Review of China Southern flight Guangzhou Beijing in First

Airline China Southern
Flight CZ3999
Class First
Seat 2K
Aircraft Airbus A380-800
Flight time 02:37
Take-off 05 Feb 19, 15:12
Arrival at 05 Feb 19, 17:49
CZ 137 reviews
hometoyyz
By 1625
Published on 6th February 2019

Introduction


In late 2018, China Southern announced its intentions to bid farewell to its then-current alliance mates in SkyTeam. While I had booked some rewards with China Southern over the last couple of years, I’d always ended up cancelling before departure for one reason or another.

But with the countdown on for the airline’s departure from SkyTeam, the clock was ticking on trying their premium products using Delta SkyMiles. And thus, this series of flight-reports, which will chronicle a quick impromptu trip to China and back to be able to “check off” China Southern on my list of experiences before its heading off for greener grass on the other side of the airline alliances fence.


The Rundown


Routing


photo yyz-can-pek-dtw-yyz

When last we saw our intrepid flight-reporter…


 … he had just arrived into Guangzhou Baiyun Airport from Beijing, and thought, “Okay, let’s turn around and go back.”

That was a long process that involved leaving the Arrivals level on an escalator up to Departures. I managed not to screw it up.


Check-in and security


The terminal at Baiyun is quite an impressive building, and the departures level is especially so. I liked the rainbow lights on the ceiling, adding a lot of colour to the scene.


photo img_4296

The furthest counters to the left are for First and Business Class. Odd that there’s a dedicated premium check-in lounge area at PEK, but not at home base here at CAN, I guess because of the volume it serves.


photo img_4298

 I don’t have to wait too long, though, to get checked in. My seat preference is confirmed, and I’m given a boarding pass and instructions on how to find the lounge and sent on my way towards the security checkpoint for premium pax.

That was not very hard to find, located at the end of the premium check-in aisle. 


photo img_4299

There was no wait here, and even with the usual thorough Chinese security patdown, I was through and airside in about three minutes.

It would turn out the instructions for finding the lounge should be “go across the hallway,” because look, there it is.


photo img_4300

But before hitting the lounge, I decide to check out the Sky Garden, a beautiful little oasis of nature in the middle of the airport, which unfortunately doubles as the smoking area, putting a bit of a pall on the experience. It’s nice, though and unique.



China Southern Sky Pearl Domestic Lounge CAN


Alright, time to hit the lounge. My boarding pass is scanned, and the agent explains that they’ll come and get me when it’s time to board.

Unlike yesterday, the Sky Garden portion attached to the lounge is open. This part of the Garden seems to do a very odd double duty as an activity space for kids and families, and the smoking area.


photo img_4305photo img_4306photo img_4307

Back inside, I don’t have too much to say about the lounge — I reviewed it more thoroughly in the previous CAN-PEK segment listed above. But it’s a very nice domestic lounge. And if I thought it was surprisingly quiet yesterday, today it’s downright dead. Clearly, it’s not a big travel day.


photo img_4308photo img_4309photo img_4310

The buffet is decidedly different from breakfast time, as one would expect, and is quite elaborate. 



 I grab myself a snack of spicy stir-fried chicken, braised beef with radishes, and BBQ pork, along with some veggies. Everything is quite enjoyable, but as one would expect the BBQ pork is the star of the show. Delicious.


photo img_4325

  Yesterday, I was able to log in to the WiFi without credentials, but today I seem to have to log in with my cellphone. I’m trying to figure it out, and about to get up and ask for an assist when an agent appears over my shoulder and asks if I need help with WiFi. He gets a code delivered to him on his phone, and once I input it, I’m off to the races. With the lounge being so underpopulated today, there’s no surprise that the WiFi is fast.

I putter for a while, and with about 20 minutes left to the boarding time on my pass, I decide that I’m still quite hungry, so I go and get myself some noodles with brisket. I’ve just mixed it all up and am pulling out my phone to snap a pic when an agent appears and informs me that CZ3999 is boarding. Alas, poor noodles, it is not to be.


photo screen-shot-2019-02-05-at-11524-pm

Boarding Time


She hands me off to a male agent, and he takes me on the long walk to gate 154, from which we’ll be departing. I try to engage him in a brief conversation about the massive scale of the terminal, but it doesn’t go anywhere.

