Lynne

I am currently looking for flights from LAX to CHina and Air China seems to be the cheapest and the fastest (they offer a non-stop). Does anyone have any experience with them? Are the flights non-smoking or is that asking too much?

Margot

Hello Lynne, We have flown with Air China five times both from LAX and SFO. The flights are non-smoking. Last October we had seats to spare but often it is quite full so it's like any other jumbo in that respect for room. Meals are okay (choice of western and Chinese) and movies were better last time. Both Beijing and Shanghai new airports are really really nice. I'd be glad to answer any other questions if you e-mail me direct. Have a great trip, Margot

Puck

Just got off of Air China from Beijing yesterday. For such a long flight, it was fine. Smoking is allowed in a certain section, but I never saw where that was, and never noticed anyone smoking. The movies were awful, and the same both ways, with slight exception. There is sufficient leg room. Flights going and coming were semi-full. So, China Air is just as good as any other airline, and has a very good safety record.

Colin

The Good Safety record has been brought into question recently ?<BR><BR>Some further investigation may be needed if you need reassuring about safety.<BR><BR><BR>

beatle

Aren't Air China and China Airlines 2 different airlines? I believe Air China is the one based in Taiwan that just had a crash and China Airlines is based on the mainland.

Bill A

It is exactly the opposite. Air China is from mainland China, China Airlines is from Taiwan.

todd

SO, please clarify for me. WHICH is the airline that recently had plane crash and doesn't appear to have a great safety record?<BR>

Bill A

China Airlines of Taiwan. Sometimes the news reports confuse the situation because they call them China Air.

Patty

China Airlines is based out of Taiwan and had a fatal crash on May 25th on a flight from Taipei to Hong Kong. China Airlines is generally regarded as the one with the poor safety record (although I think your chances are still better than driving on LA freeways).<BR><BR>Air China is based out of mainland China and had a fatal crash on April 15th on a flight from Beijing to S. Korea. I believe (but I may be wrong) that it was Air China's first fatal crash.<BR><BR>

jen

Air China -- from Mainland China has no major accident record for 50 year until the one crash last month at S. Korea.<BR><BR>China Airline -- from Taiwan is rated fail on Satefy (by the some air travel survey or agent? in the U.S.). Not only the fatal crash last weekend, it also was the one that crashed into residential area in Taipei couple years ago... <BR>

leo

Does Air China really allow smoking on the long haul flights?

crp

Lynne-<BR>We flew Air China twice and we won't use them again.<BR>The first time we thought (maybe) we were expecting too much - the second time we realized that this was an airline that we didn't want to fly again.<BR>If you email me - I'll give you all the details.