China Airlines

[curly 0]

I have book a flight from Amsterdam to BKK in the spring. The price is fair around 650 euro. But I haven't used China Airlines before. Is it okay?

 

Curly

[ting_tong 63]

Its OK, the food sucks, but it is cheap way to go.

[shortonthesides 0]

I've used China Airlines twice to fly to LOS and the food is standard, but the flight leaves on time.

[Soi7 1]

Shortonthesides is correct I have used them 5 or 6 times from SFO and they leave on time if you are late you are fucked at least from SFO anyway food is indeed bad but I have no gripes with them but many here do as I am sure you will find out

[ClitPirate 0]

I love China Airlines. I have enought status now and can tell you things a better up front. Although I avoid drinking and go for lite food as I make my transition a

from 10 time change much better! The price is very good!

[yselmike 389]

If you want to fly nonstop from amst-bangkok you have 3 choices.

klm, arrives noon long lines at passport control,half day gone.

eva.arrives about04:00 too early to do anything or get anywhere.

china,arrives 08:00,no really long lines,get into pattaya via taxi/limo about 11:00

clean up have some grub a couple of beers ready for a soapy they open at 13:00.

I only fly cattle class and china treat you best off all.klm and eva want you to eat the food ,its bad on all of them,dont bother the flight attendants do not ask for more than one drink ,then shut up and go to sleep.

on china you can get a drink, and not feel like you are third class

in the cheap seats china beats klm and eva.i have flown on all three,

there are safety problems with china! they have a history.

klm ALWAYS overbook there flight to bkk so you must check in early its a good plan to do it with china also.

so if connections are no problem and you fly tourist china every time.

i cant talk about the buisness first class etc. as i am a cheap charlie

[Keith 0]

 

Hi Curly

 

I have flown with China Airlines several times from Amsterdam, my most recent was in May and although the food is average the service in economy is good.

I have never been delayed leaving Amsterdam 1425 and the flight has arrived on time in BKK around 0700 so no long queues at immigration.

 

As far as their safety record goes they have had problems in the past but they seem to have got their act together. I have no hesitation in flying with them.

 

I use them basically because I get a shuttle flight from Birmingham to AMS so I don't have mess about going to Heathrow which I don't like.

 

Keith

[IanRaine 0]

I have flown with them twice, on the second flight I booked the upstairs of 747. That got you a business class seat but not the service. Too be honest I only wanted the leg room. I think it cost about £300 return extra well worth it. I fell asleep when we took off at BKK and woke up an hour from Amsterdam so I would say it was the extra leg room worked.

Both flights were on time and the staff were nice.

[The_Fat_Controller 25]

China Airlines from AMS is now back to 3 classes, First, Dynasty(Business) and Economy.

The Premium Economy with big seat and standard economy service has been withdrawn.

The round trip Dynasty upgrade is available for £300 to UK travellers, well worth it, and is around £780.

19 days to go and I'll be upstairs on the 747 going to LOS !

[jacko 8,813]

I have just arrived after a China airlines Biz class flight. At 780 quid I cannot complain in fact I would say it is great value. Left Manchester at 10.30am (KLM), left Amsterdam about 2.30pm...in Bangkok at 06.30, no queues. So great connections and fast into Don Muang...may be a little early to get into a room in Bangkok though.

For Biz class the legroom was rather limited, especially if the guy in front is 'inclined to recline'.

Service very polite, food 'fair', in-flight entertainment, 'fair'.

 

BA biz class is certainly better, but at 2000 pound more

[curly 0]

Thanks everybody. I think I'll try the Dynasty Class I have been offered a price that is about 75% more than the price in economy, and comparede to all other airlines I have been looking at that is cheap.

 

Curly

[steve@thaib 0]

I flew China Airlines once and will never go near them again. They were (1999) still running DC10 aircraft, which were born in 1969, over to Bangkok. I would rather pay an extra 200 quid and fly B.A.

[CheshireTom 1,377]

I flew China Airlines once and will never go near them again. They were (1999) still running DC10 aircraft, which were born in 1969, over to Bangkok.

steve@thaib,

 

China Airlines and DC10s? They have never had DC10s in their fleet. You were probably confusing the MD11 (a tri-engine jet) which is still in service with, amongst others, Thai International. Since the MD11 was only introduced in the early '90s it seems your concerns were a figment of your own imagination.

