Our combat plan was as follows:
MU 5010 – dep Xian 0850, arr Shanghai 1125
MU 565 – dep Shanghai 1435, arr Shanghai 2010
As our flight departed Xian considerably early that morning, we determined to remain on the Regal Airport Hotel for one evening, in order that our departure may very well be easy and simple. Our flight residence can be a lot smoother than our thrilling journey some days earlier on attending to Xian!
Xian Xianyang Airport Terminal 3 had a devoted check-in space for China Eastern, which was very close to the safety clearance. After checking in (our baggage can be checked by way of to Singapore), clearing safety was fairly fast (there have been precedence strains for Premium Pax) and we shortly discovered our method to the China Eastern Lounge. Just comply with the indicators, not troublesome. The entrance to the lounge seemed like this. I learn on-line that China Eastern operated one other lounge on the different finish of the concourse. But this lounge was very close to our gates, so made much more sense to attend right here, on the V1 lounge.
Busy Lounge
Inside the lounge, we discovered it fairly busy certainly. I made a video of the lounge, and you may see the crowds on the eating space. There was an honest collection of meals, and China Eastern served their signature beef noodles on this lounge too. Indeed, the Chinese love their noodles, little question about that.
Nice Blue Seats
Here are some images of the lounge. Nice blue seats. They seemed conventional, however they have been fairly comfy. You may really snooze on them (we did for some time) by lounging ahead. The seats gave good help to the subsequent! There have been charging factors on the ground, in between the seats, making it handy to cost our units. Of course, I had to make use of my common plug. You can watch my video at 5:54 to see the charging factors.
Rather Sunny!
At occasions, it felt fairly heat, as a result of the morning solar was pouring in. Yes, this lounge will get the morning solar.
First Class Ticket?
Was a bit tickled after I noticed my boarding passes (Red) which acknowledged First Class. No, we did not purchase First class tickets, ours was Business class fare. However, plainly inside China, they appear to combine Business and First. Maybe the idea is like within the USA, the place they name home enterprise as First Class. Anyway, it did not matter, so long as we acquired our seats!
Our flight was delayed by nearly an hour, resulting from late arrival of plane from Moscow. Apparently MU5010 is a service from Shanghai to Moscow, by way of Xi’An. So the airplane got here in from Moscow. Didn’t hassle us an excessive amount of since we had enough layover time at Shanghai as buffer, and ready within the lounge was comfy (we discovered a spot which did not have the morning solar). We may wait till the boarding bulletins have been made earlier than heading to the gate.
MU 5010 Xi’an to Shanghai
Again, we needed to take a bus from our gate to the airplane. Truly, a bus airline! We acquired up the mini-bus for Premium Pax, and the journey was about 5 minutes to the plane. I made this video of our flight expertise from Xi’An to Shanghai, on board the China Eastern Airbus A330-300 collection plane.
This Airbus was additionally retrofitted with their newest cabin product, which seemed similar to the Boeing 787 Dreamliner that we flew on from Singapore to Shanghai. Some photos of the cabin (in a 1-2-1 configuration) under.
Notice the marginally staggered structure of the window seats – alternate between true window seat and nearer the aisle seat.
A 1-2-1 formation. Very spacious, personal really feel. Overall, a really stable laborious product.
The IFE screens have been pretty large. Good sufficient for me to observe a film.
When we flew from Shanghai to Xi’An a couple of days again on a late flight (dep 2130hrs), the catering was extraordinarily underwhelming – 2 tarts and 5 slices of fruit! So, I used to be curious, this time what would we get for a morning flight? A slice of bread and a drink maybe? LOL!
Asian or Western model breakfast?
Fortunately, China Eastern did higher than that. We had a selection of Asian or Western model breakfast. I selected Asian, not understanding what it entailed. But no less than we have been first rate an honest breakfast (native Xi’An model), which I fairly loved. Bear in thoughts this can be a 1hr 50min flight, so my expectations weren’t sky excessive. Here is breakfast I loved. Do watch my video in order for you extra particulars of the meals, as I look at the meals tray extra intently.
The flight path from Xi’An to Shanghai wasn’t straight. Wonder why. Maybe to keep away from climate, or site visitors congestion, or army airspace. Well, so long as our pilot acquired us to our vacation spot safely, I am unable to complain.
Weather was vibrant and sunny as we approached Shanghai Pudong. Managed to get a really good view of Shanghai Hongqiao Airport from the air. There was an plane touchdown on the runway too. Cool!
