My first experience with China Eastern Airlines (MU)

[MH_fan]

I have seen some MU J tickets to Europe for Mar/Apr next year for as little as $5.3k! That is unbeatable. In fact, I scored a J fare with them to Prague for around that time for about $5.7k.

 

[Dalescott]

Flew with China Eastern in Business, when they first started out of Melbourne. It was a very interesting flight, as the plane was a wet lease from Shanghai Airlines (If I remember correctly). coughpit door was open most the way to Shanghai. You could stand at the door and watch the pilots, they came and went and had long convo's withe FA's. They even gave use a China Eastern umbrella, which we still have.
We asked for red wine with our meal and got a full bottle of VERY good French red. The lounge at Pudong wasn't very good, but food was amazing.
It was one of life's great experiences.

 

[homeister]

To the OP:
Very late to this but that's what happens when people are researching similar flights
What was your date of travel for the reviewed trip?
I'm currently looking at MU for J travel to CDG in July 2026 and MU is priced at 8.8k

 

[MELso]

To the OP:
Very late to this but that's what happens when people are researching similar flights
What was your date of travel for the reviewed trip?
I'm currently looking at MU for J travel to CDG in July 2026 and MU is priced at 8.8k

They tend to drop their prices a bit closer in (the cheap fares are currently available to the end of June).

 

[MH_fan]

To the OP:
Very late to this but that's what happens when people are researching similar flights
What was your date of travel for the reviewed trip?
I'm currently looking at MU for J travel to CDG in July 2026 and MU is priced at 8.8k

That was April 2025. My next flights with them will be March 2026.

 

[AIRwin]

Heard free WiFi being offered in Economy on Australian flights

 

[Berlin]

They tend to drop their prices a bit closer in (the cheap fares are currently available to the end of June).

This is the Chinese way. I think China is the only place in the world (that I know of/ have ever been to) where airfares go DOWN the closer to the date you get.

The first one to tell me that was my Mandarin teacher and I did not believe it at first but it’s true (and saves one big bucks especially on the -generally excellent- inner Chinese Domestic flights)!

 

[MH_fan]

Almost a year on and I'm about to fly MU again. Their fare to PRG in J for <$5.8k was too good to miss. Will post a review (not as detailed as last time), of course.

 

[MH_fan]

Right. Now that I have arrived in Prague, I can post a bit of a review.
Check-in was nice and easy at SYD. Bypassing the extremely long security lines was a godsend, since I was in J! Got specific invitations to use the SkyTeam Lounge instead of the QF temporary Business Lounge. SkyTeam Lounge was busy but the food on offer was nice.
Priority boarding enforced and done well. Nice welcome on board. Flight was on the A350-900 and sat in the same seat as last time. PDB was only water or orange juice. Menu was available but they've redesigned it again. This time there was no menu specific for the flight nor was there the one that rotates through the whole year divided in quarterly changes. More cost cutting meant that this time there was a whole year menu divided into two (instead of four) where two lots of 3 months had the same menu and the remaining two lots of 3 months had the alternative menu!
Once airborne, the crew were lovely. The champagne has changed and the overall drinks menu appears to have been reduced a little. Food was of the same quality as last time but my recommendation is that the Chinese options are ALWAYS better than the Western options (as my travelling companion confirmed). Onboard wifi worked but was patchy throughout the flight. The headphones were still the terrible quality ones but you can Bluetooth to your own headphones at least. The amenity kit is still the same basic one and is really quite poor for Business class. It's good enough for Prem Economy really. Pyjamas and slippers provided. And again, the duvet is probably one of the best I have ever experienced in the air! The pillow was plush and very comfortable too. Toilets for J on their A350s are really spacious. I love them!
Transit in Shanghai Pudong was easy (although lots of walking involved). I've come to the conclusion that flights to/from Australia use the main T1 terminal and flights to Europe use the T1 satellite terminal. The lounge you'd use is the No137 lounge in the satellite terminal. It was reasonably quiet when we first arrived but was packed by the time we left. The food in the lounge is fine for Asian tastes but your Western options will be very disappointing.
The flight to Paris CDG was on the B777-300ER. Sat in the 2-row mini cabin (which is the best) in the bulkhead seat, which has a bigger footwell. No menu provided (just like last time a year ago). Flight leaves after midnight so skipped dinner service once again and went straight to sleep, as I was so tired. Managed to get 7 hours of solid sleep out of the 12-hour flight. The Chinese breakfast prior to landing was nice. Pyjamas and slippers provided and same amenity kit and coughpy headphones as well. Duvet and pillow was fantastic. Again, cabin crew were lovely.
Transit in Paris was reasonably straightforward but, again, lots of walking! Last leg to Prague was on an Air France A220-300 and the AF Lounge in T2F was lovely!
Pics to follow...

 

[mrsterryn]

Oohhhh they give pyjamas I would be too fat for them but husband would love lol
Thanks for the report

 

[MH_fan]

Oohhhh they give pyjamas I would be too fat for them but husband would love lol
Thanks for the report

Their pyjamas comes in 2 sizes: M and L. They are really good quality and very comfortable. I fit an M but you should try their L. If it fits, great! If not, you'll know for future reference.

 

[mrsterryn]

Their pyjamas comes in 2 sizes: M and L. They are really good quality and very comfortable. I fit an M but you should try their L. If it fits, great! If not, you'll know for future reference.

Thanks for that
With few flights left for husband and I to be able to do ( his darn health and issues with travel insurance) we are trying a few different airlines to travel with

 

[MEL_Traveller]

@ MH_Fan… will be interested to see your thoughts on Prague… you doing a trip report? I was there a little over a month ago and wanna understand what I missed! (seriously… we didn’t ‘get’ prague at all!)

 

[MH_fan]

 

[MH_fan]

@ MH_Fan… will be interested to see your thoughts on Prague… you doing a trip report? I was there a little over a month ago and wanna understand what I missed! (seriously… we didn’t ‘get’ prague at all!)

I love Prague. This is my 3rd (and probably final) visit!

 

[MH_fan]

 

[MH_fan]