China Airlines review - by Stuart Walker
5 February 2007

SYD to Vancouver via Taipei, Dynasty Class. Check in at SYD fine. China Airlines use the Qantas lounge at SYD which is not as good as the Air New Zealand lounge. SYD to Taipei on A330. Seat OK but by no means flat. AVOD excellent. Food very average. Overnight stay in Taipei was at Mirimar Golf Club, a reasonable hotel but had to wait over an hour for the transfer and breakfast was terrible. Dynasty lounge in Taipei not good. Although there are windows you may as well have been underground. Very ordinary seating. Food and drink selection sparce only made up for by the noodle bar. Taipei to Vancouver on an old 747. Old but comfortable seat. Terrible IFE. Food average. China Airlines uses the BA lounge in Vancouver which is again very average - sandwiches and packets of biscuits. On the way back, new 747 with better seat and same AVOD as A330. FA very good on all flights. Overall - you get what you paid for.

China Airlines review - by Vincent Wang
29 January 2007

SYD-TPE-SYD in Economy. The ground staff were very friendly, and didn't have a problem with slightly overweight luggage. Onboard the A340-300 and A330-300 both had AVOD, and there was quite a large selection of movies. Seats on both planes were quite comfortable, but a bit short on the legroom. Meals great on both flights, although the breakfast on the A330-300 was cold due to the fact that the plane wasn't designed for two hot meals. The flight attendants on both flights were friendly, and the service was excellent. Overall it was a great flight and I wouldn't hesitate to fly with them again.

China Airlines review - by Nick Craig
29 January 2007

I have flown back and forth from AMS -BKK several times in the past year (dynasty class) and staff, food and IFE has been first class. I cannot fault China Airlines.

China Airlines review - by Ryan Meily
29 January 2007

LAX-TPE. Flight was wonderful except the seat pitch. Personal TV with VOD (all LAX-TPE flights have PTV with VOD). I was disappointed with the food selection, except with breakfast. TPE-MNL-TPE was wonderful. Overall I would not mind flying with them again.

China Airlines review - by Elspeth Reid
22 January 2007

Were you on flight CI650 from Bangkok (02-45am 18 January 07)? I would like to hear feedback concerning your experience regarding company's handling of UK residents being re-routed via Frankfurt. From a fellow passenger.

China Airlines review - by Michael Silberman
27 December 2006

BKK-TPE-Anchorage-JFK Economy Class. Although China Airlines website claims that all of their fleet of B747- 400s have individual IFE it didn't exist on my flights. False advertising if you ask me. 3 legs - a 23 hour journey - 4 movies on a central screen? Huge disappointment in this day and age compared to all other carriers. Legroom was adequate - food was fine although pretty standard fare - and no complaints about the service in all phases of the journey. But I would clearly classify it as a low cost airline compared to its competition in Asia. At least on this outbound leg a classic case of you get what you pay for.

China Airlines review - by Kevin Murphy
20 December 2006

Economy class Brisbane to Taipei then onto to Hanoi then return from Saigon to Taipei then Brisbane. This is a budget airline, yes delays are inevitable and the food is edible (though the choice is limited). Due to flight schedules I had an overnight stopover in Taipei (5 star hotel) This was included in the price of the airfare. I believe that as an english speaking person it can be difficult travelling on a foreign airline and latitude must be given. The lack of drinks is an issue, and my recommendation is to get two of everything when the attendants are passing. Legspace is just reasonable. The IFE was ok. Overall, it wasnt too bad. Just dont have high expectations.

China Airlines review - by Harley Kolstad
17 December 2006

SYD-TPE-LAX return Business Class. Excellent experience and value for money except for the seating on 747 both ways TPE-LAX. Those seats are too close together and do not recline enough. Economy seating is nearly as good. However, on the Airbus TPE-SYD, the seating is great with plenty of room and comfortable recline. It would pay China Airlines to correct the above deficiency.

