173 reviews
Hello everyone and welcome back to my journey in Republic of China I did two years ago. After our international flights with Lufthansa, it is time to report the first of my two chinese domestic flights, with China Eastern Airlines.
When I bought this circuit, I knew there shall be two domestic flights but I had no information about the carrier. So I asked to the Tour-Operator which airline will operate these flights. He answered he doesn't know and I must ask to the guide once I'm there. Okay…
But when I asked the same question to him, He didn't answer at my question at any moment while he was supposed to know the answer. Either, he didn't listen to me or he evaded my question. It was only when we were heading to Xi'an airport (XIY) that he finally gave the answer I've been waiting for so long !!
Because our flight departed at 09.00 A.M, I had to wake up at 05.00 A.M to check I forgot nothing because we are leaving one hour later.
That's why the website's home page you can see down below was taken the day before at night.
While we were on our way to the airport, the guide chatted with the group in aeronautics but he also talked about the Lion Air crash that happened a few days ago and did 189 victims. Personnally, talking about news sure is good to know but I really don't think it is a good idea talking about air crashes especially when we're about to fly.
We are arriving at at the airport's T3, which is MU's terminal for its domestic flights.
Just before we can go inside the terminal and reach MU's check-in area, we must pass a security control. It shall be fast enough.
Despite the presence of self-check-in machines, the entire group went to the desks for our check-in.
My suitcase got a bit heavier since the beginning of the trip but its weight was still under the baggage allowance. If most of european airlines accept a baggage up to 23 kgs in economy class without charges on a domestic flight, most of chinese airlines accept up to only 20 kgs. And if the weight is over that limit, extra charges are very expensive.
Something I found strange: once my baggage has been sent, the check-in agent required me to step aside, so that he can check-in the next passengers. But when he did make that request, he didn't give neither my boarding pass, nor my passeport. And when I finally get them, I'll ask him what kind my seat is, he'll never answer. I'll just have to find out by myself.
Travelling documents. For now…
As our guide mentionned on our way, The boarding gate is H01. He also precised it shall be a paxbus boarding. Once everyone has been ckecked-in, he will guide us until the security point.
By the way, the guide seems very in a hurry to get rid of us, he's pushing us to pass the security controls. Because the boarding starts in one hour, I know already I had plenty of time to take my breakfast before passing the security. But the guide insisted and even used pushed me by using force. I really didn't like this…
Even if my travel companions were waiting for me behind the security, I tell them to go ahead and I'll catch them up quickly. I'll meet them again once at the bording gate. Boarding starts at the same moment the check-in closes. In other words, 40 minutes before the flight departure.
The FIDS confirms our boarding gate.
A few photos from airside.
We're passing by the MU's domestic lounge.
To the lower floor.
We arrived in front of our boarding gate, which was still busy at boarding the flight before ours. In other words, we still have 40 minutes to wait before our boarding starts.
A319 MU leaving.
A320 MU wearing its old livery registrated B-6929 heading towards Shenzhen (SZX), Guangdong.
Something original: Nearby our boarding gate, you have like a "babyroom". Convenient for taking care of your baby without disturbing the other passengers.
Boarding starts and priorities aren't respected. That's somehow normal for a paxbus boarding, especially when there aren't paxbus for Business Class customers. Something I found strange, there aren't ID controls at the boarding unlike in Europe.
The boarding agent will rip a part of my BP.
Onboard the bus, we are reaching the international terminal. A Hainan Airlines's Boeing 787-9 alongside our aircraft, B-5941.
The good thing is that nobody will tell me "no photo".
Another airport agent is located in front of the stairs and will rip my BP once again.
Let's reach our aircraft.
Our aircraft's nose.
Hainan Airlines's Dreamliner we saw earlier.
Boarding into a blind jetbridge.
This is all that remains about my BP…
Availiable press.
Door moment.
A "welcome" carpet is set in front of the door. Friendly greetings with a chinese background music.
We're passing trough the Business class cabin in 1-2-1. How odd, I feel like I already saw the flight attendant's uniform somewhere…
The economy cabin. It is configurated on 2-4-2 until row 71. From beyond and to the last row, it's in 2-3-2.
View on my seat, 68H. An aisle seat. This aircraft is equipped with Wi-Fi onboard.
The legroom is very satisfying for a 2-hour flight.
Vomito bag.
Safety card.
The IFE is responsive.
The IFE's remote. I won't use it at any moment.
Winglet shot where the "swallow" is proudly shown.
The window seat shall be inoccupied until boarding complete. I would try to ask the crew if I can take the window seat but an American tourist group had been faster than me and took possession of the seats after receiving the cabin crew's approval.
We're pushing 5 minutes in advance. Safety video started on the IFE but this one will be immediately switched off once the safety instructions are done.
Taxiing is going to last 25 minutes. We're leaving Xi'an at 09.20 A.M sharp.
