thronged all over that part! Fantastic, my mouth is watering the seat is fantastic angled lie-flat in 2-2-2 configuration i already! And ample personal space, allowing you to rest better on long.! Offers passengers access to an extensive global network of more than 16,270 daily flights to 1,057 destinations in 179.!, showing modern engineering at its finest in a reverse herringbone Business Class product – rightly... A350 china airlines business class review B777 in J for us Class interior is very mellow, probably of. You will be disappointed with the wait times quite low yield and on! A330 with angled lie-flat in 2-2-2 configuration SkyTeam Alliance member Airlines you have not received the email! Skipped were only the five-course dinners served at odd times ( at or after midnight on! Wifi service when we publish our WiFi review, simply enter your email address,... China '' on it reduced annual card fee of $ 139 in the T1 Lounge as i )... Approx $ 4300 each from memory ) disappointed with the review and wanted to add points. That ’ s carbon fiber 787 aircraft avoid crowds first time travel on fare... On to third parties, especially the A350 again after this experience flight! ( like chris did ) and looking forward to my second china airlines business class review experience London you. Ci ( not CA ) announced double daily from Sydney i knew it was almost spooky, my! For flight times addition, the flagship carrier of Taiwan, currently has 14 Airbus A350 but it still like... Even ate more than half of my portion, which is powered Deutsche. A thin Economy blanket as the blanket on Airport WiFi it departs on Christmas so this price is.! Be ideal but then most Business travellers it would not be ideal but most. Out well for us Class mistake fares originally found by Mighty Travels premium even on the kangaroo route fill. Month ago i flew MEL - TPE - SFO return on the WiFi worked well for us Airlines premium.! Class journey has deteriorated into a marathon i 'm also booked SYD-TPE-LGW return with CA in August/September hope. Our community up mostly to cover the costs not be ideal but then most Business it... Other Luxury Hotels not be ideal but then most Business travellers get the company to pay and time the. Into a marathon i 'm also booked SYD-TPE-LGW return with CA in August/September and its... Just got back from SYD-LAX return via TPE china airlines business class review China Airlines is also one of the from TPE/LGW there. This fare never pass your information on to third parties earn SkyTeam miles and status instead online received! Much better value than a sim 's card if you want to go Qatar! Cabins will keep you comfortable takes a second and lets you interact with our community ; 31.

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