China Southern from LA, a fail grade

[Trvlr 50]

I flew China Southern from Los Angeles to Bangkok this last month, using the airline for the first time based on price, and give it a failing grade.

If cost is the only criterion, then go for it, you won't die. But if some factors beyond price are also desired, then a hundred or two more will be money well spent.

The first impression at LAX was good. The check-in process was quick and pleasant and they complied with my request for an exit row seat. And they did not hassle over the weight of my carryon. (Though they forgot to give me a boarding pass for my connecting flight and I had to get it issued at Guangzhou.)

 

(I am referring to EVA, which is anal about carryon weight at LAX. It is the only airline I have flown from LAX that insists on the 15-pound limit. It once even went to the extent of posting a goon outside the secure area to lift each EVA passenger's bag and evaluate the weight.)

 

CZ has just switched to 380s from LAX, but there was nothing remarkabke about the seating. It seemed excessively hard, and I much prefer the 777s overall. The one improvement was that the bathrooms were a little larger.

-The food was by far the worst I have eaten on a US-Asia flight.

-There was no liquor, only a very watery beer and some wine.

-Most stewardesses knew less than minimal English. And they tend not to smile.

-Instead of regular paper towels, they had thin tissue in the bathrooms.

-I do not think they cleaned the bathrooms, or did a poor job. The toilets were grimy by the time we got to Guangzhou.

 

Guangzhou airport is best avoided. The transfer process is unnecessarily long for people who are leaving in a few hours - you have to stand in queue and get your passport stamped. Reminded me of the Moscow of old.

The terminal itself is okay, but bland and soulless (still better than LAX I suppose!). The supposedly free wifi cannot be used because a local Chinese mobile number is needed to receive the password to access it. And the so-called duty free prices are high. JB Black liter was only $2 less than what you would pay at a 7-11 in Pattaya. The famous Chinese currency manipulation did not seem to be working here!

 

Hopefully the airline will improve. But in the meantime I will spend a little more money and use one that is slightly higher on the evolutionary ladder.

[steamer 158]

flew with CE once. Never again if I can help it.

Edited December 7, 2012 by steamer

[MM 6,562]

flew with

Eh?

[steamer 158]

Eh?

 

yer a fast fucker. The girls must like that.

Edited December 7, 2012 by steamer

[jacko 8,815]

Thanks for the report..... nice to know which to avoid.

[VPI78 11,517]

Flying with any airline through a China connection can be problematic. Last year I flew with disUNITED with a connection in Beijing. United missed the connection in Beijing so we had to stay over until the next day.

 

Among the problems included United has/had no staff n Beijing and outsourced staff from another airline service. Since you have to have a visa to get into China which most passengers who just connect there do not have, about 100 of us stood in line for 3 hours while a 3rd party, one overworked Chinese lady, got us a "day pass" to our hotel where we waited until the flight out the next day.

 

I assume flying through China will get better over the years as the country continues to modernize but I wouldn't recommend connecting there now with any airline, particularly western airlines who have very few flights there daily.

[jacko 8,815]

Go via Hong Kong instead.

Very civilised.

[tomcat76 327]

Until a few years ago, you needed a visa for Guangzhou, even just for 3hr stopover, and you could NOT get it on arrival. Well, you could, but not according to the rules, and you were treated like a minor criminal. That's changed now, but I wouldn't fly through there again if I could avoid it. HKG and CP a better, if more expensive, choice.

[Bullfrog 2,224]

(I am referring to EVA, which is anal about carryon weight at LAX. It is the only airline I have flown from LAX that insists on the 15-pound limit. It once even went to the extent of posting a goon outside the secure area to lift each EVA passenger's bag and evaluate the weight.)

 

Bloody excellent.

 

.Nothing more frustrating than sticking to the rules but not having storage space in the overhead lockers because a load of selfish bastards have ignored the rules..

[CheshireTom 1,377]

CZ has just switched to 380s from LAX, but there was nothing remarkabke about the seating. It seemed excessively hard, and I much prefer the 777s overall.

 

The seating has nothing to do with the make/model of the aircraft.

[The Mook 105]

I had never heard of China Southern prior to this thread. Thanks for the heads-up, OP.

[Samsonite 181]

...(I am referring to EVA, which is anal about carryon weight at LAX. It is the only airline I have flown from LAX that insists on the 15-pound limit. It once even went to the extent of posting a goon outside the secure area to lift each EVA passenger's bag and evaluate the weight.)...

 

EVA Air (pronounced "E-V-A Air(ways), an affiliate of shipping conglomerate Evergreen Group, is first and foremost a cargo company. The money is in shipping cargo not flying passengers so they have strict rules on weight so they can get the maximum amount of cargo into the belly of their passenger airliners.

At one time most of their long haul aircraft were Boeing 747-400 Combi-s that have a moveable bulkhead on the passenger deck so they can carry additional cargo (and fewer passengers). Since 2005 they have been adding the Boeing 777-300ER to their fleet and now have 15 with 3 more on order. While the 777-300ER carries fewer passengers than the passenger version of 747-400, it has more room below the main deck for cargo than the 747-400, making it the nearly perfect airplane for EVA and many other airlines as they retire their older 747s.

Edited December 8, 2012 by Samsonite

[aussiechic 209]

Bloody excellent.

 

.Nothing more frustrating than sticking to the rules but not having storage space in the overhead lockers because a load of selfish bastards have ignored the rules..

I was going to say some thing but I think you cover it.

