China Eastern Airlines - Warning!
 

If you are flying China Eastern, be sure to reconfirm your flight 72 hours in advance. We held paper tickets for a flight from Shanghai to Hong Kong, arrived three hours in advance for a 2 pm flight and were told that our names were not "on the database". We were given various explanations from the fact that the tickets were purchased in the U.S. to that we did not reconfirm 72 hours in advance, even though none of our documentation indicated a need to do so. We were instructed to wait in the standby line for over two hours - only to be told there were no seats available and that we would have to "come back tomorrow". To make matters worse, when we went to the ticket counter to inquire about flight schedules, we were told they could sell us a ticket for the same 2 pm flight! Looks like they resell the seat and then bump passengers who have already paid. In speaking with other passengers, this appears to be a consistent problem particularly since China Eastern classifies Hong Kong as an "international" flight.

When we arrived with plenty of time at the Guilin Aiport, destination Guangzhou, we were told that our flight had been cancelled, please take a seat in the waiting lounge, and that our flight could not take off "because there was dust on the runway."

Hours passed, other flights arrived and departed, but "sorry, no flights for your group." More hours passed. We finally realized that we had "not spent enough money in gift shop," as one Chinese whispered to us. Our 9 a.m. flight finally took us aboard at 6 p.m., and we arrived long after dark. Strange folks, them Chinese.

I know that China Eastern (and perhaps all of the Chinese carriers) still require that passengers reconfirm international flights. Who did you purchased the tickets from? They should have advised you at the time.

Before we went to China, we heard that these shenanigans happen to non-group travelers. If you go with a group, the leader who speaks Chinese doesn't take this baloney from the airlines. That is why we went with a group, and had no problem with 7 flights. ((C))

We bought our tickets through a travel agent in the U.S. that we have used many times before. Normally, we reconfirm international flights the day before but this was the one time we did not since the paperwork did not include instructions to do so and we did not know that HK would be "international" from Shanghai (lesson learned). I think what bothers me the most is that, even though we made a mistake by not reconfirming, China Eastern was only willing to sell us another ticket for the same flight rather than honor the tickets we already had. I can understand why an airline would give away seats if passengers arrive less than two hours before departure or if they don't have paper tickets, but they wouldn't even assure us seats on the next flight or try to accommodate us in any way.

I'm curious as to what happened in the end. How was it resolved? I agree that the ground staff seem to have no concept of customer service. I can ask 3 people the same question and get 3 different answers. I was once told that that I couldn't sit in the exit row because I'm a foreigner even though I've sat there on previous occasions.

As we waited in the "standby" line trying to decide what to do next, my travel partner overheard an agent two rows over checking in people for the same flight. She got behind them and simply presented our tickets to that agent who checked us in, so we got on the flight after all. Then we made a mad dash to get through security and get to the gate. Go figure...our stay in Shanghai ended not quite happily, but without delay. The flight itself was quite pleasant though I can't say I'd book China Eastern again if I can help it. I've flown other airlines out of Shanghai without a problem. Although I wouldn't wish this on anybody else, it does help to know that others have had similar experiences and it wasn't just us.

Hi, looks like these things still happen. I first went to China almost 20 years ago when I was a university student. Similar events occurred at every point of my travel - hotel, airlines, trains - you name it. I had a terrible time and have not been back since. I am disappointed to learn that these things still happen. I shall be going to Beijing again in a few days on business and I am apprehensive again!

Allow me to join the club. Last Friday I had the same experience, and despite my pleas to China Eastern and the efforts of my Chinese-speaking Australian travel agent, we had to spend an unscheduled extra three days in Shanghai. They had me on a technicality, so there was no point in getting stroppy, but the response of all of the China Eastern personnel I dealt with was so robotic and unconcerned that I'll certainly never patronise them again.

We flew CE from Shanghai to HK in March 2003 and not one problem. We booked via TA in HK and travelled independently. We now confirm 72 hrs & sometimes 24 hours before, with EVERY airline, whether they require it or not. In Sept 04 Aerolineas cancelled our flights and Vietnam Airlines did the same in July last year. Weird way to do business!