This series highlights a recent trip down to Hong Kong with a brief stop in Shanghai on the way back. This report will cover the final leg from PVG to NGO. There will be a small Shanghai bonus at the end of this report. As a reminder, the final routing for this series is:
After walking around downtown Shanghai for four hours, it was time to head back to PVG for my flight to Nagoya. We’ll start this report at the Maglev Longyang Road Station, which is still a good 15-20 minutes from downtown Shanghai by subway.
Our steed arrives. A Japanese couple is waiting near me, also awaiting this photo opportunity. We both take pictures and then give each other disconcerting glances when we examine the train a little bit more closely… Not very reassuring to see on something that will be travelling at 431 km/h. It's probably safe to assume that given the blood splatter and the crack, that bird has now disintegrated…
Boarding the Maglev train for the very bumpy 8-minute journey to PVG. Our damaged steed survives the trip and safely deposits us at PVG. We get a nice view of Terminal 1 as we pull into the Maglev Airport Station.
Arriving at PVG around 16:00, we take the North Wuzhou Path to Terminal 1. MU domestic and international operations are both operated out of Terminal 1 (along with SkyTeam partners and JL). MU/JL have very close relationships so they are the unlucky OW airline to get stuck in Terminal 1.
Terminal 1 Departures Hall.
I already have my boarding pass in hand from HKG so I head straight over to the security/immigration line. I will note that there is a special check-in area devoted to MU J/F passengers in the middle of the Departures Hall with 15-20 counters that looked pretty empty as I walked by. There are no special priority lines for premium class passengers, but security/immigration are both very efficient at this hour and I am airside in less than 10 minutes (if you don’t believe me, check the clocks in this photo and then the FIDS after arriving airside). This is also the first time I’ve never set off the metal detectors in China, so there was no handsy pat down; this report is off to a great start!
Following the signs after immigration into the terminal. About 8 immigration officers were coming out of the breakroom to the left when I took this photo, all of them stopped and looked at what I was taking a picture of before continuing on their way. There wasn’t a “no photo” sign so I didn’t think it was a problem.
Entering the terminal, I immediately stop and look at the FIDS. NGO is a popular destination, 3 flights in less than an hour! The two flights at 17:15 and 17:40 are JL flights; my flight is still showing on-time at 18:05.
Duty-free shopping on my way to the lounge.
My plane leaves from Gate 17, so I wander in that direction and start looking for a lounge. The closest MU Lounge to my gate is this one at Gate 20. Walking in, the agent is on the phone, but immediately puts it down to welcome me. She looks at my boarding pass and tells me to use the Gate 22 Lounge. Nooooooo!!!!! Not back to that hell…
Seriously, does anyone know what the role of all of these MU Lounges is?
Dejected, I make the somber walk down to Gate 22. On the way, I do some spotting like this FM B738.
MU A320.
MU A333.
MU A320 in new livery with MU A330 in old livery taking off.
An old friend, a DL B744 prepared for pushback as she starts her journey back to DTW. A KL B744 is taking a nap at a remote stand before her return trip to AMS later tonight.
A sore sight for sore eyes… MU’s Gate 22 Lounge.
Entering, the MU agent greets me and asks me for my lounge invitation card. I explain that I’m in transit and hand over my boarding pass. She fills out a lounge invitation card, records my flight information, and then lets me enter.
A more complete overview can be found in Part 2 of this series, but I’ll give a quick overview again of this disappointment. Entering, there is the literature rack with Chinese and English newspapers/magazines. There is a self-service bar with very limited options.
Food and drink offerings are in this little alcove. The “refrigerators” (read Part 2 for why quotation marks are used) on the left side contain non-alcoholic drinks and beers. There is also fruit and sandwiches in this section. There are four hot buffet items out (didn’t bother taking pictures since I wasn’t interested in eating these items anyways). There are instant noodles and packaged snacks on the right side.
Taken from the food area at the entrance, this is a complete shot of the sitting area in the lounge. It really isn’t that big and is hopping at this hour with lots of brave patrons. The windows are all curtained since they are open to the hallway.
Your FRists first offering: dragon fruit and coffee. At least the tableware is nice…
When I went up to refill my coffee and grab a room temperature beer, I noticed sandwiches were just being put out. I grabbed one since it looked fresh, versus those sitting at room temperature for who knows how long. The ham and cheese sandwich was at least cold and edible. I’m still alive, so it didn’t kill me.
Boarding pass and corporate shot.
Fortunately, I didn’t have too long of a wait before my flight. I stayed in the lounge for 40 minutes before making the long walk back to Gate 17. The sun was beginning to go down so it made for some nicer photography.
KL B744.
MU A333 in old livery.
MU B77W in new livery.
Chinese signage never ceases to disappoint.
Terminal 1 near Gate 17, PVG must be saving money by not turning on the lights.
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China Eastern Airlines, MU291 Equipment: Airbus A320 [B-9972, delivered October 2013] Departure: 18:05 (ATD: 18:30) Arrival: 21:10 (ATA: 21:17) Flight time: 1:47
Arriving at my gate at the scheduled boarding time, two problems are visible. First, there is no plane at our gate. The agents make an announcement that boarding is delayed due to a late-arriving aircraft from XIY.
Second problem, five minutes later, this pulls up to our gate… my flight was supposed to be on an A321. This is an A320 with sharklets. Another disappointment on the day, an aircraft swap from an A321 down to an A320. While that may mean nothing to most people, if you know the difference in J-cabins on the two aircraft you will understand why this is a not good (50” pitch down to 36” pitch). That said; I do like A320s with sharklets, so at least it’s pretty on the outside.
They quickly get this plane turned around and we are soon boarding. I guess catering for both segments was done in XIY. Unfortunately, due to the delayed boarding, there are no respects for priorities and the gate is just flooded with people. Downstairs, a last shot of my plane before heading into the jetbridge.
At the threshold of the plane. A Chinese FRist?
The FAs wait for me to finish taking my photo of the “Welcome” mat before greeting me in English, taking my boarding pass, and showing me to my seat. She takes my backpack and puts it in the overhead bin for me. At least the welcome from the FAs bodes well for this flight not being a disaster.
And here we are at my seat, another fun trip aboard the A320…
Pillow and blanket are preplaced in the seat. Settling into my seat, I see our neighbor is a MU A332. In the distance, the bright yellow and green plane is a MU B738 in special livery (not sure which).
The FA then comes up hands me an oshibori (no platter) and offers me water or orange juice from a tray. I take the orange juice.
She then returns and asks me if I will be taking dinner tonight. I give the affirmative and asks me verbally if I want “chicken and rice” or “seafood and noodles.” I tell her I want the seafood and noodles and then she takes my aperitif order.
Boarding is over quickly and the FAs are seen in the front galley doing last minute paperwork.
As in Part 3 of this series, the seat pitch is very tight for J and there is an entertainment box that impedes foot space for the window seats. In the seatback are preplaced slippers, headphones, and newspapers. The pre-placement of newspapers has always been strange and this time it got really weird. This time we are up to a record of 4 newspapers, unfortunately all in Chinese. I flag down a FA and get an English newspaper; she apologizes when handing it to me. This cabin, again, has no personal IFE and only has the bulkhead mounted screens for the J-cabin.
The front doors close and the jetbridge retracts. The J load for this flight was 5/8; the four other passengers were all Chinese.
Pushing back we get a nice glimpse of the MU B77W in new livery getting aired out.
The ground crew waves us goodbye as we start our taxi over to Terminal 2.
As we taxi past Terminal 1, we can do some spotting.
MU A332.
DL A332 that just arrived from SEA.
AF B77W that just arrived from CDG. Nice and dirty for Numero_2^^
Going past Terminal 2, we get a very diverse tail lineup.
A nice and long LH A346 dedicated to Numero_2.
QR B77W dedicated to lagentsecret.
W5 A310 dedicated to whitelight44, what an extremely rare spotting!
NZ B772.
CZ B738.
A picture of the cabin before takeoff.
There was no one else in the queue, so we quickly align for an eastern departure. Takeoff was smooth and as we get wheels up we get a nice aerial view of a FM B738 taxing below.
Sharklet shot as we lift up and leave the Chinese mainland.
