SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT Passenger Reviews and Customer opinions

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review :  9 February 2010 by S Castleman   (UK)

Customer Rating :  4/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Connecting from a Lufthansa to Air New Zealand flight there is a special arrangement whereby if your baggage is checked through to your final destination and you do not leave passport control, you do not require a transit visa (I believe this arrangement also includes Swiss and Virgin). By and large this was an easy process, once the people who were going to process us came out the office which took about 10 minutes. I was first in the queue and it took about 5 minutes to process me so reasonably quick. The queue wasn't too long at this point but I don't know how long it takes to process everybody. Once though security the airport is a very impressive building and lounges acceptable although the food selection is a little restricted.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review :  24 January 2010 by K Fung   (Philippines)

Customer Rating :  1/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Were on a connecting flight from Manila to Chicago. On the Philippine Airlines flight we were told we did not have to fill in the Arrival / Departure Card - wrong, they wanted the form filled in even though we were transit passengers. After walking all the way to the International Transit desk, we were pointed back to the Domestic Transit entry points. No English just pointing. The most common English word was "Hello". Had to do the go from one Immigration line and then to another, had to claim our baggage, go to the airline ticket counter and check in again, go through Immigration again, two security checks before we got to the gate. In total it took 2 hours and we had 15 minutes to spare before we boarded the next flight. Wouldn't have been bad except we all had no idea where we were going, everyone we asked did not speak English. For example after we claimed our bags and exited, we had no idea where to next, all we knew was we were outside security and mixed with the general population. We took a wild guess and went upstairs where we found the ticket counters. We went through Immigration several times. On entry they ran us through one line and then moved us to another line. One of the passengers had been moved to three different lines. Wouldn't have been bad except each officer fiddled with the documents for 5 to 10 minutes before he signaled another person to take us to another line and then we waited for the process to start over again. We had to fill in the Health Quarantine form for H1N1/SARS. The form was geared for those staying in China so we put "NA" as it related to where we were going to be in China. The officer wanted a contact number in China, we looked at him as he was obviously clueless as to what was written on the page but we rattled off a random number to make him happy. We hadn't even signed or filled in most of the form as it did not apply but he did not seem to understand. We could have signed it Mickey Mouse and he would not have not known. The airport staff seemed clueless. At least at the Tokyo airports they have staff with English signs and arrows to direct the transit customers to the next step. We ran into many angered transit customers that missed connecting flights due to the chaos. The immigration process for the transit customers seems to be little more than information gathering by PRC. And for those wondering, we have lived in Asia since 1993 and traveled Asia. Never had to make a connecting flight via Shanghai before though and never will again.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review :  1 January 2010 by W Pollitt   (USA)

Customer Rating :  4/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Fairly fast process through immigration - but had to wait for another passenger so was able to check the airport fairly well. Be aware that there are 2 terminals connected by a long walk. Food choices not so good. Departure relatively easy and fast. No major complaints.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review :  26 October 2009 by K Dilger   (USA)

Customer Rating :  3/5

Queuing

Cleanliness

Facilities

Arrival from HKG was met with long queues at immigration. Took 1 hour to clear and then another 40 minutes taxi to hotel. Otherwise, no complaints. Will try Shanghai Hongqaio tomorrow.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 27 June 2009 by G Chew

Customer Rating : 4/5

What a change T2 makes. I arrived around midnight from Manila, and was off the plane, though immigration and had my bags within half an hour of landing. Staff cold but efficient. Buses into town were a bit disorganised, and there were far more passengers than seats. Departing domestically is where T2 really was much better than the old terminal which the last time I passed though (Nov 2007) was already a bit dank. The domestic pier (currently only used my Air China and Shanghai Airlines) is clean and bright. Shopping is still limited. Lots of seating with good views of the tarmac. Free wifi and places to plug in laptops near the gates. Architecture not quite as amazing as Beijing T3, but the overall layout is better. No queue for security, and staff were pleasant. PVG is now on the brink of being a great airport (pity about the location though).

