MU - MEL-PVG - just for wilco

[Cruiser Elite]

Some of you guys will be aware of the ongoing fascination and love affair betweeen wilco and a few others with China Eastern.

I flew MU MEL-PVG / PVG-MEL Jan 10 / 17 - just thought i would share a few pics with you of this newcomer to the Oz - Sino route - J class $2,300 return.

Check-in

 

[Cruiser Elite]

And the China Eastern Lounge

 

[Cruiser Elite]

And a few more.............









Apparently China Eastern even let some Qantas folk in here from time to time.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Boarding................

 

[Cruiser Elite]

And the comfy little slip ons provided - I hate these shoes - but i love the bags they come in - I souvemier as many as i can - great for storing all those computer / camera / electronic devices / cables / accesories etc we all tote around now.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

And the amenity kit..................

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Once comforably seated - time to get down to work..................





Aint the biggest glass in the world huh - but - 5 x 150ml = 750ml / 15 x 50ml = 750ml right? SAME SAME

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Wine List



Lunch Menu



Lunch



And



And

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Drank the ship dry of Taittingewr so time to move on...............



And

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Dinner Menu



Dinner



And



And



Then a coupla hours kip and we touch down in PVG - return leg to follow

How we going wilco - told ya this was a great flight

On a really REALLY serious note - as old as this plane is - and as many rear ends have been parked in these seats afore me - I do want to say with 100% sincerity - these are the BEST seats I have ever sat in on a plane for softness and seating comfort - seriously.

Absolute ZERO amenities / bells and whilstles around you - recline so so - but for a seat to SIT in they are so comfortable. Without an ounce of hesitation I would chosse these seats to SIT in over SQ's 380 / 77W or the new J regional seats anyday.

YES YES I did consume plenty drinks - but that was a week ago and i have since dried out - they are still great seats to sit in / on for a 10 / 11 hr flight.

 

[moa999]

Great report.

Metal knives but plastic forks !!! China for you.
Amazed for a new service that they would use old aircraft from their affiliate.

Good to hear the seats were comfy, what about the IFE?

 

[Cruiser Elite]

What about the IFE?

ZERO - BYO a must.

They do provide digi player but absolutely nothing in English - Chinese audio with subtitles only - no biggie - I am in china every month and buy all the latest DVD's - so even if I am on SQ or CX I still BYO.

 

[kpc]

what about the IFE?

ZERO - BYO a must.

They do provide digi player but absolutely nothing in English - Chinese audio with subtitles only - no biggie - I am in china every month and buy all the latest DVD's - so even if I am on SQ or CX I still BYO.

Nice report. The food looks good...Is there a power supply for your laptop / iPad? I recently flew QF J Syd to Pvg and the corporate rate was just over 6K:shock::evil:...what a huge price difference!!! If you are QF Plat, I presume you can access the QF F lounge in Syd as MU are part of One World?

 

[mannej]

Nice report. The food looks good...Is there a power supply for your laptop / iPad? I recently flew QF J Syd to Pvg and the corporate rate was just over 6K:shock::evil:...what a huge price difference!!! If you are QF Plat, I presume you can access the QF F lounge in Syd as MU are part of One World?

I don't believe they are part of Oneworld, more that they are a QFF program partner.

 

[moa999]

MU is SkyTeam (although had been rumored to be a oneworld member at one point).
There is no mainland Chinese oneworld member, just CX and KA in HKG

Lounge access will just be via an agreement with Qantas and will be Business lounge only, ie WPs can't use First Lounge

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Is there a power supply for your laptop / iPad?

Power socket but no power in most seats - FA's did find a live socket to re-charge my camera battery.

If you are QF Plat, I presume you can access the QF F lounge in Syd as MU are part of One World?

As others have noted MU are not part of OW - I am CX Diamond so can access QF F Lounge if I have OW BP - but I tried it once before and they will not admit.

Others will know technicalities of QF / MU alliance I don't - you can earn QFF pts on MU but indeed they are not OW.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

28 seats in the 767 biz cabin MEL-PVG - 17 pax. 2 WASPS and 15 Chinese or Chinese extract.