When we get to the gate, it’s still a couple of minutes before the posted boarding time, but the sign at the gate is reading Final Call and boarding is well underway.

Hello, Chinese Whale.


photo img_4326

He walks me all the way down to the jetways and hands me off to a flight attendant at the door 1L.


The Flight Report


Flight: CZ3999
From: Guangzhou Baiyun (CAN)
To: Beijing Capital (PEK)
Date: 2/5/2019
Aircraft: Airbus A380-800
Registration: B-6136
Seat: 2K
ATD (STD): 15:12 (15:00)
ATA ( STA): 17:49 (18:05)

For this flight, I’m in seat 2K, in the second row of the eight-seat First Class cabin on the China Southern A380. The seat is very similar to that offered on the 777, but there are some key differences. For one, the A380 seat has doors, enhancing privacy. The other difference is that it’s a generation older in terms of the IFE and IFE remote offered.


photo img_4327photo img_4328

Two pillows again. 


photo img_4329

The flight attendant serving my aisle explains the drink is unique for the new year celebration. It seems to be a tea of some sort with previously-dried fruit in it. If anyone knows what this is, I’d appreciate the insight. It’s quite tasty, though. The cookies are, once again, delicious.


photo img_4330

There are no overhead bins at all in F, so my backpack is taken from me and stowed by the flight attendant. Later, I would notice as we were leaving the plane that there are dedicated lockers for each First Class passenger just aft of door 1L.

Menus are offered again. Better get some pictures before they’re gathered up.



I didn’t see the bottle on this flight, but on PEK-CAN is was a Piper-Heidsieck 2012, not the 2008 advertised here. I’m not entirely sure which one’s better, although the 2012 was chilled adequately due to the cold 787, which probably gives it the edge in my opinion.

Note also six (!!!) entrée choices for a two-and-a-half hour flight.

Unlike other flights, my slippers aren’t laid out but are stored in this deep and narrow bin next to the ottoman. 


photo img_4334

Mattress pad and blanket are bagged and stored on the ottoman. 


photo img_4332

The IFE screen is a bit older than the 777 product, but still a decent size and good resolution.


photo img_4336

IFE remote, headphone and USB ports and a storage cubby are under the window-side ledge.


photo img_4346photo img_4347photo img_4348

A look out my window — I forget how thick the fuselage wall is on the lower deck of the A380. Our twin is next door.


photo img_4337

Three windows in the First Class suite on the A380. 


photo img_4349

Headphones and literature are in a bin next to the seat. The headphones are the same ones offered on YYZ-CAN, which were quite good, although I wouldn’t use them on this flight.


photo img_4350photo img_4351

When the flight attendant notices my slippers aren’t laid out, she corrects that problem and sets them out. She explains I can stow my shoes in the bin in the ottoman, which I do when I change into the slippers after takeoff. But my size 12 shoes barely fit into the surprisingly cramped  


photo img_4345

Even here on the ground, the passenger across the aisle from me has his doors closed. We’d end up with four of eight seats occupied — all of row four. The other three passengers were a Chinese couple and their kid of about eight.


photo img_4352

Orders are taken on the ground, and heeding Atco’s advice (and having tried all the Chinese dishes that interest me) I decide to go with the steak. I request a glass of champagne after takeoff, and a glass of water, of course.

Boarding is pretty quick, and the safety video plays.


photo img_4354

We push back about five minutes ahead of schedule (To Beijing? Inconceivable!) as a light rain starts to fall.


photo img_4355

 But by the time we reach the runway, the rain has stopped, and the sun is out. Just Malaysia and Shenzhen ahead of us.


photo img_4356photo img_4357

And then we’re off, with a beautiful view of Baiyun Airport as we climb out.



