airline suggestions....
- Thread starter carang
- Start date
2010-NewDad
Registered User
I flew China Eastern once. We got stuck in Beijing Airport (snowed in) - it was complete chaos. There were people surrounding every desk, no queues, shouting, shoving and zero information disseminated to stranded passengers. China Eastern had no clue what was going on - no idea about flights, changing tickets, luggage or any accommodation options.
The actual flights were pretty bad too.
I'll give it another decade to see if they improve, but won't be flying them for at least that long. Thank God this was before children, that is the only blessing I can think of.
The actual flights were pretty bad too.
I'll give it another decade to see if they improve, but won't be flying them for at least that long. Thank God this was before children, that is the only blessing I can think of.
carang
Registered User
we didn't have such problems last time with them. it was just a really sucky flight. NOTHING for kids... NOTHING.... not even a kids' meal! they had the very 1980s style entertainment... the tiny tv that comes down from the ceiling... NOTHING for kids... even if they had something on it for the kids, they little ones would not have been able to see it! seats are tiny, food is worse than normal horrible airplane food.... BUT on the other hand, it's only 20 hours (each way) out of my life for a savings of $1200 USD/$10k HKD...
2010-NewDad
Registered User
20 hours if you are lucky! We were stuck in the airport with no communication and no assistance for 20 hours so our 13 hour trip lasted over 33 hours. The management/infrastructure side of the business clearly wasn't up to scratch so if something unexpected happens it is (was) chaos.
carang
Registered User
i've got a worse trip than that! i did it 5 weeks after delivering my #2 by c-section. up until delivery i was in a wheelchair for 4 months....so, a 2 year old (just turned 2), a new born and invalid mother...
hk-tokyo-portland-vancouver-calgary-regina.....BUT, a blizzard blew in as we were leaving calgary and what was supposed to have been a 1 hour flight was still up in the sky at 1.5 hours. then the captain came on the speaker announcing that regina had a blizzard and they couldn't find the runway to clear it of the 6" of snow that had fallen in the previous 1 hour... so we would divert to saskatoon for refuelling and then be on our way.... well, we were stranded on the tarmac in saskatoon for 4.5 hours. they couldn't let us off of the plane as we weren't scheduled to land there and there weren't any security, so if we got off, we couldn't get back on. finally, they told us we were diverting to winnipeg (not enough hotel rooms in s'toon)... then 5 minutes after that, they announced there was a let up in the storm and we would go to regina afterall. meanwhile, they told all the people waiting at the airport in regina that the flight was cancelled and sent everyone home. luckily, i was able to borrow a mobile phone from the passenger next to me and i could call my mum to tell her to go back to the airport to pick us up.
all told, including stop-overs, we were over 40 hours travelling... if i can make it through that... i think i can handle china eastern once more....
hk-tokyo-portland-vancouver-calgary-regina.....BUT, a blizzard blew in as we were leaving calgary and what was supposed to have been a 1 hour flight was still up in the sky at 1.5 hours. then the captain came on the speaker announcing that regina had a blizzard and they couldn't find the runway to clear it of the 6" of snow that had fallen in the previous 1 hour... so we would divert to saskatoon for refuelling and then be on our way.... well, we were stranded on the tarmac in saskatoon for 4.5 hours. they couldn't let us off of the plane as we weren't scheduled to land there and there weren't any security, so if we got off, we couldn't get back on. finally, they told us we were diverting to winnipeg (not enough hotel rooms in s'toon)... then 5 minutes after that, they announced there was a let up in the storm and we would go to regina afterall. meanwhile, they told all the people waiting at the airport in regina that the flight was cancelled and sent everyone home. luckily, i was able to borrow a mobile phone from the passenger next to me and i could call my mum to tell her to go back to the airport to pick us up.
all told, including stop-overs, we were over 40 hours travelling... if i can make it through that... i think i can handle china eastern once more....
2010-NewDad
Registered User
It's your call. You seem determined to use them anyway, regardless of any advice on this thread so good luck.
carang
Registered User
believe me, i'm not determined to use them. it's just that money IS an issue.... and all i was wondering was if people thought it worth an extra $10k to take a fancier airline?
ps> i'm still going around in circles, trying to justify spending so much on airfare.... as i said, that would be my spending money....
ps> i'm still going around in circles, trying to justify spending so much on airfare.... as i said, that would be my spending money....
Cara, for me the choice is also about safety record of the airline. From what I understand Korean air, Cathay have great records, the others I'm not sure about but they may do too. Just another thing to think about.
The reason why I add this in is because, in my younger, crazier days I chose once to fly Garuda so I could save more on the flight and have more spending money. Knowing what I know now about Garuda's safety record and how they incentivise their staff to save fuel I would never fly with them again.
The reason why I add this in is because, in my younger, crazier days I chose once to fly Garuda so I could save more on the flight and have more spending money. Knowing what I know now about Garuda's safety record and how they incentivise their staff to save fuel I would never fly with them again.
carang
Registered User
my mum share's the same concern.... that's only one of the reasons that i am hesitant...