 

Other Trvlr wise thanks for taking the time to put down some details.

[VPI78 11,517]

Flying with any airline through a China connection can be problematic. Last year I flew with disUNITED with a connection in Beijing. United missed the connection in Beijing so we had to stay over until the next day.

 

Among the problems included United has/had no staff n Beijing and outsourced staff from another airline service. Since you have to have a visa to get into China which most passengers who just connect there do not have, about 100 of us stood in line for 3 hours while a 3rd party, one overworked Chinese lady, got us a "day pass" to our hotel where we waited until the flight out the next day.

 

I assume flying through China will get better over the years as the country continues to modernize but I wouldn't recommend connecting there now with any airline, particularly western airlines who have very few flights there daily.

 

Ironic, just found this recent article noting that as of January 2013, transit passengers will be able to stay up to 72 hours in Beijing ... no visa required.

 

http://travel.cnn.com/beijing-waives-visa-transit-passengers-2013-674406?hpt=hp_bn1

[TheFiend 1,181]

At one time most of their long haul aircraft were Boeing 747-400 Combi-s that have a moveable bulkhead on the passenger deck so they can carry additional cargo (and fewer passengers).

 

My worst flight to Thailand was on a 747 Combi!!! Horrible plane!

[jacko 8,815]

Ironic, just found this recent article noting that as of January 2013, transit passengers will be able to stay up to 72 hours in Beijing ... no visa required.

 

http://travel.cnn.co...4406?hpt=hp_bn1

Will they be running a bus from Guangzhou?

[VPI78 11,517]

I haven't asked about buses from Beijing since I quoted my own post about connection in Beijing.

 

But for you J; I will enquire next time.

[Samsonite 181]

My worst flight to Thailand was on a 747 Combi!!! Horrible plane!

 

Has nothing to do with the plane itself, but the airline and how they chose to outfit the cabin (type of seats, etc.). Most people wouldn't know the difference. I've flown on the 747-400 Combi on four different occasions and it was just fine.

[wacmedia 277]

My worst flight to Thailand was on a 747 Combi!!! Horrible plane!

 

Hi,

 

Same, same.

[Evil Penevil 7,628]

Ironic, just found this recent article noting that as of January 2013, transit passengers will be able to stay up to 72 hours in Beijing ... no visa required.

 

http://travel.cnn.co...4406?hpt=hp_bn1

 

It will depend on how the Chinese authorities apply the change. If it means passengers in transit can simply walk up to Immigration Control at Beijing Airport and get a 72-hour "stay permit" stamped in their passports, that will be huge and probably result in a big boost in tourism to the Chinese capital.

 

But if it is merely an extension of the time limit of the current 24-hour transit stay permit, then it isn't as significant. As you noted, you have to fill in a form and queue up for the 24-hour stay permit at a special desk, which can take a long time, then stand in line again to clear IC. The big difference will be if an IC officer can grant the stay permit "automatically," assuming the passenger has proof of onward travel.

 

Evil

Edited December 10, 2012 by Evil Penevil

[Guest Fatboyfat]

My worst flight to Thailand was on a 747 Combi!!! Horrible plane!

I always thought that the Premium Economy (Evergreen deluxe) with EVA on this type of aircraft, to be the best going at the time.

[Forever 8]

It will depend on how the Chinese authorities apply the change. If it means passengers in transit can simply walk up to Immigration Control at Beijing Airport and get a 72-hour "stay permit" stamped in their passports, that will be huge and probably result in a big boost in tourism to the Chinese capital.

 

But if it is merely an extension of the time limit of the current 24-hour transit stay permit, then it isn't as significant. As you noted, you have to fill in a form and queue up for the 24-hour stay permit at a special desk, which can take a long time, then stand in line again to clear IC. The big difference will be if an IC officer can grant the stay permit "automatically," assuming the passenger has proof of onward travel.

 

Evil

 

Well since I'll be flying into Beijing on my way back to Patts next month I'll make it a point to inquire about that when I land.

Hopefully things will be sorted out by then and if it works I'll definitely make a point of arranging a stopover there on the way back.

[whitney 10]

I always thought that the Premium Economy (Evergreen deluxe) with EVA on this type of aircraft, to be the best going at the time.

 

I have flown Evergreen Deluxe before, and it is worth the extra money. I also like the service on this airline. I was thinking about flying on a Chinese airline from LAX to Thailand, but with the visa crap and transit, I decided that I have many other airlines still available without the visa issues if things go bad during transit.

 

If the visa hassles and lines get fixed for a China transit, I would be willing to give the Chinese airlines a chance.

[tomcat76 327]

No visa issues with Cathay Pacific. Missed the connection once in HKG a few years ago and they put me up in a hotel downtown. No problems at all. In fact, I overslept but the hotel got me up and into a taxi to make sure I caught the flight. More recently, planned a 2-day stopover in HKG on the way back to LAX. I don't recall having any big delays or issues with customs or immigration there.

[jacko 8,815]

No visa issues with Cathay Pacific. Missed the connection once in HKG a few years ago and they put me up in a hotel downtown. No problems at all. In fact, I overslept but the hotel got me up and into a taxi to make sure I caught the flight. More recently, planned a 2-day stopover in HKG on the way back to LAX. I don't recall having any big delays or issues with customs or immigration there.

Nope, I was through there recently and both immigration and customs were no issue, all pretty efficient. The airport is pretty big though, and you have to catch a train to the flight! Edited December 14, 2012 by jacko