Air China-Any recent reviews from Bkk to USA?

[CarolinaJames]

I just looked on Skyscanner and Air China flight from Bkk to USA is around 10,000 baht cheaper than the next airline (Qatar). I am looking to fly in December so the best prices for United/Delta will probably be made available next month or so. I have previously flown United and Delta on this route and been satisfied.

It appears Air China just bought some new Boeing planes so it might not be too bad. Any thoughts?

As of now, roundtrip from Bkk to South Carolina via JFK $1,260 Dec 3-26

Thanks in advance!

[loppylugs1]

Do not fly China Eastern under any circumstances

Edited July 28, 2014 by loppylugs1

[jcb2001]

Check the layover time in China before you buy your ticket. Had a 10 hour layover in Ghouzhou that was most uncomfortable.

[Gonsalviz]

Since they are connected to Star Alliance it is probable that they are safe for a while if you don't mind a lot of noise from the surrounding passengers.

[rfukata]

a friend did a Seattle-Nairta-Peking, (long layover in Peking) on air-china due to its lower pricing but admitted he'll never use Air-china again.

he mentioned that the cabin service was unsatisfactory with rude stewardesses.

[nowork114]

Don't mix up the airlines, China Airlines is a Taiwanese company and they fly BKK-TPE-LAX. We use them often when EVA Air is expansive or not available. My wife flew with them few months back, on TPE-LAX they used 747 (older model but with personal screen) and the food and service was good (and luckily the plane was not full so she had 2 seats on the way there and 3 seats on the way back).

[phuketrichard]

Do not fly China Eastern under any circumstances

why? i flew them last nov from Phuket to sfo,

the first leg was smaller plane , no monitor in seat back but i had 3 seats to myself; uneatable food

second leg had 4 seats, full monitor with movies and such, good food.

4 hour layover

$300 cheaper than Korean an not much difference.

[loppylugs1]

Do not fly China Eastern under any circumstances

why? i flew them last nov from Phuket to sfo,

the first leg was smaller plane , no monitor in seat back but i had 3 seats to myself; uneatable food

second leg had 4 seats, full monitor with movies and such, good food.

4 hour layover

$300 cheaper than Korean an not much difference.

Look at a few threads on facebook. Robbing bastards,suitcase after suitcase at layover in Shanghai rifled. Ended up in county court in the UK ,not that it had anything to do with the UK was on SFO to BKK flight but used UK credit card for booking got over $1000 out of them

[calbts2]

Yes I flew RT Bangkok - Beijing- SFO last month. I must say that along with Air India - Air China is among the WORST airlines that I have flown in my 45 plus years.

Terrible food, lame video selection on the flights, sniping flight attendants that chastise you for watching video on your cellphone and demand you turn off even when it is ok to use laptops and tablets. I could go on and on. I also had the unfortunate experience of sitting next to some old guy that smelled like a horse's ass for the trans-pacific leg. But that could have happened on any airline.

I hate to say that even Delta is much better than Air China - and that is saying alot considering US based airlines are some of the worst customer service-wise in the world.

Much better options are JAL, Korean Air, ANA, China Air(out of Taiwan NOT China), Cathay, and Thai Air(even though they are usually very expensive for International flights)

Then there is the nightmare of going through transit in China.

Even though I was in transit and getting on another plane out of the country - China makes you wait in line and go through passport controls and stamps your passport. WHY?

I am only in transit for an hour or so.

Then even though I had already gone through security in Bangkok and again the other way in the USA , I had to go through full security again. And if you thought the TSA was bad - just experience these Chinese Nazis.

After I went through a metal detector - this guy insisted on giving me a full clothed body search. When he reached into my pockets and almost into my pants, I yelled at him to lay off and almost slugged him.

Complete utter jerks on power trips. The first time he even wanded my passport I was holding. Did he think he was going to find a mini bomb in the pages?

It is because of this experience I will NEVER transit through China again. It is worth it to me to pay the extra $100-$200 or however much more to transfer through non-gestapo airports in So. Korea, Japan, Taiwan, etc. where you instead wait in a sterile transit area for your transfer, do not have to go through a passport control, and do not get humiliated by Nazi-like guards.

Edited July 29, 2014 by calbts2

[KED]

Since they are connected to Star Alliance it is probable that they are safe for a while if you don't mind a lot of noise from the surrounding passengers.

In my opinion, the Star Alliance connection is only for marketing - I really don't believe there is any extra security standards or procedures applied. My experience has been the employees know little about other airlines or the marketing agreement.

I haven't flown Air China because there have been extended layovers in the 10-15 hour range. I did fly China Southern Bangkok to Los Angeles last February and their A380 from Guangzhou to Los Angeles was fantastic.

Edited July 29, 2014 by KED

[plachon]

Yes I flew RT Bangkok - Beijing- SFO last month. I must say that along with Air India - Air China is among the WORST airlines that I have flown in my 45 plus years.

Terrible food, lame video selection on the flights, sniping flight attendants that chastise you for watching video on your cellphone and demand you turn off even when it is ok to use laptops and tablets. I could go on and on. I also had the unfortunate experience of sitting next to some old guy that smelled like a horse's ass for the trans-pacific leg. But that could have happened on any airline.

I hate to say that even Delta is much better than Air China - and that is saying alot considering US based airlines are some of the worst customer service-wise in the world.

Much better options are JAL, Korean Air, ANA, China Air(out of Taiwan NOT China), Cathay, and Thai Air(even though they are usually very expensive for International flights)

Then there is the nightmare of going through transit in China.

Even though I was in transit and getting on another plane out of the country - China makes you wait in line and go through passport controls and stamps your passport. WHY?

I am only in transit for an hour or so.

Then even though I had already gone through security in Bangkok and again the other way in the USA , I had to go through full security again. And if you thought the TSA was bad - just experience these Chinese Nazis.

After I went through a metal detector - this guy insisted on giving me a full clothed body search. When he reached into my pockets and almost into my pants, I yelled at him to lay off and almost slugged him.

Complete utter jerks on power trips. The first time he even wanded my passport I was holding. Did he think he was going to find a mini bomb in the pages?

It is because of this experience I will NEVER transit through China again. It is worth it to me to pay the extra $100-$200 or however much more to transfer through non-gestapo airports in So. Korea, Japan, Taiwan, etc. where you instead wait in a sterile transit area for your transfer, do not have to go through a passport control, and do not get humiliated by Nazi-like guards.

Funny, sounds just like my experience transiting through Atlanta, Georgia on way to Mexico. Never again, after all the hassle of those Yankie Nazis for which you have to pay for the pleasure of their visa for not even setting foot in the country.......

[Alan653]

I've flown Air China to SFO several time's now, and never had a bad flight

Sure their a no frills airline, but they got me to San Francisco and back here okay. And you can always pre order what type of food you want ahead of time online at the site you book on.