When I found out that I was flying to Shanghai on China Eastern, a wave of nervousness came over me. I tried to work out in my mind how I could justify flying SQ instead, which was just slightly higher in price (QF was around 50% higher in price). But due to the extra flying time required for SQ, there was no justifiable reason. So naturally, I turned to AFF for a trip report on MU in J to try and placate my uncertainty about MU but a trip report was nowhere to be found. What I did find was that there were quite few people here who were also looking for a trip report. So I thought it is my AFF member duty to suck it up, fly MU and write a report on it.
China Eastern Business Trip Report
- Thread starter anchew
- Start date
- Status
MU 562 SYD-PVG
ETD 1200
ETA 1920
We arrived around 2.5 hours prior to the flight and there were no one in priority check-in lane so we only had to wait less than a minute before we were called over. Check-in was uneventful, except that the check-in agent asked me and my colleague if we wanted to sit together and moved us to first row bulkhead adjoining widow seats (6J & 6L). We were given our boarding passes and QF J lounge invitation card then were on our way. Being a non-One World airline, I didn’t have access to the F lounge so had to find a way to fill 2 hours slumming in the J lounge. What do people do with all that time in the QF J lounge?
At around 1140, the screens showed ‘Go To Gate’ for our flight. By this time we were really bored, so we decided to make our way to the boarding gate. When we arrived, boarding had already commenced and we marched down the empty priority boarding lane and were settling in our seats in no time.
As we were flying from SYD, the bird that greeted us was an A330. MU uses 767s from MEL, which by comments on here should be avoided. While settling in our seats and waiting for the rest of the passengers to board, we were offered water or orange juice. Then at 1200 on the dot, we pushed back. While taxing, hot towels, newspapers (Australian and Chinese) and amenity kits were handed out. The safety announcement was played fully in Chinese first, then in English, but it was quite soft, barely audible. Congestion at SYD meant that we were sitting on the taxiway for around 20 minutes before taking off. Then less than 10 minutes afterwards, the seatbelt sign went off.
The remainder of the flight went something like this:
1245 Headsets, menus and hot towels (again) were handed out
1255 Drink and lunch orders taken
1310 Drink, nuts and canapé served at the same time o_0
1325 Selection of bread was brought around
1335 Soup served
1345 Appetiser served
1410 Mains served
1420 Fruits and cheese served.
1430 Ice cream served
1435 Bottled water handed out and chocolate bars offered.
1445 PJs and doonas handed out (even though it was a day flight)
1450 Lights dimmed
1505 Lights out
Part way through the fight, chocolate bars, nuts and chips were offered.
1600 (PVG time or 1900 SYD time) Lights on
1615 ‘Light meal’ orders taken
1630 (coldish) Towels handed out
1640 Appetiser served
1650 Mains served
Approaching PVG:
1850 Headphones collected
1900 Started descending
1932 Landed into PVG
1940 Arrived at the gate
2950 After a long walk through the terminal, cleared immigration and customs
2000 Bags arrived at the carousel
View of the cabin:
ETD 1200
ETA 1920
We arrived around 2.5 hours prior to the flight and there were no one in priority check-in lane so we only had to wait less than a minute before we were called over. Check-in was uneventful, except that the check-in agent asked me and my colleague if we wanted to sit together and moved us to first row bulkhead adjoining widow seats (6J & 6L). We were given our boarding passes and QF J lounge invitation card then were on our way. Being a non-One World airline, I didn’t have access to the F lounge so had to find a way to fill 2 hours slumming in the J lounge. What do people do with all that time in the QF J lounge?
At around 1140, the screens showed ‘Go To Gate’ for our flight. By this time we were really bored, so we decided to make our way to the boarding gate. When we arrived, boarding had already commenced and we marched down the empty priority boarding lane and were settling in our seats in no time.
As we were flying from SYD, the bird that greeted us was an A330. MU uses 767s from MEL, which by comments on here should be avoided. While settling in our seats and waiting for the rest of the passengers to board, we were offered water or orange juice. Then at 1200 on the dot, we pushed back. While taxing, hot towels, newspapers (Australian and Chinese) and amenity kits were handed out. The safety announcement was played fully in Chinese first, then in English, but it was quite soft, barely audible. Congestion at SYD meant that we were sitting on the taxiway for around 20 minutes before taking off. Then less than 10 minutes afterwards, the seatbelt sign went off.
The remainder of the flight went something like this:
1245 Headsets, menus and hot towels (again) were handed out
1255 Drink and lunch orders taken
1310 Drink, nuts and canapé served at the same time o_0
1325 Selection of bread was brought around
1335 Soup served
1345 Appetiser served
1410 Mains served
1420 Fruits and cheese served.
1430 Ice cream served
1435 Bottled water handed out and chocolate bars offered.
1445 PJs and doonas handed out (even though it was a day flight)
1450 Lights dimmed
1505 Lights out
Part way through the fight, chocolate bars, nuts and chips were offered.
