Jun 16, 2016 |
My Air China Experience from EWK to BKK
I’ve always wanted to add airline comparisons and reviews to this blog. But I’ve always been flying Korean Air with a stop over in Seoul. So this time around I wanted to try another airline. And Air China was the one I chose to review for my flight from New York to Bangkok.
Air China has been aggressively cutting air fare prices in order to compete. I paid $800USD for my Air China tickets while Korean Air had air fares costing $1300USD. That’s 37.5% more and a convincing reason to give Air China a go.
Now if you check around reviews about Air China like I did you’ll see a lot of unfavorable remarks and experiences from passengers. And I have to admit I was a bit worried about flying Air China. Plus I love Korean Air and I know their in-flight services and quality is hard to top.
The total flight time not including layover on Air China is about 19 hours. Korean Air total flight time is about 18 1/2 hours. But both planes fly different routes.
I was determined to go on Air China with an open mind and give a fair review despite all the bad comments I’ve come across.
JFK or EWK
At Newark International, plenty of staff to help check in at Air China…
Air China flies out of JFK in New York City and EWK in Newark, New Jersey. Since I live in NYC it would’ve been more convenient to fly out of JFK. However, I only get one hour to connect to my Bangkok flight at Beijing International.
While flying out from EWK I get five hours to connect to my Bangkok flight at Beijing International. It’s a no brainer, EWK was a better option because I get plenty of time to connect.
Air China uses the older twin engine Boeing 777-200ER for their EWK to PEK route. While when I used Korean Air I was on board a 4 engine Boeing A380, which is a lot newer. But again, I’m going to keep an open mind.
Getting Ready to Leave NYC Again…
I got to EWK with four hours to spare until my flight departs. Air China’s check in counter was already open. I wanted to get there early to get those emergency exit row seats. These seats are worth gold to me and I call them the poor man’s first class seats. The flight duration was 14 hours straight to China. So that extra leg room is going to come in handy.
Poor man’s first class seats at Air China…
I didn’t know if Air China would charge me for those seats or whether they provided them exclusively to Star Alliance members which I am not a member of. But I was so happy to find out those seats were available free of charge. Remember, emergency exit rows are based on first come first served. Which is why I always get my ass on the check in line as soon as I can.
The check in agent got me an emergency exit row aisle seat and believe me I was so relieved I could get one. The Boeing 777-300ER has a 3-3-3 seat configuration. On my particular flight it wasn’t packed so the middle exit row seat was empty so I had space to prop and charge my iPad and iPhone.
A lot of Chinese movies, no surprise, but still a decent selection to pass time…
The Air China seats are the same width as the Korean Air A380. Although on the Korean Air A380 you can put your seat back a tiny bit more at 33 to 34 pitch.
But I could already tell that this particular plane was older. The floor carpeting looked worn. But at least everything looked clean. According to this article Boeing 777-200ERs were built in the late 90’s and none will be built anymore.
The Food
Sliced beef scallion over rice, some fruit and a salad with sliced ham…
If you’ve been following this blog you know how much I love to eat. And I found Korean Air’s in-flight meals tasty. Air China however… not so much. They can do much better. At least I think so. When it comes to food I’m not biased at all.
On Korean Air there are always snacks around in the galley area you can raid like honey roasted peanuts, pretzels and crackers. You can also order Cups of Noodles when you got the inflight munchies on a Korean Air flight. And Korean Air economy hot meals are better and flavorful, even for airplane food.
All the bread you can eat on an Air China flight…
For snacks, Air China had bread rolls. Cold, hard, bread. They can do better than that. Some would argue for $800USD what could I expect? I would expect something better than bread.
But lucky I was sleepy most of the time and the flight was relatively smooth. So I slept through most of my hunger and before I knew it there were 4 hours left to go before we hit Beijing Airport and another meal service was beginning.
I’m was trying very hard to remember what that meal was. Really, I’m not joking…
By this time I wasn’t expecting to be wowed by another meal. But I was just curious as to see what was available. And honestly I can’t remember what I picked. At least the Oreo cookie tasted good.
I have to admit I was famished and really looking forward to hitting the food courts or restaurants at Beijing International.
Air China In-Flight Service
There’s nothing to complain about regarding service. The flight attendants did their jobs and seemed friendly enough when they came around offering drinks. Although Korean Air flight attendants came around more frequently with trays of water and fruit juices for passengers.
I also noticed while the the seat belt sign is still on due to turbulence or during pre-landing passengers are still allowed to use the bathroom. On Korean Air, flight attendants are quite strict on their flights. If the seat belt light is on passengers are required to remain seated. That’s just an observation.