China Airlines review - by Alan Chen
15 December 2006

HNL-TPE-HKG. Check in at HNL was inefficient. I arrived 2 hours before the flight, was at the first half of the line. Somehow, everyone who paid the porter or group check in got in before me. Ended up standing in line for over 1 hour before being able to check in. A340 China Airlines used for this route had seen better days. Legroom tight, IFE box cut into what little legroom left. Inflight service was decent. I noticed they don't offer much choice for drinks. They only offered water, coffee, tea or OJ. TPE-HKG was smooth and the A330 used for the route was better. All in all, it was a below average travel experience. HNL ground staff need to work on there workflow and speed.

China Airlines review - by Bob Gatecliffe
15 December 2006

Business Premium Sydney/Taipe return. Like all airlines there are good points and bad. Fortunately there are more good points then bad with this airline and I have failed to be impressed with them since I started to fly regularl to Taipei. Their check-in is good. The Sydney Qantas lounge they use is average (as with everything Qantas at the moment). The boarding at Sydney is at times disorganised. Too many people trying to look important instead of just getting on with it. Check-in and boarding in Taipei is always easy and fast. The business lounge is comfortable with a good selection of food and drink. I just wish their lounge had outside windows that gave some view of the outside world. The A340-300 aircraft they generally use is always well presented and clean. The seats are comfortable for general sitting and relaxing but for sleeping they are not. I will look forward to day when they upgrade to a good sleeper. FA's are terrific as is the food and drink selection. The IFE is very good. Overall an airline that is trying and generally offers a good product. They are worth trying.

China Airlines review - by Arnold Long
1 November 2006

Brisbane Taiwan Anchorage and return June / July with China Airlines. Superb service on the ground and in the air. CHK airport facilities were wonderful, and staff were so helpful. Meals were excellent. I was most impressed with crew provided information, eg. "Meals will be served an hour after take off, about an hour and a half before landing". One of the best airlines I have flown with, backed up by such excellent service on the ground. Time table suited our travel, in future I would adapt travel times to suit their time table if necessary, as the experience of flying with them was so good.

China Airlines review - by Malik Oussalah
19 October 2006

FRA-TPE-FRA. Economy, A340. Check in a mess with no clear line and shouting staff. Once in the plane, the staff was very pleasant, the food was good, IFE was up to date and good. The seats in economy were ergonomic and the trip was comfortable. I had heard negative comments from people about this airline but was surprised by their service.

China Airlines review - by Anthony Hsiang
5 October 2006

LAX-TPE and return on Dynasty Class on 9-24-06. Paid $2400, which was the cheapest amongst all competitors. Check-in at LAX was chaotic, with check-in counter agent's attitude to match. Someone at the LA office should think twice before putting someone like her in the premium cabin check-in counter as it gives a very bad impression to their image. However, the same cannot be said for the rest of the experience. Flight crew was professional and friendly; meals were beautifully presented and tasted wonderful. Throughout the flight, flight attendants were never too busy to answer calls. Out-bound flight was on an older craft, seats were not as comfortable. However, the LAX bound flight was on a newer 747, and the difference showed. Seats and entertainment options were much better on the newer 747. The Business Class lounge at TPE airport was excellent. There were a noodle bar, dim-sum, and other tasty treats. I also used the shower facility before the flight, and it made a good start to a 11+ hours flight home. This was an excellent flight compared to EVA I took a year ago on the same route.

China Airlines review - by Martin Coster
24 September 2006

Singapore - Taipei - LAX, coach. Given that this is one of the lowest cost tickets you can get on this route, it's pretty good - certainly much better than some US airlines I have flown on the same route. Long-haul coach on any airline is ugly, but overall China Airlines did a good job: Flights were on time, ground and in-cabin staff were friendly and helpful. In-seat TV's offered a small but decent selection of on-demand movies, docu's and games. Food was above average for coach, with no shortage of wine and spirits available. Really, there isn't anything much I can complain about, except the usual seat pitch (which was no worse than any other coach class really) - well done China Airlines, and will certainly fly them again when I'm on a tight budget.

China Airlines review - by Maynard Dodson
8 September 2006

Honolulu to Taipei in Business Class. Check-in was easy with no big crowds. Airbus 340 with 2 classes of service offered (Business and Economy). The seats are not flat, but the service was excellent from beginning to end. Nice amenity kit and slippers. Excellent 2 course breakfast after takeoff, and lunch meal served 2 hours before arrival in Taipei. Excellent audio-video with large touch-screen monitors, more than 30 movies, plus interactive options too, including Chinese lessons!

