China Eastern departs out of Tom Bradley International Terminal, and uses the Korean Air Lounge. I’ve reviewed that lounge before, so won’t be doing so again with this report, other than to say that I’m not a fan of it. It’s typically way overcrowded and has a limited food selection, especially compared to the Star Alliance Lounge and oneworld Lounge at LAX.
Our flight was leaving from gate 156, located at the far end of the concourse at TBIT.
China Eastern 777 at LAX
Boarding began at 11:55AM, starting with first & business class, and we managed to be the first passengers aboard.
China Eastern departure gate at LAX
Having recently flown China Airlines’ new 777-300ER business class with reverse herringbone seats, I was very excited to try China Eastern’s new business class as well.
China Eastern 586
Los Angeles (LAX) – Shanghai (PVG)
Tuesday, July 26
Depart: 12:30PM
Arrive: 5:30PM (+1 day)
Duration: 14hr
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Seat: 11A (Business Class)
We boarded through door L1, where we first found ourselves in the China Eastern first class cabin, which consists of just six seats (I’ll have pictures of that at the end of the review).
China Eastern’s 777-300ER business class cabin consists of a total of 52 reverse herringbone seats, in a 1-2-1 configuration.
There’s a forward mini-cabin with just two rows of business class.
China Eastern 777 mini business class cabin
Then the rear business class cabin has a total of 44 seats, spread across 11 rows.
China Eastern 777 business class cabin
China Eastern 777 business class cabin
Ultimately reverse herringbone seats are among my favorite hard product, though I find the finishes on these seats to be rather boring, personally. I realize that’s a function of personal preference, though I far preferred the China Airlines reverse herringbone seats I experienced a few weeks prior.
China Eastern 777 business class cabin
I had assigned myself seat 11A, the window seat on the left side in the fourth row of the main business class cabin. China Eastern has the Cirrus-style reverse herringbone seats, similar to what’s available on Air France, Avianca, Cathay Pacific, Finnair, etc.
There are subtle differences between that and the B/E Aerospace reverse herringbone seats found on Air Canada, China Airlines, Qatar Airways, Virgin Australia, etc.
China Eastern business class seat 777
China Eastern business class seat 777
China Eastern business class seat 777
The entertainment screen popped out of the seat in front.
China Eastern business class seat personal monitor
Below that was the ottoman, which was spacious. To the left of that was the 110v outlet.
China Eastern business class legroom
The seat controls were located at the bottom left of the seat, and were easy to use.
China Eastern business class seat controls
Above that were the entertainment controls, reading light, headphone jack, USB port, etc.
China Eastern business class entertainment controls, power outlet, headphone jack, etc.
Then next to that was a partly enclosed storage area, with headphones and bottled water.
China Eastern business class seat storage
The headphones weren’t especially good quality.
China Eastern business class headphones
While the bottled water itself was fine, they certainly didn’t spend any extra money on its branding. 😉
China Eastern business class bottled water
Then on the bottom left of the seat were a couple more storage compartments, where the amenity kit and slippers for the flight were located.
China Eastern business class seat storage compartment
China Eastern business class amenity kit & slippers
The slippers were decent quality, and I appreciated that they came with a shoe bag.
China Eastern business class slippers
The amenity kit had Clarins products, though was very bare-bones. It just had earplugs, a dental kit, and two Clarins amenities.
China Eastern business class amenity kit
Those included cream and lip balm.
China Eastern business class Clarins amenities
Also waiting at my seat were a pillow and blanket, which were pretty good quality. The blanket was comfortable yet not too heavy, which is perfect since most non-US carriers keep their cabins pretty warm.
China Eastern business class pillow & blanket
Overall I thought the seat itself was great, as were the pillow and blanket. While I didn’t love the finishes, I also recognize that seat comfort as such is more important than the finishes.
About five minutes after settling in a flight attendant came by to offer hot towels. I should note that over half of this crew was male, which I’ve never before had on a Chinese carrier. As a matter of fact, I don’t remember ever having a male flight attendant on Hainan or Air China.
China Eastern business class warm towel
Moments later he passed through with pre-departure beverages, including orange juice, champagne, or “the China Eastern cocktail.”
