China Airlines Passenger Reviews and China Airlines Customer Trip Reports

China Airlines customer travel guide

China Airlines 4-Star Airline ranking

China Airlines Economy class seat reviews

China Airlines First and Business Class Lounge Reviews

China Airlines First and Business class seat reviews

China Airlines Aircraft Seat Plans

China Airlines Passenger seat tips

Airline Reviews

Airline Seat Reviews

Airport Reviews

Taipei to Brisbane in business class on CI 53, 11 May. A330-300 very comfortable lie flat seats, and a nice Doona made for a restful night. Staff very attentive and meals and refreshments were offered at appropriate times. Would recommend for the good price and comfortable cabin. The entertainment was interesting and up to date, and restrooms kept clean and well stocked.

TPE-MNL. Flight delayed by 25 minutes, arrival time also delayed. No drinks except for water, coffee or tea. When I went to the restroom I saw that there were other refreshments in the galley. The flight wasn't full, and I took a chance if I would be served an extra meal. The crew said that she would check and came back with 3 packs of peanuts. It seems that seeing the crew with a smile is a "luxury". Not surprising why Eva Air has better reviews.

AMS to BKK about 6 to 7 times per year, Lounges both ways quite good. Recently refurbished (last 12 months) the 747's which were good but now have reverted to the A340 and seats definitely far poorer. Please change back! Also the flight time has increased dramatically due to fuel saving, flying at much lower speeds.

AMS-BKK. Seating 3x4x2, flight 90% Full. The one big problem was that the meals were only just warm, not hot as they should have been. Crew carried out their duties well. Would fly them again.

Flew business class XMN-TPE-SFO and return LAX-TPE-XMN. Impressed by the refurbished cabin. The new seats are comfortable but are not lie-flat. Inflight meals are good, but you can feel the catering quality outbound is better than inbound. The new LCD screen is higher definition one which makes inflight entertainment better.

NRT-TPE return. Check-in was smooth (SkyPriority). Lounges were comfortable. But, foods at NRT were poor. Cabin (744 and 333) were clean and comfortable. Cabin crew were friendly and spoke Japanese. Foods were good. AVOD was good. But, no Japanese movie. Good value for money.

AMS-BKK-AMS in Economy. I registered with CAL's Frequent Flyer program and ordered a vegetarian meal which was served piping hot before general meals were served to other passengers which was an added bonus. CAL has switched to using their A340-300s on this route. Aircraft's are around 11 years old on average and every window seat in Economy class has a large IFE box underneath with severely restricts legroom. I was lucky on the outbound flight since the seat next to me was unoccupied and I could stretch my legs a bit. On the return leg however, that wasn't the case and the 12-13 hour flight was particularly uncomfortable due to the cramped conditions. Seat pitch is 31 inches on these aircraft and the base moves forward when reclined which restricts legroom even further. Entertainment was generally good with the latest blockbusters on offer coupled with a wide selection of older films. BBC and CNN news channels were also available as were a good selection of audio CDs. The crew were very affable and free beverages and snacks were available throughout the flight and promptly served when requested. CAL offers good value for money and the flights run on time so I will definitely fly with them again. They just need to refurbish the seats on these older aircraft as they've done with their 747 fleet.

Flight from Hong Kong - Jakarta - Hong Kong with China Airlines CI679/CI680 in Economy class. Check in staff friendly and fast. I'm a Skyteam Elite Plus Member and used the lounges. Nice, clean and helpful staff. Food and beverages good. No Priority Boarding at HKG Airport. Seat uncomfortable in A330. Food ok. Inflight Entertainment good. All Flights on time. Priority luggage in Hong Kong handled separately, but ended up waiting longer. Would fly again.

Have flown China Airlines about 3 times now from Auckland to Brisbane and Sydney. Paid no more than $120 for my tickets (one way special). Ticket allowed free date changes which was a bonus! Normally pay $100 with other Trans Tasman Airlines. Friendly Cabin Crew. Great meals (not to mention complimentary beverages). Half the flight was empty of 2 services I flew which gave me rows to myself, made it extremely comfortable to fly. Great entertainment system. Highly recommend out of NZ or Australia.