China Airlines review - by Ren Hung Huang
6 September 2006

JFK-TPE - a bit of first and biz class. New biz class could use a bit more recline but the 10.4 inch screen are amazing! Food wonderful, comfortable pillows, good amenity kits and magazines. Clean bathrooms. First class - lie flat seat with a 15 inch tv, massage feature, huge pillow, and comfy blanket. Very good food too! The AVOD system was wonderful.

China Airlines review - by Sean Clarke
6 September 2006

Dub-Ams-Bkk-Ams-Dub. I am about to take my 8th flight this year. I always fly Dynasty (Business) Class as it represents very good value for money indeed. In Ams I can avail of the Business lounge which is near the boarding gate. The food in this lounge is below par and needs to bne improved. Boarding is effortless with the usual priority given to 1st and Business. I have always found the cabin crew to be excellent. Warm, friendly and genuinely caring towards you. You are offered refreshments as soon as you are seated. Throughout the flight the attention is 1st rate. I am not sure if the seats could recline more. I always feel there should be more travel. Apart from this, and it is important, they are comfortable. The food is good...not great. There is a really good selection of wines and drinks. In flight entertainment is tops as you can choose your own. Check in at BKkK is efficent and quick. I have never had to queue for more than a couple of minutes. The return flight at 0225 is a bit of a haul as you just want to sleep and skip the meal!! Breakfast is good with a reasonable selection. Yes, I recommend China Airlines and will continue to fly them.

China Airlines review - by Jean Thome
22 August 2006

BNE-TPE-BKK-FCO-LUX in Economy and Dynasty Class (Bangkok-Rome leg) in July 2006. Airbus 340-400. Friendly and warm welcome from Crew on orderly boarding (back of plane first) of plane. IFE is very good and great selection of movies on demand (touchscreen) - even watched a couple of french movies. For a big and heavy person like me the seats in Economy were squashed but great in Business Class. Food was good except the Salad (what are all those spongy croutons ?). Continuous runs of water and juice avaible at all times by helpful smiling cabin crew. Return LUX-FRA-TPE-BNE got the seat I asked for and had a few hours sleep. This is the first time I flew CI, and I put them a par with Cathay Pacific. All in all good value for your money and frienly service and I will use them again. In TPE got a complimentary City Tour - try the airside Hotel where you can have a shower and use the Lounge (Internet , TV) for around 5 AUD.

China Airlines review - by Mari Kodaira
12 August 2006

NRT-HNL, Round Trip in First Class. Very disappointed with the old aircraft - seat didn't go full-flat. All the personal TVs were not in use, and still broken on the way back to Narita. I asked why they didn't repair them. They said some parts were out of sale and they had no means to fix them. They should notify the customers of the condition before. Food was mediocre, but FA were kind. If they replace the aircraft to the one with full-flat seats with functional personal TVs, I would fly again.

China Airlines review - by Bruce Brazier
30 July 2006

SEA-TPE in business class. The flight was uneventful and comfortable. My only complaint was the selection of meals. After departure at approximately 02:30 we were served breakfast. Prior to our arrival in Taipei at 05:30 we were served what I would describe as a light dinner. Over the last 6 years I have flown to Asia from the west coast a dozen times (business class) using EVA, China, Cathay and Singapore with departures from 23:00-02:30 and have always been served a dinner meal followed by a breakfast prior to morning arrival in Asia. I am perplexed as to why China reversed this pattern.

China Airlines review - by Will Daniel
30 July 2006

Economy class from LAX-TPE-SGN-TPE-SGN. B747 had seat-back AVOD entertainment screens with dozens of choices (movies, TV, and even computer-style games), meal service excellent, and general roomy feel to the cabin. Flight attendants all young-ish, and though the plane was mostly Chinese, spoke excellent English... even on the Taipei to Ho Chi Minh City flights. TPE-SGN-TPE had full meal service with complimentary wine in both directions, even though flight was only three hours long. Airbus had same AVOD equipment as the transPacific flight, which was a pleasant surprise. One would NEVER get such service on American carriers (which have now switched to pay-as-you-go even for meals!). Ground and cabin crew both excellent and courteous, though outnumbered in the airport. Improvements could be made especially at LAX, where the terminal does not lend itself to a pleasant boarding experience. Airline should try 'zone' technique for loading passengers instead of putting row numbers up on a dry erase board.... a bit like loading cattle. Baggage made it to Vietnam and back, all the way through 4 connections from an East-coast US carrier.

