LeighTravelClub

My wife and I will be visiting China next month and our flight from London and all internal flights are booked with Air China. Recently I have seen many bad reports about this airline.

Have I made a terrible mistake, or has anyone had good experiences with Air China?

hawaiiantraveler

you can read my experience with them on this thread

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threadselect.jsp?fid=27

in short there are many other domestic Chinese airlines to fly(China Eastern, Southern, Hainan, etc.) and I would not fly them again if I have a choice.

Aloha!

hawaiiantraveler

ok, sorry wrong thread

http://www.fodors.com/forums/threads...p;tid=34981470

Aloha!

pat

Just went on Air China. The plane was old, but had more room. No individual TV screens. Just one bigger screen in each compartment. They played Marie Antoinette both directions. The food was not good, but that`s most airlines. I did not think it was a bad flight. Our intra china flights were from Beijing to Shanghai and back again. One flight had food, the other flight was a Dragon Air, a subsiderary of Air China. It served a beverage. That plane was older too. The only problem we had was that the intra china flights were delayed, one delayed twice so we ended up in Beijing 2 hours late, and had to rush to catch the connecting flight from Beijing to LAX. But then, there was an announcer, and she was broadcasting MANY delayed or cancelled flights, (not just air china) like continously. Also, we couldn`t get a seat assignment in advance, but still did OK. I don`t think they are that bad. At least I was comfortable with the roomier planes. We did get back to LAX on time.

kingmaryland

My wife and I used China Eastern for a flight from Xian to Shanghai last June. It's a funny story now but less than pleasurable at the time. 2 hours late getting out of the airport, which might not have been their fault but weather, at least at Xian, was not an issue.
I'm a hair under 6' and the seats were just close enough to be horribly uncomfortable. Thanksfully I had an isle seat. The meal, even with very low expectation, was horrible. I still have not figured out what the greeen noodle dish was.
The outcome is that it makes me thankful for United.
Hope your experience is much better.

rkkwan

Dragonair is not a subsidiary of Air China. It is a fully-owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific of Hong Kong. It does not operate any internal Chinese flights.

<b>However</b>, they do wet lease their planes to Chinese carriers. I believe they're flown by Dragonair pilots, but cabin crew and service items are provided by whatever Chinese carrier leases it.

So, maybe pat was flying on a Air China flight with a leased Dragonair aircraft. Their planes are relatively new, but with all shorter regional routes, they may seem more worn out.

hawaiiantraveler

rkkwan,

Dragon air also code shares some flights within and out of China.

The fateful flight that we took CTU to HKG was a code share with Air China and Dragon Air.

Aloha!

rkkwan

Right. But the specific flight I was referring to is pat's flying between Shanghai and Beijing.

The plane may say Dragonair and the pilots may be Dragonair pilots, but it's an Air China flight with CA flight attendants and CA food/drinks.

pat

The plane said Air China, and Dragon Air right below it. I did like the way it was painted up!

pat

That Dragon air flight was the one that was 2 hours late. The weather was not a problem that day. That Beijing airport is a nightmare! As bad as LAX.

rkkwan

<i>The plane said Air China, and Dragon Air right below it.</i>

Sorry, but I'm not aware of any KA plane with that paint scheme.

As I said, KA is a wholly-owned subsidiary of Cathay Pacific. While CX and Air China's parents have some cross share holding, they are basically two separate companies.

atravelynn

When my Northwest flight was cancelled due to mechanical problems in July 2005, I was rebooked on Air China. Since I can't remember anything about that flight, I think it was fine.

pat

Bob, I`m sure you know more about those airlines than I do. I did pull out my ticket stub and I was on Flight #CA1558. I had never even heard of Dragon Air until it pulled up, red dragons and all. That was the flight from Shanghai to Beijing. I also notice that flying Beijing to Shanghai, several days earlier, the flight number was CA#1557 and it was definitely Air China, no red dragons. I did think it said in small letters, Air China, and in much bigger letters, dragon air but maybe I remember wrong. I wonder if something happened to the plane that was supposed to fly, and they substituted a different plane?

rkkwan

Like I said, Air China wet-leased the plane from Dragonair. But it is operated as a CA flight with CA cabin crew and service.

I am pretty sure the fuselage says &quot;Dragonair&quot; only. Maybe they put an Air China banner on it when you board.