1. 17 May MU 566 – dep Singapore 2310, arr Shanghai 0440
2. 18 May MU 2335 – dep Shanghai 0645, arr Xi’An 0930
Baggage Checked by to Xi’An
Our baggage can be checked by. We had been trying ahead to arriving in Xi’An on 18th May morning, and nonetheless have adequate time to spend the afternoon and night doing a little touring. We had deliberate for this vacation for some time now, so it was very thrilling and it will be a visit of many firsts.
MU 566 Re-timed to 0800hrs the Next Morning
We arrived at Changi Airport Terminal 3 earlier than 9PM on 17 May (Friday). We headed straight to the SKY Priority queue, however was solely to be greeted with this sight. (see video). There was a protracted line for the traditional check-in, and it wasn’t transferring, which was unusual. It did not take us lengthy to grasp that the flight was re-timed to 0800hrs subsequent morning. After talking to one of many check-in employees (who additionally did not actually know what was occurring), I left my cell quantity and we determined to go dwelling, despite the fact that we had been instructed that the Airline would organize for passengers to remain over in a resort that evening. We determined towards that since we’d be extra comfy sleeping at dwelling.
2 Flights had been Re-timed
Note that each China Eastern flights to Shanghai MU 566 and MU 544 had been re-timed. Apparently, there was some climate over Guangzhou/Hong Kong space, and the Shanghai aviation authorities had determined that our flights can be re-timed. Oh nicely…..
Next morning – Check In at Terminal 3
We acquired to the airport in good time subsequent morning. As we’d have missed our connecting flight (MU 2335), the China Eastern floor employees re-booked us on MU 2162 departing 1730hrs. We had been fairly glad that we managed to get seats on a later flight! With the revised MU 566 timing, we’d solely get to Shanghai round 1330hrs. So a 1730hrs onward flight would nonetheless be okay.
Also, we may declare the taxi fare (from Airport to dwelling and again to Airport) on the counter (so keep in mind to maintain your receipts), and we acquired that in money.
SATS Premier Lounge Terminal 3
With our luggage checked by, and boarding passes in our hand (for each MU 566 and MU 2162), we acquired by immigration and headed to the SATS Premier Lounge at Terminal 3. China Eastern Airlines makes use of this contract lounge. It was tremendous busy that morning, and it acquired a bit unpleasant as a result of the employees could not clear the used plates shortly sufficient. Anyway, we managed to discover a seat, and I acquired some breakfast. The meals wasn’t too unhealthy – acquired some laksa, noodles, porridge and even otah-otah. I did not eat an excessive amount of as I anticipated extra meals on the aircraft.
Departure from Changi Airport Terminal 3
We acquired to our departure gate at Changi Airport in good time. But after we acquired there, I seen that the cabin crew was nonetheless seated close to the gate! Not a superb signal.
Missing Plane?
Where was the aircraft? It was simply being towed in! So what occurred was that the plan was probably parked at some distant stand in a single day, and now it was being towed to the gate in preparation for departure. The video beneath exhibits you the aircraft being towed in, and a few footage of takeoff.
Travel Insurance Documentation
Oh sure, earlier than I overlook, we had purchased journey insurance coverage for our journeys and on this case, I imagine we may declare some cash resulting from journey delay. However, as with all insurance coverage claims, you want the correct documentation. For journey delays, you undoubtedly want a letter from the Airline to show that the aircraft was delayed. We had been instructed by the check-in employees to get these letters on the boarding gate. We acquired 2 copies. They seemed like this. You want one letter for each passenger, so we acquired two of such letters.
Retimed MU 566 – Singapore to Shanghai, departing 0800hrs 18 May
A short time later, we boarded the plane. Finally, we had been on our manner! This was our first ever flight on China Eastern. This Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner was nearly model new [Serial Number B-209N]. The enterprise cabin was attractive, it was in a 1-2-1 staggered formation. My spouse sat in entrance of Seat 7L, whereas I used to be in seat 8L (image beneath). Take notice that the window seats had been alternate, meaning a number of the window seats (like 8L) had been really window seats, however others had been barely away from the window (like 7L and 9L). Reason was that they wanted adequate area to permit the seat to be deployed right into a flat mattress. If you watch the video beneath from the 1 minute mark, you possibly can see the staggered formation – 6L, 7L, 8L. The Business class begins with row 6. In entrance of row 6 known as Row 1, and that was the First class seating. I did not see anyone seated in ‘First class’ although.
Seat 8L
Flight Review Video – Singapore to Shanghai on China Eastern Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Here is my flight evaluate video for the Singapore to Shanghai leg. We loved the service.
Smooth Flight on New Aircraft
The flight was very clean, the expertise was great. We had been served a pre-departure drink (champagne included) in addition to a scorching towel. Before take off, the stewardess got here round to take our meal orders. There wasn’t a menu although positioned on the seat, although the stewardess carried one along with her. I selected the various Dim Sum. She additionally requested whether or not we needed my meal to be served instantly upon take-off, or simply earlier than touchdown. I mentioned to be served straight after take-off. She additionally requested for permission to wake me up for the meal service if I fell asleep! Interesting.
