China Eastern Airlines: China’s airlines have been expanding rapidly in recent years due to the rapidly growing Chinese economy and a population eager to hit the tourist trail. Where once they only flew between a few major Chinese cities and a handful of regional destinations, companies such as China Eastern Airlines have spread their wings and a developing international network of routes around the world offers China a cheaper route. Hardly a household name, here’s a look at what you can expect from flying with China Eastern.
Where the China Eastern Airlines Flies
Even with the country’s strong regional identity, Chinese airlines still maintain a separate relationship with their region of origin. For China East it is Shanghai and most of its routes are to and from Shanghai. If you are going to Guangzhou or Hong Kong you will get better connections through China Southern Airlines and Beijing, Air China.
Along with Air China and China Southern Airlines, China Eastern Airlines is one of the largest three carriers in the country and the eighth largest airline in the world by the number of passengers. The airline is a member of the global SkyTeam.
In addition to its headquarters in Shanghai, the airline has two major regional Chinese capitals in Xi’an and Kunming, as well as smaller hubs in Wuhan, Hefei, Kunming, Shenzhen, and Guangzhou. The airline’s domestic routes are very well developed with flights to several dozen Chinese cities including Lhasa in Tibet. The airline boasts of the best connections to central and eastern China.
China Eastern has a limited regional network compared to its competitors and although the usual suspects of Bangkok, Singapore, and Kuala Lumpur exist – China Southern Airlines and Hong Kong’s Dragon Airlines offer far better and more frequent connections.
Internationally, the airline is expanding. China Eastern Airlines has a particularly well-developed network in Japan, with flights to a dozen cities, and excellent connections to half a dozen cities in Korea. The airline flies to several major European cities including London, Paris, Frankfurt, and Rome. There are also flights to Melbourne and Sydney and New York and LA.
Booking and Website
The airline has done a lot to improve the look and functionality of its website and make booking tickets simple and straightforward. The English language is available, and prices are given over several days, so you can compare the cheapest fares. The rules and regulations of tickets are clearly displayed and well explained and there is regular fare promotion.
You can also book China Eastern tickets through most of the major travel agents and online travel portals like Zuji.
Aircraft, In-Flight Entertainment, and Seats
China Eastern Airlines has invested in several new Airbuses in recent years, but large parts of the fleet are still outdated and onboard facilities are not up to international standards. The airline has made a concerted effort in recent years to improve the services on board and is probably ahead of its Chinese competitors.
As is to be expected with older aircraft, some of the upholstery has worn out and this can affect the comfort of the seats. Economy class is tight and the seat or table tray can be broken occasionally. For business class passengers, the service is likely to be disappointing with murmurs about fully reclined seats, poor dining choices, and some premium extra seats.
Apart from a handful of international flights, including New York, London, and Tokyo, which feature individual entertainment systems, most flights have a ceiling screen every dozen or so rows, usually tuned to a Chinese film or TV show. goes. Some flights do not have in-flight entertainment.
Food and food quality is fine if you stick to basic noodle and rice Chinese dishes, but Western cuisine is generally avoided – sometimes this isn’t a problem as they often run out. They claim to offer special pre-ordering of meals for vegetarians and vegans, although reports of these meals actually turning up are rare.
Safety Record and Punctuality
Travelers unfamiliar with Chinese airlines may be nervous about flying with China Eastern Airlines and generally concerned about safety standards in China. China has been involved in several accidents in the Eastern 90s, although all have involved small regional aircraft.
The most serious accident occurred in 2004 when a smaller Bombardier crashed in which all 53 passengers were killed. Incidentally, this was China’s first fatal plane crash in many years, and only one more crash since then. Despite the accident, China Eastern Airlines meets all international safety standards and maintains a safety record on par with other international carriers.
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Frequently Asked Questions About China Eastern Airlines
Q. Is China Eastern a good airline?
A – China Eastern is a Chinese carrier. Frequent travelers give the airline an average rating of 6.9/10.
Q. Does China Eastern fly to the US?
A – For the second largest airline in China, China Eastern’s route network to the United States is relatively small. There are a total of 5 routes operating to/from the United States, mainly to and from the huge hub airports.
Q. Who owns China Eastern Airlines?
A – The Chinese government has a majority ownership stake in China Eastern Airlines (61.64%), while some shares are publicly held (HK shares, 32.19%); A share, 6.17%.
Q. What happened to China Eastern Airlines?
A – BEIJING — A China Eastern Airlines plane crash that killed 132 people is believed to be a deliberate act, according to US officials who spoke to ABC News. A Boeing 737-800 passenger jet was flying from Kunming to Guangzhou on March 21 when it crashed into a mountainous area in Guangxi, China.
Q. Does China Eastern have a low cost?
A – The airline is a major Chinese low-cost airline operating international, domestic, and regional routes.
Q. How many countries does China Eastern fly to?
A – China Eastern (SkyTeam) serves 160 domestic destinations and 21 international destinations in 22 countries as of October 2022.
Q. Which planes does China Eastern Airlines use?
A – Most China Eastern Airlines domestic flights are operated by Airbus A320/321 and Boeing 737 aircraft types, although some busy routes may use Airbus A330 aircraft.
Q. Where is China East located?
A – China Eastern Airlines is a major Chinese airline based in Shanghai. It was established in 1988, following the reorganization of the Civil Aviation Administration of China, with operations originally focused on the Shanghai area.
