Mini TR: China Southern + Xiamen in Y SYD-SZX-PEK-AMS

[YSSY]

A mini TR for a trip on China Southern in Y. I have Alitalia Elite Plus thats due to expire this year, achieved through a status match.

Prior to the journey I tried to select seats online, the website is a challenge to use and you need to enter your name in the as SURNAME/FIRSTNAME MIDDLENAME plus the e-ticket number. Skyteam E+ didn't seem to offer any benefits, selecting a seat in the premium economy section was offered at Y600. At 48 hours prior to departure, I couldn't get online check in to work, then at 24 hours prior I tried it and managed to select seat 31K for my first segment, but was unable to check in for any of the others.


SYD-SZX CZ3072

Arrived at Sydney Terminal 1 to a very busy check in area, long queues, expect for the Skyteam Priority Lane which thankfully my Alitalia Elite Plus gave me access to. Due to my convoluted itinerary with a domestic segment on Xiaman from SZX-PEK they could not check me all the way through, I was also asked to sign a waiver form which would relieve them from responsibility if in the unlikely event I was rejected a transit visa... Okay... Also provided with a lounge pass for the sky team lounge and an express card.

Whilst sampling the lounge, I discovered the inbound flight was running late and ultimately boarding commenced 25 minutes later then scheduled. Priority boarding was given to Children, Skyteam Elites, Business and First passengers.

The premium economy section, isn't really premium economy, it's exactly the same perhaps with more leg room? So no real upgrade, just a bit more space.

Service was good, no menu's provided, but staff regularly came around with drinks. The flight provided two meal services, I didn't eat the first meal, but the second one was quite good. Consisted of prawn salad starter, chicken stew and mash potato main, cake for dessert.

Overall the flight was fine, but arrived into Shenzhen an hour late. Upon disembarking staff were available to assist transit passengers.

 

[YSSY]

TRANSIT SHENZHEN

This is where things started to get complicated. As I was going onto a domestic flight I went to immigration, who then sent me back to the transfer supervisors. Apparently all transfer passengers need to be processed together as a group, so a lot of waiting around for all transfer passengers to arrive and then be processed. For most of the passengers they were on the CZ flight to Beijing and onwards to Amsterdam, so bags checked through and already issued boarding passes, all quite easy for them. I was the only person not checked through...

I had to collect my bag and escorted up to domestic check in, then told to go to a different check in desk and eventually was checked in at the Shenzhen Airlines desk (Confused about that bit, but okay), asked for a seat near the front, was given the very back row... Asked for a lounge pass, told not eligible. Then through to security, where I hand over my boarding pass. Security lady in broken English tries to explain to me that I have to 'check bag'... Which I eventually discover is a seperate room for where check in bags have been highlighted for extra screening and you have to identify your bag, open it and they take a look through.

Finally, made it through security. Head to the First/Business lounge, but redirected to the Joyee lounge. Staff seem to know that i'm entitled to enter, so all good! Except flight is now delayed and still have to collect bag and get a boarding pass in Beijing!

So this is where I am now, I've not had an adventure like this for a while, but overall the staff seem to be trying hard but unfortunately I don't speak Chinese and they don't speak very good English so I think that is the biggest issue so far. I've been itching to try one of the Chinese Airlines for a while, and as the 4th biggest airline by passenger numbers, China Southern is probably a good start. I did expect that this itinerary would have issues, but I'm up for an challenge!

 

[YSSY]

SZX-PEK MF8141

So, I was a little presumptuous about the seating assignment. 41A was in fact at the front of economy and an exit seat. Priority boarding with Xiamen and given elites given a gift bag with newspaper, water and peanuts. Meal served, but didn't try it. Ended up arriving too late into Beijing for my Amsterdam flight. Misconnect!

A little bit of drama finding out which airline arranges the hotel, finally Xiamen came up with the BeijingKongXian Express Hotel. China Southern still working on a solution to get me out of here, they say no seats until the 10th, but I only have a 24 hour transit visa... Also supposed to be working in the UK on Monday.