China Airlines review - by Terence Lung
29 May 2006

SFO-TPE-HKG return. Check-in at SFO seemed chaotic. Lines were long and seemed non-moving. SFO-TPE was terrible due to the seating arrangements. The plane was packed. Somehow, we were put in the center seats of the middle four across behind the bulkhead. On each side of us were mothers travelling alone, one with baby in basket tied to bulkhead and one with baby in basket on the floor. We were penned in for the entire flight. It's a good thing we're married. We had no food selection as options were gone by the time we were served. Congee was surprisingly okay. Check-in everywhere else went smoothly. TPE-HKG return : no problem and quite pleasant. TPE-SFO. The return long-haul flight was no problem and quite pleasant. We had better seats on the return long-haul than we did on the outbound, which made all the difference in the world.

China Airlines review - by Cliff Kwok
24 May 2006

HKG-BKK vv on CI. Outbound flight a B744. This aircraft was old with no IFE. Seat pitch much better than most airlines. Service was okay. Inbound on A330 and equipped with IFE. Service was okay again. Nowadays, I don't fly with airlines that don't have IFE in their seats

China Airlines review - by Dave Taylor
10 May 2006

JFK-TPE-SGN. As I arrived at my aisle seat I noticed someone was sitting there already. The woman in my seat asked if I would mind taking the window seat as she had to attend to the 3 children in the row in front of us. After protesting weakly I agreed to the window seat. In a short time I could see why she needed the aisle seat. Two of the three kids (2 year old twin boys) were the terror of terrors. They fought, they threw things, they ran in the aisles and they cried when corrected. The FA were very gracious with them but I could see these two kids were even trying their patience. I tried to sleep but the noise and the sickness kept me awake. I asked to change seats but no seats were available. 15 hours never seemed so long. We arrived in Taipei 1 our 20 minutes late but fortunately my connecting flight to SGN was held. My return trip to NYC was marred by extremely cold cabin temperature on the TPE-FK segment. Every passenger was wearing a coat and blanket and we were all still cold. FA' were huddled together shivering. No explanation or apology was ever given for the temperature problems. I hope my experiences on these flights were an aberration. I think I'll probably give them another chance as I have flown with CI 6 times before and never had any problems.

China Airlines review - by Wayne Henry
2 May 2006

I have flown many major airlines business class and this airline is faultless. AMS-TPE-SYD : food and service was outstanding. TPE-SYD cabin configuration due to no first class was spacious to say the least. My only disappointment was the food out of Taiwan was not the best. Lets hope they configure sleeper seats soon.

China Airlines review - by Gavin Fifield
22 April 2006

Cardiff-AMS-BKK 6-8 times a year, and always fly Dynasty class, because its not expensive, and very comfortable. The service is impeccable, the food nothing less than excellent, and I would recommend this airline to anyone. I have flown first class with CA recently, which was excellent.

China Airlines review - by Thitipol Habanananda
22 April 2006

BKK-TPE-LAX-TPE-BKK in Dynasty (Business) Class. First time on CI. Flights were all on-time. BKK check-in took little time. Small Dynasty Lounge at BKK airport. Seats on B747-400s were good, but should recline just a bit more. Very good seats on A340-300 for TPE-BKK sector. Meals were tasty (more rooms for improvement) and FAs were attentive on all sectors (almost in par with CX, SQ and TG). Should have more and better wine selections. IVOD was sufficient. The Dynasty Lounge at Taipei CKS Terminal 2 was great, but at LAX airport was small and has limited choices on food and drinks. LAX airport was very crowded, check-in process was a chaos (going through x-ray machine, security check, etc.) prior to receiving boarding passes.