1600 (PVG time or 1900 SYD time) Lights on
1615 ‘Light meal’ orders taken
1630 (coldish) Towels handed out
1640 Appetiser served
1650 Mains served
Approaching PVG:
1850 Headphones collected
1900 Started descending
1932 Landed into PVG
1940 Arrived at the gate
2950 After a long walk through the terminal, cleared immigration and customs
2000 Bags arrived at the carousel
View of the cabin:
Last edited:
Menu
DINNER/LUNCH
Chinese Style
Western Style
LIGHT MEAL
DINNER/LUNCH
Canapé - Smoked Salmon
Chinese Style
Appetizer - Poached Chicken with Vegetable Salad
Soup - Night Blooming Cereus and Figs in Pork Broth
Entrée [sic] - BBQ Port and Duck Combination/Steamed Rice/Vegetables Or Pan Fried Barramundi with Black Bean Sauce/Steamed Rice/Vegetables
Dessert - Ice Cream Or Cheese Cake Berry
Fruit - Seasonal Fresh Fruit
*Assorted Bread Roll and Selected Cheese are served in Chinese Dinner/Lunch as well
Western Style
Appetizer - Prawn Asparagus and Shaved Fennel Salad
Soup - Lobster Bisquie Cream Soup
Bread - Assorted Gourmet Breads Served with Butter Rosette
Main Course - Grilled Tournedos of Beef in Red Wine Sauce/Potato Gratin/Vegetables Or Sauteed prawn with chilli flakes/Ratatouille/Linguini Pasta
Cheese - Cheddar/King Island Blue Wedge/King Island Triple Cream Brie/Crackers
Dessert - Ice Cream Or Cheese Cake Berry
Fruit - Seasonal Fresh Fruits
LIGHT MEAL
Appetizer - King Prawn on Jellyfish and Korean Green Seaweed Salad
Bread - Assorted Gourmet Breads Served with Butter Rosette
Main Course - Chinese Style Lamb with Black Pepper Sauce/ Steamed Rice/Vegetables
Or Proscuitto [sic] Wrapped Chicken/Buttered Broccolini/Vegetables
Or Traditional West Lake Vinegar Barraumundi [sic] Fillet/Steamed Rice/Vegetables
Or (Veg) Stirfried [sic] Noodle with Vegetables
Or Traditional West Lake Vinegar Barraumundi [sic] Fillet/Steamed Rice/Vegetables
Or (Veg) Stirfried [sic] Noodle with Vegetables
Fruit - Seasonal Fresh Fruits
Last edited:
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Flying Fox
Established Member
- Joined
- Jul 13, 2006
- Posts
- 2,955
- Qantas
- Silver Club
V. impressive amenity kit. SQ should take a few pointers from here!
Cruiser Elite
Enthusiast
- Joined
- Oct 31, 2010
- Posts
- 13,861
Yes thanks for TR anchew - I did actually do comprehensive TR of the MEL-PVG route with MU on the old wet leased Shanghai Airlines planes.
Those flts cost me 2.2K MEL-PVG/PEK-MEL - what did you pay for this trip?
I would not be surprised if we see some more agressive pricing from MU post Chinese New Year as the 3K MH flts to / from China are just too good value wise.
Those flts cost me 2.2K MEL-PVG/PEK-MEL - what did you pay for this trip?
I would not be surprised if we see some more agressive pricing from MU post Chinese New Year as the 3K MH flts to / from China are just too good value wise.
Meals
As you can see, the order that the meals came out didn’t match what was on the menu which made confused me a little. Also, at the start when the soups and appetisers came out, they got me and my colleague’s choices mixed up. We only realised this when the appetisers came out, but it was too late for the soup.
Overall, I found the meals a little dry and bland. The rice that came with the main was cold. I didn’t end up finishing the main. One thing that annoyed me though was that they brought out the fruit platter before I finished my mains. Though the highlight of the meal service was the ice-cream at the end – the flavour was ‘death by chocolate’.
Another thing, I was sitting on the window seat and the F/A kept on passing the dishes over my colleague to me individually rather than coming around (there was plenty of room in front of us) and placing it on the table. One thing that didn't help them was that they don't use trays to serve the food. But instead of placing the cutlery and plates on my tray table, they handed them to me individually. It was just a minor thing but didn't look very professional.
Tea and nuts:
Canapé - Smoked Salmon:
Garlic bread and self served table setup
Soup Losbter Bisquie Cream Soup
As you can see, the order that the meals came out didn’t match what was on the menu which made confused me a little. Also, at the start when the soups and appetisers came out, they got me and my colleague’s choices mixed up. We only realised this when the appetisers came out, but it was too late for the soup.