Air China’s EWK to PEK flight route passes the north pole region…
At Beijing International Airport (PEK)
The plane arrived on time at Beijing International Airport. Because I disembarked on the tarmac to get on the bus that takes passengers to the terminal, it was a significant moment. Because it’s the first time ever I stepped foot on mother land China. I really should be traveling more around China.
My first breath of air in Mother China…
Anyways I was starving and I was looking for the passenger terminal hoping to find some serious good eats. Heck, for some reason I had this strong urge for a Double Whopper at Burger Kings.
Much to my surprise Beijing International did not have a lot of restaurants. I asked a young lady at the information desk and she said there’s no Burger King. Not even a McDonalds. There was a Pizza Hut which I do like.
Beijing International Airport had these nice lounge chairs. But after spending 14 hours on a plane I didn’t want to sit…
I was really surprised Beijing International did not have a whole lot of dining options. When I fly with Korean Air and have a layover in Incheon Airport it’s like a small city decked full of restaurants.
Flying from PEK to BKK
After a quick bite at Pizza Hut and some much needed iced latté at Starbucks I went over to the gate to wait for my flight and to find out if there is an emergency exit row seat available.
Not a whole lot of international food choices in PEK airport but at least its got a Starbucks…
Beijing International is a big airport and when I finally got to the gate I asked an Air China staff if there were any emergency exit row seats available. I asked in English because I can’t speak a lick of Mandarin. The Air China staff said there were none. I think there was a bit of lost in translation going on. Because she didn’t even check the computer. And she seemed a bit rude too.
Anyways, there was no point to get all upset about it. The flight to BKK was empty. And there were empty emergency exit row seats available and I was free to move into one. I pretty much slept the whole 5 hours and skipped the in-flight meal.
The Verdict
Even though I went in to make this comparison review between Air China and Korean Air with an open mind, deep down I knew already Korean Air is the better airline hands down.
A Korean Air B747 used for long haul flights…
That doesn’t mean I think Air China sucks. I would fly them again when the price is right as I really think they are a good alternative. Most importantly I got to Thailand in one piece and on time. And I saved some cash which is always good.
Dec 16, 2015 |
There’s no other country in Asia that I want to visit more than Japan. I try to visit Japan as much as I can, as frequently as I can and for as long as I can. Here I’ve put together a little Japan visitor’s guide that will give you a glimpse of several popular cities in Japan’s Kansai region.
Where is Kansai?
Kansai region is located on the largest island of Japan, H0nshu. If you haven’t heard of Kansai region until now then I’m sure you’ve heard of Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe that are just several names of Honshu’s southern coastal cities.
Just for a little point of reference Tokyo is located up north in the Kanto region and Hiroshima is south in the Chugoku region.
So I’m going to break this post up into 2 parts. This particular post will basically show you what I did after landing in Kansai Airport. Plus you’ll find a few Japan travel tips because we all know the country has a reputation for being pricey. So I’ll mention in my posts where to find cheapish eats and general tips on finding some good affordable grub.
You Don’t Need a Massive Budget to Visit Japan – But It Helps
Yeah, we’ve all heard that Japan is one expensive country to explore. And I suppose that’s one of the reasons why most people don’t bother coming here at all. But there are ways to explore Japan on the cheap, or at least affordably, especially if you’re planning on visiting the cities of Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe.
From Don Mueang Airport you can fly direct to Japan via Air Asia…
I’m based in Bangkok, Thailand most of the year. So far I’ve been flying with Air Asia X. They have direct flights from Don Mueang Airport in Bangkok on to Kansai International Airport. From Kansai, you’ve got your choice of visiting either Kyoto or Osaka first. A round trip airfare cost about $350USD to $400USD. You can find it cheaper air fares though. Air Asia has these crazy limited cheap deals once in awhile but you gotta be Johnny on the spot to catch them. Plus you’ll have to have flexible travel dates.
For this trip to Japan I chose to stay in the city of Kyoto. The hotel I picked was Reiah Hotel Otsu Ishiyama (here’s a review). But because I arrived into Kansai Airport a bit late in the night I decided to book a room at an airport hotel nearby, the Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport (review coming soon). I was traveling with my wife and she doesn’t take to flying so well, even though it was only a 5 hour flight. So a full night rest would do her some good.
Even though it cost $145USD for one night at Hotel Nikko it was worth it. My wife felt better and the sun was out and bright. It was a great morning October morning! Even though the room cost a lot breakfast was not included. Luckily, there is a Lawsons Convenience store downstairs where I stocked up on some sandwiches and green tea.
Go Food Shopping at Lawsons, 7 Elevens and Family Mart
One of the biggest tips and tricks to saving some money while visiting Japan is to shop for snacks, drinks and meals foods at convenience stores. Besides Lawsons, you have a choice of 7 Eleven and Family Mart. All are stocked full of heat and ready to eat meals, breakfast, lunch and dinner! It’s not junk food, although if you want it you’ll find plenty of junk food as well as healthier alternatives. And you can find anyone of them all over the big cities of Japan.