He just held out the tray, and I said “excuse me, what is this one?” “It’s the China Eastern signature cocktail.” “Yes, but what’s in it?” “I don’t know.” Alrighty then…
China Eastern business class pre-departure drinks
Boarding was pretty efficient. While the business class cabin was only booked to be about half full, last minute there seemed to be quite a few upgrades, because business class ended up only having a few empty seats. I’d note that we were the only western passengers in business class, best I could tell. Most of the passengers seemed to be older Chinese couples, and also some Chinese families.
China Eastern business class cabin
Towards the end of boarding, the flight attendant came around with the menu and wine list for the flight. However, we couldn’t actually keep them, but instead he just held the page open for us, let us look at it for a minute, and then took our order.
China Eastern business class menu & wine list
China Eastern seems to rely on a single printed menu for the entire year, since there are four sets of menus in each booklet. They’re color coded, and China Eastern alternates the menu based on the month.
China Eastern business class menu organization
Beyond that, the menu can apply for any sort of flight timing, since for a given month it lists lunch, dinner, and breakfast options, even though only two meals will be served. I had asked about the possibility of having the western starters with the Chinese main course, and was told that wasn’t possible. More on the food later on…
At 12:30PM the main cabin door was closed, and the cabin manager welcomed us aboard “this China Eastern A330” (we were in fact on a 777). She informed us that the flight time would be 12hr30min.
We began our pushback within a couple of minutes, with an Asiana A380 off our left wing.
Asiana A380 at LAX
After pushback we had to hold position for about 15 minutes due to congestion, which the captain announced over the PA.
International lineup at Tom Bradley International Terminal LAX
View after pushing back from gate at LAX
At around 12:45PM we began our actual taxi, and as we taxied out to runway 25L we passed the gorgeous Air New Zealand 777.
Air New Zealand 777 at LAX
We also saw the China Eastern A330 headed to Chengdu via Nanjing.
China Eastern A330 at LAX
We then taxied past American’s Terminal 4…
Terminal 4 at LAX
And then past Delta’s Terminal 5…
Terminal 5 at LAX
Delta 767 at LAX
Then at 12:55PM we were cleared for takeoff, and had a beautiful climb out over the California coastline.
View after takeoff from LAX
View after takeoff from LAX
View after takeoff from LAX
View after takeoff from LAX
Climbing out of LA
The seatbelt sign was only turned off about 15 minutes after takeoff.
At this point I connected to China Eastern’s inflight Wi-Fi. China Eastern is the only Chinese carrier to offer inflight Wi-Fi. As I’ve explained in a previous post, you need to register before the flight in order to use it. This is both a good and bad thing. The good news is that it’s free, though the bad news is that if you don’t pre-register, there’s no way to buy Wi-Fi aboard anymore.
China Eastern inflight Wi-Fi log-in
The system of logging in can be a bit confusing, since you have to enter your flight number, the ID number (which in my case was my passport number), and your verification code, which you’re given when you register for Wi-Fi before your flight.
China Eastern inflight Wi-Fi log-in
I’d note that the Wi-Fi was significantly slower than on other airlines. Furthermore, as is usually the case in China, most Google based sites were blocked, though I was able to get around that with a VPN. Still, some internet is better than none, so kudos to China Eastern for offering onboard Wi-Fi.
After connecting to the Wi-Fi I browsed the entertainment selection, starting with looking at the airshow.
China Eastern business class entertainment selection
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
Rather bizarrely, China Eastern has a system where you can order food through your personal television, though the menu on the TV is much more extensive than otherwise available. Go figure the food ordering system doesn’t actually work.
China Eastern business class (theoretical) on-demand menu
China Eastern business class (theoretical) on-demand menu
On this flight I would have killed for a decent looking filet.
China Eastern business class (theoretical) on-demand menu
The entertainment selection was okay for a Chinese carrier. The movie selection was surprisingly decent, while the TV selection was terrible, with just a few western sitcoms.
China Eastern business class entertainment selection
China Eastern business class entertainment selection
China Eastern business class entertainment selection
After browsing the entertainment selection I checked out the two lavs, located in front of the main business class cabin. They were fairly spacious, though already smelled terrible, despite the fact that they seemed to have some odor neutralizing crystals hanging in bags from the handles, door, etc.
China Eastern business class lavatory
China Eastern business class lavatory
While I wasn’t familiar with the brand, the toiletries were decent.