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 12 May 2009 : by P Kronberger

Customer Rating : 1/5

Some pros and cons about frequent traveling at T2. Modern and spacious, reduced waiting times at immigration inspection. Very poor business lounge, luggage takes often 30 min and more, luggage conveyors are too short to admit luggage of a bigger plane. Taxi lines in the night always lack of taxis (waiting times for up to one hour even in winter are common). Very poor english skills of ground staff.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 1 May 2009 : by Richard Dalgleish

Customer Rating : 5/5

A great airport. Modern, clean, efficient and pleasant with fast immigration, security and great check in. The only flaw id the business lounge. Too crowded (why could they not open another of the many they have) and a "give me your voucher and sit down" welcome. Not great but the rest is good.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 24 April 2009 : by Vincent Yong

Customer Rating : 4/5

This airport is very clean and I like the modern design of this airport but the staff are rude. The terminals are full of great shops and full of delicious food. Pudong International is a great airport but it is just not that good to be a five star airport, if only the staff were a bit more helpful and friendly.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 25 January 2009 : by Leo Enticknap

Customer Rating : 3/5

A squeaky clean and modern airport, with quick and efficient immigration and departure checks manned by helpful and courteous staff. I only have two grouses. Firstly, as others point out, the Maglev takes you to Longyang Road, which is out in the suburbs of Shanghai and the best part of an hour by Metro or taxi from the city centre. That having been said, the taxis are ridiculously cheap by western standards (about the equivalent of UKP5 from Longyang Road to Yanchang Road in the old city, about a 40-minute ride). Secondly, the check-in desk for my return flight didn't open until two hours before departure time, and although the airside lounge has a good range of shops and eateries, there's not much on the landside. So if you plan for contingencies and aim to arrive a good few hours before your flight leaves, you could face a long wait before being able to check in and go through security.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 19 January 2009 : by A Scott

Customer Rating : 5/5

Arrival was very slick - immigration staff were fast and passengers were directed to stand in small queues in front of the desks to avoid any dawdling. You can even vote on how you thought the immigration officer performed with an electronic keypad - customer service is part of their job. Baggage reclaim was also quick to start up after the flight arrived. Getting close to the heart of Shanghai is best done with the maglev train - it takes about 7.5 minutes to get to a no-man's land from which you will need a taxi. Departure is also a pleasant experience. Fast check-in, quick x-ray and security and very pleasant immigration. the lady even wished me a pleasant trip with a smile!

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 6 November 2008 : by J Bailey

Customer Rating : 4/5

Well connected via the Maglev (but this sort of ends in a weird place in Shanghai and will be great when it goes all the way). The alternative taxi journey is 35-40 mins minimum in Chinese traffic (always a challenge). I have been here 3 times and found it to be a very good airport in all regards. It is prone to fog however, so be warned.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 1 October 2008 : by Michael Pohl

Customer Rating : 4/5

The new terminal is great - spacious, fast immigration, no hold-up at customs. The signposting to the Maglev train is confusing though. Reaching the Maglev terminal downtown, I had a taxi driver who claimed he did not know where Minshen Rd in Pudong is located, nor did he know the Crowne Plaza hotel - all details were given to him in Chinese writing.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 2 August 2008 : by C Barkei

Customer Rating : 4/5

T2 has improved - very light and spacious. Best if arriving to travel by booked driver or by Maglev. All arrivals now have bags X-ray as part of the customs procedure - an innovation as T1 bags are normally not screened. We came off UA from San Francisco at 5.30pm and were home in Puxi at 7pm - so really not a bad experience at all - compare that with Heathrow Terminal 1,2,3 or 4.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 5 July 2008 : by D Holmes

Customer Rating : 4/5

First time though Shanghai Pudong, flying with Singapore Airlines, into and out of terminal 2. First impressions were of a very modern, well constructed airport, with little in the way of long queues. Check in was very quick, with only one person in front of us. Security/Immigration only took 5 minutes to get through both ways. Star Alliance business class lounge was pleasant enough, though the food choices were a little limited. Shops plentiful but expensive, overall there was no impression of being busy or overcrowded. English was well spoken and understood by the staff I encountered.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 17 June 2008 : by L Hoon

