Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock, Follow these easy steps to disable AdBlock Plus, Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock Origin, Follow these easy steps to disable uBlock, goodbye to the final of its Queens in October, Delta’s CEO Believes Vaccines Are The Key To Restoring Travel, How South American Airlines Are Responding To New COVID Variants, United States DOT Outlines Service Requirements For Funding, Volotea Operates Europe’s Last Scheduled Boeing 717 Flights, Airport Infrastructure – Everything You Need To Know. Air China's first Boeing 747-8i takes to the skies this week, with an all-new interior created for the Chinese flag carrier by JPA Design. The kit itself was a pretty cheap and lightweight material, though it certainly included all the basics: hand cream, lip balm, toothbrush, eye mask, etc. Based in Amsterdam, Netherlands. Currently the bureau is a one persons dream. Once I cleared security, there were plenty of signs to the Air China first-class lounge, though the construction on the ground level partially obscured some of them. Captain Ho had approximately 15,500 flight hours, including 3,748 … This site does not include all credit card companies or all available credit card offers. You’ll catch it flying domestic routes to Shanghai Hongqiao (SHA) and Guangzhou (CAN) as well as long haul routes like New York, Frankfurt (FRA) and San Francisco (SFO). But it also has some of the newest 747s on the market, so you may be able to hitch a ride on one from San Francisco (SFO) or New York City-JFK (JFK) to Beijing (PEK) for some time. The cabin layout of Air China’s Boeing 747-8 is different from what you find in the same aircraft from Lufthansa. Air China is now the proud owner of a Boeing 747-8 – the first airline in Asia to operate the passenger version of the new-generation jumbo. This … Our five year old 747-8 is the second youngest of the six in Air China’s fleet. I went into this flight expecting, for the third time this year, to be wowed by the hard product and sorely disappointed by the soft product. Get 25% more value when you redeem for travel through Chase Ultimate Rewards®. I didn’t want to get flagged as a troublemaker or blow my cover, so I put my phone away. So for zero dollars and maybe 30 minutes of my time, I was able to help save a life and give Leo a bright future and a veteran in need a trusty companion. Lines were mercifully short, but I didn’t see any expedited security line for premium-cabin passengers like they have at Shanghai Pudong (PVG). The Boeing 747SP-09was 350 miles (560 km) northwest of San Francisco, cruising at an altitude of 41,000 ft (12,500 m). For example, 60,000 points are worth $750 toward travel. Air China’s Boeing 747-400 is a 3-class aircraft that seats a total of 344 passengers. Air India still officially has four 747-400s in its fleet. These headphones were fine from a sound-quality perspective, though the ear pieces were too small to fit over my ears completely, and I’m pretty small to begin with. I understand why Air China would want to drive incremental revenue from its lounges by opening them up to Priority Pass members, but this makes the experience feel much less exclusive. September 29, 2014 in Commercial. KLM, initially intending to let the plane go at the beginning of 2021, also said goodbye to the final of its Queens in October. While the seat was a bit short on storage for small items, I liked being able to store my backpack under the ottoman during takeoff and landing instead of having to put it in an overhead bin. Normally I’d use my own Bose QC35s during a long flight like this, but the headphone jack was in such a small crevice in the pocket next to the seat that I couldn’t get my cord+3 prong adapter in without ripping it. Air China calls their first class product Forbidden Pavilion in … We ended up paying 81,000 LifeMiles and $54 for the 13-hour flight, a price that’s much closer to the 75,000 miles you’d normally pay in business class. One of them is something so rare these days as a 747-300. Air China 747-8 business class seat map upper deck. Learn More . The orange pillows and headrests on each seat added a nice pop of color, as well. After lunch, I had the flight attendant make my bed up. At the moment, they are operating on domestic routes, mostly out of Beijing. I was in seat 2L, the right-side window seat in the middle row of the cabin. Only supported aircraft types that are active with this airline are included in the calculations. This is where I’m a little conflicted about Air China. Marketplace Masterstroke: Cathay Pacific Adds 10 747-8 Freighters to Fleet. The most I’ve ever had before was four, and as someone who places a lot of value on the free entertainment that a window provides, this made me very happy. The Air China 747-8i has 233 