China Airlines Cheap and Brilliant service

[MEL_Traveller]

I'm considering flying China Airlines. Are there any safety concerns flying this airline? The Sky Bistro Bar and extra cash in my wallet will only do so much cushioning in an unfortunate event.

I suspect they are more 'reliable' then their mainland China counterparts?

China Airlines Cargo - Lands on Grass

Other way around. Chinese carriers are better than China Airlines.

But China Airlines seems to have turned the corner of late. Their last major accident was 2002. That was caused by a repair done on the aircraft 22 years earlier.

I'd have no issues flying their new aircraft.

 

[MH_fan]

Just flown with them for the first time and they're great. I'm a convert and will be flying with them again in the future without hesitation.

 

[supa007]

Just flown with them for the first time and they're great. I'm a convert and will be flying with them again in the future without hesitation.

Same here! Flew SYD-TPE-LAX return in PE, for the same cost as Y by most carriers.
Good hard and soft product. Spent the long transit going into Taipei on the airport train. ~$15 return lands you right in the middle of the bustling city with plenty to see, do and eat!

Definitely do it again.

 

[moffat39]

Looking at flying China Airlines in May next year to Vancouver. Great prices in Premium Economy at around $1740 return from Brisbane.

Would like to do stopover on the way back to explore Taiwan for around a week. Tried the multi city booking on the website and it added around $300 to the cost. Has anyone had experience doing a stopover before and if so the cost?

Also which toilets does Premium Economy have access on the 350? From checking the seat map business toilets are just in front of PE and the economy toilets are another section back behind PE.

 

[wenglock.mok]

Also which toilets does Premium Economy have access on the 350? From checking the seat map business toilets are just in front of PE and the economy toilets are another section back behind PE.

It's not entirely clear. There are actually two toilets in front of PE, one of them seems to be for Business Class, the other is probably for PE as the amenities in both are different (Business has the Acca Kappa amenities, the PE/Y ones appear to have amenities from another brand).

However, the crew don't appear to be consistent with enforcing access since the area in front of PE is actually accessible to both cabins. As such, both the toilets in front of the PE cabin are open to PE passengers.

 

[odysseus]

Looking at flying China Airlines in May next year to Vancouver. Great prices in Premium Economy at around $1740 return from Brisbane.

Would like to do stopover on the way back to explore Taiwan for around a week. Tried the multi city booking on the website and it added around $300 to the cost. Has anyone had experience doing a stopover before and if so the cost?

Also which toilets does Premium Economy have access on the 350? From checking the seat map business toilets are just in front of PE and the economy toilets are another section back behind PE.

$300 sounds reasonable for the cost impact of a stopover. There's usually an increase in any case due to taxes being incurred when the stay is over 24 hours.

On the 350 PE shares the business toilets (not that the toilet is anything fancy).

 

[MH_fan]

PE is supposed to use the left toilet in front of their cabin and J passengers use the one on the right. I don't know how well they police it though. On my recent flights, they directed me to use the PE toilet when both the J toilets were occupied.
I enjoyed my recent flights with them so much that I have decided to go with them to Vancouver next year. Despite the very long stopovers both ways, I paid under $3.8k in J for travel in May/June. That fare is simply unbeatable!

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Despite the very long stopovers both ways, I paid under $3.8k in J for travel in May/June. That fare is simply unbeatable!

And if China Airlines isn't available (dates or don't fly), Hainan's $3400-$3700 return J fares to Europe are also a steal. They too have longish stopovers in some cases, but again a hard price to beat.

 

[jase05]

PE is supposed to use the left toilet in front of their cabin and J passengers use the one on the right. I don't know how well they police it though. On my recent flights, they directed me to use the PE toilet when both the J toilets were occupied.
I enjoyed my recent flights with them so much that I have decided to go with them to Vancouver next year. Despite the very long stopovers both ways, I paid under $3.8k in J for travel in May/June. That fare is simply unbeatable!

Yeah I rate CI and will definitely use them again. Plenty of worse places than Taipei to have a long stop over aswell.
Not sure if they have changed their departure times or not but coming back to Sydney the stop over is only about 2 hours

 

[moffat39]

Thanks for all the responses. My overseas travel has mostly been J redemptions in business (with 3 first class redemptions) on SQ since 2012. As I will be paying for the flight from Brisbane to Vancouver for the wife and I wanted to try PE. Air Canada has PE but is around $3300 return each and is the 787 which is 9 across.

China Airlines is great value at around $1740 but will upgrade to business on the way back from Vancouver at around $1200 each. Total cost will be around $2980 each for PE on the way over and business on the way back. Less than what Air Canada will charge for return in PE.

Stopovers each way don't bother me and will give me a chance to explore Taipei.

Travelling around May next year and will be doing an Alaska cruise. Got quote from Flight Centre for flights and cruise and their flights on China Airlines were around $300 more than what I can do direct. That includes the ridiculous Captains Value of $98 for two.

 

[AIRwin]

Anyone seen this?

Chinese airline’s weirdly dark travel ad goes viral

In its latest campaign, titled #WhatTravelBringsYou, the unorthodox ad focuses on the bad or unwanted things you can bring back from vacation — such as weight gain, broken bones, a curse or a…

nypost.com

 

[MEL_Traveller]

Yup. Good eh?

 

[odysseus]

I liked it, something different.

 

[Cruiser Elite]

Brilliant!!!!

 

[MH_fan]

What a great ad!

 

[Limewood]

Giving China Airlines a whirl using QF points in two weeks time SYD/TPE/SYD 2xJ middle seats, what I see on youtube their A350 and service very good, food about average.

 

[MH_fan]

If you like Chinese food then the on-board catering is pretty good. I have always enjoyed their meals!

Giving China Airlines a whirl using QF points in two weeks time SYD/TPE/SYD 2xJ middle seats, what I see on youtube their A350 and service very good, food about average.

 

[Gold Member]

A detailed write up of the SYD-TPE-FCO fare at Airfare of the Day: China Airlines BUSINESS CLASS Sydney (SYD), Australia to Rome (FCO), Italy from $2,842/AU$4,157 Round Trip

$4.1K AUD still a pretty good deal for a solid hard product.

 

[Melburnian1]

Giving China Airlines a whirl using QF points in two weeks time SYD/TPE/SYD 2xJ middle seats, what I see on youtube their A350 and service very good, food about average.

Limewood, how was your experience?

 

[Limewood]

Real nice China air A350, modern decor and excellent seat, food sloppy (didn't eat) and was served on a tray like Y, The Taiwan lounge had 50 steps down to long skinny room, food slops, was very noisey, we had one drink and left, so not impressed.