While the aft cabin is considered more private, I tried the larger one. This is their flagship product with all new seats! 4 Nov 2019 by Tom Otley . I even ate more than half of my portion, which is quite a rare occurrence for me when I fly. The seats are the same model, only the newer generation, of the ones that you can find on the China Airlines 777. After the cheese, it was time for the highlight of the show, the succulent cheesecake with chocolate drizzle and a Haagen Dazs ice cream bar. Short of a suite, I find this reverse-herringbone configuration comfortable for both sleeping and lounging. The seat and the beautiful cabin: When it comes to China Airlines business class, A350 definitely provides the most visually experience. It is constructed of carbon-fibre reinforced plastic which, due to its lower weight, offers 25% fuel saving over similar jetliners constructed of aluminum and steel. It also contained hair oil — the first time I have ever received that in an airline amenity kit. If you assign a “true” window seat (A and L seats in even-numbered rows) you’ll also enjoy a fair degree of privacy. They should either provide the product customers expect and charge for it or make it free. Delta Air Lines' A350-900s have the same 306 seat count as Starlux and that's with business class, premium economy and economy. Even though that’s a lot of lounges, the rules say you can only use one for your flight. China Airlines even had sake, reminding me of the great culinary adventure I had a few months prior in Japan Airlines business class. Some flights use brand new A350-900 aircraft with this impressive 1-2-1 layout: Last year reader Joel reviewed the Air China Boeing 777 business class service from Heathrow to Beijing for us – see here. They didn’t appear stressed and did their job with a grace that’s typically found on the world’s best airlines. I could easily store shoes underneath the footwell. A350-900 medium haul aircraft consists of 40 Business class and 263 Economy class seats. After an annoying booking process, I wasn’t so hopeful for the flight itself, but the carrier impressed in almost all categories. This aircraft features 32 flatbed seats in a reverse herringbone 1-2-1 configuration. On longer flights Air China provides an amenity kit. There weren’t any personal air vents, but for the first time ever on an Asian carrier, I actually found the cabin to be quite cold. Please view our advertising policy page for more information. The A350 is such a quiet plane and the seat is fantastic. It is a new version of the B/E Aerospace Super Diamond seat that is in turn modeled after Cathay Pacific’s super successful Zodiac seat. We use ads to keep our content free. As a Star Alliance member, many award redemptions are available from alliance … Right now, Air China is already deploying the A350 on routes to Chengdu, Guangzhou and between Shanghai and Beijing. This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. There was an extensive menu for tea and coffee (by Nespresso), and the alcohol selection was commendable. New China Airlines cabins delicately integrate oriental aesthetics and traditional cultural elements in a modern design, creating a space that is unique, yet rich with refinement. Air China has their A350-900s configured in a three class layout with 312 seats. Yes it can be challenging especially after a long flight but this is not the fault of the airlines. After the main meal was cleared, I had a brie and Swiss cheese plate with grapes and apple slices. The entree was served 70 minutes after takeoff. Business-class passengers were invited to use the open-air SkyTeam lounge in Vancouver, which also welcomed Priority Pass members. All the extra verification slowed down the overall check-in time, but my boarding passes were still issued in about 10 minutes. However, there were always lines to use the bathrooms, as premium economy passengers made their way forward to use the business-class bathrooms. The reverse herringbone seats are in a 1-2-1 configuration, with window seats facing away from the aisle. That's $750 toward travel when you redeem through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. I asked to shower and was let into a partially cleaned shower room. It was definitely more modern and had clean showers, but was otherwise disappointing. Photo: Cathay Pacific Flights within and from China . Once the lounge got crowded, I made my way to the gate area. ︎ Support ME and become a PATRON for exclusive perks! The lounge wasn’t big, and because hundreds of people had access, it definitely got crowded. China Airlines A350 Business Class Amenity Kit The amenity contained essential toiletry items as well as hand creme and lip balm from Institut Karite in Paris. Aside from the wine and liquor, the only other redeeming feature was the beautiful poster collection of all the SkyTeam airlines. Editorial Disclaimer: Opinions expressed here are the author’s alone, not those of any bank, credit card issuer, airlines or hotel chain, and have not been reviewed, approved or otherwise endorsed by any of these entities. The flight attendants hustled to provide efficient service, which is a challenge with a single cabin of eight rows. My First Impressions of Lufthansa A350 Business Class. Business-class passengers were entitled to three hours of free Wi-Fi, but you needed to sign up for a voucher code before you boarded your flight. Air China Business Class aboard the Airbus A350 provides a modern interior, more spacious seats, and enhanced comfort compared to their older Boeing 777 planes. I had two options to verify the card: either present the card I used for payment at airport check-in or fill out a form with the credit card information and provide copies of the credit card and the cardholder’s passport. Air France used the same seats in business class on the A350-900 as United used for its Polaris product. I found the business class cabin to be elegant. Huge lines thronged all over that old part of the terminal, and the boarding announcement was so loud it overpowered my headphones. Business class aboard China Airlines' Airbus A350s comes in a 1-2-1 layout with 32 seats spread across eight rows, giving every passenger direct and uninterrupted aisle access. The Wi-Fi pass even worked on my connecting flight. ︎ Support ME and become a PATRON for exclusive perks! After experiencing Singapore Airlines’ new Airbus A380 Suites and business class, I next wanted to test out the carrier’s new Airbus A350-900. The congee was good, and I particularly liked the five small bites that accompanied it. For details, please check our flight timetable or consult our staff. The A350-900, the variant ordered by Air China, has a total range of 15,000km. You'll also receive a pair of slippers, a pillow as well as a blanket. The China Airlines A350 seatmap — Business Class cabin. China Airlines has already won awards for its A350 business class product – and rightly so. Background Air France received the first of its A350 aircraft in September of this year. A RED VENTURES COMPANY. However, they do have partnerships with a number of airlines and one of the best ways to book this business class product is by using Alaska Airlines miles. Many Chinese airlines are operating the A350, on domestic services as well as short and long haul international. I found the food to be very appetizing. FINNAIR A350 As of now, the A350 aircraft are currently in use on our routes between Helsinki and Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore and Tokyo. After two hours I rang the call button and asked what happened to the lunch service and the flight attendants mentioned it starts 2.5 hours after departure, which coincides with natural body lunchtime. This aircraft seats 312 passengers in a three class configuration with 32 Business Class seats, … I stuck to Champagne, but there was a good assortment of beers, spirits and wines. StarLux readies new Airbus A350 first class, business class. View Seat Map Photographer Allen Zhao. This article is part of a number of reviews for Business Class mistake fares originally found by Mighty Travels Premium. So, for an upcoming trip to Europe I decided to book with Singapore Airlines specifically to try the Airbus A350 to Dusseldorf. The flight attendants tried their hardest, but some struggled with English, making it hard to explain my dietary restrictions. The ‘hard product’ is aging well and I still love it. There was plenty of entertainment, including functional high speed Wi-Fi and a large HD entertainment screen. Either $5 or 5% of the amount of each transfer, whichever is greater. Great service, great food, and a great seat made for a great flight. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Having never flown with them earlier, I decided to fly with them on the A350 to BOS. (Photo by Zach Honig/The Points Guy) There were preset modes, as well as controls for finer tuning. I found this to be very interesting! Once we were airborne, flight attendants came through collecting meal orders and offering another round of drinks. In my case, I was already in Seattle, so decided to limit my searches to flights from the West Coast. Business Class. Air China was the first airline in China to take delivery of the A350-900 back in August last year, the same day as Sichuan Airlines. The cabin was gorgeous, and the seat was comfortable. China Airlines Business Class A350 catering. Speaking of footwell, I found the space for my feet plenty big, a feature I like about the Super Diamond reverse-herringbone seats. Champagne wasn’t served on the ground, so I had water and orange juice, which was presented along with a rice-cracker snack mix. Our takeoff was at 10 AM local time and the flight attendants handed out a menu with lunch options just before takeoff. Perhaps the greatest amenity of all was the abundant and tasty food and beverages. China Airlines has 32 business class seats on the A350-900, and the cabin is gorgeous. The lounge was open 24/7, overlooked the terminal and was empty when I got there. Air China’s A350s will feature a total of 312 seats, including 32 reverse herringbone seats in business class, which is a massive product upgrade for the airline. It wasn’t the most premium meal, and the presentation wasn’t incredible, but the food tasted excellent. The biggest offense? I was already awake at this point, but had I been sleeping, I would’ve been annoyed to be woken up so early for just one tray of food. Flight attendants were responsive throughout the red-eye flight, answering the call button within 90 seconds. One has 46 business class seats and another one has 32 business class seats. bars of soap left by previous guests …. The eye mask was of terrible quality, and no socks were provided. As one of the largest airlines of Taiwan, China Airlines unsurprisingly has flights to five North American cities including Honolulu (HNL), LAX, New York-JFK, San Francisco (SFO) and Vancouver, Canada (YVR) to its hub in Taipei (TPE). China Airlines is a member of SkyTeam, so you can redeem your Delta SkyMiles or Air France-KLM Flying Blue points for award tickets on China Airlines. On Air China's narrow-body fleet, business class seats are recliners arranged in an 2-2 configuration. Being a Skytrax 5 star rated airline, Hainan is considered the best Chinese Airline in mainland China. To combat fraud, tickets purchased with international credit cards on the China Airlines website require additional verification. By the time the meal was finished, it was about two hours into the flight. Since there wasn’t any availability for the dates I needed to fly, I set some ExpertFlyer alerts, but ultimately no award seats became available. Fiji Airways’ new A350 business class represents a huge improvement over their old product, and I can’t wait to fly it. Lesson learned: Don’t book China Airlines flights directly through its website. I had no trouble redeeming my voucher, and once it elapsed, I purchased a 24-hour uncapped session for $21.95. There were two lavatories dedicated to the business-class cabin, yielding a seat to bathroom ratio of 16-to-1. China Airlines is a member of SkyTeam, so you can redeem your Delta SkyMiles or Air France-KLM Flying B… The classic Chinese breakfast plate was tasty. Seats are staggered in a 1-2-1 configuration and are quite comfortable. Taiwan's luxury startup plans to buck the travel trends by adding first class to its factory-fresh Airbus A350 fleet. Business Class While Air China offers an uncompetitive 2-2-2 business-class product on its 747-8s and 777-300ERs, it opted to go with a 1-2-1 arrangement on the A350-900, the shorter of the two versions of the plane (the A350-1000 seats roughly 50 more.) They went up and down the aisles every 15 minutes checking on passengers, as well. The airfare in total was a little under $600 round trip for 12 comfortable hours in lie-flat Business Class, which is a solid deal. Five minutes later, at 10:30 p.m., I was airside with tons of time to kill before my 2 a.m. departure. The news broke on aviation website Airliner Watch and came with some photos and details. Click here to Finnair's website on seat map. FINNAIR A350 As of now, the A350 aircraft are currently in use on our routes between Helsinki and Bangkok, Beijing, Hong Kong, London, Shanghai, Seoul, Singapore and Tokyo. I’ve got quite a few dietary restrictions, and none of the three meat- and seafood-heavy choices worked perfectly for me. China Airlines A350 business class cabin Please Support us by turning off your adblocker. About 10 minutes later, another flight attendant came through with the appetizer of prawn and smoked salmon, marinated vegetable salad and bread (baguette, multigrain roll or onion ciabatta). A special A350 sticker was also inside. While waiting for the meal service I decided to try out the WiFi. The whole cabin was peaceful and provides much-needed privacy. https://thepointsguy.com/reviews/china-airlines-a350-business-class China Airlines A350 Business Class Review The China Airlines A350 is a huge improvement over the comparatively elderly aircraft it will be replacing. The braised eggplant and dry radish omelet were spiced perfectly, and the tossed spinach and salty egg had great flavor. I was lucky I wasn’t flying economy, because the regular check-in lines were crowded and barely moving. - THANKS HEAPS! The screen could also be controlled using the 4.5-inch remote, which doubled as a second screen. The food and beverages were delectable, and the service was polished and refined. I was also positively surprised by the good catering and wines on offer. Last week China Southern Airlines revealed their new Airbus A350 Business class cabin. Spirits were also self-serve and featured brands like Jack Daniel’s and Ketel One. The provided unbranded headphones were of poor quality, so I’d definitely recommend bringing your own. Taiwan Taoyuan International Airport features a total of four different Business Class lounges for departing China Airlines premium passengers. British Airways has chosen not to install a First Class cabin on its A350 fleet. I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. Air China: Air China Business Class - See 5,958 traveler reviews, 2,404 candid photos, and great deals for Air China, at Tripadvisor. There was a small noodle bar and hot items like pesto pasta, chicken-breast strips and mixed vegetables. Then there will be 256 economy seats, in a 3-3-3 configuration. When I arrived at the gate, boarding hadn’t started yet. It wasn’t that much better than the SkyTeam lounge in Vancouver. That’s how many miles are required for a one-way business class ticket between the United States and Europe and no fuel surcharges are collected. The lounges should stock up on premium food items and boarding could be much improved. The Points Guy will not sell your email. Try Mighty Travels Premium for free for 30 days and learn how you can travel in Business Class and stay in 5 Star Hotels for very little. The Wi-Fi worked well on both flights, allowing me to stay in touch with family, friends and colleagues back home. After a week of back and forth, I finally received confirmation that the verification was complete. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. China Airlines' Airbus A350-900 is the newest and most technologically advanced Airbus jetliner. You can also read about lie-flat Business Class fares Africa to Canada $400 – Gulf Air Business Class Review Khartoum (KRT) to Bahrain (BAH) A320. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. One has 46 business class seats and another one has 32 business class seats. Their timing of lunch was perfect, though it was something I did not expect. There wasn’t live TV or a tailcam, but there were 169 movies and 36 TV shows, including full seasons of many western TV shows like “The Marvelous Mrs. Maisel,” “The Handmaid’s Tale” and “Veep.”. That sounded perfect and I paid happily. The brand new China Airlines Business Class uses Song Dynasty aesthetics with the latest technologies to create a fusion of traditional elements and modernized looks and amenities. (Want to earn more Avios? The seat itself had ample enclosed storage: two compartments flush with the window and one on the raisable armrest adjacent to the aisle. Image courtesy of SeatGuru. China Southern A350-900. I had a terrific trip overall, and I wouldn’t hesitate to fly with China Airlines again. Let's take a look at Air China's brand new A350 business class! I had started in Los Angeles the previous morning, with a 6hr layover in San Francisco followed by 10hr flight flight to Amsterdam with only a two hour nap, followed by a 5hr layover in Amsterdam. I also think the airline should reign in their inflight WiFi provider. Sign up to our daily aviation news digest. This aircraft features 32 flatbed seats in a reverse herringbone 1-2-1 configuration. The charge was $16.95 for three hours. - THANKS HEAPS! Air China's A350-900 is the first aircraft in Air China's fleet with a 1-2-1 Business Class configuration as well as a true Premium-Economy product. The only difference is the occupancy and whether you like modern interior design, which only a few of the lounges have. 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