economy seats, each of which are 18 inches wide and 31-33 inches in pitch. Air China Fleet of B747 (History) - Aviation website for aircraft and airline information (flight, photo, travel, fleet listing, production list of Airbus Boeing Douglas Embraer Dash, ATR, Sukhoi, Saab...), plane photos, flightlog database, aviation news, civil aviation forum, aviation store. - Photo taken at In Flight in China on October 11, 2020. My first two attempts — flying business class with China Eastern on both a 777-300ER and brand-new 787 — left me sorely disappointed. Shortly after I settled in, a flight attendant came by and insisted on unwrapping my slippers for me and then actually placing them on my feet. I can’t say enough good things about this dish: The shrimp was spicy without being overpowering, and I loved the green peas and lotus root (my favorite vegetable). Air China 747-8 business class seat map lower deck. Throughout the meal, the flight attendants were proactive about refilling my Champagne, though rather than bring the bottle to my seat, they just disappeared into the galley and returned with a new glass. Would you travel with an airline specifically to get the chance to fly on the Queen of the Skies again? This aircraft features 10 First Class flat bed seats, 42 Business Class angled flat seats, and 292 standard Economy Class seats. Aviation Photo #6240119 Boeing 747-89L - Air China [ Medium Large] Tweet. Once one of the most popular choices for regional and domestic flights in East Asia, the Boeing 747 has become rare. Editorial Note: 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. We may receive compensation when you click on links to those products. 1 The average fleet age is based on our own calculations and may differ from other figures. It also has ten passenger 747-8s. Next I was served an appetizer of prawns with orange slices and a small side salad. Many of the credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. Speaking of windows, I ended up with between four and a half and five windows, depending on where you decided to draw the lines between rows. CARD HIGHLIGHTS: 2X points on all travel and dining, points transferrable to over a dozen travel partners. ), I would like to subscribe to The Points Guy newsletters and special email promotions. As I was attempting to snap some photos of the food, an agent came up and told me that photography was forbidden. While seven of them are listed as parked, the remaining two are operating flights to leisure or other destinations. The flight attendant also placed a flower on my table. Instead, the nose and upper deck are home to business class. With just a few tweaks here and there, Air China is not that far off from offering a highly competitive first-class experience. Terms apply to the offers listed on this page. Food and beverage was where I had the lowest expectations for this flight and (I still can’t believe I’m writing this), also one of the areas where Air China excelled. This photo is copyright protected and may not be used in any way without proper permission. We had to go to a special check-in counter, but there was no line, and since the people from the rescue organization were Chinese, they were able to answer any questions from the check-in agent with no issues. Air China’s 747-8s have a peculiar layout. The 747-8 is also scheduled on flights from Shanghai to Guangzhou twice daily. I also have to applaud the crew on this flight for hustling to truly execute a dine-on-demand experience, as it seemed like all six passengers in the cabin were on different eating and sleeping schedules. Even better, we were able to take advantage of a 10% off sale that Avianca LifeMiles was running on select routes to bring the cost down even further. 2X points on dining at restaurants including eligible delivery services, takeout and dining out and travel & 1 point per dollar spent on all other purchases. So where in the world could you still fly on one of the most recognizable and beloved planes through history, should you so desire? Before my flight, I was able to preorder my meal online. While the carrier has not disclosed any plans for its jumbos, it is difficult to say how many will return to active service. ALL RIGHTS RESERVED. Our flight was delayed by an hour and a half, so at 1:30 p.m., our original scheduled departure time, I made my way to the gate just in time to see our beautiful 747-8 taxiing in. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). Air China CA1313 PEK-SZX, on board former Chinese Air Force One B-2472, it was re-configured to F10C42Y292 in August 2020. Air China has a dedicated first- and business-class check-in area at the far end of Terminal 3 at Beijing Capital Airport (PEK), not to be confused with the new airport, Beijing Daxing (PKX). It is not the bank advertiser’s responsibility to ensure all posts and/or questions are answered. Meanwhile, Korean’s twelve 747 freighters are all still flying. While many airlines have seen the Boeing 747 bow out of service sooner than expected, some carriers still operate the iconic plane on regular routes. I was the only non-Chinese passengers in the cabin, but I think Air China could offer one more Western dish like a pasta on this route to New York. Please refer to the current fleet list to see each aircraft's individual age. Sign up to our daily aviation news digest. Even better, we were able to take advantage of a 10% off sale that Avianca LifeMiles was running on select routes to bring the cost down even further. 2 Future records only include new-built aircraft close to delivery and expected second-hand deliveries. One thing Air China undeniably has in its favor is how generous it is with premium cabin award space, especially on flights to the U.S. Immediately after that, my table was set and I was offered a trio of canapés: beef pastrami, marinated scallop with salmon roe and lobster with cranberry. Every time I rolled over it kept getting tangled up, to the point that I mostly used it as a blanket and slept directly on the seat. To start, there was a salad with foie gras (which I picked off), and what the menu described as vinaigrette dressing (though the small plastic container I was given tasted more like Thousand Island). Asiana has a whole host of 747s. Lufthansa leads the way with new 747-8 Intercontinental. Normally, I would’ve made a beeline here as soon as arriving at the airport, but I was traveling with a special guest who needed extra help checking in. Next was an asparagus cream soup, a perfect pairing with the garlic bread and not nearly as heavy as it sounds. © 2021 THE POINTS GUY, LLC. Air China is one of the 3 only operators of the latest 747-8. Talk about top-notch service! Seat Map and Seating Chart Boeing 747-8i Air China. The 747-8 daily to Chengdu, Chongqing, and Guangzhou, and the 747-400 daily to Guangzhou and Shenzhen. For an explanation of our Advertising Policy, visit this page. In this case I had the honor of transporting Leo, a drop-dead gorgeous, 2-year-old lab who was being rescued by the Forever In My Heart Foundation in New York to train as a service dog for a disabled veteran. I would’ve liked fruit and yogurt for what felt like a breakfast meal according to my body clock, but I couldn’t complain about this. EI-XLF is flying between St Petersburg and Antalya in Turkey, and EI-XLH flew from Sharjah International Airport in the UAE to Moscow on November 9th. Air China’s 747-8 aircraft feature 12 first class seats, 54 business class seats, 66 premium economy seats, and 233 economy seats, for a total of 365 seats. Air China still operates a fleet of three 24-year old Boeing 747-400s and a full seven of the newer 747-8s. I can’t remember ever having to wait before to check in to a first-class lounge, and it appeared that some people were even being turned away (though as a ticketed first-class passenger I had no problem getting in). My first impression of Air China’s first-class product was that the cabin itself felt nice and spacious. After that, they took Leo to the oversized baggage area while I made my way through security. The broth was hearty and flavorful, and the meat was much leaner and better cooked than I was expecting. I was even offered a refill before we pushed back, which I find to be a rare occurrence even on five-star airlines like Emirates or Singapore. Korean normally operates two 747-400 passenger jets; however, they are both currently parked. This compensation may impact how and where products appear on this site (including, for example, the order in which they appear). While most 747 fans look forward to grabbing a seat on the upper deck or in the nose of the plane, this is the only aircraft I know of where the first-class cabin isn’t actually the first one on the plane. There was a gap of about 6 inches between the seats and the window. On the one hand, service was great. See, Inside Beijing’s new Daxing Airport, the world’s largest single terminal, Asia the best continent for short-haul flying, Reminder: You don’t have to be on the ‘No Fly List’ to receive an airline ban, Marriott reinstates elite benefit guarantees effective immediately, Check your American Airlines accounts: 2021 rollover elite miles, dollars and segments now posting, Blue Cash Preferred® Card from American Express, Earn 60,000 bonus points after you spend $4,000 on purchases in the first 3 months from account opening. The lounge had a few small drink and snack stations spread around, as well as one main dining area. The meats were fresh and delicious, but the bread they were served on had a grainy taste that competed with, rather than complemented, the flavor. Both