Bad point for MU: The IFE won't be operational until 9.40 A.M. To make things simple, there are already a 45 minutes loss as for the entertainement. Besides, no headsets were given and there are two plugs. You can use your own headset if you have one, but you can hear from ONLY one side.
The entertainement program seems rather generous.
Good point for MU: I notice we can hear video games soundtracks. And on top of that, those ones were created by Yoko Shimomura, a very famous musician in the video games's universe.
If you are interested in, you can hear one of these wonderful soundtracks.
A cold towel is given.
Trolleys are out. We can choose between continental meal and an asian one. I'll get the continental one without even saying a word to the flight attendant. I suspect my neighbor chose the meal for me. We can make the difference from continental meals to asian ones by the colors though : Yellow for the asian meal…
… and red for continental meal. As for the drinks, I chose a glass of water.
Cheers. If the glass is in plastic, we can still see MU's logo.
The meal before opening…
… and after opening.
Zoom on the main course. Which is an omelette with a sausage and potatoes.
Good thing : The meal was good. I didn't take the omelette because I don't digest it correctly.
Apparently, my travel companions had difficulties to speak with the crew and received the asian selection and they didn't like.
My neighbor's asian selection. I'm not totally sure, but I think it was a rice congee.
Flight attendants are giving refuelings. I shall take another glass of water. Communication this time weren't as easy as earlier.
Start of decent. The cabin crew will check the cabin and ask me to remove my headset.
The roof. By the way, the "fasten your seatbelts" signal was on during the entire flight. But it didn't discourage passengers to go to the toilets.
We are now approaching SHA.
10 minutes before touchdown, IFE are once again disabled. MU clearly wants to limit as much as possible the use of the IFE.
While we're reaching our parking, I had just enough time to flash this aircraft. This is B-5976, MU's A330 wearing Toy Story's livery.
The same aircraft's drawing on the left side.
Fuselage shot of our aircraft.
The neighbor, in maintenance.
A last view of our plane, heading back to Xi'an (XIY), Shaanxi. And it's just getting started because once back, it's a great journey that awaits it: its next destination is Sydney, (SYD) Australia via Wuhan (WUH), Hubei, known to be Covid-19's birthplace.
The way to the baggage claim is quite long.
On the way, I'm spotting this CA's A350-900 and a CZ aircraft behind it.
The baggage livery however will be fast enough.
Interesting fact: Just before you're leaving the baggage claim, the checked baggage must first be presented to an airport agent. This one scan the passenger's boarding pass and his baggage's tag. Probably to be sure the baggage was well given to the right person.
We are now outside Shanghai Hongqiao airport. This airport is much closer to the capital city than Shangahi Pudong airport (PVG).
And that's the end of this trip between Xi'an, Shaanxi and Shanghai. I hope you enjoyed it. If that's the case, don't hesitate to leave a like and/or a comment. As for me, I'll meet you soon for our next flight, between Shanghai and Guilin City, Guangxi.
For a 2 hour-flight in a wide-body aircraft, I'm rather satisfied despite some flaws. It is too bad not giving headsets onboard or the fact you can't use the IFE when you arrive directly at your seat, which is the case of most of other airlines. Another disappointing point is the check-in agent who didn't answer at my question about my seat.
The cabin crew did a good job despite their English-speaking a little borderline...
Because the flight was in the morning, the airport was very convenient.
At the arrival, the way out and the baggage claim was a bit long but without problems.
4 Comments
Although in Asia, we can find medium-haul flights onboard a wide-body aircraft, I was more expecting an A320/B737 than an A330 for this one. Probably because most of european flights are operated in these aircrafts. That said, I was very lucky getting this indeed. ;)
I just checked MU's flights about this route and they're are all in A321 and 737 (by Shanghai Airlines). Probably due to Covid-19.
As for the meal, I saw another review about the same flight (but in French though) it was included with the asian meal and you could choose. I think there were a lot of tourists on this flight and due to Xi'an and Shanghai are both very tourisitc cities we can find western option. Another theory could be the aircraft itself but I have no proofs.
Thank you for reading my FR and for your comment :)
Nice, and rare for China, as they were the last to get into the Wi-Fi game, though more and more a/c are being outfitted now. While many Western carrier are stopping capital expenditures and therefore WiFi/IFE refits due to Covid crisis, I imagine some Chinese carriers, being mostly state owned will continue to invest in product to stay competitive, as they have been, albeit slowly.
Visually, the meal doesn't look particularly appetising, but as long as it was good that is the essential thing. And it's certainly nice to have a full hot meal in Y on a 2h domestic flight.
That seems to be a common theme with Mainland China carriers, but it seems they are improving since they are carrier so many more Westerners now. I imagine they place the more fluent English-speaking cabin crew on long-haul flying.
Thanks for sharing!
True. That said, having a full meal (whether asian or continental) is still better than a ridiculous snack we have in USA or Europe or even nothing though.
On that point, I totally agree with you. Because the next flight of this series is one I keep a good memory of it...
Thank you Kevin for reading my FR and for your comment. ;)
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