Review of Mandarin Airlines flight from Kaohsiung to Hong Kong in Economy

Background:
This series covers a trip to Kaohsiung (高雄) and Kinmen (金門). Refer to Part 1 for a detailed background. As a reminder, the routing for this series is:
Part 1 – LAX-ICN [OZ 203, Boeing B777-200ER, Economy] – Here
Part 2 – ICN-HKG [OZ 721, Airbus A330-300, Economy] – Here
Part 3 – HKG-KHH [CI 948, Airbus A330-300, Economy] – Here
Part 4 – KHH-KNH [B7 8915, Aérospatiale/Alenia ATR 72-600, Economy] – Here
Part 5 – KNH-RMQ [AE 770, Embraer ERJ-190, Economy] – Here
Part 6 – KHH-HKG [AE 981, Boeing B737-800, Economy] – You are here
Part 7 – HKG-ICN [OZ 722, Boeing B747-400(Combi), Business] – Here
Part 8 – ICN-LAX [OZ 204, Airbus A380-800, Economy] – Here
Pre-flight:
This report starts at Formosa Boulevard’s MRT station on a rainy morning in Koahsiung. This station is special in that it has the famous “Dome of Light.”

IKEA has invaded Taiwan.

The MRT ride is very short to the airport. Arriving, I head towards the international terminal.

My flight is at the top of the FIDS as I leave the MRT station.

The international terminal’s check-in area was bustling at this hour. I wasn’t sure what the deal with my flight was. It was sold and marketed by CI, but it was an AE flight number so didn’t know if I qualified for SkyPriority privileges since AE is not a ST member (or affiliate).

I had done OLCI the day before to pick my seat, but wanted to get a paper boarding pass. I tried to use this kiosk, but it told me that since I already did OLCI, I needed to see an agent for a boarding pass.

I go to the designated area for the AE 981 flight and am just astonished by the crowd there. A bus full of ladies from Hong Kong must have just showed up and were queuing for my flight. I decided to just bail and use my mobile boarding pass.

Security was really quick and immigration was also a breeze since my passport qualifies for the e-channels, which had nobody in line for using them. A quick scan of my fingerprints and the gates open. The only downside is the lack of a passport stamp ;(

Airside, I ponder the layout of KHH.

I think I’ll try my luck at the CI Dynasty Lounge.

The beautiful halls at KHH. It’s a light and day difference from the old industrial domestic terminal.

Outside a BR A321 departs.

The entrance to the CI Dynasty Lounge.

Inside, 2 agents great me with a big smile. I hand over my cell phone. The CI mobile boarding passes don’t show your credentials so they kind of look at it and then at each other. I quickly pull my AZ card out of my wallet and the 2 of them huddle over it. They point at the ElitePlus logo as they speak to each other in Mandarin and pull out a piece of paper to start recording the data manually. They exchange glances trying to figure out what airline my card was from after recording my FFP number. I can sense their confusion, so I point and say “AZ.” They quickly scratch down AZ and hand me back my card with a smile and gesture for me to enter. I have a hunch that they didn’t ever do anything with my info, but at least it made for a good show. I also asked about getting a paper boarding pass and they said that they didn’t have a printer in the lounge so I would need to ask at the gate to get it reprinted.

Entering the lounge, I head towards the buffet.

Refrigerated area with desserts and tofu and some other items.

Sides for congee.

Some pastries and pizza^^

The limited liquor offerings.

The other side of the buffet had some more offerings.

Noodles and eggs.

Dim sum.

My offering.

View of the main seating area from my seat.

I later got up and moved to a different area that was less crowded.

Suddenly, a sliding door opened to the side of me and 2 guys came out of this private room. I wonder what super CI status you need to get access to this private enclave ;)

CI branded Taiwan beer.

My makeshift boarding documents.

Leaving the lounge, I noticed my plane was parked outside. It will not be an AE plane today, our flight will be operated by CI.

The concourse lined with shops.

Plenty of places to do family photos^^

Spotting is not very convenient at KHH since all the windows have an unusual tint. The best spotting was actually from the porthole in the bathroom. CI A333 waiting outside.

————————-
Mandarin Airlines, AE 981
Equipment: Boeing B737-800 [B-18656, delivered May 2014]
Departure: 9:00 (ATD: 9:06)
Arrival: 10:35 (ATA: 10:28)
Flight time: 1:22
My gate area was quite festively adorned with lanterns and filled to the brim with the aforementioned HK tour group wearing matching red jackets.