Back to a tour of the seatback contents as we continue our ascent. This is the first of the series that has the actual MU Connections magazine. It has tons of water damage and is in poor condition, but I delve in! The MU international and domestic network map. They currently serve 14 destinations in Japan, which is quite astonishing. Of course, their Taiwanese destinations (Taipei and Kaohsiung) still show up on the domestic network. Lastly, the Oriental Sky leaflet and 2 clean bags (better safe than sorry) were also in the seatback.
More sharklet shots as we approach cruising altitude over the cloudy sea.
The IFE gets switched on and starts playing a Chinese movie with English subtitles.
The FA comes out distributes a custom form to me. She was polite and asked if I needed an immigration form as opposed to just forcing one on me.
She then opens up the tray table and lays down the tablecloth.
As dinner service begins, it is now getting darker outside but window shades are never closed on this flight.
A beer, oshibori (not pictured), and packet of mixed nuts are distributed. Just for jetsetpanda, my beer has ice cubes in it!!! I did not ask for ice, but I guess the beer was warm so the FA decided that was the most effective way to serve a cold beer…
Meal trays are now being distributed as we approach sunset.
Here is my “seafood and noodles” meal. I see both seafood (shrimp again, much to the displeasure of Cobra) and noodles, so the meal matches the description. The FA then immediately returns with the breadbasket and I take some garlic bread. The tray contains a salad, a starter, the main, and a dessert (top right corner).
The main. Five shrimp, not as big and juicy as the last flight, but at least an acceptable number of broccoli :) The noodles were really good and were mixed with mushrooms and peppers. The shrimp weren’t the best, but the flavor was all very good on the main.
The salad was average, but had radish, baby corn, and tomatoes for some diversity. The Chinese and Japanese love Thousand Island dressing, so it’s an appropriate selection for the region, although not my favorite.
The starter has mixed presentation. Not sure why the shrimp needs to be served in a metal dish, but at least there was a nice leaf to garnish the vegetables and cod. Not sure what the sauce on the shrimp was, but it was very good. A little repetitive to have shrimp in the starter and the main. The vegetables were average, but the cod in the back corner was good.
The garlic bread was warm and good.
The dessert might creep out most people since it actually doesn’t taste very sweet, but it’s very common in northern Asia. It is gelatin on the top and on the bottom there are some azuki beans. A very nice dessert and I actually prefer this to ice cream.
For the sophisticated gentleman.
Cutlery all adorns the new logo.
Oh no, I can see the new logo on the bottom of my empty glass!
Here comes a refill, a fruit plate for dessert, and a post-meal oshibori.
The IFE is still playing the same Chinese movie, so I just request a cup of coffee and settle into a crossword puzzle for the remainder of the flight.
We had some strong tailwinds and were quickly descending into Nagoya, which means its time for some repulsive night shots of Nagoya as we drop into Ise Bay from the west.
We touch down smoothly at NGO just a little bit behind schedule, so we made up quite a bit of time enroute. Touching down we can see the tail lineup at the international terminal. Another CI A333 in special livery! Alongside an EY A332, JL B772, and JL B738.
A DL B752 spending the night at a remote stand after arriving from GUM.
We pull into a gate right next to a NH B737 that's already tucked into bed for the night, who is dwarfed by the KE B77W that is spending the night behind it.
The jetbridge quickly engages, the front door opens, and the FAs bid us a good night as we deplane.
Straightforward signage.
The CI A333 must have just beaten us because immigration was backed up with tons of Taiwanese. Luckily, the volunteers were aware and were quickly sending special re-entry people over to the empty Japanese passport lines so it wasn’t too long a wait. By the time I made it to the baggage claim, my bag was already circulating. This photo is dedicated to Numero_2, I’m also a disgraceful person that can’t read the signs on the pillars^^ I saw the sign right after I took the picture.
At customs, they always ask one question. This time it was: “Where do you work?” (in Japanese). I respond, he hands back my passport and I’m off to catch the train home.
Thanks for stopping by and reading this series! For those of you not interested in tourist bonuses, scroll to the bottom for the ratings/summary.
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I was only in Shanghai in 4 hours, yet that was enough to convince me it was not a city I ever want to return to (unless it is the dead of winter). My throat was sore for the next couple days just from inhaling the air in downtown for that short period of time. It really makes me appreciate the good air quality in Nagoya. The was a relentless number of people harassing me and trying to scam me as I walked from the East Nanjing Road Station to the Bund and back in a loop. I also stopped at a small café for a cup of coffee. Here are the pictures from my walk.
The Bund Center.
The Oriental Pearl Tower poking up in between some buildings.
Not all Shanghai streets are trashy. This one was very nice as I walked down to the Yu Garden.
These streets, however, are pretty trashy.
Near the Yu Garden. All kinds of people harassing/targeting Westerners in this area.
More traditional side streets on the way towards the Huangpu River.
The famous Shanghai skyline and the Oriental Pearl Tower.
The Bund.
See more
Verdict
China Eastern
6.9/10
Cabin6.5
Cabin crew8.0
Entertainment/wifi5.0
Meal/catering8.0
Lounge #22
3.8/10
Comfort4.0
Meal/catering4.0
Entertainment/wifi3.0
Services4.0
Shanghai - PVG
8.0/10
Efficiency10.0
Access7.0
Services6.0
Cleanliness9.0
Nagoya - NGO
8.8/10
Efficiency9.0
Access8.0
Services8.0
Cleanliness10.0
Conclusion
Another functional flight aboard MU. The A320 is not my favorite plane since it has an old cabin and no personal IFE so comfort on the flight was poor. Otherwise, the meal was above average and the crew seemed friendly so the service aspect of the flight was good. MU again provided great on-time performance, all four flights with them had no problems.
Cabin comfort: A sad day indeed, aircraft swap onto the old A320 cabin (even though this plane is less than 2 years old). The 36 seat pitch is not acceptable for a J-cabin in Asia. Cabin visually looked to be in good condition and the bathroom was clean, but it was pretty cramped feeling with reduced space at my feet due to the entertainment box. The seat itself is an old cushy recliner and that aspect of comfort was fine. I was lucky not to have anyone next to me or in front of me (no one reclining into my face).
Crew: I would have expected them to be more flustered because of the delay arriving from XIY and having to get the plane ready for the next leg, but they seemed relaxed and professional. The FAs were very polite, but not engaging. They smiled boarding and during service. They also kept my glass refilled so were quite attentive as has been seen on every flight with them. Can you really expect more on MU?
Meal and catering: This was another good tasting meal. However, the shrimp were a little on the small size. I liked the noodles and the starter. The salad was palatable, yet not enticing to eat. It was nice to receive both a fruit plate and a dessert with the meal. Drink menu isn't great. No dinner menu offered, only a verbal request for meal.
Entertainment: Personal IFE was non-existent, just the standard programming on an overhead TV. Water-logged airline magazine is disappointing. Four newspapers were placed in my seat back, but all in Chinese... English was available on request.
On-time performance: Left late due to a delayed inbound aircraft (ground crew made several announcements regarding the delay), but they got things turned around quickly. Arrived only 7 minutes late into NGO thanks to favorable tail winds.
I don't even need to justify the MU Lounge at Gate 22's ratings, it's mind-boggling how this is their international lounge in their hub...
0 LIKESLIKE TO THANK THE AUTHORTHANKS ! FLIGHT-REPORT LIKED
I see the MU lounge had not changed since last year. It is a shame for an airline to offer such a lounge in the main international hub. There was no warm selection? I mean warm dish, not all-the-afternoon-outside-sandwich^^
If you ask for a shower, you will be directed to another lounge. Maybe, if you settle there after, they wouldn't tell you...
Looks like the crew was not too bad on that flight, neither the meal. The meal looks nice at least.
There is no specific lane for re-entry permit at NGO? There is at NRT and it is usually even quicker than the one for Japanese nationals^^ As for the customs, I guess it depends on your airport and also schedule. With flights from China and Taiwan, they might target different kind of passengers than you.
I read your reports before embarking on this series. Overall, MU seemed to be better this time around with respect to service, but that PVG Lounge is just terrible. There were two warm selections (the other two buffets were empty), I didn't photograph them since there were meany lounge agents wandering around waiting to give me a no photo in typical Chinese style.