China Eastern business class lavatory amenities
The real fun on this flight started when I returned to my seat, as Matthew and I both noticed a strong cigarette smoke odor in the cabin. We brought it to the attention of the cabin crew, and they said “oh, it’s the oven.” Hmmm…
At that point the meal service began. The lunch menu read as follows:
The beverage list read as follows:
Service began with tablecloths being distributed.
China Eastern business class lunch — table setting
After that the canapés and hot towels were offered. This consisted of balik salmon with blinis & a goat cheese zucchini roll, which were quite decent.
China Eastern business class lunch canapes — balik salmon with blinis & goat cheese zucchini roll
After that drinks were offered with mixed nuts. I ordered a gin & tonic.
China Eastern business class lunch — mixed nuts with gin & tonic
Then the starter was served, including summer squash and red quinoa salad with marinated prawns, as well as cauliflower veloute.
China Eastern business class lunch — appetizer and soup
The shrimp were fairly tasty, and the combination of tomatoes, cheese, and walnuts, complemented it nicely.
China Eastern business class lunch — summer squash and red quinoa salad with marinated prawns
The cauliflower veloute was also nice.
China Eastern business class lunch — cauliflower veloute
I wasn’t served a spoon with the soup, and it took several minutes to flag down a flight attendant to get one.
Bread was offered once the appetizer plates were cleared, which seemed a bit backwards. We also weren’t served water with the meal, despite asking repeatedly.
China Eastern business class lunch — assorted bread
Once appetizers were cleared, the main courses were served. Matthew had the pan seared veal chop.
China Eastern business class lunch — pan seared veal chop
I would have gone with the Chinese option, but I don’t eat pork, and they weren’t willing to serve me the Chinese main with the western starters. I also don’t eat veal (at least let the animals live a little before slaughtering them, in my opinion!), which left me with the braised duck with fettuccine.
It tasted every bit as horrible as it sounds, and the smell was perhaps the worst part. They at least cleared it quickly.
China Eastern business class lunch — braised duck leg with fettuccine
Then dessert was served, including cheese and fresh fruit.
China Eastern business class dessert — fruit & cheese plate
Lastly, Haagen-Dazs ice cream was served, without a choice of flavors. I asked about a spoon, and was told it was already in the top of the cap. While they do indeed have tiny built-in spoons, the last time I used one of those was at recess in middle school. Most airlines still serve you a “real” spoon with ice cream.
China Eastern business class dessert — Haagen-Dazs vanilla ice cream
Lastly the crew came around with a box of chocolates, which was a pleasantly surprising touch.
China Eastern business class dessert — chocolates
After lunch I ordered a cappuccino. I was served hot water with a nasty powder, rather than a freshly made one.
China Eastern business class lunch — “cappuccino”
I had noticed in the galley that they had a legitimate espresso machine, so was confused by why they weren’t using it.
China Eastern business class espresso machine
Later in the flight I ordered another one and specifically asked for a freshly made one rather than a powdered one, and was told they don’t have that. Later I wandered into the galley to go to the lavatory and noticed the crew having a huge cappuccino party in the galley, making cappuccinos for themselves with illy pods. At least eight crewmembers were in the galley drinking them while chatting. Well, I’m happy they enjoyed the cappuccinos at least.
The meal service was done about 90 minutes after takeoff. I appreciated that the service was quick, since I hate when a mediocre meal is drawn out for hours on end.
While the crew was quick, they were sloppy and weren’t friendly. They didn’t smile once, and communicated very abruptly. Furthermore, the service was disorganized. Bread was served way after the starter, water and drink refills were never offered, etc.
After the meal I decided to work for a bit longer on my laptop. I eventually headed to the galley to check out the snack selection. There was a small basket setup with nuts and other sweets, including Ritter Sport chocolate… mmmm!
China Eastern business class snack basket
I’d note that while the cabin was quite bland, there were at least some decorative flowers near the galley, which added a pop of color.
China Eastern business class floral arrangement
Eventually we were passing over Alaska headed towards Russia.
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
While I wasn’t hungry, I figured I’d order what was described on the menu as a “Western Western Exquisite Western Snack.” It consisted of a stale piece of bread with some salmon, as well as a side of fruit. The fruit was decent, though I’m not sure what made it triple Western or Exquisite. 😉
China Eastern business class midflight snack
After having the snack I decided to take a nap for a bit. The bed itself was great for sleeping, and the pillow and blanket did the trick.