I was originally allocated 8D and requested seat next to me be blocked which was confirmed at check-in. When I was seated a Chinese lady sat next to me and we got chatting. She was Shanghaiese and frequently travels between MEL-SHA - she was in a group of 6 and she asked me why I was on MU and not QF or SQ or another carrier.

I told her price only - she asked what I meant - I told her I paid 2.3K for this return flt and she nearly fell out of her seat. Her group paid 3.7K ea and she quickly calculated 6 x 1.4K - of course no chance that many 'O' class seats being available but whatever.

I moved to a different row so I had 2 seats to myself - 1sr row behind galley - I usually avoid bulk heads like the plague but plenty plenty room here - real bonus 2 seats together.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

PEK was actually my final dest so i purchased J class MU PVG-PEK on eLong for under A$200. If I purchased same ticket here in oz from BF or MU direct it was just under $500 - can't figure that out at all. BF now showing MEL-PEK via PVG $2,300 - same as I paid this MEL-PVG - that's China for you - nothing will ever make sense.

I purchased the PVG-PEK flight a month out - PEK-PVG on CA I bought only 4 days prior to return as I was not sure if I was going to change return date - that flt cost me just under A$500 - again on eLong but getting close to CNY so lots of pressure on loadings.

God it was cold in Beijing - I was there a week and travelled to and fro to Tianjin on CRH trains (300+ kmh) - it actually takes longer to drive in taxi from hotel to Beijing South Train taion to catch train than what the actual train trip takes.

Weather in Beijing:



Notice how below -8 it's cold? -8 or above just chilly? Give me a break - damn cold every day for me.

Actually sunny days and zero wind meant days tolerable - indeed some days I could go to market and back just in heavyweight long sleeved shirt - I hate wearing jackets.

Nights very cold - very hard to get taxi's in Beijing this time of year. Cold days means nobody walks to do their shopping / go out to bars / restaurants etc so maybe up to 20% extra pressure on cabs - add it was only week to 10 days out from CNY so so many locals out buying gifts so another 10 to 15 to 20% pressure on taxi numbers - all of a sudden we are in situation where pressure is now 30 to 40% extra on cabs - just impossible to get them at times.

Thank god for alcohol to keep you warm as you wait on the side of a road to hail a cab.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

MU allow 40kg baggage - i had 30kg heading over including some faulty parts to be returned to manufacturer - only 10kg in total in my baggage - i took only 2 pr pants and 4 shirts intending to buy up big at the markets - and did i ever.

I purchaes 40+ shirts for myself - 5 pr pants - 1 jacket - 13 pcs clothing for Cruiserette and 2 pr G Star jeeans and a knitted Tommy Hilfiger jacket for my No 1 man in the office.

munitalP eluded to the 'fake / copy / knock-off markets' in Beijing - I haunt them. Their are 3 main markets in Beijing - Silk Market, Ya Show and Pearl Market. Silk Market IMHO is way best - it's just down the road from World Trade Centre and China World Hotel - either way if you going to Beijing allow at least 1 full day for shopping - you will not regret it.

Some examples - bear\ in mind exchange rate A$1 = RMB6.5

Heavy weight Jeep jacket - RMB120



Versace Sports Jackets - RMB300 (I have never seen these before - brand new cloth / material - only 1 stand had them and he knew it too)



Heavy weight long sleeved shirts with grandpa / chinese style collars - very hard to find in Australia - RMB50:



Light weight long sleeved shirts with grandpa / chinese style collars - very hard to find in Australia - RMB40:



Long sleeved Armani cotton shirts - RMB40:

 

[Cruiser Elite]

And - Short sleeved Armani cotton shirts - RMB40:



Short sleeved Jack Jones knits - RMB40:



Long sleeved Polo Ralph Lauren shirts - RMB50:



Short sleeved Tommy Hilfiger cotton shirts - RMB40:



Long sleeved silk / cotton light weight Boss / D & G / Armani shirts - RMB80: