Chinese airlines still seem taboo – hundreds of passenger reviews range from the cheeky to the horrific. You will read everything: terrible food, missed connections, no English spoken, old planes, uncomfortable seats.

But the question is: have you ever flown with a Chinese airline? Probably not.

I did it.

In June 2024, I flew from Rome to Korea via Shanghai with China Eastern. And you know what? This transcontinental flight only cost me $290. Amazing? Yes. But as I write this, you can believe that the plane successfully got me to my destination for almost half the price of the same route on any other airline.

Any complaints? Not really, because with such a flight, I had no expectations. Not only were they overwhelmed, but I learned a thing or two about flying with Chinese airlines. The reason why most Westerners write extremely negative reviews about them is that to appreciate Chinese service, one must be familiar with Chinese customs.

Let me explain briefly. China is the fastest developing economy in the world, but I think its development expectations are very different from yours. Almost no one speaks English in the country, and the way they eat, behave and speak is very different from anywhere else in Asia or the world. If you accept this, you are ready for China and even its airlines. If, on the other hand, you continue to judge based on our Western perceptions, you will always have a bad experience with any type of Chinese service.

And after this introduction, let me get into the details of this airline review.

Xiamen Airlines seemed the best choice

I live in Malaysia and when I fly to China I usually choose AirAsia or Batik Air, a local low-cost airline – cheap, no frills, not that comfortable but doable if you get their cheapest fares which often take you to southern China. for the price of a pack of cigarettes and a flat white in Melbourne.

This time, however, I had to travel to China’s lesser-known northwest province of Ningxia for a Lonely Planet guide update. There was no direct flight, and the closest AirAsia flight was Xi’An – not a very cheap flight on a long-haul route with no free food, limited carry-on baggage, and the need to stay overnight and spend a minimum of $30 more for a long-haul flight. high speed train to my destination. On top of that, I wanted to fly directly from Penang, my home territory, and not spend extra time and money to reach Kuala Lumpur airport, which is 400 km away.

A quick search online showed me that the best option was Xiamen Airlines, which flies direct from Penang to Xiamen in southern China. Google told me that they are one of the oldest commercial airlines in China and have a good track record. For this destination, I would have a six-hour overnight layover and an early morning flight from Xiamen to Yinchuan. It’s not a cheap airline: you get food on board, 20kg of checked baggage plus a carry-on, and two flights for just $150, which is about what I would have spent on the one AirAsia flight without all fees. benefits included. The reservation was obvious.

But then the nightmare began

A week before departure, I received an email from Xiamen Airlines informing me that my flight to Yinchuan had been canceled and rescheduled nine hours later. This meant arriving in Xiamen at midnight and leaving at 5 p.m. the next day. They offered the option to cancel and reschedule for free or get a refund, but after trying to manipulate their website, where it’s not even possible to check in online, I started to wonder. worry.

Should I find a hotel and spend even more money, plus time? The idea of ​​camping out on my air mattress for an entire day in an unfamiliar airport began to cross my mind like an inevitable curse: but with a book submission deadline coming up in a very busy year, I don’t couldn’t cancel this trip. and the other train and hotel reservations I already have planned. In other words, I must have regretted choosing a Chinese airline and joining the number of their online enemies.

The day comes

On the day of my flight from Penang, I received another email from Xiamen Airlines informing me that my flight would be packed and that I needed to make sure my hand luggage was only 5kg to be sure there would be room on board. I was stressed when I arrived at Penang airport and waited in line, which was handled quickly and professionally despite the sheer number of people. I had read on Xiamen Airlines’ English website that passengers with long layovers should be entitled to a free hotel room. The lady at the counter in Penang wasn’t entirely sure and said that after they collected their luggage in Xiamen, I would have to ask at the airline office. office — at midnight? I waited in line to go through immigration with my reservations.

To my surprise, we started boarding the plane even before the scheduled time and were sitting inside a frankly old but clean plane half an hour before the scheduled departure. The seating arrangement that most had found dreary was decent, with a generous recline angle. There was no personal entertainment screen, however: a small screen descended from the overhead bin in front of each of the four rows of seats. Well…no big deal.

We left Penang right on cue and after less than an hour the flight attendants served us food. Coming back to my introduction, if you are not familiar with Chinese cuisine, you may consider Xiamen Airlines food to be bland or not good. I lived in China and I love every grain of rice that this country has given me, and this meal was excellent: fresh and tasty braised chicken and peppers with steamed rice, with such thick oil and so tasty that only connoisseurs of Chinese cuisine can recognize it as divine. . Additionally, they served soft banana bread, yogurt drink, nuts and candies. What more could you ask for?

A night at the airport?

The flight lasted about five hours and we landed (a little hard on the plane’s suspensions) 20 minutes before our scheduled time. The crew was polite and helpful with disembarkation procedures, and immigration went smoothly. Now it was time to see if I should lie down on the ground or find somewhere nearby to spend the night.

It turns out that Xiamen Airlines has a transfer office right in front of exit five in the arrivals hall of Xiamen Airport. The friendly ground handlers, all speaking mostly in Chinese and patiently trying to communicate with me and my limited abilities in their language, quickly pulled out a form with a hotel reservation – and not only that, they directed me to a bus who would take me. and several other passengers to our free room for the night. The Da Yi Hotel offered the equivalent of a three or four star hotel by Western standards – the beds were large and comfortable, but some of the room furniture and bathroom insulation, like most things Chinese, showed signs of wear – as well as the typical elements. carpets in most hotel common areas, which become dirty and moldy very quickly. Again, it was heaven compared to a night and a half day of camping on the airport floor.

The verdict: in Xiamen or not in Xiamen?

For me, absolutely yes. I was treated better with Xiamen Airlines than other airlines in the Middle East and West, and I will fly with them again if the opportunity arises. Of course, connections can take longer, but with such low prices, especially on long-haul routes, this airline is excellent if you accept Chinese standards. Believe all the good reviews you find online because, like my experience, they are all real.