China Eastern business class flat bed
China Eastern business class flat bed
Here’s the airshow when I went to sleep:
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
Meanwhile here’s the airshow when I woke up:
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
Altogether I managed to get about 3.5 hours of sleep, which was pretty good.
Airshow enroute to Shanghai
As I’ve mentioned before, the smell of cigarette smoke was prevalent in the cabin throughout the flight, and we eventually figured out that the pilots were smoking like chimneys the entire flight, probably every 15 minutes or so. Here are the two posts I wrote on that, which have a lot of interesting comments from readers as well:
- Live From 34,000 Feet: Someone Keeps Smoking On My China Eastern Flight
- We Tried To Call Out Our Flight Crew For Smoking…
As you might guess based on the above, we called out the crew, and hilarity ensued.
About 90 minutes before landing the pre-arrival meal was served. The menu read as follows:
I wanted to go with the Chinese option for this meal, though they were out by the time they got to me. So since I don’t eat pork, I had the shrimp, scallops, and fennel ravioli.
The starter consisted of Boston lettuce with toasted pecans and cherry tomatoes.
China Eastern business class meal — lettuce with pecans and cherry tomatoes
I will say that the ravioli was better than the pasta dish I had with the first meal, though it was still pretty lousy.
China Eastern business class meal — shrimp, scallop, and fennel ravioli
Meanwhile Matthew had the pork tenderloin.
China Eastern business class meal — prosciutto wrapped marinated pork tenderloin
At around 4PM Shanghai-time the captain provided us with updated arrival information, informing us we should be landing at around 4:30PM. The views on approach were quite nice, and it was a fairly nice day by Shanghai standards.
View on approach into Shanghai
View on approach into Shanghai
While the touchdown itself was smooth, we had a ridiculously abrupt stop, as the pilots seemed to not only apply the reverse thrusters and speed brakes at high speeds, but also the actual brakes at high speeds. This caused the sensation of being pushed forward much more than usual (and this was in spite of the fact that we had plenty of runway remaining).
Taxiing at Shanghai Pudong Airport
Clearly the crew didn’t correctly do their safety checks, because as we taxied in an older Chinese passenger walked back to her seat, having been in the lavatory during landing. As we taxied in, the flight attendant held her by the wrist and walked her back to her seat.
Taxiing at Shanghai Pudong Airport
Fortunately our taxi to the gate took only a few minutes, and we were there by 4:35PM, almost an hour ahead of schedule.
Taxiing at Shanghai Pudong Airport
Shanghai Pudong Airport Terminal 1
We pulled in right next to a China Eastern A330. We arrived at a gate, which is a blessing, since on my last flight into Shanghai we had a remote stand, which wasn’t fun.
China Eastern A330 Shanghai Airport
As we waited for the plane’s door to open, the flight attendant at L2 was texting on her phone, though turned around so she was facing the door rather than passengers, thinking passengers wouldn’t notice. I thought that was really unprofessional, to turn away from passengers as they deplane, rather than bid them farewell.
On that note, I should mention that while all Chinese airlines prohibit passengers from using cell phones on the plane (even in airplane mode), China Eastern didn’t seem to enforce that rule.
We deplaned through door L1, where we got to see the first class cabin, consisting of just six seats.
China Eastern 777 first class cabin
There were two center seats, which actually convert into double beds. This is the only first class product in the world that converts into a double bed, other than Singapore’s Suites Class.
China Eastern 777 first class cabin
On top of that there were four fully enclosed window seats.
China Eastern 777 first class seat
Immigration was pretty quick, and within a few minutes we were off to the Grand Hyatt Shanghai.
China Eastern 777 business class bottom line
China Eastern has a lot of potential. Their new 777s have a great first & business class product, with reverse herringbone seats and Wi-Fi, making it the best hard product offered by an airline based in mainland China.
Unfortunately that’s where the positives end. The service was sloppy and borderline rude, the constant smoke in the cabin (and lying about it) was unpleasant, and the main courses were disgusting.
Still, China Eastern has a great hard product and Wi-Fi, which are two of the features of business class I value most.
It’s so disappointing when an airline has so much potential, but is a complete flop when it comes to the soft product.
Membership is free and takes no more information than commenting as a guest. Earn status points for good contributions, and see fewer ads as your status grows.