Info on China Airlines requested

[LBJ 533]

Flying with them for the first time out of San Fran in May. If anyone has any experiences with them from the west coast or comments, I would appreciate it.

[Samsonite 181]

Flying with them for the first time out of San Fran in May. If anyone has any experiences with them from the west coast or comments, I would appreciate it.

China Air out of Taiwan?

If you use the search engine in this section and tell it to go back "any date," which is the default, and tell it to display what it finds as "posts," you will get 12 pages of hits on the two words, China Airlines or China Air.

The best way, IMHO, to deal with such a long flight is to sleep and if you sleep most of the flight it doesn't matter what airline you use.

Will you be traveling First class, Business class, or Tourist class? I've flown most of the asian airlines out of the San Francisco and it is hard to tell the difference from one to the other. China Air's tourist is better than Cathay Pacific's, and Cathay is one of, if not the best ran airline in the business. China Air's Business Class is as good as anyone, except Singapore Air, but no one is as good as Singapore Air. Too bad you can't get to BKK from SFO without being routed through Singapore.

As I said, use the search and you will find a great deal of information. Some people like China Air. Some don't. Just like with anything else.

[MrMango 671]

Flying with them for the first time out of San Fran in May. If anyone has any experiences with them from the west coast or comments, I would appreciate it.

In my experiences, they are the worst of the Asian Airlines, but far better than the U.S. Carriers. They are usually the cheapest, and sometimes the connections are not as good.

 

I would rec recommend that if you fly to LOS more than 2 times that you check out EVA Air. They have a frequent flyer plan that after 2 trips, you get to use the lounge in both the west coast and Taipei.

 

I like them far better than China Air, and they also leave at about midnight, arriving in Bangkok at noon, rather than midnight.

[marcortez 0]

China Air, EVA or Cathay Pacific are all about the same.

 

A 747 or a 777 is the same plane, no matter what the logo says. Different carriers tweak their seating arrangements a bit.....but economy is tight.....no doubt about it.

 

 

 

I could not notice any difference in the cabin crew on either of the 3 carriers. Asian girls who can speak English pretty well. All did their jobs well and none were ever rude or pushy.

 

 

 

Both EVA and China airlines are based in Taiwan and stops there on your way to Bangkok and Cathay Pacific uses Hong Kong as it's base.

 

 

 

I have flown all 3 and it's a long flight from the West Coast no matter what the carrier.

 

 

 

Use a seat selector website and try and get a seat based on the recommendations.

 

 

 

Eat the meal and take your favorite sleeping aid and try and catch some sleep.

Edited March 9, 2007 by marcortez

[Mescalito 19]

I've been on China Airlines several times and have had good experiences with them. I do prefer Korean Air, but their ticket prices seemed to have jumped a lot since last year. Some may not care much for China Airlines, but even on their worst day they beat the hell out of domestic US carriers on their best. I also get miles on Delta with them, so that's a bit of an incentive for me.

[upena 2]

CAL is the only airline flying out of Hawaii that arrives in BKK at 1600 as opposed to about midnight with all the others (JAL, KAL, NW, United) - not all flights - but about 3 flights per week. The other flights are worse than the other 4 airlines arriving in BKK at 0105. It is nice to arrive in BKK during daylight and getting to Pattaya right about at sunset.

 

Service has been good - nothing spectacular in coach - but it is really good in "Dynasty" class - similar to business/1st class. I am fortunate that when I fly coach - I have a friend that works at CAL that hooks me up with an exit row seat months in advance -I don't have to fight to get an exit row seat the morning of the flight.

 

My last trip to BKK sucked up all my miles - so it is back to coach for me on the next flight and then should have enough for an upgrade at the end of the year. I try to just upgrade on the long leg - HNL - TPE - the 10 - 11 hour flight. The 3 1/2 hour, TPE - BKK - exit row is just fine.

 

The US carriers here in the Pacific absolutely suck.

 

Only regret that EVA and Thai don't fly out of Hawaii - or would give them a shot.