Overall, I found the meals a little dry and bland. The rice that came with the main was cold. I didn’t end up finishing the main. One thing that annoyed me though was that they brought out the fruit platter before I finished my mains. Though the highlight of the meal service was the ice-cream at the end – the flavour was ‘death by chocolate’.
Another thing, I was sitting on the window seat and the F/A kept on passing the dishes over my colleague to me individually rather than coming around (there was plenty of room in front of us) and placing it on the table. One thing that didn't help them was that they don't use trays to serve the food. But instead of placing the cutlery and plates on my tray table, they handed them to me individually. It was just a minor thing but didn't look very professional.
Tea and nuts:
Canapé - Smoked Salmon:
Garlic bread and self served table setup
Soup Losbter Bisquie Cream Soup
Chinese Appetizer - Poached Chicken with Vegetable Salad
Western Appetizer - Prawn Asparagus and Shaved Fennel Salad
Chinese Main - BBQ Port and Duck Combination/Steamed Rice/Vegetables
Western main - Grilled Tournedos of Beef in Red Wine Sauce/Potato Gratin/Vegetables
Ice Cream
jetlagger
Established Member
- Joined
- Sep 19, 2011
- Posts
- 2,241
Thanks for the ongoing pictorial..
It is the refinement of service standards that at times annoys me somewhat on several airlines, especially in premium classes.
As you mentioned re: the passing of dishes over the neighbour.
The worst case scenario would be the serving of warm/hot dishes that are cold/ish, inclusive of soup :evil:, & the Champagne & white wine served warmish, & in the wrong glass. :evil:
& it has happened on SQ in J as well.. I did mention in a polite fashion that I do expect better, as well as a better knowledge of the Champagne & wine varieties being served.
But on a positive note, most of the China carriers are trying hard, just need to tweek their service & knowledge a tad higher.
It is the refinement of service standards that at times annoys me somewhat on several airlines, especially in premium classes.
As you mentioned re: the passing of dishes over the neighbour.
The worst case scenario would be the serving of warm/hot dishes that are cold/ish, inclusive of soup :evil:, & the Champagne & white wine served warmish, & in the wrong glass. :evil:
& it has happened on SQ in J as well.. I did mention in a polite fashion that I do expect better, as well as a better knowledge of the Champagne & wine varieties being served.
But on a positive note, most of the China carriers are trying hard, just need to tweek their service & knowledge a tad higher.
Entertainment
The inflight entertainment was an AVOD system with a good selection of English movies. There were no English language TV series available, but there were Discovery Channel type short features. However, there wasn't any entertainment guide.
On this flight, the Hollywood movies available were:
The Avengers
Wrath of the Titans
Journey to the End of the Earth
21 Jump Street
Happy Feet 2
Anonymous
The Ideas of March
Margin Call
50/50
One Day
The Debt
The Way
Prom
Cat & Dogs 2
Cop Out
The informant
John Carter
War Horse
The Muppets
Harry Potter … Part 2
Jane Eyre
Beginners
Colombiana
Terri
Green Lantern
Paul
Mars Needs Moms
Legend of the Guardians
Universal Soldier Regeneration
Invictus
Ninja Assassin
Flipped
Alice in Wonderland
Toy Story 3
The Prince and the Frog
Up
The Dark Knight
Curious Case of B. Buton
Evan Almighty
High School Musical 2
Oceans Thirteen
The Borne Identity
The Borne Supremacy
The Borne Ultimatum
The Chronicles of Narnia 1
Cars
King Kong
The Matrix Revolution
Pirates of the Caribbean 1
Harry Potter 1
Training Day
The Shawshank Redemption
The Artist
The Last Station
The Reader
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Brother Bear
The inflight entertainment was an AVOD system with a good selection of English movies. There were no English language TV series available, but there were Discovery Channel type short features. However, there wasn't any entertainment guide.
On this flight, the Hollywood movies available were:
The Avengers
Wrath of the Titans
Journey to the End of the Earth
21 Jump Street
Happy Feet 2
Anonymous
The Ideas of March
Margin Call
50/50
One Day
The Debt
The Way
Prom
Cat & Dogs 2
Cop Out
The informant
John Carter
War Horse
The Muppets
Harry Potter … Part 2
Jane Eyre
Beginners
Colombiana
Terri
Green Lantern
Paul
Mars Needs Moms
Legend of the Guardians
Universal Soldier Regeneration
Invictus
Ninja Assassin
Flipped
Alice in Wonderland
Toy Story 3
The Prince and the Frog
Up
The Dark Knight
Curious Case of B. Buton
Evan Almighty
High School Musical 2
Oceans Thirteen
The Borne Identity
The Borne Supremacy
The Borne Ultimatum
The Chronicles of Narnia 1
Cars
King Kong
The Matrix Revolution
Pirates of the Caribbean 1
Harry Potter 1
Training Day
The Shawshank Redemption
The Artist
The Last Station
The Reader
Who Framed Roger Rabbit
Brother Bear
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