As soon as we cross 10,000 feet, the flight attendant serving my aisle closes the doors to our suites. Note that while these doors meet at the top, there’s a bit of a gap midway up as a result of the angle at which they meet.


photo img_4363

The lavs are located aft of door 1R, and are decently appointed but nothing too exciting.


photo img_4364photo img_4365photo img_4366

Back at my seat — a million-dollar view. (Or at least a 30,000 SkyMile one.) 


photo img_4367

In-air service begins with a hot towel. 


photo img_4368

A rather elaborate place setting is offered, different from what was presented on the 777 and 787.


photo img_4371

 My drinks are offered with nuts. The champagne is delicious once again, and do my eyes deceive me, or is that real ice in my water?


photo img_4372

The starter of sous vide salmon isn’t entirely my cup of tea. 


photo img_4373

 Speaking of tea — this isn’t tea, but rather an interesting presentation of a very delicious chicken soup. I enjoy it a great deal, and once my champagne is gone, I use it kind of like a second drink, since I’m feeling pretty exhausted, and don’t think more alcohol will help with my head.


photo img_4374

The meal is delivered as fast as I can eat it, and up next is the steak. I’m not disappointed by this selection. It’s more well-done than I’d like, but still quite tender, and very tasty, with a very peppery sauce to it: not the best steak I’ve had on a plane, but a pretty good one.


photo img_4376

After I polish off the steak, I’m presented a full plate of fruit and asked if I’d like some ice cream.


photo img_4377

To my surprise, she also asks if I’d like some more soup. Why actually, yes I would, thank you very much.


photo img_4378

Ice cream is for dessert, and once again, it needs some time to melt to the point where I can chisel it with my spoon.


photo img_4379

Once dinner is over, I start to get out the mattress pad, but when the flight attendant sees me, she asks if I’d like to sleep. When I say yes, she quickly takes over, closing the window shades and making up my bed for me, as well as providing a bottle of that great Canadian Gordon Bay water.


photo img_4380

She even closes the door behind me as I get in bed. I guess tucking me in would have gone a bit too far.


photo img_4381photo img_4382

The bed is super-comfortable, and I fall asleep almost immediately, only to be awakened about 40 minutes later by the flight attendant informing me that we’ll be landing soon. I head to the lav, and when I return, the bed has been turned back into a seat. We’re about 30 minutes out Beijing at this point.


photo img_4384

 Even with my seat back up, I manage to doze off once again, waking up just seconds before we touch down at Capital.


photo img_4385

It’s a short taxi, and we pull into a gate at Terminal 2. No remote gates for the Whalebus!


photo img_4386

A couple of looks at the cabin as we prepare to exit through door 1L. 


photo img_4387photo img_4388

Arrival into PEK


The other First Class passengers and myself are met at the door by a China Southern agent, who motions for us to follow him.

One last look at my ride as we head off.


photo img_4389

All the agent does is escort us through the arrival corridors to the domestic luggage hall, which is pretty easy to figure out, since you don’t have many other choices. I think he escorts the other three passengers to the luggage carousel for our flight, but I don’t find out, as I’m just carrying my backpack today, so I split off from the group and head landside to find the shuttle back to the Cordis. I’m ready to get some sleep.

Thanks for joining me for this fourth leg of this flight, and I hope to see you when I start making my way back to North America. Cheers!

See more

Verdict

China Southern

8.0/10
Cabin8.5
Cabin crew8.0
Entertainment/wifi7.5
Meal/catering8.0

China Southern Business Class Lounge

8.1/10
Comfort8.0
Meal/catering8.0
Entertainment/wifi7.5
Services9.0

Guangzhou - CAN

8.2/10
Efficiency8.0
Access8.5
Services8.0
Cleanliness8.5

Beijing - PEK

6.8/10
Efficiency7.5
Access7.5
Services5.5
Cleanliness6.5

Conclusion

It was a pleasure to fly First on the A380 once again, and three consecutive very good First experiences with China Southern.

The cabin was solid, ground services were reasonable and the lounge was good for a domestic lounge. The crew didn't quite grab me the way the personality or style on previous flights did, but the service was attentive, courteous, and proactive. And the food was very good, aside from the starter.

I walk away from my four-flight streak with China Southern much more impressed with them than I was coming in.

Related

6 Comments

If you liked this review or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment below !
  • Comment 487238 by
    YGeorgeW GOLD 273 Comments
    Thanks for the flight report Hometoyyz!