Round trip MNL-YVR via stopover at TPE. They seem to have done a major overhaul of their operating procedures and got their act together consistently for several years now. Their aircraft appeared to be in good to excellent condition, and to the credit of the pilots involved, those four landings were among the smoothest I've experienced in years. This airline may not be the best, but I consider them to be very good. Fares are reasonable and given the level of service I received, was good value for money.

Flew from Brisbane-Taipei-Wuhan and then Xi'an Xianyang-Taipei-Brisbane. Overall impression was highly favourable, and an improvement on my previous experiences with CI. All flights were on A330-300 which is starting to look a little aged in economy class. Flights were on time or only slightly delayed, and boarding was efficient. Meals were of a very high standard in economy and the mainly female cabin crew were very friendly and efficient. I noticed that the fluency of English (though I understand Mandarin) has improved significantly. Inflight entertainment was personal AVOD, but selection was not quite as large compared to Cathay or Qantas. Flight from TPE to BNE was on an A330 with upgraded economy cabin. The screens were larger and seat more comfortable, so this was a nice improvement. Based on these flights, I will fly with CI again and have no hesitation recommending.

Flew LAX-TPE-BKK and returned HAN-TPE-LAX. All flights left and arrived roughly on time. Staff were somewhat inattentive, but got the job done. Had to signal an attendant to get a second glass of wine. Seat comfort OK for economy class. In-flight entertainment was very good.

Overall as good as any other Asian carrier, friendly staff, food was fine plenty of movies etc. Standard A330-300, Auckland to Brisbane. Would use again.

Jakarta-Taipei-Los Angeles-Taipei-Jakarta. Very comfortable seat, ground staff and cabin crew were very helpful and friendly, and the in flight entertainment was great.

AMS to BKK business class CI0066: 2 adults and one 3 year old, brilliant service apart from a couple of hours delay from AMS which was down to snow not the airline - had a faultless service. Cabin staff were excellent with my daughter and this trip was stress free. I will be using this airline again shortly.

Taipei-Hong Kong, Economy. Very uncomfortable seat with virtually no leg room. Luckily seat next to me was free and was able to stretch my legs in to that space. Breakfast was a greyish-looking chicken noodle dish that was unappetising. Cabin staff raced through the service and then disappeared. They were mechanical and their smiles were plastic. Thankfully the flight was short (90 min).

Amsterdam to Bangkok. The business class has been refurbished on this route, but is not a flat bed seat - good seat pitch. The food and drinks were very good though the staff only ok. Moderate selection of films. Amsterdam bKLM lounge is huge with ok selection of snacks. Bangkok business lounge is surprisingly good with really good food, though it doesn't have a toilet - you have to go down the corridor.

Osaka to JFK. The flight was 14 hours, B747-400, I sat in a window seat just behind the wing. AVOD had new movies and a big variety of other entertainment. A big plus was that the AVOD selection was different coming home. The food was enjoyable and service was plentiful and well organized. The cabin crew were very pleasant and attentive. I am average size; 5'10" and 180 lbs, and I had no need for more space. The recline and leg room were generous for economy. I usually fly Korean Air, Asiana or Singapore for this route, but since China Airlines was so much cheaper, I thought I would give them a try once. If they are this cheap in the future, I will fly with them again.

TPE to LAX. The seats are so close that when the person in front of me reclined, I could not exit my seat or watch the seatback TV. It seems that over the past 2 years the service, food and overall quality of flights has diminished. Our company no longer allows us to book our Asian rides on China Airlines and frankly I am glad. We pay 75 dollars more for flights on Singapore air and the difference is 10 fold.

LAX-TPE-HKG return with stopover in Taipei. The ground and flight staff were professional, friendly and helpful. The airplanes looked new and well kept. The seats in the economy sections were new but the cushion was thin and soft causing severe discomfort on long flights. Complete meals served even on short flights, the food was mainly edible, but poor compared to other Asian airlines. I would have rated this an excellent airline, if the seat cushion and food quality were better.

