Isochronous
Established Member
- Joined
- Dec 18, 2009
- Posts
- 4,679
Last weekend I tried Hainan Airlines for the first time flying return from Beijing Capital to Shanghai Hongqiao.
Departed Thursday night on a B737-800 that was comparable to a QF 738, albeit unlike the newest QF 738s that have the international standard IFE installed (as I was fortunate enough to experience when flying MEL-ASP earlier in the year). Remarkably for a flight departing PEK, boarding was on schedule and we touched down at SHA at precisely the scheduled time! Check in was a breeze with a short queue and the check-in agent spoke good English (although this meant I wasn't able to practice my Mandarin). It seems Hainan have T1 at Beijing almost all to themselves. Security was quickly cleared and the experience very pleasant and efficient. Refreshments and peanuts were served on the flight. Cowmpared to MU, I felt the hard product was slightly better (far more modern than the A320 and A300 I experienced on MU), but the refreshments had less variety on offer - only tea, coffee, Coke and juices. No 7-Up like MU!
On the return flight, I only discovered after clearing security that the 8pm return flight had been delayed one hour. Eventually boarded just before 9pm, but the waited on the tarmac another hour. This meant the stewards and stewardesses fed and watered us before take off. They came around one more time for water during the flight, but a 10.55pm PEK arrival had become at least 1am from memory - was very tired. At least this time we were on an A332 with IFE, so I managed to get through 2 movies in that time starting from the tarmac. Luggage was a bit slow to come out at PEK and the queue for taxis horribly long, not to mention the annoying touts for fake taxis harrasing you.
Overall I found the HU experience very professional, great modern hard product and would fly them again. Only complaint is the A332 seat seemed difficult to recline, but I think that was just a fault with my seat or it was a bit stiff, as others seemed to get marginally more recline than me. The J product also looks good, in fact it startling resembles the new J product the FJ CEO was promoting recently on their new A330 order. Return was 1100 RMB booked one week in advance on ctrip, which I thought was good value given it was very much a last minute booking. Plane was full to the brim on both legs, and both were flights after 8pm.
Departed Thursday night on a B737-800 that was comparable to a QF 738, albeit unlike the newest QF 738s that have the international standard IFE installed (as I was fortunate enough to experience when flying MEL-ASP earlier in the year). Remarkably for a flight departing PEK, boarding was on schedule and we touched down at SHA at precisely the scheduled time! Check in was a breeze with a short queue and the check-in agent spoke good English (although this meant I wasn't able to practice my Mandarin). It seems Hainan have T1 at Beijing almost all to themselves. Security was quickly cleared and the experience very pleasant and efficient. Refreshments and peanuts were served on the flight. Cowmpared to MU, I felt the hard product was slightly better (far more modern than the A320 and A300 I experienced on MU), but the refreshments had less variety on offer - only tea, coffee, Coke and juices. No 7-Up like MU!
On the return flight, I only discovered after clearing security that the 8pm return flight had been delayed one hour. Eventually boarded just before 9pm, but the waited on the tarmac another hour. This meant the stewards and stewardesses fed and watered us before take off. They came around one more time for water during the flight, but a 10.55pm PEK arrival had become at least 1am from memory - was very tired. At least this time we were on an A332 with IFE, so I managed to get through 2 movies in that time starting from the tarmac. Luggage was a bit slow to come out at PEK and the queue for taxis horribly long, not to mention the annoying touts for fake taxis harrasing you.
Overall I found the HU experience very professional, great modern hard product and would fly them again. Only complaint is the A332 seat seemed difficult to recline, but I think that was just a fault with my seat or it was a bit stiff, as others seemed to get marginally more recline than me. The J product also looks good, in fact it startling resembles the new J product the FJ CEO was promoting recently on their new A330 order. Return was 1100 RMB booked one week in advance on ctrip, which I thought was good value given it was very much a last minute booking. Plane was full to the brim on both legs, and both were flights after 8pm.
