5 December 2005

Recently flew from Hong Kong to Beijing on China Southern. The aircraft looked a bit tired on the outside but was newly refurbished inside. Crew was efficient and spoke English. All announcements were in Chinese and English. Flight departed and arrived on time. In all a comfortable and satisfactory experience. The level of professionalism was just a bit below that found on China Eastern which we took for later flights to Shanghai and Hong Kong.

China Southern Airlines - by Mohammad Zia Ebrahimi

20 November 2005

Shanghai Pudong airport to Shenzhen. Check in quick and easy. Two hour flight in an A319 with enough leg room but noisy cabin. Food was bad - one piece of a sweetbread and another piece of what may have been a danish pastry - I don't know how to describe! Drinks not so bad, three times served. This airline could not be recommended.

China Southern Airlines - by Phil Cassidy

8 October 2005

Business Class from Amsterdam to Beijing a few weeks ago on China Southern on a KLM codeshare flight. For some reason I ended up with a First Class seat on a Boeing 777. I am sorry to say that the food served on board was very poor. If you fly on a KLM codeshare with China Southern pack some sandwiches for the plane. Dinner for me was cold Minestrone soup followed by cold lamb chops with cold rice and cold sauce. At breakfast we were served "pancake flat" croissants. The cabin crew were indifferent. I guess KLM are not too bothered about the quality of food and service offered by their codeshare partners ?

China Southern Airlines - by Casper van der Walt

29 August 2005

Hong Kong to Wuhan. I was satisfied with the service although this time the legroom was very poor. The cabin attendants were friendly and food was OK this time, not the best though. I have booked a window seat and got one in row 10, but there was no window in row 10! Their service is better than the Air China flight I took from Frankfurt to Shangai once.

China Southern Airlines - by Leslie Chisholm

17 August 2005

We had a short trip on China Southern Airlines from Guangzhou to Hong Kong (we had taken the train from HK to Guangzhou the week before). We arrived at the airport early and the checkin staff was fantastic getting us on an earlier flight. This is where the good service ended. We were told our luggage could not be checked through to the final destination (Australia) because we had an e-ticket not a paper ticket for the Hong Kong-Melbourne leg of our journey. The air conditioning on the flight was not working properly. It was a stifling 37 degrees onboard a fully booked flight with no leg room. The situation became unbearable when the 50 minute flight took 1.5 hours due to poor weather conditions in Hong Kong. When finally on the ground in Hong Kong, our luggage took almost 2 hours to appear on the conveyer belt. Luckily for us we had a 4 hour stopover. Ground staff claimed that this was a common occurance (not a comforting piece of information!) for China Southern Airlines luggage terminating in Hong Kong because it usually got mixed up with luggage being transferred directly to other airlines. How others managed to check their luggage through when we were told we couldn't I don't know. Overall, our short trip on China Southern was a very hot and frustrating experience. Sufficed to say next time we'll take the train - it was far faster, cheaper and much more comfortable!

China Southern Airlines - by Tony Griegs

13 July 2005

Sydney to Guanzou in May and found the Buisness class to be a glorified economy. apart from the extra room the entertainment was very poor trying to watch a scratched and dirty screen. I found the food tolerable and the staff courteous. Not what I expected. I am sure with training the airline could lift its game. I found it ridiculous when we landed how there was a cat fight to get off.

China Southern Airlines - by Richard Lewis

23 May 2005

MEL-PEK-MEL & MEL-KMG-KWL-MEL. English standard is better on domestic legs which I thought was strange, incomprehensible on a couple of the international legs. Food was Ok to bad - had a half meat/garlic clove dinner which made me smell great upon landing. Best meal I had in economy was a ham and cheese sandwich snack. Business class food was better obviously, but seats not great compared with other airlines. One economy leg I was placed in an economy seat with a metal box under the seat below - I'm 6 foot 3 and had the worst seat on the aircraft. No comments from the captains on any legs - not even in Chinese. FA's were nice enough, major problem being other passengers creeping up to business class - departed maybe 1/4 full - arrived over half full! I had to tell two passengers off for smoking in the toilets as the FA's were in their pyjamas sleeping in business class seats. Flights were fine, though had one slightly scary landing on a domestic leg. For the price you pay, you get the standard you will expect. The airport is alot nicer now in Guangzhou - just have to push or else nothing will get done.

China Southern Airlines - by Casper van der Walt

20 February 2005

Wuhan to Kunming and was really surprise to find a clean plane, smiling cabin attendants who can speak English and enough space for my 186cm body - all that in economy class! Well done China Southern. Only drawback was the meal though - but it was edible.