If you ask for a shower - Not sure if I would trust the showers they have to offer^^
The meal looks nice at least. - Catering presentation has greatly improved on MU since your trip. They implemented new tableware and the overall meal presentation has always been very nice. The taste maybe has not changed too much^^
There is no specific lane for re-entry permit at NGO? - There is, but it does not have a separate entrance (it splits from the mainline in the middle). Japanese passport lines are always empty at NGO. I think the questions I get at customs are more out of curiosity than actual suspicion. I would never smuggle something in illegally and risk losing my visa^^
WTF is this new livery ? A homework from a 5 years old child ?! ^^
New plane but old school cabin, looks like the bad J of asia... And with the entertainment box, sooo bad ! The meal looks better than the flight before. A good crew for a good flight. Nice pictures of the sharklet.
WTF is this new livery ? A homework from a 5 years old child ?! ^^ - LOL^^ I have mixed feelings about the new and old MU liveries. I prefer the old livery, but hate the black noses. The new livery is nothing^^ It's just a white plane with some red/blue font and then the 'modern art' (or child's doodle, as you described it) bird logo on the detail.
This is the worst J-cabin I have seen in Asia, domestic cabins in Japan are better. The IFE box is rediculous, there is no personal IFE in the seat^^
Catering has been consistently above average and the crew have varied from okay to good. Fortunately, I never found bad catering and bad crews in my series (only the rude deadheading pilot in the last flight). I'd fly MU again if the opportunity arose for a regional route, but I won't go out of my way to fly them again.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment the report^^
I like FM too, it's old school Chinese, but still has some taste to it. It's actually not too far from MF with the stylized bird, who have one of the best domestic airline liveries in China, IMO. I don't mind the stripes on the old MU livery, but hate the black nose. AZ and VN do the same thing on some of their planes and it just disgusts me.
I'm glad the MU reports are over, on to some domestic travels!
We both take pictures and then give each other disconcerting glances when we examine the train a little bit more closely… Not very reassuring to see on something that will be travelling at 431 km/h. - Scary indeed.
She looks at my boarding pass and tells me to use the Gate 22 Lounge. Nooooooo!!!!! Not back to that hell… - A recurring nightmare! ;)
The ham and cheese sandwich was at least cold and edible. - It seems that the colors of the cheese and ham are almost neon-like. I bet it's 100% natural and organic.
Boarding pass and corporate shot. - Wait, that boarding pass does not have the detachable versions at either end. It is a normal Westernized boarding pass and I think it is beautiful.
MU A333 in old livery. - Those lines and colors are hideous. Good thing that a new livery is taking its place.
More sharklet shots as we approach cruising altitude over the cloudy sea. - They are quite eye catching.
Just for jetsetpanda, my beer has ice cubes in it!!! - Thanks Michael. You know coming from the U.S., ice is ESSENTIAL! :P
Here is my “seafood and noodles” meal. - I think the main dish could use more moodles and the presentation can be improved. That tin cup for the shrimp on the appetizer does not make sense. Talk about sauce for the shrimp, you can make one by mixing mayo with ketchup and a few drops of cognac. ;)
The garlic bread was warm and good. - No doubt, but somehow I feel uneasy about the intensity of the colors on the food. It looks too artificial to me.
A very nice dessert and I actually prefer this to ice cream. - Asians love to use beans for sweets and desserts. I grew up in Latin America and beans are used for savory dishes (except at my place where I used to indulge in steamed buns made with sweet ground beans).
I was only in Shanghai in 4 hours, yet that was enough to convince me it was not a city I ever want to return to (unless it is the dead of winter). My throat was sore for the next couple days just from inhaling the air in downtown for that short period of time. - Doesn't sound like my type of place. Sorry to hear about your discomfort. Next time do some gargles in lukewarm water with salt.
The was a relentless number of people harassing me and trying to scam me as I walked from the East Nanjing Road Station to the Bund and back in a loop - That screams stay away and it's really irritating. I don't blame you for not wanting to return.
Beautiful bonus as usual. Thanks for sharing this nice ending to an amazing series.
Scary indeed. - I have never felt such a bumpy train, you almost couldn't even stand up when it was running.
A recurring nightmare! ;) - I'd rather be in a UA Club ;) The problem is that there are no other options. There is an AF Lounge, but it is only open at night before the flight to CDG. I peaked into the JL Sakura Lounge and it didn't look too much better.
It seems that the colors of the cheese and ham are almost neon-like. I bet it's 100% natural and organic. - It glows as much as the fish I eat in Japan :) Probably is Kraft Singles^^
Wait, that boarding pass does not have the detachable versions at either end. - Yes, the boarding passes that I had in Part 1 and 2 were on the old cardstock. They had the cool double-ended BPs. The new cardstock that is in Part 3 and 4 is the boring stuff. The next series will feature some cool BPs.
Those lines and colors are hideous. Good thing that a new livery is taking its place. - I really don't hate the color scheme, they just needed to dump the black nose and rework the painting style. I find the new livery just plain boring.
They are quite eye catching. - Airbus planes (other than UA and US) are just not common in the US so it's nice to take one for a change. I've had a lot o Airbus flights recently so that's been interesting. I still prefer Boeing, not really a fan of the A330s or A319/20/21s.
Thanks Michael. You know coming from the U.S., ice is ESSENTIAL! :P - After the whole no ice in the orange juice episode with UA, I thought you would appreciate the appearance of ice in my beer. I love watered-down beer.
I think the main dish could use more moodles and the presentation can be improved. - I found the noodle quantity to be similar to the amount of rice you would get, but more is always better :) It was a good meal and the tray had very good quantity getting bother a starter and a salad as well as a dessert and a fruit plate.
I feel uneasy about the intensity of the colors on the food. It looks too artificial to me. - That might just be the camera... not sure. There was actual pieces of garlic on top of the toast, you could see the small white pieces that weren't completely smashed. I'm sure there was plenty of MSG in these meals.
Asians love to use beans for sweets and desserts. - Tofu also. There are all kinds of good desserts here for me to indulge in. I hate cloyingly sweet desserts like you find in the US.
That screams stay away and it's really irritating. I don't blame you for not wanting to return. - When I was in Beijing in December, it was really nice (but extremely cold), there was no air pollution and no one was harassing you (tourism low season). If I ever go back to Shanghai, not sure if I will since there is nothing to see there, but it would be in the winter. I'm just trying to walk down the street and it's just a constant stream of people walking up to you trying to get you to buy something or follow them to go do something. It's like: just leave me alone! Obviously there are peddlers in every tourist city, but this was the most extreme I've seen. It doesn't help that I'm an obvious Westerner, whereas in Europe I can go stealth and blend in with the locals.
Thanks for sharing this nice ending to an amazing series. - Thank you for all your comments in the series Adan. The next series will be a domestic one that will debut a new airline and a new airport for the site. Keep your eyes peeled for some bizarre IATA codes, lol.
Obviously, the windshield of the Maglev was up to the impact, but the driver must have had a shock. (A friend of mine who was testing high speed trains told me that hitting a flock of birds was akin to being heavy machine-gunned). I do believe you with regards to PVG's security/immigration efficiency. I love Chinese signs like that in the elevator! That IFE box impeding the legspace is a shame in J (if you have longer legs than I do, that is ^^) In Shanghai, the green ideogram ? on the wall behind the white BMW means Demolish: this brick building will soon give way to another steel and glass building. Thanks for this comprehensive report !
told me that hitting a flock of birds was akin to being heavy machine-gunned - I'm sure that bird had a quick and instantaneous death. I've see the pictures of when planes hit birds, it's really not a pretty sight.
I love Chinese signs like that in the elevator! - At least they did warn you that you were about to be trapped in the elevator before you just wandered in.
That IFE box impeding the legspace is a shame in J - It's a shame because there was no IFE, insult to injury^^
In Shanghai, the green ideogram ? on the wall behind the white BMW means Demolish: this brick building will soon give way to another steel and glass building. - Not surprised given the excellent location of that building in downtown. I don't think that character exists in Japanese so I had no idea what it said.
I'm usually not a big fan of Continental Chinese airlines but I must admit that I'm quite surprised by the quality of service you had during this flight. Pitch is awful and the IFE box is not helpful. Slippers are more than welcome even on medium-haul flights and the catering was better than I expected even though it could be better. Chinese people is used to put ice cubes in any drink, even in champagne or wine. Even if some might be shocked, the stewardess only did her job.