    I've thoroughly enjoyed this live-reported series on China Southern. Given your recent experiences and my own recent experiences on CA and MU's regional economy flights, I think I should seriously reconsider my impression of the big 3 Chinese airlines.

    Enjoy the trip home!
    • Comment 488579 by
      hometoyyz AUTHOR 539 Comments
      Hi YGeorgeW,

      Thanks for stopping by once again and offering your thoughts.

      “I've thoroughly enjoyed this live-reported series on China Southern. Given your recent experiences and my own recent experiences on CA and MU's regional economy flights, I think I should seriously reconsider my impression of the big 3 Chinese airlines.”
      - I appreciate your enjoyment And it certainly does seem that the big Chinese airlines are making some improvements. Now I’m curious to see if there’s a way I can find myself on China Eastern First Class through a similar SkyMiles “hack.” It might be tougher to do though since as far as I know, only the MU 77Ws have F.

      Thanks again for your comments. Cheers!
  • Comment 487340 by
    atco 134 Comments
    Hello Hometoyyz,

    Hope you have survived slumming it in Y on your way home! I'm hoping it hasn't been too traumatic :)

    A domestic flight on an A380 hahaha! Only in China I guess :)

    CAN airport looks pretty decent and that lounge is probably one of the better looking mainland ones. I've read some horror stories of some of them.
    Interesting that CZ actually market and sell F on these flights as opposed to many airlines who just sell the seats as J.

    I'm humbled that you chose the steak, which looks rather tasty to my uncouth palette. Happy to see that the champagne was kept well topped up too.

    The closed door suites look like a perfectly solid hard product and I'd say that you got great value from your 30,000 Skypesos. A trip well worth taking.
    This is totally the kind of trip I would take given the chance. Its always comforting to know that there are other equally as strange people out there and I'm not alone...........Sort of like group therapy!

    After trying all of the Chinese airlines now and especially on their legs out of YYZ, which would you say was your favourite and which would you recommend specifically for a YYZ-China flight?

    Safe travels, see you back home soon
    • Comment 488582 by
      hometoyyz AUTHOR 539 Comments
      Hello Atco!

      Thanks for stopping by and offering your thoughts.

      “Hope you have survived slumming it in Y on your way home! I'm hoping it hasn't been too traumatic :)”
      I survived. By hook or by crook (or by GUC) I survived.

      “A domestic flight on an A380 hahaha! Only in China I guess :)”
      I would say this is most certainly true. I don’t think there are any other A380 operators that would have domestic operations at the scale to require an A380. Although it makes me curious about the fleet utilization on these birds.

      “CAN airport looks pretty decent and that lounge is probably one of the better looking mainland ones. I've read some horror stories of some of them.”
      Confusing transit experience notwithstanding, CAN seems a pretty good experience. And I’ve found the lounges in both CAN and PVG quite acceptable. I’ve only been to the international lounge in PVG though. And while it’s massive, it gets very busy at peak times.

      “Interesting that CZ actually market and sell F on these flights as opposed to many airlines who just sell the seats as J.”
      Another strategic decision I’m curious about. I guess there’s enough demand to make up for the incremental costs of the F service. And enough nonrevs to make happy with whatever goes unsold.

      “I'm humbled that you chose the steak, which looks rather tasty to my uncouth palette.”
      The things I’ll do for this community!

      “I'd say that you got great value from your 30,000 Skypesos. A trip well worth taking.”
      Agreed. I’m so happy this trip turned out like it did. Between questions about China Southern service, and Sino-Canadian relations of late, it was not without some doubts going in.

      “Its always comforting to know that there are other equally as strange people out there and I'm not alone...........Sort of like group therapy!”
      Or enablement. To-MAY-to, to-MAH-to.

      “Which would you say was your favourite and which would you recommend specifically for a YYZ-China flight?”
      A thought-provoking question. All are perfectly acceptable in J, but here are my rankings.

      Number one with a bullet, EVA. Best overall hard and soft products.
      2nd, Hainan 1-2-1 J -- great catering and service, a very good seat, and a great I-to-I transfer ground experience at PEK with lots of guidance.
      In place 3a, go with China Southern J if you prefer catering and service.
      In place 3b, go with China Eastern J if the superior hard product is your priority. Their reverse herringbone is better than Hainan’s by a smidge, but Hainan’s awesome catering and service overcomes this advantage.
      And finally, Hainan 2-2-2 J. Yes, the soft product is better than anyone’s on this list except EVA, but on a flight north of 12 hours, having guaranteed aisle access and improved privacy is rated at a premium.