China Airlines review - by Rob Levinson
7 April 2006

TPE-ICN business class. Brand new aircraft with in flight features not seen in the US. Large in seat TV, live camera facing down + out front. Short flight, but service was good. Class 1/2 full. Would fly again without hesitation.

China Airlines review - by Vincent Berjot
13 March 2006

AMS/BKK/TPE and TPE/SYD return in Dynasty class. B747 on the AMS/TPE leg and A340 on the TPE/SYD. Truly excellent (could say outstanding) service - food is really excellent, there is even too much to eat. Very nice appetizers / tasty first course / big salad / main course (choice of 3 courses) / a plate of delicious fruit / dessert (ice cream or cake) / 3 sorts of bread - breakfast pretty tasty which is not often the case even in biz class - very decent wine list. Crew outstanding : very professional, pleasant and courteous. Very attentive during the whole flight - old style since they call you by your name. Seats on the B747 are of the old style but are comfortable and on the upper deck you have plenty of space - AVOD on the B747 good but not top notch. Seats on the A340 are excellent - very good reclining position - even if not totally flat bed. AVOD on the A340 is amazing, big PTV screens and a very large range of movies, series. Biz lounge in CKS airport at TPE is perfect (both in the older Terminal 1 and in the newer T2) : excellent shower service (they provide you with everything you need to take a shower), clean lounge, excellent noodle bar with delicious Chinese steamed food. BKK lounge - CI has got its own lounge but far too small and crowded. AMS lounge : they use the KLM biz lounge : not a high standard lounge but what we expect of KLM anyway! SYD: CI uses the Qantas club lounge which is a good efficient lounge. The stop in BKK on the AMS/TPE leg makes it a quite long flight. As long as CI have improved their safety records it is definitely a top class airline for the service provided onboard.

China Airlines review - by Melody Church
12 February 2006

Travelled from Sydney to Taipei, Taipei to Hanoi and then Ho Chi Minh to Taipei, Taipei to Sydney - Jan/Feb 2006.We found the trip from Sydney great! The stewards offered excellent service. We were travelling with two small kids (4 and 1) and we were given the front row. On this first leg they even moved the person sitting next to us so we had a seat each. The stewards took my daughter away and played with her - to save my sanity and gave her the infant gift bag with free nappies etc The food from Sydney was good except for the seafood pasta being truly awful. There was always plenty of food - even for the kids who got chocolates and playing cards also. The food on the legs from Taiwan was generally the worst. I didn't even bother to eat my breakfast it tasted so odd. The food out of Vietnam was by far the best. The VOD was great and kept everyone amused. The screens were fairly big and you could play the movies at any time. A great sanity saver for parents of older children. The seats were generally comfortable and we had plenty of leg room though we aren't very big and always had a front row of seats so we could access the baby bassinet. The free stopover hotel in Taipei was good - though the food was not so great. We had two connecting rooms when they could have squeezed us into one. The trip to Hanoi was very crowded and the service not as friendly but still not too bad. On the return trip we had 7 hours in the Taipei terminal so no stopover in hotel however they China Airlines did give us a free meal voucher (ask at the transfer desk) Considering the price was at least 20% cheaper than any other airline (saving about US$150 each!), the service was very friendly and the stopover hotel was free and included meals - I would fly this airline again and recommend it to others.