 

Tom

[toopach 0]

Flew China once good experience. Ask Stewardess for scotch brings me some in a glass. Drink it, ask for more. Brings me and my friends a little more in a glass. Drink it, ask for more. Brings me and my friends a full glass. Drink it , ask for more. Brings full glasses again for me and my friends and a spare so she doesnt havent to be bothered. Drink it, ask for more. Finally just brings us the whole bottle and just tells us to keep it between us. And to top it all off her name was KY, cant remeber the spelling but remember laughing when one of my friends would say K Y and we would cough and say jelly under our breaths like high school kids.

[Soi7 1]

I flew China Airlines once and will never go near them again. They were (1999) still running DC10 aircraft, which were born in 1969, over to Bangkok. I would rather pay an extra 200 quid and fly B.A.

 

Shit that's no big deal JimmyBB told me he called Northwest about listing a DC10 as the equipment being used LAX to Tokyo thinking it had to be a mistake well turns out no mistake and that was LAST YEAR !!

[torrenova 644]

Shit that's no big deal JimmyBB told me he called Northwest about listing a DC10 as the equipment being used LAX to Tokyo thinking it had to be a mistake well turns out no mistake and that was LAST YEAR !!

You'd be amazed and probably scared shitless if you knew some of the equipment still being used by many of the big names.

 

Pecent addition, Phuket Air using Boeing 747s. Last manufactured in 1991 (http://www.boeing.com/commercial/747family/pf/pf_classic_back.html) but most worryingly, it was made as a "convertible" !

[Jimmybb 0]

I flew China on my trip last month. They served something that looked like a cross between ground pork, and something akin to a very fatty pork steak.

 

The guy sitting next to me was from Nepal and , by his own admission had been dirt poor as a child. That said, he flatly refused to put that into his mouth, and I did likewise.

 

Had I consumed that entree, my greatest fear would be making a charge to the toilet should that thing claw its way out of me before the flight landed. There can be nothing more fearful than having a blowout in the cramped toilet of a 747.(just ask Soi 7) Rgds, Jimmy

[Mescalito 19]

I flew China Air r/t from LAX to BKK in September. It was OK, but nothing for the memoirs. Coach class on a 747, food was adequate and served with regularity. I took Korean Air in January and will again in November, which was significantly better, and the food was terrific. Admittedly, the Korean Air flight was business class, so naturally everything is better, but the folks in coach seemd quite happy, even after 13+ hours. R/T from LAX on China Air was about USD750, booked 3 weeks in advance.

[The_Fat_Controller 25]

Just completed another round trip with China in Dynasty class.

Outbound from AMS the aircraft did not have personal TVs, but on the way back it did.

Service was excellent as usual.

Have just booked for January 31st, and the price from Gazelle Travel was £799, a slight increase due to fuel surcharges, but still good value I think.

[portiebear 0]

Guys,

We are going on China Air in a couple of weeks and have paid the extra for Dynasty Class.I would appreciate if anyone could give me a clear story as to what leg room you get as that is all I am interested in.How far does the seat go down?/Are you able to lie,stretch out properly??

 

Thanx

[CheshireTom 1,377]

Portiebear,

 

There are two different seat configurations depending on which particular aircraft you are on - both operate on the AMS-BKK route.

 

Whatever the case, you can prebook your seats by phoning China Airlines on 0207 436 9001. Book Row 10 for the maximum leg room.

 

Seating plans for both aircraft configurations are below:

 

China Airlines - 747-400 Seating Plans

 

Regards,

 

Tom

[portiebear 0]

Tom,

Thanx 4 the info.I will call them tom.....ru sure they will pre book our seats???

 

Portiebear

[organjay 0]

I have flown China Airlines twice (From LAX). I agree with those who say the food sucks. (Probably the worst in the industry.)

However, for a round trip of less than $700.00US (economy class) I can live with it. My flights were generally on time. Aircraft were 747-400s except on return leg BKK/Taipei, which used an Airbus A-330.

I would rate the in-flight entertainment average, (the Airbus plane had an individual entertainment system, so is slightly higher.)

The crew were quite courteous and efficient, and overall the flight was not bad. I have already bought my ticket for my next trip in March. (I don't know how long the discount will apply)

[CheshireTom 1,377]

portiebear,

 

"ru sure they will pre book our seats???"

 

Trust me; I'm a Jock!

 

You can pre-allocate seats in Dynasty Class up to 90 days prior to the date of travel. The folk at China Airlines are really helpful and will go out of their way to sort you out.

 

Regards,

 

Tom

[portiebear 0]

Tom,

I am told that row 10 that u reccomend is fully booked albeit there are only 4 seats that are all beside the two emergebcy exits!!

 

Settled on upstairs,row 5 and row 11 for my returns. dunno if that is any good??

 

Best Wishes

PB