Arrival into Shanghai Pudong
Landing was easy. Recall, once we arrived in Shanghai en-route to Xi’An, we had assumed that our onward flight was on observe. This time spherical, I instantly turned on my flight app which may present me the arrivals/departures on the airport. Yes, our onward flight was on schedule. Of course, do not simply belief the app, test the departure boards within the airport itself. It seemed okay. Phew!
So we made our well past safety and immigration, to the departure space for worldwide flights at Shanghai Pudong, and took the escalator as much as the China Eastern Lounge. This was supposedly China Eastern’s flagship lounge. It was fairly crowded once we acquired there, because it was lunch hour, however we may nonetheless discover a good desk for the 2 of us on the primary degree.
Food – I had 2 servings of this Nasi Goreng model rice with fish, and I could not resist making an attempt that bun.
The second flooring of the lounge was much more quiet, with many seats and only a few passengers. Head up right here in order for you a fairly place to nap or chill. Of course, remember to set your alarm to your boarding time!
Another angle of the second flooring. Yes, the boarding bulletins have been made, however they weren’t that loud. You may miss them if you’re not cautious.
Boarding Time
It was time for us to board the plane (we waited until the boarding announcement), and we headed off to our gate. Our plane was boarding from Gate 212, which was a bus boarding gate. When we reached the gate, that they had already began common boarding. It did not appear to be there was a line for precedence passengers!
Well, we simply adopted the opposite enterprise class passengers who went to the entrance of the road, confirmed the workers our tickets, and so they allow us to by way of. We headed to the mini-van for premium passengers and loved our remaining journey on this similar sort of mini-bus. We have had so many bus rides on this journey that I’ve misplaced rely!
The plane that may be flying us to Singapore was a fairly new Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Every passenger, premium or not, had to make use of the identical staircase as much as the airplane. I took this picture to indicate my mother and father. The steps have been steep. Given their age, I had suggested them to not take China Eastern. Not positive if my mom could make her means up and down such steps.
Another have a look at the Boeing 787 Dreamliner. Pretty neat! We weren’t in any rush to board, so we let the opposite passengers board first. The climate was nice, and I took many images of the airplane. See the entrance gear – serial variety of this airplane was B-209N. She was delivered to Shanghai Pudong on thirty first March 2019. Very new!
Flight Review – Shanghai to Singapore on the China Eastern Dreamliner in Business Class
Here is the flight overview video on this Shanghai to Singapore leg.
The cabin was stunning. Very elegant. For this flight, I used to be seated in 8L, which was a window seat. (as in proper subsequent to the window)
The welcome drink was champagne, orange juice, or water. I selected the champagne. This time spherical, the menus have been positioned at our seats. I took a look by way of, and from the relevant menu for our flight. China Eastern has the behavior of printing a single menu that may final them for a lot of, many months. If you watch 3:30 of my video you will note that the menu is color coded – Red for Odd month 1st to fifteenth, Orange for Odd month sixteenth to thirty first, Blue for Even month 1st to fifteenth and Green for even month sixteenth to thirty first.
I assume this technique saves them printing prices.
For my dinner, I selected the three cup rooster with rice. The cabin crew requested whether or not I would really like dinner to be served instantly upon takeoff, or later. As our takeoff time was about 2:30pm (i.e. too early for dinner), I requested to be served later. The crew stated the service can be at 5:30pm, as touchdown was barely previous 7pm. I stated okay.
After the flight took off, cabin lights have been dimmed, and most passengers have been watching films or took a day map. The crew got here round with drinks service, and I acquired some white wine to go along with the combined nuts that they gave out. It was good.
The seat may very well be transformed right into a flat mattress simply (push button) and I took a brief nap. For some cause, I awakened routinely, simply earlier than time for dinner. Perhaps I used to be getting hungry! Dinner was served. It wasn’t like gourmand meals, however the style suited me simply effective.
My tray desk was prepared for dinner service. They gave me the purple wine first.
My 3-cup rooster with rice meal. The style wasn’t dangerous in any respect!
Well, that just about wraps up my Trip Report, Xi’An to Shanghai to Singapore on China Eastern Business class. This was our first time on China Eastern, and placing apart the slight trauma we had with delays and cancelled flights on Singapore to Xi’An leg, it was an awesome expertise for the worth we had paid!
Would we fly with China Eastern once more? Yes! But we’d additionally know that their flights could also be delayed/cancelled and so forth, so we’d be mentally ready for all of it.
Thanks for studying and watching my movies!