Review of Delta Air Lines flight from Shanghai to Los Angeles in Economy

Background

This series was a trip to China back in 2017 with stops in Shanghai, Chengdu, and Jiuzhaigou. The LAX-CTU round-trip was booked through Delta and the 3U and CA tickets were purchased as one-way tickets through Ctrip to complete the routing since there are no SkyTeam codeshare flights to JZH during low season. The routing is:

Pre-flight

We arrived to PVG by car around 6:30, about 3 hours before departure. DL, like almost all of SkyTeam, uses T1 so we will head off to the right.

We were required to do metal detector screening and bags were scanned to enter the terminal.

Off to DL's check-in counters.

Using the Sky Priority line, there was little wait and we were quickly helped by an agent who checked our bags, provided boarding passes, and lounge instructions. It is a nice gesture that they offer water bottles and candies at the counter.

With documents in hand, we head towards security and immigration to join the queue.

30 minutes later due to some long lines, we are airside.

Our first stop will be MU's Lounge at Gate 36 as instructed at check-in. Interesting to see that JS uses this lounge. Shame there were no Tupolevs to spot.

The lounge was quite new at this time and we were quickly scanned in to go explore its offerings.

The main buffet area had stations where made to order food could be ordered as well as an abundance of hot dishes.

The lounge was quiet at this hour with plenty of empty seating sections.

My offering.

I'm not 100% sure what the rational is for these computers whose monitor serves as a table…

In the seating areas, there were satellite buffets with more limited options.

And clearly they hire someone just to ensure the drinks are perfectly aligned.

Documentation.

Our flight is next on the queue so we left the lounge and headed down to Gate 19. Our boarding passes showed the flight at 21:20, so I am not sure if this is a mistake on the FIDS or if our flight was actually moved up to the same time as MU577 who was going to race us to LAX.

flight

Delta Airlines, DL 186
Equipment: Boeing B777-200ER [N862DA, delivered July 1999]
Departure: 21:20 (ATD: 21:33)
Arrival: 17:30 (ATA: 17:34)
Flight time: 11:01

Reaching our gate, we were met with a long line of people crowding the area as expected for a US-bound flight.

This guy was keeping things orderly and allowed us to cut over to the Sky Priority line that was already well into boarding.

Down we go.

Our B772 preparing for the return to LAX.

As standard in China, HSBC plastered jetbridges.

Boarding through 2L, we were greeted in Chinese and English and directed to the right through the mini J cabin and into the first Y cabin. We were booked into the last row of Comfort+, pre-placed on the seat were pillow, blanket, menu, headsets, and comfort kit.

We had booked the 2 aisle seats in the middle section hoping for the middle seat to be empty like on our outbound flight, but this plan failed. Someone asked to cross into the middle seat, so I volunteered to slide over to sit next to Mrs. NGO85 and let him take my aisle seat. Thus, I get to enjoy this lovely 11h flight crammed in a middle seat, but at least it wasn't between 2 strangers.

Seat pitch is of course fine in Comfort+.

Standard industrial blanket and pillow.

Menu and comfort kit.

Menu for this flight, back when DL was feeling the pressure to improve its TPAC services.

Pre-COVID seatback contents.

The IFE is standard size and had a good quantity of content. USB outlet was next to the screen and AC outlets were between the seats.

We pushed back on time and during the long taxi, we had the safety video play.

After leveling off, service started with hot oshibori and distribution of water bottles.

We both took the chicken and rice option, which was handed to me on a tray with the hot meal plopped on top. ON the outbound flight, the crew at least tried to organize the tray before distributing it.

The contents of the tray.

The salad was really just a bunch of chopped vegetables (nothing leafy), but did have 3 slices of duck breast. Protein on a Y appetizer is very rare.

Pickled radishes to spice up the entree.

Scallion flavored crackers.

The main was stir fried chicken and vegetables with rice. The taste was good although the quantity of chicken was on the small side. With the duck slices on the salad, it is well compensated.

Cutlery and condiments.

Drinks were served by cart following the trays. I took a Tsingtao.

The dessert was a vanilla cake.

After the meal, trays were cleared and coffee/tea service was conducted. A coffee and Baileys to finish off the night.

Meal service completed as we were near NGO^^

Cabin shot as the cabin lights are dimmed. J is only shielded by those mesh curtains.

I watched movies until we were approaching the date line when the mid-flight snack was distributed.

Bags were handed out along with a drink service, I just took a cup of water.

The bag contained a sandwich, dried banana chips, and a Hershey's chocolate bar.

I went to the lavatory in the rear of the plane to stretch my legs before sleep, which was about as clean as one could expect.

Rear Y cabin. It was a very full flight with maybe only a handful of empty seats.

The crew was through the cabin regularly offering drinks. A tea mid-flight.

I napped until we were about 2h out from LAX, lights were turned on here for the pre-arrival meal. Oshibori were again offered before the meal service, which is a nice touch in Y.

The pre-arrival meal was breakfast with your choice of Eastern (dim sum) or Western (scrambled egg) options. We both went for the dim sum which was plopped down on top of the tray again.

The entree was a couple of dumplings (hidden by the cabbage) on the right and noodles on the left.

Watermelon and honeydew slices.

Packaged "croissant" with strawberry jam and butter.

A peach yogurt.

Drink service was done by cart right after the food was handed out. A coffee and water for me.

After the meal was cleaned up, another coffee/tea service was done prior to preparing the cabin for landing.

Our final route as we landed into LAX slightly behind schedule. Unfortunately for us, we were deposited at TBIT vs. T5 for immigration/customs so were expecting long lines with the rush of TATL/TPAC arrivals in the late afternoon.

Heading through the quarantine tunnel.

And down we go into the bowels of TBIT.

Hmm, already into late March and Obama's portrait has been taken down, but suspiciously has not been replaced yet…

Global Entry lines weren't too bad and we were quickly on our way down into the baggage claim.

Again, it's the long wait for bags and the never ending customs line that makes the entire process very time consuming. We eventually were out to collect our car and head home.

Thanks for stopping by this series!