Even if you can splurge a little on an expensive hotel you can still go cheap on food. At the Hotel Nikko Kansai Airport where we stayed overnight there was a Lawsons convenience store downstairs. There are 7 Elevens located inside the airport so you have plenty of options for cheap good eats.
Plenty of affordable food inside Lawsons. It’s just like a 7 Eleven…
Japan Rail Systems – Your Best Friend
Next thing I needed to do was get some Japan Rail (JR) train passes. Getting around Japan by train is affordable and convenient. It’s not exactly cheap but it beats the hell out of hiring a taxi. Luckily foreign tourists can get discounts on train fare package deals.
A JR ticketing office was right between the Hotel Nikko and outside of the Kansai Airport arrival area, just a short distance away. Even early in the morning there was a line filled with eager recently arrived travelers.
The Haruka Express Airport train will take you to Osaka and Kyoto fast… It’s also included in the price of a JR rail pass (more about that below)…
I purchased the 4 Day JR Kansai Area Pass. With this pass I get unlimited rides within 4 days to explore Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe plus all the smaller yet beautiful naturesque towns that Japan is so famous for.
There are loads to see within these areas…
These passes are available in increments of 1 day up to a maximum of 4 days. The 4 Day JR Kansai Pass cost 6500 Yen and that is an absolute bargain. Even though I mentioned I visited Kyoto, Osaka and Kobe I was also able to drop my Himeji where the famed Himeji Castle resides. We also visited Nara too. I wanted to check out Hikone and Wakayama too.
Because there is so much to see in every city we took our time and never rushed. What’s the point of traveling if you can’t enjoy it all?
You get discounts for purchasing before arrival, however you’ll have to pay for shipping… Note these rates are as of December 12th 2015…
If you want to purchase these JR Passes ahead of time you can do so via Japan Rail Pass website. But you’ll be paying for Fedex delivery, unless you’re ordering $600USD worth of tickets shipping is free. However, ordering your rail passes ahead of time will save you 200 Yen. But I’m sure FEDEX delivery is not cheap.
This cool little booklet contains your pass…
Inside you’ll find your pass along with a little map and usage instructions…
Since I was purchasing my 4 Day Kansai Area Pass on the spot I paid 65ooYen times two, one for me and one for my wife. And if you are purchasing your passes in a JR rail office make sure you have your passports on hand. These JR rail passes are offered only to foreign tourists. No passport, no passes.
A view from the Haruka Express Train
Okay, so you’ve got your JR passes so you can explore major cities around Kansai area of Japan. But you’ll need a way to get around via the local trains. And you’ll also need a way to get from Kansai Airport to your city of choice. That’s where the Airport Express Haruka comes in to save the day!
Top card is a Haruka ticket… Bottom is ICOCA card which you can use to access JR trains…
Purchase the ICOCA and Haruka Package
This ticket package includes round trip rides on Airport Express Haruka trains which is an awesome way to get out of Kansai airport through Osaka and onto Kyoto. There’s a couple of things you should know however…
A Couple of Tips on Riding the Haruka Express
- This particular type of Haruka ticket is for the non reserved seat train. So I recommend lining up at the non-reserved seat train unless you enjoy standing. If all the seats are taken there is standing room. The train ride from Kansai Airport to Kyoto Station takes 75 minutes. To Shin-Osaka (Osaka) it’s 50 minutes. So get to the train early if you want a good seat to enjoy Japan’s beautiful countryside as you whiz by 80mph.
- As of writing the last Haruka train on a leaves at 20:15 and arriving into Kansai Airport at 21:43. I’m pointing this out because I once assumed Haruka ran until midnight. So it’s really important that you check your trains’ time tables ahead of time.
This ICOCA card has 2000Yen loaded in it and you can use it ride JR trains or purchase food from convenience stores…
Since I was staying at a hotel off a suburb near Kyoto I had to change trains at Kyoto Station. This station is located in the hub of the city with many points of interest close by in walking distance. Kyoto is one gorgeous city to walk or even bike around. But if you want to get somewhere quicker like the Gion District that is famous for Geishas it’s best to use the city buses located outside of Kyoto Station.
There is a bus station right outside of this entrance…
Kyoto Station is also a good place to find food and shops…
We didn’t explore outside of the station yet because we still had our luggage. And it was best to check in before heading back out. The hotel I was staying at Reiah Hotel Otsu Ishiyama is located near Ishiyama Station on the JR Biwako line. Which was only about 14 minutes if you take the special rapid train.
