Review of EVA Air flight Hong Kong → Taipei in Business

Getting to the airport

The flight to Taipei is scheduled for departure at 19h45. The concierge recommends that I should leave the Peninsula at 16h45 if I want to beat the weekend traffic in the Tsim Sha Tsui area. So that's what I do. 

We arrive at the airport where the hotels airport concierge takes my suitcases and guides me to the EVA Air check-in counters on row E. He checks my suitcase is locked, and then guides me to the entrance of the security checkpoint.

The Hong Kong Singapore Airlines lounge

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EVA Air passengers can either use the Singapore Airlines lounge near gate five or the Plaza lounge near gate 1. 

The Singapore Airlines is hard to miss from the outside. It's a small but pleasant enough lounge. My only problem with it, though, is that there are no views.

The dining options are quite good, with a good selection of dishes from the buffet. Eventually though, I only spend about twenty minutes in the lounge.

Instead, I head out and decide to find a good place to watch the aircraft come and go.

For example, my favourite badger.

Or a friendly kiwi.

I park myself by the gate for my flight and wait for the inbound from Taipei to arrive.

I like this photo in particular, with other aircraft departing in the background.

boarding

Boarding for my flight is from gate B 31. As a first for me, I am boarded not by scanning my boarding pass, but by face recognition. I stand in front of a camera, my seat number and name appear, and then the gate opens.

the cabin & seat

The cabin is identical to that of the Vienna to Bangkok leg. There's been an aircraft change. Originally, this flight should have been a B 787-9.

This time I'm on row three, which means an aisle seat. Storage space is very good.

Even in darkness, the cabin looks very good.

the crew & service

I think EVA Air is one of the most underrated airlines out there. Their crews are excellent. They come to introduce themselves with a hot towel and ask me what I'd like for a welcome drink. One of them recommends a dragon fruit juice. So that's what I go with.

And then, very soon, it's time for us to depart Hong Kong. Flight time to Taipei this evening is 70 minutes.

the meal

The meal service is quite impressive for a flight of only just over one hour. The whole meal is served on a tray.

The first course is smoked duck.

The main course is shrimp in a strange colourless sauce.

And of course there's plenty of garlic bread.

And for dessert a yuzu cheesecake.

And to finish, I have a coffee.

arrival in taipei

We land in Taipei on time. Much to my delight, we eventually come to a stop on a remote stand, which means I'll have the opportunity to take a few photos up close.

My only problem is that the 787 is a big bird and impossible to get in one frame.

I now have just under two hours to make the onward connection.