China Southern Airlines - by Kevin Sun

12 February 2005

I would like to point out , in regarding on comments by K Shapiro, the class you are travelling is not the 'Real" Business Class. It is called Pearl Class or Premium Economy Class. China Southern does not offer First Class on flights from Sydney or Melbourne, it uses B777 on flights from Melbourne or Sydney to Guangzhou. You'll only get Economy, Premium Economy  and Premium Business Class. Pearl Class is like Premium Economy on other airlines. Food is Economy but served Business style. Premium Business is between Business and First Class, with "old" First Class seating, and service - food is Business Class.

China Southern Airlines - by R Pickering

2 February 2005

HKG-SYX (Sanya) in economy on a 757. Definitely less cramped and less noisy than the MD80 series I fly between SYX-Shenzhen. Very clean plane (not common on CZ flights) but same indifferent cabin crew who always seem to be more interested with their personal luggage. The safety video was stopped 3/4 of the way through. No meal on this 70min flight but a snack of mixed nuts (have to say these are the best I've tasted, even from CX, SQ and KA) and a warm soft drink or water. No in-flight magazine. Passengers switched on mobile phones throughout the flight and there was the usual stampede to exit even though we had barely touched down. Pity we have only the overpriced Dragonair to compete with CZ on this route.

China Southern Airlines - by Jan Willem Pronk

11 January 2005

Economy Shanghai-Hainan and back on an MD-82. Service not particularly bad but also not very enjoyable. Seats in the back are noisy. The return flight was better on a cleaner plane. That return flight included a hot meal of not too good quality. Departures punctual. Crew was not equipped to handle too many pax with too much cabin luggage. Concluding, I'd say a bit below average.

China Southern Airlines - by K Shapiro

28 November 2004

Flew with China Southern in September 2004 from Sydney to Guangzhou in Business which is really beefed up economy. The seats do not lay flat, they go back like an economy seat not far at all. Food was good and plentiful however, like most other western airlines where they bring the food out course by course, on Southern China they bring it all out at once, so its rush to eat the hot food whilst its hot, the trays were overflowing its was classless to say the least. The staff need more training I think as when we landed everyone rushed up from economy turned on their phones it was like a herd of cattle running for the gate. Unprofessional I thought.

China Southern Airlines - by Roger Gamst

27 June 2004

I took my second trip to China, on China Southern Airlines flight #328, on June 11th, from Los Angeles to Guangzhou and then connecting to Nanning and returned on flight #327 on June 20th. The flights were very smooth and on time. The food was plentiful and excellent. Drinks were offered/provided very often during the flight. The flight crew were all very friendly and helpful. All safety procedures were adhered to at all times. The toilets were kept well stocked and clean by the crew. There was no smoking on the plane and passengers remained in their seats until the plane came to a complete stop at the gate. The aircrew was very professional at all times. This trip, like my first, was a very pleasant experience. I will, without hesitation, use China Southern on future trips to China, from my home in California.

China Southern Airlines - by Ray Jobe

9 May 2004

China Southern from LAx to Guangzhou on April 13th and returned April 28th. It was a great flight and the attendants were all very nice. The food was very good and my seat was okay. I was in economy and of course no seat is great there. I would fly them again but I don't like Guangzhou that much so I will make my next trip from Chicago on United to Beijing.

China Southern Airlines - by Roger Gamst

4 May 2004

Boeing 777 economy class Los Angeles to Guangzhou, and return flight Guangzhou to Los Angeles on April 30, 2004 were both very positive and enjoyable. Flight attendants wonderful and responsive/helpful and very professional. Safety issues adhered to at all times. The toilets were kept very clean and stocked during the entire flight. The food was plentiful and was very good for airline cuisine. There were always plenty of drinks provided and extra food on hand in the rear galley. The Chinese pilots very professional. I am a very tall man, but my aisle seat was reasonably comfortable. In summary I give this airline very high marks in all categories and will use them on my next trip to China via Los Angeles.

China Southern Airlines - by Peter Agus

17 April 2004

Singapore-Guangzhou-Shanghai-Guangzhou-Singapore. Overall experience was a pleasant one. On the Boeing 757, the seat was a little tight and it is true they don't maintain the plane inside - especially the lavatories. Domestically we were able to choose the timetable and we chose a bigger plane, Boeing 777 - still looking new and everything was still under good maintenance. Foodwise I would say it is the best so far, even during our trip back to Singapore we were able to get an unagi as our meal which is very tasty, much better than the food served on US airlines where you only get sandwiches/ peanuts only sometimes when you fly domestic. Cabin staff was ok, not the best - not as bad as described before, like standing during landing. They're more sticking to the rule except for the smoking - could smell people smoking usually.

