My China Eastern A330-200 economy class flight from Jakarta (CGK) to Shanghai (PVG) not only exceeded (my admittedly low) expectations but left me very satisfied.
China Eastern A330-200 Economy Class Review
You have to understand that my last two flights with China Eastern included a transpacific flight with smoking onboard and then after complaining about it on this blog, almost surreal VIP treatment on the ground and in the air when continuing on our second leg a day later.
So it was with that background that I checked in for my China Eastern flight in Jakarta, fearing that I was about to endure a rough six-hour overnight flight to Shanghai in economy class. I was expecting more cigarette smoke, inedible food, and a towering language barrier. But that is not what happened onboard.
China Eastern directs its SkyTeam Elite Plus passengers and business class passengers to the Garuda Indonesia Lounge, but I visited the Plaza Premium Lounge via Prority Pass and enjoyed a flat white prior to the flight.
We boarded at 11:15 pm, but were held up at the jetbridge entrance for about 10 minutes before being allowed to board the aircraft.
China Eastern 5070
Jakarta (CGK) – Shanghai (PVG)
November 2024
Depart: 11:45 PM
Arrive: 6:55 AM+1
Duration: 06hr, 10min
Distance: 2,751 miles
Aircraft: Airbus A330-200
Seat: 39C (Economy Class)
Stepping onboard, a flight attendant inspected our boarding pass and directed us down the aisle toward our seats.
Seats
The A330 is one of my favorite aircraft to fly in economy class because of the 2-4-2 seat layout. It was very nice not to have a seatmate next to Augustine and me. While solo travelers are more likely to wind up with an open seat next to them with a 3-3-3 configuration, couples traveling together are better off on an A330 (or Boeing 767) jet.
The 204-seat economy class cabin features 32 inches of seat pitch – generous by European and North American standards. I’m a tall guy with long legs, but the legroom was sufficient. Augustine had plenty of room…
Speaking of that, he promptly fell asleep a few moments later and was out like a light for the entire flight.
Bedding was not proactively provided, but I found a pillow in the overhead bin and a flight attendant offered me a blanket for him (it appeared to be from business class) so he was quite comfortable.
Each seat had a universal power outlet underneath and a USB-A port in the seatback below the screen, but there were no individual air vents overhead.
It was a tranquil and smooth flight. Passengers were well-behaved…no loud electronics like on my Xiamen flight a couple of days earlier.
Food + Drink
A meal was served after takeoff and this was also a very pleasant surprise. I know I’m terrible when it comes to my limited food palate, but I was not expecting any Western choices onboard, but was offered either beef with noodles (Chinese choice) or scrambled eggs.
I was absolutely in the mood for eggs and was very pleased by this option. The meal included scrambled eggs with a sausage patty that tasted like a hamburger, potato wedges, peas, and a single cooked cherry tomato. It was served with a croissant, sliced fruit (honeydew and papaya), and a slice of marble cake. Beverages were served at the same time.
Yes, I was hungry, but the scrambled eggs and even the packaged croissant were quite good as a midnight snack.
Since he was sleeping, flight attendants placed a sticker above Augustine’s seat and advised me to hit the call button if he woke up and wanted to eat anytime during the flight.
Water was offered prior to landing.
IFE + Wi-Fi
Another surprise was that wi-fi was available onboard. My work was done and I did not try to connect, but I appreciated that, at least in theory, it was available. I could not even get to the pricing page without inputting my seat number and ID number. No thanks.
The IFE selection on the 10.6-inch LCD screen was limited and the system was old, but there was a selection of about 30 movies and 30 more TV shows, plus a moving flight map.
Complimentary headphones were distributed prior to takeoff.
Lavatories
I used the lavatory prior to landing and it was clean…and the floor was dry.
Service
Great service onboard…including prompt meal service, the proactive blanket delivery to my son, and an offer to bring him food if he woke up late in the flight.
The flight attendants were courteous, impeccably groomed, and spoke English.
CONCLUSION
We landed on-time just as the sun began to rise on a quiet morning in Shanghai Pudong Airport.
This flight certainly exceeded expectations and was not only acceptable but quite nice for a six-hour overnight flight.
And no smoke smell!
Well, done China Eastern!
I’m sharing in real-time style about my SAS EuroBonus SkyTeam Million Mile challenge this week. Click here for background and route information.
I’m happy that it went so well. That cabin crew sounds top-notch.
Big improvement from the China Eastern I flew in 1998 on A-340. Looks like a very nice and totally acceptable economy flight.
On the same 1998 itinerary was also the last flight I flew that had a smoking section on a Northwest Orient NRT-SEA (returning from China).
The service sounds excellent, particularly for economy. Then again, I suppose most Asian carriers will provide good to very good service, especially to someone with a kid since Asians tend to be a family-centric society.
Matthew, Depart: 11:45 PM, Arrive: 6:55 PM. Doesn’t look right for Indonesia to China. Otherwise, enjoying this series, per usual & looking forward to seeing if all the flights post to SAS.
AM. Thanks!
Very much enjoying reading about your current trip experiences.
100% agree that the A330 (and the few 767’s remaining) are by far the best economy seating for couples. The 787, 777, and A350 setups with 3 seats by the window are absolutely horrendous without the middle seat being empty. Throw in the 737 and A320 also, as the 3×3 seating is just as bad. Much prefer an A220 or E175 for narrow body, and go out the way to book them whenever possible when flying in economy in the US.
Would also like to see the airlines take the economy plus extra legroom sections of the 787’s and 777’s to a 2x4x2 arrangement so that there would be another option for 2 abreast seating in addition to PE.
Re: “… spoke good English …”, does that qualify as an oxymoron or a non-sequitur? Enquiring minds want to know.
I never said my English was good.
LOL
Really like that the review was an objective one and that you gave them another chance, in economy no less. Flew them in J recently and they are among the best in China and not far off established players like Cathay Pacific.