Flying to Guam on board their A330, punctuality of the flight very good and the pre-flight service nice. Cabin crew are all friendly and smile throughout. Personal entertainment includes some great films and games but the meal service is nothing special. Would fly again.

To and from Singapore and Surabaya economy class, both on A330-300. Flights were all on time and return flight arrived ahead of schedule. Flight attendants were very friendly and attentive. Entertainment system was great. I was pleased we had access to the entertainment system even though the flight was only 2 hours. Cabins and the toilets were clean. Food was just so-so but the taste was overall acceptable.

Awful experience from Taipei to LA. My husband is 6ft 4 and when we checked in early in the morning for our flights from Bangkok to Taipei and Taipei to LA we asked the ticket agent to sit us in seats that would accommodate his height. Told we'll have plenty of room. When we got onboard we were instead seated in the tightest seats next to the lavatory. When my husband couldn't sit down, there was much flurry of activity to find him somewhere he could fit. He was embarrassed and naturally we were separated from him for the entire trip - no apology from anyone of course. Ironically, people who checked in after us were seated in a front row with leg room. As usual, much pushing and shoving onboard with no order imposed by the cabin crew. If flight attendants spent more time taking care of their customers, they may have a few more happy customers.

I had some reservations been this leg part of a Delta itinerary I was not sure how CI would compare to DL economy comfort seat. Taipei-SFO economy, smooth check-in, well organize boarding, seat 34A quite comfortable, 32 pitch and personal AVOD. Departed on time at 23.50, informed crew not to serve dinner and I was left undisturbed and slept well till breakfast, food was good for economy. Overall good flight and the crew were polite and interacted well, I will fly again with CI now that are an integral part of the Skyteam.

SFO-Taipei-Bangkok (economy). SFO flight leaves at 1.30am, but if you're planning to sleep tough luck - the hot meal is served at 3am and everyone (even if sleeping) is ordered to sit bolt upright so the person behind can eat. This was repeated at midnight on the return Taipei-SFO. Hot meal SFO -Taipei was disgusting. I would highly recommend you bring your own food. Kids meals were average both ways. Service was otherwise ok. Entertainment generally good - 747 screens have higher definition, brightness and contrast than A330s where video quality is poor. Movie selection fairly good, but can be limiting if you fly transpacific both ways the same month. Seat pitch a little tight at 32" for the tall. Boarding was highly organized at SFO, but more chaotic at Taipei.

HKG-KHH return. Both trips A330-300. Outbound trip delayed 2 hours due to fuel problems and it resulted in refuelling. Staff were quick to serve the complaining passengers. The inflight entertainment system is quite good. The price was very reasonable as it was near the Easter holiday peak.

SUB-SIN-SUB all in A330-300. Outbound flight departed 30 mins late. A full flight but FA's were attentive and their English proficiency good. Food was also good. Landed 30 mins late, inbound flight departed and arrived on time. Only 5 pax in J Class. Pre take-off drinks served immediately upon boarding. Seats were pretty comfortable. FA's were nice and friendly.

LAX to Beijing return in economy class. Outbound flight was a newer Boeing 777, return flight an older Boeing 747. Both flights departed on time, I slept well on both flights for 8 of the 12 hours. Food was fine and staff friendly.

AMS-BKK-TPE-HKG. Renewed business class is not that comfortable, it is an improvement to the old business class. Food quality remained basic but acceptable, service is good when flight is empty, once flight is crowded cabin crew seem to loose control. Price of flight is still cheaper then other airlines, lounge in BKK, HKG and Taipei airport are fine with nice snacks. AMS lounge is the Skyteam KLM lounge - food is bad but what can you expect when in the Netherlands.

SYD-TPE-YVR return. I was unsure and a bit sceptical. Overall, my friend and I were really happy, the food was excellent, the staff lovely and the entertainment great. The cabin crew spoke good English, and were always around to offer assistance. The only issue we had was two excruciatingly long stop-overs. (18hrs outbound and 17 on return). The seats weren't the best ever, but could've been worse.

