China Airlines reward seats using Qantas points

[jamdav16]

I'm flying China Airlines FCO - TPE next month, does anyone know what the lounge situation is in Rome (since ITA has left SkyTeam)?

 

[jase05]

There is a Plaza Premium lounge at FCO so perhaps that?

 

[henrus]

I'm flying China Airlines FCO - TPE next month, does anyone know what the lounge situation is in Rome (since ITA has left SkyTeam)?

China Airlines keeps their website very up to date (when they changed lounge in BNE website changed same day), it seems they are still using the ITA website:

https://calec.china-airlines.com/bvct/atairport?country=us&locale=en

 

[AIRwin]

still using the ITA website

Lounge

 

[iamsuperandrew]

Just an update, flew a couple weeks ago and was directed to The House by Aspire lounge rather than Marhaba as per previous flights.

Whilst there is an a la carte option it was very mediocre and the service in the lounge seemed pretty lax compared to other lounges.

Also kinda funny that they give you a menu with entree, main, dessert.. But you only get to pick one overall.

I'd just snack to tide myself over to the food on board which was better. Steak was surprisingly very very good!

What are they serving in the house? Champagne or Chandon?

 

[RealtimeY]

I don't think any pay per use lounge in Australia is going to be offering Champagne.

 

[henrus]

Lounge

Can you tell who hadn’t had their morning coffee yet

 

[AIRwin]

Can you tell who hadn’t had their morning coffee yet

At least you didn't type Buttrose

 

[Yoz]

What are they serving in the house? Champagne or Chandon?

I don't think any pay per use lounge in Australia is going to be offering Champagne.

Unsure on the champagne situation as I tend not to drink but also worth noting they do seem to differentiate customers based on the a la carte menu. Where we were offered a single option from the menu - I do suspect some airlines may get a full order (one of each entree, main, dessert). Similarly, others ahead of us weren't given a menu.

So it's possible they have different drink offerings based on lounge eligibility.

 

[iamsuperandrew]

I don't think any pay per use lounge in Australia is going to be offering Champagne.

They used to at the House Melbourne - when we flew to europe in 2023, We entered via Amex Platinum and the $20 additional upgrade and we got champagne

In 2024, we got it but took a bit of arguing with the staff ect

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

Such a shame that CI J availability has declined. I love the product.

 

[iamsuperandrew]

Such a shame that CI J availability has declined. I love the product.

One of the best J experiences

 

[flyguy77]

Such a shame that CI J availability has declined. I love the product.

Can you blame them?

They've surely realised opening up reward seats to other programs & countries with billions of points floating around means their own members would have little chance of booking them.

 

[johnjones878]

They've surely realised opening up reward seats to other programs & countries with billions of points floating around means their own members would have little chance of booking them.

Just funny to see Cathay and US airlines offering 5+ J, though the former seems to have tightened up considerably too for awhile now.

EVA also seems to be down to single J seats at least browsing on AirCanada. Wonder if Starlux will ever eventually expand this far south.

Visiting TW family last year I recall seeing empty seats in J both to and from though on seatmap for upcoming flights it definitely looks more of a full house in comparison.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

Just funny to see Cathay and US airlines offering 5+ J, though the former seems to have tightened up considerably too for awhile now.

EVA also seems to be down to single J seats at least browsing on AirCanada. Wonder if Starlux will ever eventually expand this far south.

Visiting TW family last year I recall seeing empty seats in J both to and from though on seatmap for upcoming flights it definitely looks more of a full house in comparison.

EVA seems very tight on availability through Aeroplan it seldom comes up. Not sure if they hoard for their own members or not?

 

[johnjones878]

Not sure if they hoard for their own members or not?

Seems to be the case, can only find 1x J even a year out for BNE/SYD/MEL.
At least they've still got 3x for economy. For some reason CI has even cut that down to only 1x for BNE. Still multiple Y at the moment for SYD and MEL.

 

[jsoprano]

Unsure on the champagne situation as I tend not to drink but also worth noting they do seem to differentiate customers based on the a la carte menu. Where we were offered a single option from the menu - I do suspect some airlines may get a full order (one of each entree, main, dessert). Similarly, others ahead of us weren't given a menu.

So it's possible they have different drink offerings based on lounge eligibility.

The base offering is definitely not champagne but some sparkling, my partner would have tried the champagne at least but he went straight for the Heineken

And you are correct, not only the meals but also the bar has different offerings based on how you access the lounge and the staff will ask you to show boarding pass if you want anything beyond the standard range. Last August we had access through DragonPass so only had the base buffet food plus standard drinks, but according to my partner they did have a champagne in the fridge behind the bar as well, out of reach for him though lol. So who knows what is included with CI, will find out late May when I fly them from MEL.

 

[levelnine]

EVA seems very tight on availability through Aeroplan it seldom comes up. Not sure if they hoard for their own members or not?

EVA has lots of availability for its own members. In the US, people often get cards from the two banks that transfer to EVA — Citi and Capital One — simply for the ability to transfer there.

 

[rbjhan]

Can you blame them?

They've surely realised opening up reward seats to other programs & countries with billions of points floating around means their own members would have little chance of booking them.

I've done CI J between MEL and TPE quite a few times and the cabin was never full.

One time there was a crying baby near me so I ended up moving, there were like at least 6 empty seats to choose from.

 

[Ansett Nostalgic]

EVA has lots of availability for its own members. In the US, people often get cards from the two banks that transfer to EVA — Citi and Capital One — simply for the ability to transfer there.

I'm going to look into that further.