China Airlines review - by D Bokr
11 February 2006

FRA to BKK via AMS in Business Class. The FRA AMS sector was with LH in economy and was included in the price of approx € 1200 roundtrip. Half of what we would normally of paid on the likes of LH, Thai or Emirates ex FRA. KLM Business class lounge was nothing special and hardly any seats available.CA gave their first and business class passengers priority boarding. On board, flight attendants did not collect jackets to be hung up. We had to ask. The customary champagne before take off was not offered. Instead it was orange juice or water. We were upstairs in row 8 on the new B747. Its was exceptionally clean and tidy. The FA s were polite and friendly. Meals were served in a hurry though.. One course after the other arrived and you werent really finished with the first one.The appetizer was the same as on most carriers, salmon canapes. A little dim-sum would of been nice instead of the western fare. The main course was very good. The selection of drinks were ample and our glasses were refilled automatically. The FA s then disappeared only reappearing once in awhile. The personal video screen was big and there was a good selection of movies to watch which you could do so anytime you wanted. Not like on some airlines where the film is only available at certain designated times. You could watch take off and landing on this screen. The seats did not recline enough to get comfortable so we arrived in BKK somewhat tired. Our return flight on 09 Feb left 0235 in the morning.Check in was speedy. We used the China Airlines lounge which is small and cramped. There are no toilets in the lounge. You have to use public toilets outside in the transit area. This time we were on the older B747 and the seats were better. They reclined more, you had more leg space and they had the nifty little adjustable "Wings" at the side of them so that your head had support. The PTV screen on this aircraft is smaller. Again, a good selection of films. Pre-takeoff drink was once again orange juice or water. Dinner was served at 0330 am and the majority of psgrs where by this time asleep. The meals from BKK were not as tasty. The aircraft was clean and the toilets were spotless. The crew were friendly and polite and they addressed you by your surname. For the business class fare we paid, I found they offer a good service. There are obviously some areas that they could improve, as in the case with most airlines. I would recommend them and will fly them again.

China Airlines review - by Tien-Lun Yao
8 February 2006

If you ever have a chance to stay at TPE Terminal 2 CI-Lounge you will see what a nice lounge is. The way of seating is efficient like you they would have organised an army unit, but the noodle kitchen which is operated between 6 am and 11 pm make a stay very comfortable. Nice noodle soups, hot dumplings and biscuits. Good variation of drinks. And if you have the time: have a use of the shower facilities. The best was good enough in the personal shower cabins with own personal toilet. A real possible to relax in any way after a long distance flight - even you do not have any toiletries yourself with you - which you will not need as you get a nice basket of towel and other bath supplies.

China Airlines review - by Clifford Kwok
7 February 2006

HKG-TPE-BN, SYD-TPE-HKG Y class. The outbound flight HKG-TPE was delayed for over 30 minutes so that made my transfer in TPE a little tight in terms of time. Flight was a brand new 744 with modernized interior (with overhead bins similar to that of 773), so it made the interior more spacious. Transfer in TPE was a quick walk, so I managed to make it to the gate in TPE when everyone had just started boarding. TPE-BNE. Flight was served by Airbus 343 aircraft. The aircraft was clean and new and I managed to get bulkhead seat for a full flight out of TPE. That made the trip more bearable. Entertainment was AVOD and offered the latest Hollywood blockbusters. System was ok but with very slow response time from the control pad. That made it quite frustrating at times. Cabin crew was not that attentive at all on this leg. Headsets given out to half the passengers and half of us didn't get it until we asked for them. Return SYD-TPE was a much different experience. Cabin crew attentive throughout the flight, with regular beverage services inbetween. Once again, the control pad of the AVOD system was slow in response and frustrating to try to select the right movie to watch or the right song to listen to. Overall, my first experience with China Airlines was okay.

China Airlines review - by Florian Eberth
27 January 2006

BKK to HKG in Dynasty Class. Very nice flight - we got this flight on a 747 in three class configuration - though they offer only C and Y on this flight number. Probably due to FF status, we got seats 1A/B, which were actually in the First Class cabin (not the beds but the "medium- old" seats). Very comfortable seating for this short flight. They serve full meals on this flight - very tasty. No movies were shown in the in- seat-video system (not on demand ) due to the flight time of 2 hours only.

China Airlines review - by Ted Miller
23 January 2006

TPE-SEA in Dynasty (Supreme) class. Cabin service was outstanding -- attentive, warm, and genuine. IFE is good too with a wide selection of movies, TV shows, and games. The seating is generous but it's really a sort of plushed-up version of a standard business class -- when you recline you are in the space of the passenger behind you so he's almost certainly gonna grab your seat when getting up, etc. Also, I just didn't find the seat all that comfortable -- a little too hard and I couldn't get it adjusted quite right. Finally, although there is a 110V outlet at each seat, the design is totally brain-dead -- the receptacle is recessed and so if you want to plug in a device whose cord has its prongs attached to a little brick (like on an MP3 player etc) you are totally out of luck -- bring an extension cord! I couldn't help but compare the whole experience to the one I had 3 weeks earlier in EVAs Premium Laurel class TPE-BKK -- which was truly outstanding in every way, one of the finest flight experiences I've ever had. When EVA gets that going between the US and Asia then CI's Dynasty Supreme class as it exists now will not compete favorably. In the meantime, it beats the heck out of EVA's current US-TPE 747 biz class, and so we will almost certainly fly CI again for next year's trip.