Thank you very much for taking the time to read this report and comment, it is very much appreciated.
I'm usually not a big fan of Continental Chinese airlines - I think that statement is true for most people^^ That said, it really wasn't that bad. China may be far behind other carriers in the region, but the service level is not that much different from the US.
Pitch is awful and the IFE box is not helpful. - The worst in the region^^
For a flight that is less than two hours, the level of service and catering is more than sufficient on MU, even if it isn't the best on offer. The prices on MU are generally much lower than their competitors so your expectations should be lower :)
Chinese people is used to put ice cubes in any drink, even in champagne or wine. - This was the first flight where I had seen it, which is why it was surprising to me. I do appreciate her trying to be proactive and solve the problem of a warm beer (which is still worse than a watered-down beer^^)
The only time I rode the Maglev was with Lagentsecret, and we both found that the ride was quite bumpy and in some way even less confortable than a regular train.
No chance for this another bad plane swapping.
AF B77W that just arrived from CDG. Nice and dirty for Numero_2^^ -> In my opinion, Airlines having their aircrafts in a white livery should invest more money to keep them in an immaculate virgin colour. My five Swiss cents. ;)
After the Nice and dirty one, here is the nice and long... Lol
The meal doesn't look that bad, but peppers in noodles and this local dessert would definitly not have been my cup of tea...
This photo is dedicated to Numero_2 -> Wow, already the third one of this FR. ^^ I’m also a disgraceful person that can’t read the signs on the pillars^^ -> I guess bringing omiyage to your colleagues is not enough to clean off this stupid gaijin sign you're wearing in that country. Lol
I wish I had five Swiss francs -> The funny thing is that the five Swiss francs coin is, together with the 500¥ coin, the most valuable ones commonly used. ^^
I used both Maglev and subway to/from PVG. The Maglev provides a travel time advantage only if you catch one quickly. If you just missed one, the waiting time and the connection at its end station cancels the speed advantage. The Maglev is overall more comfortable, although indeed quite bumpy, because it is usually empty, whereas the subway is crowded on most of the way. My five jiao on the topic. :)
we both found that the ride was quite bumpy and in some way even less confortable than a regular train. - I agree, it wasn't a great experience for the price. I think the subway is probably quicker and more comfortable since there are long waiting times for the Maglev.
My five Swiss cents. ;) - I wish I had five Swiss francs, but alas I'm stuck with 1 Japanese yen. The MU B77W was clean and I typically see very white JL planes, so it is possible to properly clean them.
The meal doesn't look that bad, but peppers in noodles and this local dessert would definitly not have been my cup of tea... - That's what I hate about regional routes on Chinese carriers because menus are not provided so it is only verbal description. It's always a surprise when the try arrives and you see what is actually being served. What I don't like is that on 3 of the 4 flights with MU, shrimp was the seafood protein.
I guess bringing omiyage to your colleagues is not enough to clean off this stupid gaijin sign you're wearing in that country. Lol - There is always a gaijin label, no way to rid yourself of it. So, it's always best to just take advantage of that tag and plead ignorance whenever you do something wrong.
Hi NGO85, Another very nice FR of yours. Last year, I had the opportunity several times (3 return flights to be precise)to enjoy MU flights in J from NRT to CDG via PVG, with PVG-CDG v/v operated by AF. In your report I see quite a good improvement in food quality. All the meals I had on MU from/to PVG were quite strange: sometimes too salty, sometimes overcooked (meat) and presentation was most of the time not that good. The one you are reporting looks quite good comparatively, and this is for me quite surprising. Lounge 22 is abysimal as it always has been... I prefer to stay with the other passengers... in the terminal although the shops at PVG are not very interested. LAst time (it was in Aug. 2014) I asked to have a shower... and as there is none in the 22 lounge, they make you go to lounge 20, to just have a shower which was not tremendous but OK. Well, to reassure you, AF/KL lounge is not much better: maybe the food and the drinks a little better with some French Bordeaux, as well as the couches, but they are completely blind and cold and the 3 times I went there, wifi was broken... and the staff were not overly friendly. One more thing that surprises me is the punctuality. My MU flights were consistently late, some of them 4 hours. Fortunately, I had a layover of 7+ hours, otherwise I would have missed my connection.
Flight interior: compared to the MU A330-300 and 200, as well as A340-600 I have been on in J, the seat on the a320 leaves a lot to desire. The pitch is quite tight for a J class... Maybe you had the regional J. Well I agree with you definitely not as comfortable as it should be, but better than AF J on European flights!
Arrival in NGO. To avoid all the queue to re-entry permit holder (surprising there were no specific lane), or the foreigner lane, I suggest you to apply for automated gate. Almost no one are registered. I have never waited more 5 mins in NRT or HND, KIX or FUK. I have never arrived at NGO internationally (nor domestically) but they should normally equipped.
All in all a somewhat good experience on MU with pros and cons, but still better that their Y or other airline Y for a (I guess) a competitive price! Thanks for sharing!
I had read many reports of MU and dreaded this set of flights, but I consistently found catering and service to be good (for a Chinese carrier). Presentation of all meals was very good and the FAs seemed to have much more polished service and would ask questions more etiquette (not just saying more?).
The Lounge matches PVG, it is in need of a major make-over. Terminal 2 seem to have slightly better lounges, so it is MU's fault for not investing any money into improving the ground experiences for the premium passengers. I only went to the lounges for the some fruit and drinks and then spend a good deal of time up with the masses in the main part of the airport where the ambiance was slightly better and much cleaner^^
This was the only flight that had a delayed boarding. All four of the flights arrived less than 10 minutes late so it was never a problem with punctuality on MU. I was very surprised, but this also matches my experiences on CA where all the flights were very punctual in/out of PEK.
This J seat is the older regional product, the newer regional product was in Part 1 and had 50 pitch and personal IFE. That is a very good product and makes it very competitive in north Asia.
So, I complain about long lines at NGO, but immigration only took 10 minutes^^ Usually there is no one in line since flights arrive so infrequently at NGO. Maybe in the morning when the LH, TG, CI, CX, and AY wide-body flights all arrive at the same time, there is probably much more congestion. They have the automated gates at NGO, but I never see anyone use them.
If the price is competitive, MU is a decent option. The PVG transit is okay, not my favorite. I would not hesitate to fly them again, but I don't anticipate any vacations to China any time soon^^
Even birds commit suicide in the Shaghai suburb...too much grey and not enough green ^^
PVG seem very unfriendly... very strange these dreadful stalactites falling from the ceiling :))
lounge 22 is definitivly not Studio 59 :))
On board, the seat is not wonderful but enough for a short flight. Catering seem shrimply good...if you like shrimp... but for beeing honest, it's quite good !
Even birds commit suicide in the Shaghai suburb - It might have died from the air before it hit the train^^
PVG seem very unfriendly... very strange these dreadful stalactites falling from the ceiling :)) - I find Terminal 1 at PVG to be very ugly and dated. It was clean, but it just doesn't feel like someplace you want to be^^
On board, the seat is not wonderful but enough for a short flight. - Yes, despite all my complaints, it is still better than Y and having no seatmate improves comfort.
Catering seem shrimply good...if you like shrimp... but for beeing honest, it's quite good ! - You should avoid MU, three of the four meals were shrimp in this series^^ Thankfully, there is no no-show penalty in the event of passenger death so Madame will not have to pay^^
Usual centrair train to coming back home? ^^ - Always the train, the bus exists, but it is not much cheaper and much longer. NGO is ~40km south of the city.
The lounge looks disappointing but I can tell you that the food offer is better than the one I had in the QR flagship Al Mourjan Lounge for breakfast two days ago
The pitch is really too tight and there is an IFE box but no IFE lol
QR B77W dedicated to lagentsecret. Thanks a lot : you'll have soon a QR FR in return ;)
The meal doesn't look bad and at least the bread, appetizer and main plates have been cleared before you received your fruits plate (I didn't have this on my QR return flight)
A professional and attentive cabin crew : that's really nice
From your last QR report, the lounge offerings in DOH looked poor. The food offering is okay, but the lounge at PVG is old, dirty, and just not a pleasant experience.