Customer Rating : 4/5

I fly in and out of Shanghai Pudong 2 or 3 times a month. The new T2 is a significant improvement on the old T1. It's the same layout i.e. one long terminal, but there are now plenty of food outlets that cater both for local and international tastes. Queues for immigration are much reduced, both on arrival and exit. Carpets have been used to give a warmer ambience, and it works. Mezzanine floors have been used for airline lounges, which makes good use of space. And the lounges are excellent thanks to the increased space. My main grouse is the X-ray screening of arriving passengers' baggage, which produces long queues on and off.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 5 May 2008 : by Mark Bickerton

Customer Rating : 4/5

T2 departure Emirates. Arrived rather early so had a lovely meal in the restaurant on the first floor. The airport is huge and at the time I was there fairly empty which accentuated the feeling of space and calm. Queues for checkin, even for First and Business, were awful- about 25 minutes- and nobody seemed to be in charge. I was annoyed because I had only hand luggage and had checked in online but still had to queue. Immigration etc very fast and friendly. Business class lounge (not dedicated) was not great- just a few reasonable chairs on a terrace with a small selection of food

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review : 29 April 2008 : by John Kou

Customer Rating : 4/5

Arrived at T1 from Hong Kong. I was expecting long lines for immigration but they were short. Baggage came out quickly and the bathrooms spotless. During the return flight back to Hong Kong, check-in was quick along with immigration. There were many shops selling traditional Chinese goods - a great airport but far from the likes of Hong Kong.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review by Nick Fortuna

15 April 2008 2008   Customer Rating :

Arrived at PVG from HKG. Bussed from Aircraft, a reasonable walk to the immigration desks and at bag claim within 10 minutes of touchdown. China has done away with the three immigration/customs/health forms - now there is only one in two portions, one for arrival and the rest for departure. Sensible! Bags appeared promptly and I was on the Maglev in another 10 minutes. The return portion was just as uneventful. Found Dragonair check-in, headed through a somewhat longer immigration and security queue and found the gate, but not the lounge. Some better signposting needed. The boarding procedure was chaotic, with an Air France 777 and the Dragonair A-330 both departing from adjacent gates. In Shanghai, that requires you to descent an escalator. This time, around 400 people trying to do that and the hapless gate agents were struggling in vain to keep Paris and Hong Kong queues separate. Messy. Otherwise a pleasant airport, but why they painted that high ceiling a royal blue is a mystery to me. 5-star arrival, 3-star return.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review by B Holness

12 March 2008 2008   Customer Rating :

T2 is a similar layout to T1 but on a grander scale. There are toilets on both levels (hooray) and large areas for waiting by the check-in desks etc. However they have messed up a bit by putting the main departures board directly in front of one of the entrance doors. This will cause no end of crowding around that particular entrance as everyone scrambles to find their flight. The building itself is extremely impressive.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review by D Pang

28 February 2008   Customer Rating :

Arriving And Departing from Pudong wasn't so bad. On my flight SYD-PVG arrived at about 2040 - I expected long queues and slow service. Came off my flight, walked a fair bit between the gate and customs, though you could just stand on the travelator. They collect your quarantine paper (with no queue or any questions). Holding a foreign passport turned out to be a good thing. Lines were short compared to the lines for PRC passport holders. Customs smooth. Give them your passport, they look at you once, stamp and off you go. No questions. Baggage came out quick, no x-rays or declaration. I expected something like half an hour just to get out of the airport. Instead it took me 40 minutes from the plane to the hotel. The change between Maglev and metro was a small hassle, but I guess its about 100 times better than enjoying the night suburban scenery in traffic jam while the meter ticks away. The departure from PVG was also quick and easy, although boarding was the normal push shove. Metro Line 1 and Line 2 transfer got easier as the People's Square Station was renovated and all those shops were cleared out of the way. Departures what you expect from any airport, if you dont have a delay.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review by Sam Eades

25 February 2008   Customer Rating :

Arrived into Pu Dong at about 2145 from Singapore. Customs was a breeze, they barely glanced at my passport and visa. The airport seems tired and depressing. Apart from the signage, there is nothing to indicate that you are in China, no decorations or travel posters. The 1970s decor doesn't add much to the airport and there seem to be huge distances between arrival gate and exiting the airport.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review by Jasper Greveling