China Airlines review - by Hikaru Hsu
17 January 2006

NRT-TPE in Dynasty Class. Check in Narita airport was very fast and smooth. During the pre-flight drinking service, the male inflight crew manager came over to greet by each passenger in different languages even though the business class was full. The food was very nice. There were three choices for main course. Crew were all very polite and friendly and with a smile. The return way from Taipei to Tokyo, business class check in counter was nice and everything was smooth. China Airlines business class lounge in Taipei airport is very beautiful and have a lot hot food and fresh noodles you can order from the food counter. Again, the inflight service was just great and very warm, especially these China Airlines inflight crew.

China Airlines review - by Mika Handa
13 January 2006

NRT-TPE-SYD in Dynasty Class. The service, meals, aircraft, lounge at CKS airport, all 10 out of 10. FAs are willing to help, very polite, lovely people. I can't wait to my next trip flying with them. The airfare was reasonably priced. Value for money indeed. I also liked the amenity kit they provided!

China Airlines review - by Sze-Ker Chew
30 December 2005

KUL-HNL-KUL via TPE. First time taking CI to The States. Aircraft, economy, seat configuration 2-4-2, spacious, clean. Inflight Entertainment A300-600, main screen movie, not much choices, nice songs in their audio channels : A340-400, personal seat back screen, I was so lucky to experience their "Sky Fantasy" audio/video demand entertainment system on my way to HNL, touch screen, about 20 movies (watch the movie you like at your own pace, you can rewind and fast forward anytime) and many sound tracks and CDs to be compiles by your own. On my way back to Taipei, it was just a normal entertainment system, no audio/video demand system, a bit disappointed. Served rice/noodles with beef, chicken/fish, desert, juices, fruits and tea/coffee. Food was excellent. Asian cuisine. Service - two thumbs up. They offered drink twice per time and for long haul flight they walk through all seats to offer you a drink. Whenever you press for cabin service, cabin crew will come to you no later than 1 minute, sometimes even two cabin crews came to you at a time. No problem with their mandarin language but english should be improved. The courtesy from the cabin crews makes my long journey a comfortable trip.

China Airlines review - by Gary Lowcock
29 November 2005

LGW-BKK via Amsterdam in Business Class 4 November. As others have mentioned this was a discounted fare where the UK - Amsterdam leg is in economy - in this case with BA. Fairly straightforward check in and BA flight to Amsterdam uneventful although seats are even more cramped than I remember. Girl at transfer desk in Amsterdam was very disinterested and I had to enquire about lounge access as this information was not forthcoming. Lounge used is one of KLM lounges which was comfortable enough although filled up quickly. Good and well stocked selection of drinks but very poor in the way of snacks. Seated upstairs on 747 and the aircraft had the new seats and IFE. Crew were hard working, polite and very attentive if a little hurried. Food was excellent including a duck main course which I would have been more than happy to have eaten in a restaurant. I had read that the IFE could be disappointing but I found 3 films I wanted to see and was full AVOD - on my return when I compared the film selection to BA there was very little difference. Staff were a little keen to get the lights out considering the departure time of 2pm. However they continued to pass through the cabin regularly and calls were answered promptly and with smiles. The only disappointment was with the seat in the fact that at 6'3" the leg room was about 1 inch short of allowing me to sleep with my legs straight. Return on 21 November was on unrefurbished aircraft with old style seating. Lounge in Bangkok very disappointing and incredibly cold. This was a night flight. Unfortunately the food was pretty awful - especially considering how good the meals had been out of Europe. IFE was more in line with what one would expect in Economy with a good 4 star airline - in fact fell below that as no AVOD. This did not concern me as on a nght flight I wanted to sleep. However the seat was very comfortable and I got a good 7 hours sleep which essentially was what I'd paid for. Crew again were excellent. Overall at £900 return compared to either economy or other business class fares this represents excellent value for money and I would recommend highly.