The pitch is really too tight and there is an IFE box but no IFE lol - Insult to injury^^ The pitch is acceptable, but if a passenger reclines that massive recliner then your personal space quickly disappears (similar to your MH reports^^).
Thanks a lot : you'll have soon a QR FR in return ;) - I look forward to it, new Cirrus product?^^
Catering and meal service were all acceptable with MU. I have low expectations for MU, but found everything to be functionally executed (obviously not perfect^^). Crews were all courteous and smiled, just not overly sociable.
No long-haul from me for awhile, but I have some domestic vacations booked that I'll report. Not the most interesting of flights, but I'll make sure they are up to NGO85 standards and not too repulsive ;)
Poor bird...I'm seen some nasty birdstrikes on airplanes before--luckily never a cracked windshield like on the maglev (don't think it's possible). Long layovers can be good sometimes, when the public transportation is good, to leave the airport for a quick trip into the city. That photo of the Chinese gate makes me think of a Chinatown, but it can't be a Chinatown, it's all China :-P
I don't get why both of those lounges are called First Class Lounge on the signage. I wonder if the one at 20 is the actual F lounge and that's why they didn't let you in. I'm sure you weren't missing anything anyway. I really don't get the point of needing a lounge invitation when your J ticket gives you access. Lounge invitations make sense for partner lounges or 3rd party lounges where there is a cost that the airline must pay based on lounge invitations. but in the airline's home lounge it seems unnecessary.
The old MU livery wasn't great to begin with, but the new livery is a big snooze. It's right up there in boringness with the new Finnair livery. I like the MU FA uniform; that red belt looks very similar to the AF uniform, that I find very classy.
Thanks for this report, the good bonus pics, and of course the repulsive night shots :-P
that photo of the Chinese gate makes me think of a Chinatown, but it can't be a Chinatown, it's all China :-P - It's okay, I still think the same way when I see that those gates too.
I have no idea, the Lounge at Gate 20 looked slightly better visually. According to Olrik and Flytak that lounge has showers so maybe it is the fancy real F Lounge. Not sure why they insist on a lounge card, it seemed that they carefully recorded flight information for all the guests so that they knew which flights to make announcements for. The agent in the lounge would then find the passenger and tell them it was time to go to to the gate, which was a nice touch, but I always got out of there long before the boarding time.
I like the MU FA uniform; that red belt looks very similar to the AF uniform, that I find very classy. - I find the blouses they wear also to be visually a good balance, you can see them in Part 2. The FA uniform is new, they updated them when they refreshed their image with the new catering and livery.
and of course the repulsive night shots :-P - I try my best to be repulsive :)
That crack on that maglev was nasty..... The bird looks so sad..
The lounge looks miserable as usual...
The FAs wait for me to finish taking my photo of the “Welcome” mat before greeting me in English, taking my boarding pass, and showing me to my seat. She takes my backpack and puts it in the overhead bin for me. At least the welcome from the FAs bodes well for this flight not being a disaster. The FAs are pretty kind on this flight :-)
The seat is a nightmare as usual.......:-P
This was another good tasting meal. However, the shrimp were a little on the small size. I liked the noodles and the starter. At least this was better than the last meal :-)
Thanks for sharing this wonderful report with us! :-0
The MU Lounges are disgusting, the actual airport seating areas are nicer and cleaner.
The FAs are pretty kind on this flight :-) - I never met rude MU FAs, I'm sure they are out there, but I was fortunate enough to only get average to good FAs.
The catering is very good for a regional meal, the seat is where MU really needs to take a big step forward next. There is too much inconsistency in their hard product from plane to plane. I shouldn't have to try and build an itinerary around which planes they are operating.
Thank you very much for reading the report and commenting!
I think the Tujia-Enshi livery is different, that one has a white front and green back. This one that I saw was yellow and green striped. I went through the list of 737s in MUs fleet and couldn't find it.
It was very depressing to see an A320 show up at the gate. I saw the A321 parked at a remote stand and was praying that was it, but it was not meant to be :( I really wanted the chance to try four different planes in the MU fleet, with this aircraft swap I was left with only three different plane types.
Catering and FAs were the biggest surprise in this series. MU has improved their image in my eyes, I used to hear such bad things about them in Japan. They typically have very cheap fares, but SkyTeam is not an alliance I really like flying (especially in Asia).
There is a 737-800 (B-5475) which is wearing that livery that you spotted. It says 'Tujia, Enshi Livery' if you go to the Flightradar24 page about the particular plane. This plane wore that livery with the white front and green back, but now it sports the yellow/green livery.
I always like your FR as it is very detailed but with a dash of jokes. Anyway, next time you plan to visit Shanghai again, please let me know and I can show you around and you will not be harassed by the scammers! ;-) Shanghai is so much more beyond the Bund and East Nanjing road.
The maglev train is indeed quite a feat. You’re being propelled at 420km/h when other hi-speed trains in other countries are only travelling around 300-350km/h. However, once, I have had the honour to see the cockpit of this maglev and to be honest, I was far from being amused if not frightened. What I saw was a roomy cockpit with a console in the middle. On this console, there was a joystick and 3 buttons (the red, the orange, and the green), two gauges (I guessed one is speedometer and the other one is the rpm meter). Accompanying the console was a plastic chair and a standing electric fan. That’s it, that’s all! I don’t know whether this “simple” arrangement means technological feat/advancement or this maglev is just a very expensive toy that anyone can ride LOL
I always feel awful/dreaded whenever I have to fly out of T1. It is dark, dingy, cramped, with shops and F&B offerings geared toward local passengers. You can tell from the lounges (like your beloved Lounge no. 22), the shops selling virtually the same things (Chinese scarfs, panda dolls, tea, folded fans, etc), many smoking rooms, etc. For spotting T! is also incredibly monotone compared to T2. Hopefully when the renovation is done, T1 will get a new lease of life!
After living here for 4 years, it still bemuses me how much the Chinese love everything in warm/room temperature. They love their beer in room temperature, their juices in room temperature, their sodas in room temperature, their water in warm temperature, their sandwich warm, etc. Even when it is blistering 38 degrees outside, they still drink warm water. Aiyaaaa!! Sometimes I get a glass of white wine or beer with ice (just like you) because that’s how they think foreigners like their beverages. Of course I am generalizing but you still see this happening very often as soon as you leave big cities like Shanghai and Beijing.
I have love hate relationship with MU. Sometimes they are so wonderful, sometimes they are so awful you just want to strangle every single MU staff for being so incompetent and indifferent toward you and other passengers. When they are good, you will be so amazed. Unfortunately for me, I have had more fair shares of the so-so and bad experiences with them probably because I only fly domestic flights with MU. So this FR series you are writing really opens up my eyes that MU is really putting some serious effort to be a world class effort.
So thank you once again for this FR and I look forward to read more of your amazing adventures!
I just found it to be repulsive. Yes, every city has people targeting toursits, but the relentless barrage of people in Shanghai just disgusted me. All I wanted to do was walk around, I don't need people trying to talk to me every 20 seconds.
The Maglev was worth the experience, but I think just taking the subway all the way to the airport is almost just as fast and much cheaper! The new Maglev trains in Japan are supposed to be faster (hit 600 km/h in a test the other month). I found the Maglev to be a very bumpy and scary ride, knowing how toy-like the controls are doesn't make me feel any safer, lol. I'm surprised they had the luxury of a fan in the cockpit.
PVG T1 is probably the worst international terminal I've been in recently, it is so different from all of the new, modern airports that are springing up all across China. The ceiling spikes are just visually bizarre. I prefer PEK to PVG.
It's strange to hear that, I get so many weird looks in Japan when I ask for hot coffee in the summer. Ice coffee is becoming extremely popular here during the warmer months. It just concerns me when all the food in the lounge is left at room temperature. I have no idea how long it has been sitting there or if it is safe to eat. I don't want to get food poisoning!
How you feel about MU is how I feel about NH. Sometimes they are really good, but there is just too much inconsistency sometimes in their service to non-Japanese speakers. MU isn't the greatest airline in the world, but I was happy enough with how they performed on these short regional routes. Domestic versus international service standards always vary, in my opinion.
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173 reviews
33 Comments
I see the MU lounge had not changed since last year.
It is a shame for an airline to offer such a lounge in the main international hub.