There is the Airport bus option which I’ve heard is cheaper. But obviously bus rides take longer. I don’t have any information at all on buses, sorry to say. If you can afford it I would highly recommend using the trains.
So that’s all I have to share for now. Like everything else for travelers to Japan you will find it is a super foreigner friendly country. Nearly every major train station there is a tourist center staffed with folks that can speak English fluently as well as other foreign languages. And there are plenty of signs in English too.
I’ll be working on my post on visiting Kyoto, Osaka, Kobe and other can’t miss spots in Kansai really soon. So stay tuned!
May 14, 2015 |
Flying 14 hours sitting in economy sucks. Especially when you’re tall. But I’ll let you in on a little known secret on how you can score yourself more leg room. No this isn’t a trick for getting a free upgrade to first or business class seat your flight.
But if you’ve got yourself an economy ticket and want more leg room – then read on my friend.
For the past 3 years I’ve been flying Korean Air exclusively from New York with some layovers in South Korea and then on to Bangkok and vice versa. So I’ve been racking up some air miles. Plus I have a Korean Air credit card for earning additional miles.
Oh sweet sweet leg room…
As of writing I’ve got 80,000 miles stashed and all saved up for an upgrade. My 6 foot tall frame is aching to be cradled by Korean Air’s prestige class seats. Or even upgraded to Korean Air’s famous Kosmo Suites? A man can only dare to dream.
But until now – I’ve been requesting seats located near the exit row. Usually the aisle side. As you can see from my pic above, there’s plenty of leg room. And the person sitting next to you won’t have to wake you up if they have to head to the toilet.
Tell Me More… How Do I Get A Seat Near the Emergency Exit Row?
You can’t reserve these seats. Even if you’ve purchased your ticket online. Travel agents can’t help you here either.
The only way to get these coveted poor man’s first class seats is to request it at the airline’s check in counter.
The catch is if in case of an emergency, you have to man up and help with evacuation. I kid you not. Every person sitting directly in front of the emergency exit doors are handed a safety brochure when seated. It’s basically an illustrated pamphlet with instructions on how to open the doors in the event of an emergency.
With spacious leg room comes great responsibility…
While at the check in counter the agent has to be sure you are physically up to the task. Before printing out your boarding pass with your exit row seat assignment.
Not everyone knows that you have to request these exit row seats. People just assume the ticket agent randomly stick passengers where they please. For those that do know that’s not the case. And have to make sure they get to the check in counter and ask as soon as possible.
Because, depending on the size of the airplane these seats are very limited and the rule is first come first serve. Which means lining up near the check in counters as early as possible.
Luckily because I have over 50,000 Korean Air miles I qualify for their Morning Calm membership which means there is a separate and much shorter line for checking in. And even then I try to get on that line an hour before the counter opens for check in process.
Korean Air 380-800 exit row seat chart…
There’s catch though. These poor mans’ first class seats are always adjacent to where airlines seat passengers with infants. If you’re bothered by crying babies you best bring ear plugs or noise canceling head phones. Plus it’s also where a galley and bathrooms are located. Which means there could be a lot of commotion near you.
And of course since it’s still the economy section the seats are not wide as first class and are uncomfortable on long haul flights. But having all that leg space to stretch out is still better than nothing.
As of writing, certain airlines are starting to wise up. Some are starting to charge extra for emergency exit row seats. Which is really greedy. I think if you’re willing to take those seats, and help out in case of an emergency, does this mean the airlines have to start paying exit row passengers??
But even if the extra charge is nominal it’s probably still worth it. Especially if you’re tall and need extra leg space. So if you want these seats, make sure you speak with your favorite airline and ask about their policy on scoring those sweet sweet cheap seats with leg room.
One Big Tip for Getting Upgraded on a Flight
Here’s a little bonus tip for getting a chance for an upgrade. No matter which airline your prefer you should really sign up for a frequent flier membership. I know so many people that fly a lot yet don’t sign up for mileage programs.
Way back when I was flying strictly with Thai Airways I was upgraded to their premium economy class right before boarding from a flight from BKK to JFK. It was a packed flight and the ground crew had a group of passengers that wanted to sit together in economy.
There was a seat available in premium economy so I was upgraded so that another economy passenger could take my seat. I was a Royal Orchid Plus member with some miles built up on my account so the ground crew gave me the upgrade. It wasn’t an upgrade to their famous first class seats but hey I was happy.
So, moral of the story is airlines give upgrades to loyal flyers. If you don’t have their loyalty member card they won’t upgrade you in such a situation.
Sure, it’ll take time to build up those miles. But really if you’re going to fly a lot on a certain airline fill out a loyalty program. The benefits in the long run are worth the few minutes.