7 February 2008   Customer Rating :

On my flight from AMS to AKL I had a stopover at Pudong airport. I expected a real interrogation in China but nothing could be further from the truth. From deplaning to standing outside the airport took no longer then 20 minutes. The airport itself looks a bit depressing and chaotic. Getting out of China is actually more of a hassle. They checked our passport and boarding card 3 times at the gate! And the duty free the prices are in the local currency, a girl from the store who I asked smiled friendly but could actually only say sorry in English. Took three employees and ten minutes to figure the prices out. But it still better than the USA airports I visited.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review by S Bao

21 January 2008   Customer Rating :

If you hold a foreign passport, the lines move pretty quickly. Although some lines lead to two immigration officers, and it's hard sometimes to spot the second one. Once you clear customs, it's like walking in downtown Shanghai where so many people are walking back and forth, and many are holding up different signs, waiting for arriving passengers! Information Service Booth clerk not very helpful. As for departing from Pudong, there are no self-check in systems (I was flying UA to Chicago), and economy line-up is SO long, and many people didn't realize they had to fill in departure cards to be given to Immigration and Customs. After passing through security check, there are some shops/restaurants, but look closely: many of them are exactly the same (they just have multiple store fronts through out the waiting area). No fast food places, only expensive oriental cuisine. Whoever designed this airport must have some kind of weird imagination, because who would ever put washrooms at a level below the waiting area? The washrooms were pretty clean. I just hope the T2 that is scheduled to open in March 2008 is going to be much more user friendly than the current T1.

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review by C Waugh

22 June 2007   Customer Rating :

As a frequent traveller to PVG over the past few years, I have seen a marked improvement in the airport. If you are a frequent traveller anywhere in the world, you have to deal with the inevitable delays, misunderstandings and hassles if you wish to retain some sanity! I can find something negative to say about virtually every airport. While PVG presents a rather unfriendly and unwelcoming countenance, there are worse airports in the world. Signs and staff attitudes have seemingly improved and even the dreaded immigration counters seem to move slightly faster these days (although long delays are often encountered at peak times). Facilities are not PVG's strongpoint, with shopping being very basic (limited and expensive souvenir shops), few restaurants of average quality, baggage retrieval inconsistent, and many business class lounges of a fair to poor quality. I agree with some other comments in that it is often nicer to sit in the main terminal area where it is relatively spacious and open than to go to a stuffy, small, dim, overcrowded lounge (although the Dragonair lounge is not too bad). Flight delays are quite common, especially to destinations such as Hong Kong, with a somewhat predictable trend being that the later in the day you depart, the more likely you will be delayed - I am still very pleasantly surprised when the late afternoon or evening Dragonair flights to HK are actually on time! The requirement to complete the customs form and the departure form is not very clear if you are a first time visitor and although forms are now well distributed, better information on documentation could definitely be provided. The overall design of the airport is very simple (basically one long rectangle!), leading to long walks at times, which can be frustrating. Overall though, I think one just has to maintain the a realistic perspective and make allowances for the potential for delays both at the airport and getting to/from the airport. Many people have already pointed out that while the maglev itself may be fast, getting to and from the maglev is time consuming. Driving to/from the airport may take anywhere from 45 minutes to 90 minutes or more from Shanghai depending upon the traffic. PVG is not the best or friendliest, but it is certainly far from the worst!

SHANGHAI PUDONG AIRPORT customer review by Michael Fenn

6 June 2007   Customer Rating :

I was not looking forward to anticipated long waits at immigration, baggage collection etc. However, I arrived at 15.00 hrs on 22 May on flight EK 302 and was on my way to my hotel in a car at 15.40hrs. It was the smoothest disembarkation and immigration process I have ever been through, the luggage was on the carousel by the time I reached it. The return journey through the airport was stress free, it may have had something to do with the time of the flight EK 303 at 23.30 but the crowd free airport was a pleasure to walk around and relax.