China Southern Airlines - by Donald Chapman

4 April 2004

China Southern to Bangkok, and like a previous correspondent, I was seated at the exit door opposite the chief Stewardess. She did not use her safety belt during take-off or landing, when I pointed this out to her she gave me a deep glower and studiously gazed out of the window without reply or further comment. The practice of standing to retrieve luggage during landing and taxiing, and the persistent use of cell phones is commonplace throughout China. Food and toilets are routinely disgusting, and the practice of interminable Kung Fu movies one after another makes any long haul flight on China Air, nothing but an exercise in self induced pain. There may be a worse air carrier but I have yet to experience it.

China Southern Airlines - by Garry Buick

30 March 2004

London to Beijing via Amsterdam with China Southern as a KLM code share between AMS and PEK in business class. Flights were very good and I actually choose CZ over KL on this route. Have always found the staff to be very friendly and make every effort to speak English. Seats are not the best C class seats I've ever sat in but they're certainly not the worst. The food is probably some of the best airline food I've had. All in all at GBP1500 business class return I'm well satisfied with CZ and will use them for future trips to China.

China Southern Airlines - by T Kawa

14 March 2004

I flew China Southern MD-81 from Shanghai to Dalian economy class. I wasn't expecting much but generally speaking, not as bad as I had thought. Flight was on schedule, and the pilot did his job nicely. However, probably something worth knowing; Flight attendants; smile to them so they will smile to you, Food: better pass unless you are starving - that means if you need to eat in order to survive

China Southern Airlines - by Shanaka Gooneratne

20 February 2004

I flew China Southern Airlines on 4th of January 2004 from Guangzhou to Los Angeles it was a codeshare flight with Delta Airlines. It was the worst flight I have ever been on. The flight was a Boeing 777-200 and the economy seat arrangement was 3-4-3 as opposed to 3-3-3. This made the 11 hour flight very uncomfortable. The food was horrible. No taste it looked and tasted like rubber. The cabin were the most unfriendly and the least bit bothered about the passengers. I am glad my return is not on this airline. On a scale of 1 to 10 I will give them 1.

China Southern Airlines - by Kevin Sun

4 February 2004

Took CZ SYD-CAN, W Class (Premium Economy) CAN-SYD, C Class (Business Class) Both sectors are good. Seats are alright in W class, service was average entertainment was okay. Seats in C class was good, with a 160 degree recline, service was of business class standard, entertainment was below the business class standard. Overall, I was satisfied with the whole experience. Considering I only paid about AUD$2300 for the whole experience, I think it is worthy of every penny and minute.

China Southern Airlines - by Wanda Cheng

31 December 2003

I took the flight from PEK to HK on 24 Dec 2003. The cabin crew paid no attention to a family whose members kept coughing throughout the flight. All rubbish was thrown to a big plastic bag with no cover and was placed behind a passenger's seat.

China Southern Airlines - by Benny Cheng

24 December 2003

China Southern from SZX to PVG (B777) in Y class : 3-4-3 unlike a normal B777. the worst flight I ever had, no service at all. FA's were rude to pax - it was a domestic flight. If you ever use them, their headset, f ood was very poor.

China Southern Airlines - by Vuong Tuan Hao

27 November 2003

Flew CZ the second time (21 NOV - CZ368 SGN-CAN.) Cabin crew were more friendly, but the service was not very much better. The largest airline of China is not the best. Hope somebody at CZ reads the comments on this page and pay serious attention to passengers' opinions.

China Southern Airlines - by P Buttgow

30 October 2003

I went back to China recently on a flight on China Southern and was shocked by the way they work. The Cabin staff had no idea about what they were supposed to do - Smoking was allowed on the flight!. During the flight a small child was locked in the toilet and the crew did not even bother to help let her out! A passenger had to do the job - I will never use them again!

China Southern Airlines - by S Leonard

29 August 2003

I have flown China Southern several times on superior coach which is similar to business class and the service was wonderful. But I found that domestic flights leave a lot to be desired with smoking and walking around when, landing and the use of cell phones during flight.

China Southern Airlines - by Philippe Armstrong

9 July 2003

China Southern is a bad product indeed. The service is not there and the safety procedures are carried out very roughly and the cabin crew had no idea what to do. The cabin was grotty when I flew with them and I think Chinese airlines have a long long way to go to catch up with the likes of SQ, CX and MAS. China Southern and Air China are simply shocking!