China Airlines review - by Steve Fenton
29 November 2005

TPE-BKK-AMS in Business class. As usual the superb level of service shines though. The newest 747 ( Boeing signature ) they have for some reason does not have seats that recline the same as the older ones ? cant understand what muppett agreed to that as when fully reclined you could still pass a bus through the gap between the back of your seat and the legs of the passenger behind you. The control on top of the armrest are a joke and the slightest touch prepares you into a bolt upright position. Power ports but no wifi which the older planes now have ? Wake up CI you have made a big mistake with this plane and I will avoid it at all costs now.

China Airlines review - by David Taylor
10 November 2005

JFK-TPE-SGN-TPE-JFK route. The longer portion of the trip was served by an aging Boeing 747. Seats uncomfortable in economy class and IFE consisted of several movies and news programs presented on wall mounted projection screens. Hardly state of the art. The shorter portion of the trip, TPE-SGN ,was served by a newer A-330 and IFE was much better, consisting of individually controlled programming at every seat. On all flights passenger service was very good to excellent. The attendants were always available to cheerfully handle passenger requests. Food was good for airline food but nothing outstanding. Drinks were served several times during the flights, even including one service of beer only! All in all I'd say China Airlines provides a reasonably good product for a very reasonable price. I'm already planning my next flight with them.

China Airlines review -by Bill Turner
8 October 2005

LAX to Taipei in First: New interiors are great! Seat was comfortable to sit in but very hard for sleeping. Overtime, the foam should have more yield but right now it is very firm. IVOD system was very good and the best I have used so far. Big 15 inch screens that swing out and also give camera views from the front and below the craft. Food was above average and wine selection excellent. Service was uneven as far as being attentive. Bathrooms were extra large and even had a window. A very good flight and I look forward to flying on them again.

China Airlines review -by M Bertrand
12 August 2005

LCY-AMS-BKK-AMS-LHR. C-Class. This is a discounted business class fare, with the short london-Schiphol sectors in economy on KLM. At Schiphol, CI uses the large KLM Crown lounges. On board, CI is top-notch. The biz class seats on the 744 are upstairs and downstairs, row 5, 10 and 17 are bulkheads. This is advisable as the seats do recline into the person behind. Also the configuration downstairs is 2x3x2 so that's to be avoided. The seats are old-style biz class but do have non-VOD PTVs. They are extremely comfortable and I slept well both ways. Sure its not flatbed, but at that fare I'm not complaining! The service is super-attentive and very efficient and the food is superb and plentiful.

China Airlines review -by Rudy Medina
19 July 2005

China Airlines provided outstanding value for the money on a coach, roundtrip flight with my wife and 3 kids from LAX to Manila via Taipei in June 2005. I was impressed with the new Airbus. The food was not the best but they were very good. There was an unlimited supply of noodle snacks and coffee was available anytime. An LCD video screen was available on all seats, and it helped the kids endure the long flight. Video games and recently released movies were available on demand - and there weren't extra fees for these! They were all paid for on the plane ticket. I only have 2 negative feedback on this experience: The seat cushions on both planes (LAX-Taipei, Taipei-LAX) were too stiff for such long flights. After 14 hours of flight, those seats made the family bottoms sore. All of us noticed the difference in comfort when we boarded the last leg of our trip on an American Airline flight. The American Airline seats just felt very good. The other complaint is the chaotic terminal at LAX. That terminal is not fit for such a large group of passengers. There were tired passengers laying on the carpet along the walkways because there weren't enough seats for everyone! I think China Airline should do what needs to be done in order to get a better terminal at LAX. Other than that, I consider China Airline as an outstanding buy and I would fly with them again.

China Airlines review -by Gijs van Doorn
12 July 2005

AMS-BKK as a FF upgrade from Biz to First in their 'newer' 747. Departure on time, very good seats, excellent service, food good, wines excellent. AMS-BKK in Biz. Again excellent service, etc. Compared to the old 747 an improved biz class. Great value for money, return ticket in D Class €1144 only. As CI succeeds in keeping their safety record as it is now, it is the best way to fly AMS- BKK.

China Airlines review -by Kahon Chan
11 July 2005