the bed itself and the bedding were comfortable, but I wished the mattress pad had been wider. This certainly doesn’t affect how much I enjoyed the flight, but it’s a ubiquitous element of the first- and, in some cases, business-class experience, and it’s a small detail Air China could tweak to better match their competition. I of course made sure to check out the beautiful staircase to the upper deck (right behind the first-class cabin), but unlike on the monstrous A380s, there weren’t any special amenities like a bar or lounge on this plane. Note that Air China is slowly introducing their new First and Business Class seats on the Boeing 747-400s and this seat map shows the current older generation seats. Only, all but one are freighters. Air China is one of just three carriers (along with Korean Air and Lufthansa) to order the next-generation 747. *Bonus value is an estimated value calculated by TPG and not the card issuer. I also found a L’Occitane amenity kit waiting at my seat. Suffice it to say there were a number of different hot foods, including rice, noodle and meat dishes. Most airlines had planned to retire the long-serving Queen of the Skies sometime soon, even before the turbulent year of 2020. The bones of these seats were similar to other fully enclosed first-class products (like the seats Asiana has on its A380s)…. The regular feature of the Queen of the Skies will be missed by crew and travelers alike. But since moving to Shanghai about a year and a half ago, I’ve been curious about testing this widely held assumption myself. The 747-8 daily to Chengdu, Chongqing, and Guangzhou, and the 747-400 daily to … Inflight entertainment has been a pain point for my previous travel with Chinese airlines, so I was delighted to see that Air China had a crisp, 26-inch touchscreen TV at every seat. Cash prices on this route tend to sit just above $10,000, giving us a phenomenal redemption value of 12.6 cents per mile. There was plenty of different kinds of seating along the windows and in the interior of the lounge. Air China’s cabin layout on the 747-8 is unusual. To the left of the seat was a small storage compartment, big enough for your wallet and phone but not much else. One thing Air China undeniably has in its favor is how generous it is with premium cabin award space, especially on flights to the U.S. Wide-open first-class award space and an unexpectedly delicious meal. Right in front of door two are the 12 first class seats, spread across three rows in a 1-2-1 configuration. With business class separated from us by just a thin curtain, the flight attendants frequently darted between the galley and the business-class cabin, which got disruptive at night. For my main, I had the beef noodle soup with vegetables. The credit card offers that appear on the website are from credit card companies from which ThePointsGuy.com receives compensation. This process wasn’t easy, and it took a few back-and-forth emails for Air China to access my Avianca-issued ticket. Boeing 747-89L. The Air China Boeing 747-400 features 344 seats in a 3 cabin configuration. With eight years’ experience in publishing and citations in publications such as CNN, Linnea brings a deep understanding of politics and future aviation tech to her stories. This leads to crowded lounges (before you add in all the Priority Pass members) and a ground experience that’s simultaneously excessive for those short hops and not quite enough for long-haul passengers. SeatGuru Seat Map Air China - SeatGuru Air China At this point, I was also offered a personal breadbasket including a sesame roll, a pretzel roll, two pieces of garlic bread and a bagel (an odd choice to accompany my Chinese lunch). Air China serves Bollinger La Grande Annee Brut 2007, which retails for about $130 a bottle. At the end of the day, some of the same factors that make Asia the best continent for short-haul flying work against it for long-haul passengers. Air China Air China still operates a fleet of three 24-year old Boeing 747-400s and a full seven of the newer 747-8s. I’ll begrudgingly admit that I understand this decision, as Air China’s first-class seats wouldn’t fit well in the curved space of the nose. China Airlines’ Boeing 747-400s were a common sight in East Asia, frequenting Japan and China. The airline had only brought back the two quad-jets, officially taken out of service in March, to assist in cargo efforts. The rescue organization handled all of the logistics for Leo and covered the cost of checking him in the cargo hold with Air China. In my experience, Asian airlines don’t differentiate between their short-haul international premium-cabin passengers (like those flying two hours from Beijing to Seoul) and long-haul passengers, like our flight going to New York. 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