 

[I love to travel]

Hope this is working out ok for you.

SZX-PEK MF8141

So, I was a little presumptuous about the seating assignment. 41A was in fact at the front of economy and an exit seat. Priority boarding with Xiamen and given elites given a gift bag with newspaper, water and peanuts. Meal served, but didn't try it. Ended up arriving too late into Beijing for my Amsterdam flight. Misconnect!

A little bit of drama finding out which airline arranges the hotel, finally Xiamen came up with the BeijingKongXian Express Hotel. China Southern still working on a solution to get me out of here, they say no seats until the 10th, but I only have a 24 hour transit visa... Also supposed to be working in the UK on Monday.

 

[YSSY]

Hope this is working out ok for you.

Thanks, I've had a sleep, so will see if I can find a way back to the airport to find a solution from someone there.

 

[yohy?!]

Hopefully they can get you into a nearby port in Europe sooner

 

[YSSY]

PEK-AMS KL898

So after a night in an airport hotel courtesy for Xiamen Airlines, I was woken at 7am by someone repeatedly shouting the word 'Breakfast' at me in English on the phone. Needless to say, I ignored it and didn't have breakfast.
Arrival at Beijing I eventually found the China Southern desk who wanted to know why I wasn't in Amsterdam, strangely I was hoping they'd answer that question for me. Then sent off to the Xiamen Airlines desk to obtain a letter saying I'd missed my flight. A lot of waiting around whilst being advised no seats until the 10th before being placed on standby for the KLM flight, KLM flight overbooked and 10 people on the standby list... Thankfully got the last last seat on the 747 Combi in the Economy+ section, a really nice seat in what feels like a private cabin with great service from the crew.

Certainly it has been an adventure, it would have been easier had I been on CZ metal the entire way, and had I not needed to be in the UK for Monday morning I wouldn't have been so worried about the delays. Not speaking Mandarin is probably the biggest barrier, but I think without IRROPS China Southern would have been okay, though I suppose the real test for an airline is how the react when things go wrong.

 

[auriga]

Wow, you are brave!

 

[moa999]

Certainly it has been an adventure, it would have been easier had I been on CZ metal the entire way,

Indeed. Xiamen is only 51% China Southern owned, think rest is local govt.
I see you were forced to go via PEK as no direct SZX-AMS flights, but surprised that CZ doesn't run own metal SZX-PEK.

What was the original transit time at PEK ??
Delays in China, particularly later in the day are common, and I wouldn't use anything under 3hrs

 

[yohy?!]

Indeed. Xiamen is only 51% China Southern owned, think rest is local govt.
I see you were forced to go via PEK as no direct SZX-AMS flights, but surprised that CZ doesn't run own metal SZX-PEK.

What was the original transit time at PEK ??
Delays in China, particularly later in the day are common, and I wouldn't use anything under 3hrs

SZX isn't a hub for CZ, they run their own metal at nearby CAN-AMS so not sure why they sell tickets that force a risky domestic connection (and a backtrack) via PEK!

Would have been better for the OP to take the bus between SZX and CAN http://www.gbiac.net/en/jtzy/citybus/shenzhen! (assuming CZ will ticket that routing with a land transfer).

 

[YSSY]

SZX isn't a hub for CZ, they run their own metal at nearby CAN-AMS so not sure why they sell tickets that force a risky domestic connection (and a backtrack) via PEK!

Would have been better for the OP to take the bus between SZX and CAN GBIA! (assuming CZ will ticket that routing with a land transfer).

Yes, it's a pretty poor setup. About 10 of us were in transit to Amsterdam, however I was the only one on MF metal SZX-PEK instead of CZ and all the CZ guys made it. But then met another load of misconnects for Amsterdam in PEK from various different inbounds. Scheduled connection in PEK was only 90 mins, which in hindsight isn't enough, especially due to the MF metal requirement of collecting bags and rechecking in.

My experience of Chinese Airlines is only this, as it was my first time to try a trip via China due to the impressive prices, but hopefully it will help anyone else considering this kind of routing.