AMS-BKK-TPE and back. Outbound a 747 with no AVOD, just centralized screens. Decent meals topped with friendly and professional cabin crew. On the return - modern IFE with touch screens, but flight attendants not quite as effective. Troubles with processing my wheelchair at TPE, but that may be inefficacy of the airport. In general, good service/price ratio.

NRT-TPE-BKK return. Impressed with service and the level of English for most flight attendants. AVOD was good. Seats on A330-300s are fine, but recline to a very uncomfortable slide rather than flat. Provided plenty of English magazines, though newspapers were scarce. Lounge in BKK excellent with hot and cold dishes. Flight was 1 hr late leaving BKK, but were given a meal voucher in the airport, despite the fact food in the lounge was ample. Connecting in Taipei was easy as it's not a very large airport. If the prices in business class remain a bargain, I will be flying China Airlines more in the future.

BNE-AKL Business Class Jan 2012. Boarding was well organized and the fight punctual. Food for lunch was good quality although there was no proper dessert. Problem was that the service felt very rushed even though it was a 3 hour flight. A particular problem I have encountered on all CI flights is that the crew seem unable to co-ordinate the service of wine with food and then to keep glasses topped up, even in a small business class cabin. Twice I had to use the call button in order to get some wine. Although it was answered instantly, this is no substitute for a proper drinks trolley service. Notwithstanding this, the cabin crew were unfailingly friendly and helpful in their attitude. Unfortunately, my bag came last off the carousel last rather than enjoying the advertised priority.

LAX-TPE-MNL twice in the past year. Seats in economy seem small to me (I am over 6 ft.  FA's are attentive but not very friendly - seems to be due to somewhat limited English. When I asked for drinks in Chinese they were much more social. The food was good if you ordered Chinese option. TPE is not my favorite airport but it is orderly and clean.

Short hop from BNE to AKL. Check-in staff member was helpful and friendly and the wait was minimal. The flight departed thirty minutes late but were kept well informed. The meal service was cheerful, with a selection of mains. The in-seat entertainment was clunky and poorly designed, and the language selection confusing to say the least. Seat width and comfort were as expected for economy and the staff pleasant and fluent in English. Overall an enjoyable and professional service.

Auckland to Brisbane (my wife had wheel chair assistance) and we were very impressed by the level of comfort and service. It was the cheapest price and the fare included a meal and movie. The legroom was a little tight, the level of English was difficult to understand at times - announcements given first in Chinese then in English. Cabin temperature way too warm and the aircraft appeared to have no personal air vents above. The staff were friendly and polite.

Auckland to Brisbane. Good flight and crew. The meal choice was Beef Noodles or Curried Chicken. Crew responded to request promptly but had a lack of the English language.

Shanghai to Sydney. We booked this flight at very short notice and were slightly apprehensive. However we need not have worried. Despite the very short notice my wife and I were seated together. The aircraft was a very new looking A330 and we found our Economy class seats very comfortable. The standard of cabin service was not bad with the crew even managing to accommodate our special meal requests. Although the flight departed slightly late from Shanghai due to problems when inbound from Beijing, we actually arrived on schedule at Sydney. Ultimately we were very pleased with the flight and service received and will certainly consider flying China Airlines again.

PRG-FRA-TPE return. Codeshare with CSA (PRG-FRA segment). FRA-TPE flight was operated with B747 instead of usual A340. Cabin crew attentive and helpful, meals were tasty and refreshments between meals provided on demand. Outdated centralized AV system, but worked ok. The big downside of the flight was AC - it was really cold. Return flight (TPE-FRA) with standard A340 (2-4-2 in economy) was fine. AC settings were correct, personalised AVOD system worked without problems with a great selection of movies and music. Meals and drinks were fine and cabin crew helpful.

If you experience any problems submitting comments on the above link, please use our general   Feedback Page