There was no warm selection? I mean warm dish, not all-the-afternoon-outside-sandwich^^
If you ask for a shower, you will be directed to another lounge. Maybe, if you settle there after, they wouldn't tell you...
Looks like the crew was not too bad on that flight, neither the meal.
The meal looks nice at least.
There is no specific lane for re-entry permit at NGO?
There is at NRT and it is usually even quicker than the one for Japanese nationals^^
As for the customs, I guess it depends on your airport and also schedule. With flights from China and Taiwan, they might target different kind of passengers than you.
I read your reports before embarking on this series. Overall, MU seemed to be better this time around with respect to service, but that PVG Lounge is just terrible. There were two warm selections (the other two buffets were empty), I didn't photograph them since there were meany lounge agents wandering around waiting to give me a no photo in typical Chinese style.
If you ask for a shower
- Not sure if I would trust the showers they have to offer^^
The meal looks nice at least.
- Catering presentation has greatly improved on MU since your trip. They implemented new tableware and the overall meal presentation has always been very nice. The taste maybe has not changed too much^^
There is no specific lane for re-entry permit at NGO?
- There is, but it does not have a separate entrance (it splits from the mainline in the middle). Japanese passport lines are always empty at NGO. I think the questions I get at customs are more out of curiosity than actual suspicion. I would never smuggle something in illegally and risk losing my visa^^
WTF is this new livery ? A homework from a 5 years old child ?! ^^
New plane but old school cabin, looks like the bad J of asia... And with the entertainment box, sooo bad !
The meal looks better than the flight before.
A good crew for a good flight.
Nice pictures of the sharklet.
See you
WTF is this new livery ? A homework from a 5 years old child ?! ^^
- LOL^^ I have mixed feelings about the new and old MU liveries. I prefer the old livery, but hate the black noses. The new livery is nothing^^ It's just a white plane with some red/blue font and then the 'modern art' (or child's doodle, as you described it) bird logo on the detail.
This is the worst J-cabin I have seen in Asia, domestic cabins in Japan are better. The IFE box is rediculous, there is no personal IFE in the seat^^
Catering has been consistently above average and the crew have varied from okay to good. Fortunately, I never found bad catering and bad crews in my series (only the rude deadheading pilot in the last flight). I'd fly MU again if the opportunity arose for a regional route, but I won't go out of my way to fly them again.
Thank you for taking the time to read and comment the report^^
Great spotting pictures. I am quite fond of the FM livery. It has a very sleek and retro look. Much like China Eastern did before they ruined it.
Thank you again.
I like FM too, it's old school Chinese, but still has some taste to it. It's actually not too far from MF with the stylized bird, who have one of the best domestic airline liveries in China, IMO. I don't mind the stripes on the old MU livery, but hate the black nose. AZ and VN do the same thing on some of their planes and it just disgusts me.
I'm glad the MU reports are over, on to some domestic travels!
- Scary indeed.
She looks at my boarding pass and tells me to use the Gate 22 Lounge. Nooooooo!!!!! Not back to that hell…
- A recurring nightmare! ;)
The ham and cheese sandwich was at least cold and edible.
- It seems that the colors of the cheese and ham are almost neon-like. I bet it's 100% natural and organic.
Boarding pass and corporate shot.
- Wait, that boarding pass does not have the detachable versions at either end. It is a normal Westernized boarding pass and I think it is beautiful.
MU A333 in old livery.
- Those lines and colors are hideous. Good thing that a new livery is taking its place.
More sharklet shots as we approach cruising altitude over the cloudy sea.
- They are quite eye catching.
Just for jetsetpanda, my beer has ice cubes in it!!!
- Thanks Michael. You know coming from the U.S., ice is ESSENTIAL! :P
Here is my “seafood and noodles” meal.
- I think the main dish could use more moodles and the presentation can be improved. That tin cup for the shrimp on the appetizer does not make sense. Talk about sauce for the shrimp, you can make one by mixing mayo with ketchup and a few drops of cognac. ;)
The garlic bread was warm and good.
- No doubt, but somehow I feel uneasy about the intensity of the colors on the food. It looks too artificial to me.
A very nice dessert and I actually prefer this to ice cream.
- Asians love to use beans for sweets and desserts. I grew up in Latin America and beans are used for savory dishes (except at my place where I used to indulge in steamed buns made with sweet ground beans).
I was only in Shanghai in 4 hours, yet that was enough to convince me it was not a city I ever want to return to (unless it is the dead of winter). My throat was sore for the next couple days just from inhaling the air in downtown for that short period of time.
- Doesn't sound like my type of place. Sorry to hear about your discomfort. Next time do some gargles in lukewarm water with salt.
The was a relentless number of people harassing me and trying to scam me as I walked from the East Nanjing Road Station to the Bund and back in a loop
- That screams stay away and it's really irritating. I don't blame you for not wanting to return.
Beautiful bonus as usual. Thanks for sharing this nice ending to an amazing series.
- I have never felt such a bumpy train, you almost couldn't even stand up when it was running.
A recurring nightmare! ;)
- I'd rather be in a UA Club ;) The problem is that there are no other options. There is an AF Lounge, but it is only open at night before the flight to CDG. I peaked into the JL Sakura Lounge and it didn't look too much better.
It seems that the colors of the cheese and ham are almost neon-like. I bet it's 100% natural and organic.
- It glows as much as the fish I eat in Japan :) Probably is Kraft Singles^^
Wait, that boarding pass does not have the detachable versions at either end.
- Yes, the boarding passes that I had in Part 1 and 2 were on the old cardstock. They had the cool double-ended BPs. The new cardstock that is in Part 3 and 4 is the boring stuff. The next series will feature some cool BPs.
Those lines and colors are hideous. Good thing that a new livery is taking its place.
- I really don't hate the color scheme, they just needed to dump the black nose and rework the painting style. I find the new livery just plain boring.
They are quite eye catching.
- Airbus planes (other than UA and US) are just not common in the US so it's nice to take one for a change. I've had a lot o Airbus flights recently so that's been interesting. I still prefer Boeing, not really a fan of the A330s or A319/20/21s.
Thanks Michael. You know coming from the U.S., ice is ESSENTIAL! :P
- After the whole no ice in the orange juice episode with UA, I thought you would appreciate the appearance of ice in my beer. I love watered-down beer.
I think the main dish could use more moodles and the presentation can be improved.
- I found the noodle quantity to be similar to the amount of rice you would get, but more is always better :) It was a good meal and the tray had very good quantity getting bother a starter and a salad as well as a dessert and a fruit plate.
I feel uneasy about the intensity of the colors on the food. It looks too artificial to me.
- That might just be the camera... not sure. There was actual pieces of garlic on top of the toast, you could see the small white pieces that weren't completely smashed. I'm sure there was plenty of MSG in these meals.
Asians love to use beans for sweets and desserts.
- Tofu also. There are all kinds of good desserts here for me to indulge in. I hate cloyingly sweet desserts like you find in the US.
That screams stay away and it's really irritating. I don't blame you for not wanting to return.
- When I was in Beijing in December, it was really nice (but extremely cold), there was no air pollution and no one was harassing you (tourism low season). If I ever go back to Shanghai, not sure if I will since there is nothing to see there, but it would be in the winter. I'm just trying to walk down the street and it's just a constant stream of people walking up to you trying to get you to buy something or follow them to go do something. It's like: just leave me alone! Obviously there are peddlers in every tourist city, but this was the most extreme I've seen. It doesn't help that I'm an obvious Westerner, whereas in Europe I can go stealth and blend in with the locals.
Thanks for sharing this nice ending to an amazing series.
- Thank you for all your comments in the series Adan. The next series will be a domestic one that will debut a new airline and a new airport for the site. Keep your eyes peeled for some bizarre IATA codes, lol.
I do believe you with regards to PVG's security/immigration efficiency.
I love Chinese signs like that in the elevator!
That IFE box impeding the legspace is a shame in J (if you have longer legs than I do, that is ^^)
In Shanghai, the green ideogram ? on the wall behind the white BMW means Demolish: this brick building will soon give way to another steel and glass building.
Thanks for this comprehensive report !
told me that hitting a flock of birds was akin to being heavy machine-gunned
- I'm sure that bird had a quick and instantaneous death. I've see the pictures of when planes hit birds, it's really not a pretty sight.