Entire Breakfast on Single Tray
The meal was served on a single tray – environment friendly. This was what my Assorted Dim sum meal seemed like. The bowl was candy potato porridge, which was quite flavourful (i.e. not plain). I ate all of it. Later on, the stewardess additionally got here round with heat bread/croissant. Meal service was fast and environment friendly, which I did not thoughts.
After my meal, I transformed my seat right into a mattress (push button, very straightforward) and I took a nap for about an hour or so. Well, since I had a seat with a flat mattress, would possibly as nicely! Landing into Shanghai was clean and general, it was an excellent flight, the delay however.
Part 2 of Adventure – Flight Cancellation!
At Shanghai Pudong, the plane was parked at an aero-bridge and we acquired off the aircraft in a short time. This was the primary time that we had been flying by Shanghai (worldwide to home) and we did not actually know the place to go. So we requested round and realised that we needed to clear Immigration. That was fairly easy and simple – the strains weren’t lengthy. After clearing Immigration, we had been instructed to undergo the bags assortment space, clear Customs, enter the Arrival Hall after which proceed upstairs to the primary public departure corridor and enter the restricted space for Domestic flights once more. We did not want to gather our baggage as that they had been checked by.
Shock!
It was fairly straightforward to navigate after which we acquired a shock. As my spouse tried to clear safety to enter the restricted space for Domestic flights, the safety officer who checked her boarding go knowledgeable her that our flight MU 2162 dep 1730 for Xi’An had been cancelled! What??? We had been simply booked on that flight that very morning, at round 6AM whereas nonetheless at Singapore Changi!! It was now previous 1PM, and the flight was cancelled. We had been instructed to go to the China Eastern reservation counters to get ourselves rebooked!
Goodness, this was getting loopy. We had been initially speculated to arrive in Xi’An earlier than 10AM on 18 May. But now, we weren’t even certain that we’d have the ability to make it to Xi’An on that day! Thankfully, my spouse spoke very fluent mandarin. We needed to go communicate at a number of totally different China Eastern counters (as a result of they mentioned totally different departments took cost of various issues!). In abstract, we needed to
1. See whether or not we will get rebooked on one other flight to Xi’An on that very same day, in any other case the Airline has to place us up in a resort for the evening.
2. Get one other letter to show our onward connection was cancelled
3. Retrieve our baggage (they had been speculated to be checked by… the place had been they now??)
Rebooking to a later flight
Fortunately, the counter reservation employees mentioned that he may guide us on the final flight going to Xi’An, which was MU 522 departing 2110. We wanted 2 seats in Business class, and there have been 2 out there.
Letter
We additionally needed to discover the Duty Domestic Manager (totally different from reservations) to get one other cancellation letter for the missed flight. This time, it seemed like this.
For good measure, my spouse took a photograph of the departure board – MU 2162 to Xi’An, dep 1730hrs, was cancelled. Why the sudden cancellation? Frankly I do not know. No causes got to us both. Well, cancellations weren’t unusual, so the bottom employees we spoke to did not appear shocked.
Retrieving our Luggage, returning again to Baggage Claim space
What about our baggage? The obligation supervisor instructed us to return to the Arrivals Hall, and discover the doorway again into the restricted space. The guard there requested us (in mandarin after all) why we needed to return in. We needed to clarify to him that our flight was now cancelled (confirmed him our boarding go for the flight that was cancelled) and we had to return to the baggage space to gather our baggage. He allow us to in with none issues.
Once inside, we headed to the China Eastern workplace, and there was a brief queue to see the employees. One employees instructed us to return to the bags declare carousel for MU 566 to verify if our luggage had been there first, earlier than coming again to see him if we could not discover our luggage. So I went to the baggage declare space and fortunately, each our luggage had been nonetheless there. So it seems that the Airline would ship the luggage out to the baggage declare space, despite the fact that they had been checked all through initially, as a result of the Airline may inform that the flight had been cancelled.
Check whether or not your onward flight is cancelled once you arrive
In retrospect, what we should always all the time do subsequent time (if we fly by Shanghai) is to verify whether or not our onward flight was nonetheless working, earlier than we go away the baggage space. If certainly our onward flight had been cancelled, then we would want to gather our luggage from the baggage carousel anyway.
No meal vouchers?
We had additionally earlier requested whether or not the Airline would supply meal vouchers to cowl the time in between. One employees at reservations counter within the public space mentioned we needed to get them from the bags declare space! But after we checked with the employees on the baggage declare space, they mentioned that there was no want to offer vouchers for us as a result of we may achieve entry to the Business class lounge. But we defined that the employees earlier mentioned that we may solely verify in 3 hours earlier than departure! The supervisor on the baggage declare space checked out us incredulously and mentioned there was no such rule. Anyway, he acquired his employees to make a name someplace, and confirmed with us that we may verify in and use the lounge. The time was about 1500hrs and our flight MU 522 wasn’t departing until 2110hrs.