[MrMango 671]

CAL is the only airline flying out of Hawaii that arrives in BKK at 1600 as opposed to about midnight with all the others (JAL, KAL, NW, United) - not all flights - but about 3 flights per week. The other flights are worse than the other 4 airlines arriving in BKK at 0105. It is nice to arrive in BKK during daylight and getting to Pattaya right about at sunset.

 

Service has been good - nothing spectacular in coach - but it is really good in "Dynasty" class - similar to business/1st class. I am fortunate that when I fly coach - I have a friend that works at CAL that hooks me up with an exit row seat months in advance -I don't have to fight to get an exit row seat the morning of the flight.

 

My last trip to BKK sucked up all my miles - so it is back to coach for me on the next flight and then should have enough for an upgrade at the end of the year. I try to just upgrade on the long leg - HNL - TPE - the 10 - 11 hour flight. The 3 1/2 hour, TPE - BKK - exit row is just fine.

 

The US carriers here in the Pacific absolutely suck.

 

Only regret that EVA and Thai don't fly out of Hawaii - or would give them a shot.

Eva used to fly out of Hawaii, but they quit about 6 months ago - It was/is far better than CAL and they left late at night with a arrival about noon. Sorry to see them go.

[dennismoore 8]

Ok, didn't fly with them from US, but from Amsterdam, but it's same company and same aircrafts...

 

Wasn't impresses at all. Can't comment on US carriers, but compared to KLM they weren't as good as others claim. Seatpitch is 32 inches in economy (KLM has 31 inch), but seats were old and not comfortable. The thingy you can put your feet on during flight was a nightmare in both up and down position, really making it impossible to find the right position to sit comfortable in your chair.

 

Service level is good. Better than farang crew. But hey, I rather sit comfortable for 12 hours than having a girl smile at me while giving me my meal (which is twice during the flight). Also the departure and arrival times of China Air are not perfect (at least in my situation).

[rb 20]

Mr LBJ

it would be advisable for someone of you advanced age and limited finacial means just to stay home and find a nice fat farang wench to rule your life.

i belive you've been to LOS to many times already and have adversly affected the P4P scene with your lame dupe overspending and your millionare for a week attidude, furthermore as an american you really shouldn't have a passport in the first place, no need to ever leave the good old USofA.

if it is your final desicion to go anyway then being a concered individual that I am, i will be willing to travel to LOS to oversee and supervise your activities and in sure that you stay out of the Shamrock and Happies. I will also keep a keen eye out to make sure the barmaides are not cheating you on bar pours and that prior to retiring for the day you have no recollection of the days activites

Budda forbid that I am unable to make it or can not prprerly perform my asigned duties, you have a great "FIVE-0"

chers

rb

oh about the airlines

who gives a rates arse what taxi you take

[LBJ 533]

Mr LBJ

it would be advisable for someone of you advanced age and limited finacial means just to stay home and find a nice fat farang wench to rule your life.

i belive you've been to LOS to many times already and have adversly affected the P4P scene with your lame dupe overspending and your millionare for a week attidude, furthermore as an american you really shouldn't have a passport in the first place, no need to ever leave the good old USofA.

if it is your final desicion to go anyway then being a concered individual that I am, i will be willing to travel to LOS to oversee and supervise your activities and in sure that you stay out of the Shamrock and Happies. I will also keep a keen eye out to make sure the barmaides are not cheating you on bar pours and that prior to retiring for the day you have no recollection of the days activites

Budda forbid that I am unable to make it or can not prprerly perform my asigned duties, you have a great "FIVE-0"

chers

rb

oh about the airlines

who gives a rates arse what taxi you take

 

Thank you rb, you have cleared that up nicely. Now finish the bottle.

[Bob4you 0]

I now fly China Air because of the before mentioned time schedule, less than an hour in Taipei between flights. I also usually check on the fullness of the flight at checkin and often take a seat in center section near rear of plane, 50% of the time that row or one on either side is completely empty.

 

With free alcohol by the time I am finished dinner, 4 glasses of wine, 2-4 Scotch on rocks I sleep like a baby for 8 hours. Flight attendants have always been very co-operative.