      Cheers!
  • Comment 488171 by
    socalnow 976 Comments
    Greetings Hometoyyz and thanks for taking us on board the CZ A380 this time, and as Atco pointed out, a domestic flight too boot!

    " … he had just arrived into Guangzhou Baiyun Airport from Beijing, and thought, “Okay, let’s turn around and go back.”
    -psychopathy, noun, mental illness or disorder. ( 精神病)

    "Back inside, I don’t have too much to say about the lounge — I reviewed it more thoroughly in the previous CAN-PEK segment listed above. "
    -I knew it looked familiar... ;) The gardens are a great feature, except for the smokers, but air pollution is part of any visit to China.

    "The seat is very similar to that offered on the 777, but there are some key differences."
    -Yet a third type of F seat. The best of the three?

    "If anyone knows what this is, I’d appreciate the insight."
    -They were playing "Let's see if the white guy will drink it", spilled some cereal in your tea, and served it? The internet points to Red Dates (枣) for wealth and prosperity. I like mine better.

    "Note also six (!!!) entrée choices for a two-and-a-half hour flight."
    -Very impressive.

    "When the flight attendant notices my slippers aren’t laid out, she corrects that problem and sets them out."
    -Kinda cool they're paying attention.

    "As soon as we cross 10,000 feet, the flight attendant serving my aisle closes the doors to our suites."
    -Looks kind of institutional. Like some sort of asylum, perfect considering your travels of the last couple of days.

    "Back at my seat — a million-dollar view. (Or at least a 30,000 SkyMile one.) "
    -A great view and a great value.

    "Speaking of tea — this isn’t tea, but rather an interesting presentation of a very delicious chicken soup. "
    -That's a beautiful presentation and table setting.

    "To my surprise, she also asks if I’d like some more soup. Why actually, yes I would, thank you very much."
    -I want that tea...errr...soup set.

    "I walk away from my four-flight streak with China Southern much more impressed with them than I was coming in."
    -No doubt me too. You've really done them a great service to dispel the rumors and hearsay of a sub par product. The soft and hard products both exceeded my expectations.

    Thanks again for sharing this most interesting series of flights. Happy flying.
    • Comment 488586 by
      hometoyyz AUTHOR 539 Comments
      Hello Atco,

      Thanks for stopping by and offering your thoughts!

      “psychopathy, noun, mental illness or disorder. ( 精神病)”
      I’ll cop to lunacy or insanity, but psychopathy seems a little harsh.

      “I knew it looked familiar... ;) The gardens are a great feature, except for the smokers, but air pollution is part of any visit to China.”
      Way to turn that bug into a feature. Step right up, and get your authentic China experience!

      “Yet a third type of F seat. The best of the three?”
      Probably, yes. I’d say the finishes -- IFE, etc. -- on the 77W were a bit better on an overall very similar product, but the doors on the A380 give it the edge. Also, the fact that they’re on an A380. ;-)

      “They were playing "Let's see if the white guy will drink it", spilled some cereal in your tea, and served it? The internet points to Red Dates (枣) for wealth and prosperity. I like mine better.”
      Both work for me… but I agree. Yours is a lot more fun.

      “Looks kind of institutional. Like some sort of asylum, perfect considering your travels of the last couple of days.”
      If the straight jacket fits, wear it.

      “I want that tea...errr...soup set.”
      Me too. It impressed me, and it was quite a weight cast iron type of deal. Very nice. Too bad I didn’t think to liberate one. “Oh, I guess I didn’t get the soup.”

      “No doubt me too. You've really done them a great service to dispel the rumors and hearsay of a sub par product. The soft and hard products both exceeded my expectations.”
      Glad to have been of service. And if anyone from China Southern is reading this -- it’s not a bribe if I’ve already posted my reviews….

      Thanks again for your comments, even if they do seem to mostly cast aspersions on my mental health. Cheers!

Login to post a comment.