China Eastern Airlines

✅ Verified Review | Shanghai to Singapore. The plane was better than expected. Seat was comfortable for the price-point and a good entertainment system. Certainly better than a true budget airline. Food was average - not the best, but not the worst. For the service I was not impressed. The staff seemed to have a very selective enforcement policy and had attitude. I was asked not to use my phone, even if in flight mode (is this not 2016?). The passenger sat across from me had his phone on throughout the flight and was watching a movie. I was ordered to remove my headphones for landing - the two passengers sat next to me had no such request made. I am all for policy, but let's keep it consistent across all passengers.

✅ Verified Review | Amsterdam to Bangkok via Shanghai and a really bad service. No drinks and the staff dont speak English. On the way from Amsterdam to Shanghai I did ask for some drink during a flight off 11 hours, but the drinks were finished after 7 hours already! On the way back from Shanghai to Amsterdam also the same - no drinks. And each time I asked, I get the same answer that it is finished. Only water was supplied. Really bad and I will never fly this airline again.

Shanghai to Manila. There is no separate or priority line for business class. The staff treat you like an economy class passenger or even worse. It was raining so hard but they let passengers walk under heavy rain. All our carry-on bags were soaked. Flight delayed for 3 hours. We were boarded after 45 min delay. While inside the plane, we were informed of another 2 hours delay. China Eastern, do a favor and stop your operations. You don't deserve even a single star rating.

✅ Verified Review | Beijing to Saigon via Shanghai on 25 Aug 2016 and returning on 09 Sep 2016. The crew doesn't understand basic English. The food is inedible on each leg. None of the flights was on time. I feel like motto of the airline is "Never on time". Crew training is appalling. On Beijing-Shanghai leg we had a group of Indian travellers who were allowed to heat up their own food on the airplane. Crew did nothing to stop it. On a way back in Shanghai we missed connecting flight to Beijing and had to wait for 3 hours. The ground staff instead of offering us a meal/drink voucher like any reputable airline would do, yelled at us in broken English, gave us pack of crackers and bottle of water, after which returned to her game on the phone. Absolutely no idea of customer service. Pay more, fly different airline.

✅ Verified Review | Manila to Shizuokavia Shanghai. The flight was on time from Manila to Shanghai, connecting flight was on time. Shanghai Pudong Airport is nice and the airport staffs were approachable. Meals were served on both flights. Very comfortable and inexpensive. I would recommend this airline.

Manila to Amsterdam via Shanghai. China Eastern managed to confirm their worst-in-the-world airline status again. Yet again, whatever could go wrong, went wrong. I arrived at the airport 2h prior to the flight just to learn that the flight has been rescheduled by 4 hours due to runway maintenance. Obviously, China Eastern felt no obligation to inform anybody, even though airport staff informed maintenance was scheduled well in advance. Otherwise empty airport only confirmed that no other airlines treats their customers with such disrespect. After sitting on the ground for 4 hours we managed to check in just to realize the plane is further delayed due to late departure from Pudong. Arriving in Shanghai all passengers scrambled to get to their flights, again no assistance or information given. After a lengthy queue I was informed at the transfer counter I was lucky my flight to Amsterdam was rescheduled (sic) by 2.5h so I still had a chance to catch it (of course, no prior information given on the "reschedule"). After a desperate run I arrived at the gate just to see a huge queue of people chaotically boarding 2 other planes from the same gate. My flight was of course even further delayed - this time by another 1.5h (no interim info given of course) granting a total 2h queuing time at the gate (standing as there were no free seat anymore). Just to add to the insult, all bags were lost and I only recovered them after a week. In the plane itself staff was rude, food was to be forgotten, entertainment system worked OK. Overall, this experience confirms no price can justify such low quality, I will definitely never fly with them again.

✅ Verified Review | Chengdu to Shanghai. I have not flown China Eastern since 2009 because I had such a bad experience with it. I decided to give it another go, and was handsomely rewarded for this largesse with the worst experience I have ever had in a business/first seat. I showed up to the airport and had 15 minutes to kill in the lounge. The hostsess meets me at the door and physically bars me from entering, saying that my flight is going to board early. I know this is utter nonsense, because I have never seen a China Eastern flight take off on time, much less early. I then explain to her that I have bad knees, and that I may need assistance to get to the plane on time if they are boarding early. I ask if I could catch a ride on one of the electric vehicles. She flatly refuses me, and after I asked why, she said it was a 100RMB charge if I did. I get to the gate, early, and of course, they are not boarding early. I wait 15 minutes again, and the counter person directed me to get in the back of the line for coach after I showed her a first class ticket. They boarded late, as I knew they would, and then upon getting on the bus, driving around the airport, we walk up the rickety steps to the plane. And no drinks for first class passengers - the flight is too short, the flight attendant tells me, followed by "maybe just this flight", and the worst meal I have ever had on a plane. On landing, we start down a jetbridge, and I think, great, we get a reprieve from the stairs. Nope. Halfway down the jetbridge, we are directed down more rickety stairs to another bus, even though the airport is literally five feet away. I give one star only because -4 stars is not possible.

✅ Verified Review | Return flight on A330 in C with China Eastern from Shanghai to Auckland. Contrary to what was expected, A330 on this route also had the herringbone new business class seats. Very comfortable. Quite spartan business class service, with acceptable food, but poor service. Attendants polite and correct, but do not go further to cater for individual needs, make it a nice experience, serve another wine etc. But if you look for a good seat that allows you to get some hours of sleep, it is excellent. On the way back, the aircraft was old with old seats. However, the old seats are also full lie-flat and not at all bad. Both ways pyjamas supplied, and slept well. Inflight entertainment was OK, with some nice international films. Very acceptable and entertaining in fact. Flights also on time both ways. Food relatively simple, but imaginative and with good portion of vegetables. Chinese food really quite good.

Shanghai to Phnom Penh. We were very disappointed to learn that we could not check in two bags per person at the time we checked in. The China Eastern Airlines website states very clearly that each person is allowed two check ins without further cost. Because we had to bring one of our smaller pieces of luggage through security we lost several items. Our flight was MU759 on the 18th of Aug from Shanghai to Phnom Penh. I don't know if I would recommend this airline.

✅ Verified Review | Nanjing to Xi'an and later from Xi'an to Shanghai with China Eastern. Considering a large number of critical reviews I was somewhat apprehensive of flying with China Eastern. However, I was pleasantly surprised. The check in was easy, both flights arrived on time and on both flights meals were served: a hot meal on the first flight and a sandwich on the afternoon flight to Shanghai. The baggage was promptly delivered on arrival. Overall, a positive impression.