Checking in for MU 522 dep 2110 to Xi’An
And after we acquired our baggage, we needed to convey all the things again to Departure space, and search for the check-in counters. China Eastern has a separate space for premium prospects on the far finish of the terminal for Domestic check-in, close to the home check-in safety counters. When we acquired there, there have been no queues. The counter employees seemed a bit pressured although. He needed to name his supervisor to confirm that he may verify us in for the MU 522 flight (with out imposing any further expenses on us). We needed to clarify to him (and confirmed him all our boarding passes) that it was not our fault that we had been on this predicament. Surely, the Airline needed to ship us to our last vacation spot! He was quite apologetic and defined that this challenge straddled a number of departments, so he needed to verify. Finally, he was given the inexperienced gentle to verify us in for the MU 522 flight, departing 2110 for Xi’An. Well, the excellent news was that it now seemed like we’d have the ability to get to Xi’An in spite of everything!
China Eastern Shanghai Pudong Domestic Business Class Lounge
Clearing safety was clean (hardly any line) and we headed straight to the Domestic terminal lounge. Here is the video of the lounge expertise. This lounge is to not be confused with the Business Class lounge for worldwide departures. This was the enterprise class lounge within the Domestic part of Terminal 1 at Shanghai Pudong.
Thankful that every one points had been sorted
Thankfully we sorted out all the problems with our onward flight, and for the reason that departure to Xi’An was now 2110hrs, we had loads of time. I recall after we acquired to the lounge it was solely round 1630hrs. Never thoughts, it was time to relaxation and get some meals! I went straight for the noodles, which was very comforting. Also had a glass of white wine, which wasn’t too unhealthy. Took a nap, after which woke as much as eat dinner. They began dinner service at about 1730hrs and there was rice, with some meat and veggies. I have to say that the meals was all very native, and never worldwide oriented. But it labored for us since our Singaporean tastebuds had been considerably much like the native Shanghai delicacies that was being served. (or put in one other manner, we weren’t fussy eaters!)
Boarding Announcements had been made
There had been boarding bulletins and certainly, we waited until our flight was introduced to be prepared for boarding, then we left for the departure gates. Upon reaching the gate, we realised that we needed to be bussed to the airplane. This was our first bus expertise in Shanghai (after we arrived, it was an aerobridge).
Premium passengers get to board a separate mini-bus. When we acquired to the boarding gate, normal boarding had already begun. So what you do is to go proper to the entrance of the road (sure, chopping queue!), present your boarding passes and they’re going to allow you to by first. Of course, different passengers in line could offer you stares, however so be it!
When you get to the bus bay, board the small bus (sufficient seats for all) and never the large one. Since all of us had seats, the bus trip to the aircraft can be comfy.
Arrival at Remote Stand
When the bus arrived on the distant stand, different passengers had been already boarding (Economy passengers who had arrived through an earlier bus). No hurry to board. The climate was good that night, nonetheless, if it was raining, I believe most of us would get moist!
Once boarded, we shortly settled into our seats on this cosy Airbus A321. There had been solely 3 rows of Business class seats in a 2 by 2 configuration. Thank God there was area for us!
Flight MU 522 Shanghai to Xi’An Flight Review
Check out my flight evaluate video of this 1hr 50min flight beneath. I titled this video 2 Tarts and 5 Fruit Slices as a result of we had been actually served this gentle snack of two tarts and 5 fruit slices on this flight! Wow. Granted that this was solely a 1hr and 50 minute flight, one would nonetheless have fairly anticipated some kind of supper.
Well, you might have been warned… eat your dinner earlier than you get on-board! Thankfully, I had my fill within the lounge. We arrived in Xi’An barely forward of schedule, however we needed to take a bus from the airplane to the terminal. That took a little bit of time, however by this time, we had been simply going with the circulation. At least we made it to Xi’An!
Conclusion
Well, this wraps up our thrilling China Eastern Airlines Business Class journey, from Singapore to Shanghai, onward to Xi’An.
This was our first time onboard China Eastern Airlines in any class. Overall, the precise Business class product was very first rate given what we had paid. However, what wasn’t so enjoyable was all of the delays and hiccups. First, out of Singapore (9 hour delay), after which the onward flight getting cancelled solely after we arrived in Shanghai, and the truth that we had been just about on our personal by way of making an attempt to kind out the baggage and re-booking. We had been actually working from division to division inside the identical airport, from restricted baggage space (degree 1) out to public verify in space (degree 3), again to restricted baggage space to retrieve luggage and once more to home check-in space. Felt like we knew the airport very nicely after this expertise!
Thank God my spouse spoke glorious Mandarin and he or she may navigate her manner by the China Eastern system.
We acquired to our vacation spot protected and sound, so cannot complain. Yes, we had been speculated to have landed in Xi’An at 0930hrs on 18 May and we ended up arriving solely at 2350hrs, i.e. 14+ hours not on time. We misplaced a day of sight-seeing, however hey, at the very least we made it. We went on to have a really enjoyable vacation in Xi’An, and would fly again to Singapore some days later.
We are within the technique of claiming journey insurance coverage. Will replace once more once I get information on whether or not the declare is profitable!
Thanks for studying and watching my movies!