CTU-KMG-CNX with 1.5 hr connection at KMG. Doable but just barely bc immigration exit from China is at the last flight leg, here: KMG to CNX. We hauled out of the domestic terminal to reenter at the international departures (luggage checked thru to CNX thankfully). Immigration had only two agents, even though KMG gets a HUGE number of foreigners. It took forever for such a shot line. Then security also took a while, so I just just made the connection. Recommend if you exit China with domestic international transfer, plan for 2+ hrs to avoid a heart attack. Airline personnel don’t suffer if you miss the flight, you do. Plan accordingly.
China Eastern as a member of Sky Alliance airlines should have the same standards overall of their partners, Besides the seats comforts everything else is bellow the standard for a business class travelers. A BIG ISSUE FOR NON-CHINESE PASSENGERS IS THE ABILITY TO CHECK IN ONLINE, by making so difficult or almost impossible there is no chance to get a seat assignment ahead of time then go to the airport and get what is left. THIS IS NOT a SKY TEAM modality.
China Eastern as a member of Sky Alliance airlines should have the same standards overall of their partners, Besides the seats comforts everything else is bellow the standard for a business class travelers.
2 parts to the journey. First leg covered in a newer plane with decent staff + POOR FOOD QUALITY but the second half didn’t leave a positive impression at all as the plane itself was an older built and the crew didn’t serve properly. Language is an issue with China Eastern flights as always, but unmotivated crew just makes it even bad.
Small plane with only two lavatories at the back. You must have a good plan to use it before or after the meal, if you make a bad decision, you will end up with standing in front of the toilet for a while till the food carts empty. The good thing is even there’s a slightly delayed, the plane is still arriving on time which is superb!!
The only personel that smiled at all were the flights attendants. Desk agents, lounge people none of them had a smile or even a hello. They were like dealing with dead fish. Again flight attendants were good. All other personnel looked like they didn’t want to be there or help.
good flight. food is only so so. I actually did not eat the snack. it does not look too good on the passenger next to me.
Food no variations only beef of chicken no veggie meals
Super surprised with the entire experience. Business class is incredible. Flight attendants around the world could learn customer service from these people. Simply fabulous experience all the way around.
Pillow and blanket are dirty. My son got multiple bites during the flight
Ground crew Tried to charge us 1200 RMB -about $160 for Carry on when checking in Wuhan, they say the suitcase is too large, but it’s the standard samsonite carry out suitcase purchased at Costco and we had no issue when we travelled to China just a month ago, same airline. They Wuhan ground crew even threatened that when we layover in Xiamen, they will charge even more. Very unprofessional and caused a lot of stress. The airline really needs to investigate it.
Never got to go because of i correct information while attempting to check in
They gave incorrect visa information causing me to purchase another flight. Only to find out later there was something that could be done to work around it.
I recently flew with Xiamen Airlines and was thoroughly disappointed with the experience. To start, the seats were incredibly uncomfortable. They were cramped with minimal legroom, making it nearly impossible to find a comfortable position during the flight. This was exacerbated by the poor seat padding, which left me with a sore back and neck by the end of the journey. The food provided was another major letdown. The meals were bland and unappetizing, and it was clear that little effort was put into the quality or presentation. Even the snacks were subpar, and there were limited options for those with dietary restrictions. The airport transfer experience was terrible. The airline’s ground staff were unhelpful and disorganized, leading to long waits and confusion. This was especially frustrating when I was already tired from the uncomfortable flight. The process was poorly managed, making the entire experience stressful and inconvenient. Lastly, the in-flight entertainment was mediocre at best. The selection of movies and TV shows was outdated, and the screens were small and low-quality. The system also experienced frequent glitches, making it difficult to enjoy even the limited options available. Overall, my experience with Xiamen Airlines was far from satisfactory. From the uncomfortable seats and bad food to the terrible airport transfer experience and mediocre entertainment, I would not recommend flying with them.
The Jakarta flight was better.. We got off the plane fast. LAX to Xiamen was a slow exit. It took half and hour to disembark.
I was not allowed to board the plane if I did not buy a forward ticket after Indonesia. They said the Indonesian government would fine the airline. This was bullshit. In Jakarta immigration did not ask for this at all. I'm trying to refund the ticket. I was put in a middle seat and I asked to be put in an side seat. They wanted $45. I said NO. Later I was put in an side sest for free. On the second plane they put me in a middle seat and when I complained. They put me in the back with three empty seats. I was able to sleep. The food was okay and I got extra portions when asked. The lack of WIFI at Xiamen airport was a pain, but that's because of the Chinese government banning foreign browsers. Xiamen gets 3 out of 5. The cost was $503: LAX to Jakarta. A bargain, but you get what you pay for.
Free meals on all flights in economy. The 737´s don’t have screens so it’s a bummer. But the selection on 787´s is wide
The plane was small and a little stuffy inside the plane.
Going to Xiamen they did not offer any wine and basically offered two food choices in tin trays. Something you would expect on a domestic flight in China not a $10k business class flight. The flight attendant admitted they also stopped paying for satellite Wi-Fi; which they used to offer and now don't - without apology. Normally I am a huge fan of a non-stop but the difference between Japanese or US carriers is a large one and well worth a stop in Korea or Japan rather than pay double for no amenities at all. The plane is nice, but the experience was below par.
Once on board, everything is perfect. The young and pretty flight attendants warmly welcome each passenger and demonstrate excellent service attitudes. As passengers board one after another, the flight attendants begin to inquire about our meal preferences. I requested to see a wine list and choose a suitable red wine. She replied that there were no menus or wine lists, but she would take a photo of the red wine options on her phone and show me later. After lunch, the flight attendants began to ask about dinner arrangements. It turns out that there were only three options for dinner: seafood, chicken, and beef, exactly the same as lunch.