I love Chinese signs like that in the elevator!
- At least they did warn you that you were about to be trapped in the elevator before you just wandered in.
That IFE box impeding the legspace is a shame in J
- It's a shame because there was no IFE, insult to injury^^
In Shanghai, the green ideogram ? on the wall behind the white BMW means Demolish: this brick building will soon give way to another steel and glass building.
- Not surprised given the excellent location of that building in downtown. I don't think that character exists in Japanese so I had no idea what it said.
Pitch is awful and the IFE box is not helpful.
Slippers are more than welcome even on medium-haul flights and the catering was better than I expected even though it could be better.
Chinese people is used to put ice cubes in any drink, even in champagne or wine.
Even if some might be shocked, the stewardess only did her job.
Thank you for this very nice report.
I'm usually not a big fan of Continental Chinese airlines
- I think that statement is true for most people^^ That said, it really wasn't that bad. China may be far behind other carriers in the region, but the service level is not that much different from the US.
Pitch is awful and the IFE box is not helpful.
- The worst in the region^^
For a flight that is less than two hours, the level of service and catering is more than sufficient on MU, even if it isn't the best on offer. The prices on MU are generally much lower than their competitors so your expectations should be lower :)
Chinese people is used to put ice cubes in any drink, even in champagne or wine.
- This was the first flight where I had seen it, which is why it was surprising to me. I do appreciate her trying to be proactive and solve the problem of a warm beer (which is still worse than a watered-down beer^^)
The only time I rode the Maglev was with Lagentsecret, and we both found that the ride was quite bumpy and in some way even less confortable than a regular train.
No chance for this another bad plane swapping.
AF B77W that just arrived from CDG. Nice and dirty for Numero_2^^ -> In my opinion, Airlines having their aircrafts in a white livery should invest more money to keep them in an immaculate virgin colour.
My five Swiss cents. ;)
After the Nice and dirty one, here is the nice and long... Lol
The meal doesn't look that bad, but peppers in noodles and this local dessert would definitly not have been my cup of tea...
This photo is dedicated to Numero_2 -> Wow, already the third one of this FR. ^^
I’m also a disgraceful person that can’t read the signs on the pillars^^ -> I guess bringing omiyage to your colleagues is not enough to clean off this stupid gaijin sign you're wearing in that country. Lol
Cheers !
we both found that the ride was quite bumpy and in some way even less confortable than a regular train.
- I agree, it wasn't a great experience for the price. I think the subway is probably quicker and more comfortable since there are long waiting times for the Maglev.
My five Swiss cents. ;)
- I wish I had five Swiss francs, but alas I'm stuck with 1 Japanese yen. The MU B77W was clean and I typically see very white JL planes, so it is possible to properly clean them.
The meal doesn't look that bad, but peppers in noodles and this local dessert would definitly not have been my cup of tea...
- That's what I hate about regional routes on Chinese carriers because menus are not provided so it is only verbal description. It's always a surprise when the try arrives and you see what is actually being served. What I don't like is that on 3 of the 4 flights with MU, shrimp was the seafood protein.
I guess bringing omiyage to your colleagues is not enough to clean off this stupid gaijin sign you're wearing in that country. Lol
- There is always a gaijin label, no way to rid yourself of it. So, it's always best to just take advantage of that tag and plead ignorance whenever you do something wrong.
Another very nice FR of yours.
Last year, I had the opportunity several times (3 return flights to be precise)to enjoy MU flights in J from NRT to CDG via PVG, with PVG-CDG v/v operated by AF.
In your report I see quite a good improvement in food quality. All the meals I had on MU from/to PVG were quite strange: sometimes too salty, sometimes overcooked (meat) and presentation was most of the time not that good. The one you are reporting looks quite good comparatively, and this is for me quite surprising.
Lounge 22 is abysimal as it always has been... I prefer to stay with the other passengers... in the terminal although the shops at PVG are not very interested. LAst time (it was in Aug. 2014) I asked to have a shower... and as there is none in the 22 lounge, they make you go to lounge 20, to just have a shower which was not tremendous but OK.
Well, to reassure you, AF/KL lounge is not much better: maybe the food and the drinks a little better with some French Bordeaux, as well as the couches, but they are completely blind and cold and the 3 times I went there, wifi was broken... and the staff were not overly friendly.
One more thing that surprises me is the punctuality.
My MU flights were consistently late, some of them 4 hours. Fortunately, I had a layover of 7+ hours, otherwise I would have missed my connection.
Flight interior: compared to the MU A330-300 and 200, as well as A340-600 I have been on in J, the seat on the a320 leaves a lot to desire. The pitch is quite tight for a J class... Maybe you had the regional J. Well I agree with you definitely not as comfortable as it should be, but better than AF J on European flights!
Arrival in NGO. To avoid all the queue to re-entry permit holder (surprising there were no specific lane), or the foreigner lane, I suggest you to apply for automated gate. Almost no one are registered. I have never waited more 5 mins in NRT or HND, KIX or FUK. I have never arrived at NGO internationally (nor domestically) but they should normally equipped.
All in all a somewhat good experience on MU with pros and cons, but still better that their Y or other airline Y for a (I guess) a competitive price!
Thanks for sharing!
I had read many reports of MU and dreaded this set of flights, but I consistently found catering and service to be good (for a Chinese carrier). Presentation of all meals was very good and the FAs seemed to have much more polished service and would ask questions more etiquette (not just saying more?).
The Lounge matches PVG, it is in need of a major make-over. Terminal 2 seem to have slightly better lounges, so it is MU's fault for not investing any money into improving the ground experiences for the premium passengers. I only went to the lounges for the some fruit and drinks and then spend a good deal of time up with the masses in the main part of the airport where the ambiance was slightly better and much cleaner^^
This was the only flight that had a delayed boarding. All four of the flights arrived less than 10 minutes late so it was never a problem with punctuality on MU. I was very surprised, but this also matches my experiences on CA where all the flights were very punctual in/out of PEK.
This J seat is the older regional product, the newer regional product was in Part 1 and had 50 pitch and personal IFE. That is a very good product and makes it very competitive in north Asia.
So, I complain about long lines at NGO, but immigration only took 10 minutes^^ Usually there is no one in line since flights arrive so infrequently at NGO. Maybe in the morning when the LH, TG, CI, CX, and AY wide-body flights all arrive at the same time, there is probably much more congestion. They have the automated gates at NGO, but I never see anyone use them.
If the price is competitive, MU is a decent option. The PVG transit is okay, not my favorite. I would not hesitate to fly them again, but I don't anticipate any vacations to China any time soon^^
Even birds commit suicide in the Shaghai suburb...too much grey and not enough green ^^
PVG seem very unfriendly... very strange these dreadful stalactites falling from the ceiling :))
lounge 22 is definitivly not Studio 59 :))
On board, the seat is not wonderful but enough for a short flight.
Catering seem shrimply good...if you like shrimp... but for beeing honest, it's quite good !
Unfortunatly, landing at NGO on night...
Usual centrair train to coming back home? ^^
See you soon
Even birds commit suicide in the Shaghai suburb
- It might have died from the air before it hit the train^^
PVG seem very unfriendly... very strange these dreadful stalactites falling from the ceiling :))
- I find Terminal 1 at PVG to be very ugly and dated. It was clean, but it just doesn't feel like someplace you want to be^^
On board, the seat is not wonderful but enough for a short flight.
- Yes, despite all my complaints, it is still better than Y and having no seatmate improves comfort.
Catering seem shrimply good...if you like shrimp... but for beeing honest, it's quite good !
- You should avoid MU, three of the four meals were shrimp in this series^^ Thankfully, there is no no-show penalty in the event of passenger death so Madame will not have to pay^^
Usual centrair train to coming back home? ^^
- Always the train, the bus exists, but it is not much cheaper and much longer. NGO is ~40km south of the city.
Next report will be following you to Kyushu^^
The lounge looks disappointing but I can tell you that the food offer is better than the one I had in the QR flagship Al Mourjan Lounge for breakfast two days ago
The pitch is really too tight and there is an IFE box but no IFE lol
QR B77W dedicated to lagentsecret.