China Southern Airlines - by Rachel King

3 July 2003

China Southern is without doubt the worst airline I have ever travelled on. I would never knowingly have chosen to fly with them, but they are partners with KLM and a return flight I was booked on from Beijing turned out to be with CS rather than with KLM. Firstly, I was horrified to discover that CS permits smoking. I always choose non-smoking airlines, and to find that I was expected to spend a ten-hour flight in a smoky atmosphere was extremely unpleasant. Secondly, the China Southern cabin staff seemed to have absolutely no idea what they were doing - although it was rather difficult to tell as there seemed not to be any English-speaking members of cabin staff. Once the flight was underway, passengers were lying down in the aisles. When the plane began its descent into Amsterdam, the seatbelt sign was of course switched on, but many passengers were standing up and getting their cabin bags out of the overhead lockers before the plane had even landed. In neither case did cabin staff intervene to persuade the passengers to follow safety procedures. Lastly, and this is trivial but does make a serious difference to the comfort of passengers, the food was absolutely disgusting.

China Southern Airlines - by Vuong Tuan Hao

28 June 2003

I am not sure why the service on an international flights are worse than domestic ones. I flew CZ from SGN to CAN and from CAN to PEK, then from Shanghai to Canton and onward to Saigon... domestic flight crew were more cheerful and attentive whereas all the crews on both legs (SGN-CAN-SGN) were rather rude.

China Southern Airlines - by Jennifer Brophy

11 March 2003

I flew China Southern Airlines from Guangzhou to Kunminga and found them very satisfactory. However I didn't feel comfortable when I read the in-flight magazine. On the first page was an article detailing their safety record and last crash!

China Southern Airlines - by Jessie Chan

1 March 2003

The flight attendants are quite attentive, friendly and helpful. I found the English language standards of flight attendants poor - some of them even cannot communicate with passengers in proper English. I was disappointed with the standard of food. There is much room of improvement.

China Southern Airlines - by Kimball Gaitely

14 September 2002

We flew China Southern from Hangzhou to Xiamen and was apalled by the safety attitude of the cabin crew. One cabin crew sitting at the boarding door did not fasten her seat belt for takeoff and landing. The pilots placed three large pilot cases unrestrained on the three seats opposite those crew seats for the duration of the flight. Certainly a risk in sudden deceleration as there was no partition between the passenger seats and the crew. Service-wise, everything went well. Flight was on time, with a tasty meal served despite the short 1 hour duration.

China Southern Airlines - by Steve Corry

13 September 2002

If you are planning to fly China Southern I suggest checking what aircraft type is operating the service. My most uncomfortable flight ever was Singapore - Beijing on a China Southern 757, the seats were cramped, the service poor and there was absolutely no reading material or inflight entertainment. One of the best flights I have ever taken was however Guangzhou - Beijing (domestic leg of an international service) on a China Southern 777. Great leg room, comfortable seats and personal video monitors in economy. From memory the 777s that operate internationally are designated 777A or something similar in CAAC airline schedules (if you can ever get hold of one!), they also operate 777s domestically that don't feature such comforts.

China Southern Airlines - by Wei-ping Yeh

24 April 2002

I have travelled on China Southern over the past three years, all on domestic first class. This is a better- than-average airline, all flight attendants are friendly, and provide very warm services, but their seat is less than comfortable in narrow-body aircraft. I also need to complain about their cabin control: During my flight from PEK to CAN, i noticed that several passengers who were upgraded to first class were making noise and using cellular phone, but I see no FA go ahead and stop them. Maybe China Southern need to address this issue during their future training.

China Southern Airlines - by Yan Li

24 April 2002

As a frequent flyer in Asia-Pacific region, I flew on many China-based carriers in the past. However, as my personal experience, I discovered that China Southern Airlines is one of the worst carriers in mainland China, especially onboard services. Although their aircrafts are younger than others and it is the largest airline in mainland China, but I personally think Air China and Hainan Airlines are the best mainland China-based carriers I've experienced and China Eastern Airlines needs improving, but all of them are much better than China Southern Airlines if you don't want rude cabin crews!

China Southern Airlines - by Kenneth Li

15 April 2002

China Southern may seem unfamiliar to most of you. But in fact it is the biggest and best airline in China. But from my own experience of a flight from Sydney to Guangzhou, their attendant services have been appalling - they seemed very reluctant to serve me. But one of their selling point is their aircraft - which have an average age of just 4years old. I've been on their B777, the plane is new and fresh. For the service part, I think it'll continuously improve over the next few years as China entered the WTO. Overall, it is an airline with great potential.