Shandong Airlines

From Xiamen to Nanjing. Flight was delayed 1 hour due to air traffic control. Served dinner 2 meal choices. Beef with rice or fish with rice. Also complimentary drinks served. Cabin staff were helpful and friendly. They tried to help all passengers. Nice trip.

YNT-PVG new B737-8 mood lighting was used to great effect on this evening flight. Was pleasantly surprised to be served a rice dish (alongside a range of beverages) for 80-minute trip. Overhead screens every 2.5 rows for a programme that lasted about as long as the flight did.

Xi'an to Qingdao. First time flying SDA. Flight attendants are well dressed professional and friendly. It was only a 1.5 hour flight with IFE. I was the only Westerner on the flight and the attendant went out of her way to find me an English version of China Daily. On time and reminded me of what air travel use to be a long time ago.

Shenzhen to Yantai on a 737 which takes approx 3 hours. Shenzhen airport is not too bad but not great. Shandong Airlines is the only direct flight from SZX to YNT however with one flight per day at inconvenient times for business travellers like myself. Flight delayed 3 hours due to "bad weather" and the return journey 2 days later was delayed by 2 hours however with no reason provided although a meal voucher was offered at Yantai airport but food was inedible. Flight attendants are very well dressed well trained professional efficient and friendly. Seat space is typical economy however no PTV's in seats and no overhead entertainment shown either. Hopefully more competition will arise on this route in the future and newer planes perhaps would be good.

Xiamen to Hangzhou. B737-800 in superb condition and service was excellent. The small snack wasn't great but for 1 hour flight it wasn't really needed English announcements weren't the best. Drinks were served 3 times during the flight and cabin crew very friendly. The legroom was huge. Plus the fare was cheaper than all other carries on the same route at the same time. All in all a very pleasant flight and would certainly fly them again.

Quintao to Whuan on time. Reasonable legroom. Cabin clean and crew attentive and polite. Good spoken English but announcement barely comprensible. I would rate this airline as slightly better than Chinese average.

PEK-TNA return. First time flying Shandong (codeshare with Air China). I found it an efficient airline offering good value for the money. Plane was a new 737-800 cabin was clean seat pitch was OK (34 inches or so) flight attendants were polite and attentive and the flights left and arrived on time. Shandong's onboard service is fairly basic (bottle of water and foil wrapped sandwich) but not out of the ordinary for a one hour flight.

Jinan to Shanghai. I am 6'4" tall was stuck in center seat. No legroom jammed against fellow passengers on either side. Plane packed no other seating alternatives. A very miserable flight; flight crew oblivious to the problem or had no solutions to it.

Qingdao to Shenzhen with Shandong airlines. Flight 90 minutes lates leaving - aircraft turned up at the gate just after scheduled departure time - after boarding spent another 40 minutes on board with doors closed. Flight didn't appear on departure board at TAO at all and no explanation given either in the airport or on board as to delay. Service onboard was OK - hot meal of fried noodles. Aircraft looked in reasonable condition (737-800). FAs reasonably attentive and minimal but acceptable English spoken.

Hangzhou to Shenzhen with this airline. The aircraft was B737-300 which looked quite aging and also the seats beside me were quite broken. The pitch however is excellent which is at least 34 inch. Another thing that surprised me that we were served hot meal lunch with two choice food as well which were so great in taste and quantity too. Even China Southern that I flew a week earlier only offered snacks during the flight. I think Shandong Airlines is a good choice to fly within China.