Thanks a lot : you'll have soon a QR FR in return ;)
The meal doesn't look bad and at least the bread, appetizer and main plates have been cleared before you received your fruits plate (I didn't have this on my QR return flight)
A professional and attentive cabin crew : that's really nice
Nice bonus in Shanghai
See you soon for few domestic flights
From your last QR report, the lounge offerings in DOH looked poor. The food offering is okay, but the lounge at PVG is old, dirty, and just not a pleasant experience.
The pitch is really too tight and there is an IFE box but no IFE lol
- Insult to injury^^ The pitch is acceptable, but if a passenger reclines that massive recliner then your personal space quickly disappears (similar to your MH reports^^).
Thanks a lot : you'll have soon a QR FR in return ;)
- I look forward to it, new Cirrus product?^^
Catering and meal service were all acceptable with MU. I have low expectations for MU, but found everything to be functionally executed (obviously not perfect^^). Crews were all courteous and smiled, just not overly sociable.
No long-haul from me for awhile, but I have some domestic vacations booked that I'll report. Not the most interesting of flights, but I'll make sure they are up to NGO85 standards and not too repulsive ;)
I don't get why both of those lounges are called First Class Lounge on the signage. I wonder if the one at 20 is the actual F lounge and that's why they didn't let you in. I'm sure you weren't missing anything anyway. I really don't get the point of needing a lounge invitation when your J ticket gives you access. Lounge invitations make sense for partner lounges or 3rd party lounges where there is a cost that the airline must pay based on lounge invitations. but in the airline's home lounge it seems unnecessary.
The old MU livery wasn't great to begin with, but the new livery is a big snooze. It's right up there in boringness with the new Finnair livery. I like the MU FA uniform; that red belt looks very similar to the AF uniform, that I find very classy.
Thanks for this report, the good bonus pics, and of course the repulsive night shots :-P
that photo of the Chinese gate makes me think of a Chinatown, but it can't be a Chinatown, it's all China :-P
- It's okay, I still think the same way when I see that those gates too.
I have no idea, the Lounge at Gate 20 looked slightly better visually. According to Olrik and Flytak that lounge has showers so maybe it is the fancy real F Lounge. Not sure why they insist on a lounge card, it seemed that they carefully recorded flight information for all the guests so that they knew which flights to make announcements for. The agent in the lounge would then find the passenger and tell them it was time to go to to the gate, which was a nice touch, but I always got out of there long before the boarding time.
I like the MU FA uniform; that red belt looks very similar to the AF uniform, that I find very classy.
- I find the blouses they wear also to be visually a good balance, you can see them in Part 2. The FA uniform is new, they updated them when they refreshed their image with the new catering and livery.
and of course the repulsive night shots :-P
- I try my best to be repulsive :)
That crack on that maglev was nasty..... The bird looks so sad..
The lounge looks miserable as usual...
The FAs wait for me to finish taking my photo of the “Welcome” mat before greeting me in English, taking my boarding pass, and showing me to my seat. She takes my backpack and puts it in the overhead bin for me. At least the welcome from the FAs bodes well for this flight not being a disaster. The FAs are pretty kind on this flight :-)
The seat is a nightmare as usual.......:-P
This was another good tasting meal. However, the shrimp were a little on the small size. I liked the noodles and the starter. At least this was better than the last meal :-)
Thanks for sharing this wonderful report with us! :-0
The MU Lounges are disgusting, the actual airport seating areas are nicer and cleaner.
The FAs are pretty kind on this flight :-)
- I never met rude MU FAs, I'm sure they are out there, but I was fortunate enough to only get average to good FAs.
The catering is very good for a regional meal, the seat is where MU really needs to take a big step forward next. There is too much inconsistency in their hard product from plane to plane. I shouldn't have to try and build an itinerary around which planes they are operating.
Sad death for that bird :(.
That special livery is the Tujia-Enshi livery if I'm correct.
Nice spotting shots from PVG!
Don't have much to say about that lounge......., just disappointing.
You were unfortunate to get an aircraft swap to a 320, with the disappointing seats.
Catering on this flight looks great, not perfect but satisfying.
Nice to have a great crew on this MU flight!
Thank you for the bonus from Shanghai!
I think the Tujia-Enshi livery is different, that one has a white front and green back. This one that I saw was yellow and green striped. I went through the list of 737s in MUs fleet and couldn't find it.
It was very depressing to see an A320 show up at the gate. I saw the A321 parked at a remote stand and was praying that was it, but it was not meant to be :( I really wanted the chance to try four different planes in the MU fleet, with this aircraft swap I was left with only three different plane types.
Catering and FAs were the biggest surprise in this series. MU has improved their image in my eyes, I used to hear such bad things about them in Japan. They typically have very cheap fares, but SkyTeam is not an alliance I really like flying (especially in Asia).
I always like your FR as it is very detailed but with a dash of jokes. Anyway, next time you plan to visit Shanghai again, please let me know and I can show you around and you will not be harassed by the scammers! ;-) Shanghai is so much more beyond the Bund and East Nanjing road.
The maglev train is indeed quite a feat. You’re being propelled at 420km/h when other hi-speed trains in other countries are only travelling around 300-350km/h. However, once, I have had the honour to see the cockpit of this maglev and to be honest, I was far from being amused if not frightened. What I saw was a roomy cockpit with a console in the middle. On this console, there was a joystick and 3 buttons (the red, the orange, and the green), two gauges (I guessed one is speedometer and the other one is the rpm meter). Accompanying the console was a plastic chair and a standing electric fan. That’s it, that’s all! I don’t know whether this “simple” arrangement means technological feat/advancement or this maglev is just a very expensive toy that anyone can ride LOL
I always feel awful/dreaded whenever I have to fly out of T1. It is dark, dingy, cramped, with shops and F&B offerings geared toward local passengers. You can tell from the lounges (like your beloved Lounge no. 22), the shops selling virtually the same things (Chinese scarfs, panda dolls, tea, folded fans, etc), many smoking rooms, etc. For spotting T! is also incredibly monotone compared to T2. Hopefully when the renovation is done, T1 will get a new lease of life!
After living here for 4 years, it still bemuses me how much the Chinese love everything in warm/room temperature. They love their beer in room temperature, their juices in room temperature, their sodas in room temperature, their water in warm temperature, their sandwich warm, etc. Even when it is blistering 38 degrees outside, they still drink warm water. Aiyaaaa!! Sometimes I get a glass of white wine or beer with ice (just like you) because that’s how they think foreigners like their beverages. Of course I am generalizing but you still see this happening very often as soon as you leave big cities like Shanghai and Beijing.
I have love hate relationship with MU. Sometimes they are so wonderful, sometimes they are so awful you just want to strangle every single MU staff for being so incompetent and indifferent toward you and other passengers. When they are good, you will be so amazed. Unfortunately for me, I have had more fair shares of the so-so and bad experiences with them probably because I only fly domestic flights with MU. So this FR series you are writing really opens up my eyes that MU is really putting some serious effort to be a world class effort.
So thank you once again for this FR and I look forward to read more of your amazing adventures!
I just found it to be repulsive. Yes, every city has people targeting toursits, but the relentless barrage of people in Shanghai just disgusted me. All I wanted to do was walk around, I don't need people trying to talk to me every 20 seconds.
The Maglev was worth the experience, but I think just taking the subway all the way to the airport is almost just as fast and much cheaper! The new Maglev trains in Japan are supposed to be faster (hit 600 km/h in a test the other month). I found the Maglev to be a very bumpy and scary ride, knowing how toy-like the controls are doesn't make me feel any safer, lol. I'm surprised they had the luxury of a fan in the cockpit.
PVG T1 is probably the worst international terminal I've been in recently, it is so different from all of the new, modern airports that are springing up all across China. The ceiling spikes are just visually bizarre. I prefer PEK to PVG.
It's strange to hear that, I get so many weird looks in Japan when I ask for hot coffee in the summer. Ice coffee is becoming extremely popular here during the warmer months. It just concerns me when all the food in the lounge is left at room temperature. I have no idea how long it has been sitting there or if it is safe to eat. I don't want to get food poisoning!
How you feel about MU is how I feel about NH. Sometimes they are really good, but there is just too much inconsistency sometimes in their service to non-Japanese speakers. MU isn't the greatest airline in the world, but I was happy enough with how they performed on these short regional routes. Domestic versus international service standards always vary, in my opinion.
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