On time, boarding was called. There was only one other passenger boarding in the SkyPriority line. She was the sole passenger in J on this flight. I’d imagine most of the business traffic would be on the 7am flight operated by an A333.

Down the jetbridge we go.

I stop to admire our twin next door.

At the end of the jetbridge, there was a cart with newspapers on it. I already had a Tapei Times from the hotel so skipped it. Entering the plane, 2 FAs greet me as I turn in.

The J cabin.

A FA was placing pillows in the seats so I couldn’t do a full cabin shot, but here is the left side. I really like the color of this cabin, their choice of purples are nice and not as bland as the older seats I had in the previous CI segment.

She hands me a pillow as I take my seat.

A view back during boarding.

A view down my row and the seat details.

Seat pitch is decent.

The CI pillow.

The FA blocks me in as she continues to greet passengers.

Audio controls are in the armrest.

During boarding, they play classical music.

The seatback contents.

Safety card for this B738.

Dynasty in-flight magazine.

As boarding wraps up, the ground crews finish loading up our belly on this rainy morning.

The purser startles me when she comes out of the J cabin when boarding completed. She came straight to me so I thought there was going to be a comment about my photography. Instead, she greets me with a “Good morning, Mr. NGO85.” [Sorry Numero_2, I didn’t correct her ;)] She welcomed me aboard and asked me if I would like an English newspaper. I said, “yes,” just to be polite. She returned 30 seconds later with 2 different English newspapers letting me know that if there was anything else she could do to make my flight more enjoyable, to let her know midflight. Very nice to get recognized for my ST Elite Plus status. The previous CI flight didn’t have this same gesture so it might not be a general occurrence on CI.

The safety played as we pushed back.

Thumbing the newspapers during taxing, an interesting article talking about how AE is quickly acting to take over the GE routes that were pulled. There was also an article how the GE bigwigs were being arrested on suspicion of insider trading as many board members conveniently sold their stock the day before they company tanked.

Aligning on to the runway.

We lift up to the east and follow the same looping route around the industrial park south of the airport and head west towards HKG.

We disappear above the clouds where it is always sunny.

Service started immediately. I was trying to take a picture of the drink cart, but before I knew it, food was incoming^^

As on the last flight, no option. A tray was placed down, which was described as “pork and rice” again. I didn’t ask for any other drinks, but the guy in the middle seat asked for a coke, which was brought out after the meal carts finished their run.

The main. It wasn’t as tasty as the HKG-KHH meal, but this one had more vegetables. There were several pieces of bok choy on the bottom.

Plastic cutlery, toothpick, napkin, and oshibori.

The dessert on this flight; not as good as the cake on the last sector.

Coffee and tea service was done after the meal.

We continue our run to HKG with our shiny new B738 winglet.

The overhead monitors played some Anthony Bourdain cooking show that had Max Zorin, aka Christopher Walken, as a guest on it.

After the show, it switched back to the moving map.

We were scheduled to arrive at 10:10, but the captain came out and announced that due to flow control into HKG, we were going to be in a holding pattern for 20 minutes and would land at 10:30. We did 2 loops east of HKG before continuing our descent.

A cloudy morning in HK, with only cracks of the city visible through the clouds.

We descend over the new causeway being constructed.

Reaching the seawall.

A CX A343^^ A plane that has eluded my heart with such great skill. 3/3 on aircraft swaps in my attempts to catch one.

The infield terminal.

Fire brigade mobilizing to drive off somewhere.

HKG control towers.

UA B744 awaiting its return to SFO for ashleyau^^

Some locals.

We pull into a gate near the Bridge.

A look back as we prepare to deplane.

Down the jetbridge and out as I head towards the transfer desk to pick up my OZ boarding passes.

I’ll leave off this series here as I begin my layover at HKG with Numero_2^^
***BONUS***: Kaohsiung – Part 1

文昌祠.

Dragon and Tiger Pagodas (龍虎塔).

五里亭.

Lotus flowers.

啟明堂.

Spring and Autumn Pavillions (春秋閣).

玄天上帝神像.

So cute^^

龜山登山步道, some mosquito filled hiking with nice views of old pill boxes and views over the city.

And some of the local wildlife.