1. 17 Could MU 566 – dep Singapore 2310, arr Shanghai 0440
2. 18 Could MU 2335 – dep Shanghai 0645, arr Xi’An 0930
Baggage Checked by way of to Xi’An
Our luggage could be checked by way of. We have been trying ahead to arriving in Xi’An on 18th Could morning, and nonetheless have enough time to spend the afternoon and night doing a little touring. We had deliberate for this vacation for some time now, so it was very thrilling and it might be a visit of many firsts.
MU 566 Re-timed to 0800hrs the Subsequent Morning
We arrived at Changi Airport Terminal 3 earlier than 9PM on 17 Could (Friday). We headed straight to the SKY Precedence queue, however was solely to be greeted with this sight. (see video). There was an extended line for the conventional check-in, and it wasn’t shifting, which was unusual. It did not take us lengthy to understand that the flight was re-timed to 0800hrs subsequent morning. After chatting with one of many check-in workers (who additionally did not actually know what was occurring), I left my cell quantity and we determined to go residence, although we have been informed that the Airline would prepare for passengers to remain over in a lodge that night time. We determined in opposition to that since we’d be extra comfy sleeping at residence.
2 Flights have been Re-timed
Be aware that each China Jap flights to Shanghai MU 566 and MU 544 had been re-timed. Apparently, there was some climate over Guangzhou/Hong Kong space, and the Shanghai aviation authorities had determined that our flights could be re-timed. Oh properly…..
Subsequent morning – Verify In at Terminal 3
We acquired to the airport in good time subsequent morning. As we’d have missed our connecting flight (MU 2335), the China Jap floor workers re-booked us on MU 2162 departing 1730hrs. We have been fairly glad that we managed to get seats on a later flight! With the revised MU 566 timing, we’d solely get to Shanghai round 1330hrs. So a 1730hrs onward flight would nonetheless be okay.
Additionally, we might declare the taxi fare (from Airport to residence and again to Airport) on the counter (so bear in mind to maintain your receipts), and we acquired that in money.
SATS Premier Lounge Terminal 3
With our luggage checked by way of, and boarding passes in our hand (for each MU 566 and MU 2162), we acquired by way of immigration and headed to the SATS Premier Lounge at Terminal 3. China Jap Airways makes use of this contract lounge. It was tremendous busy that morning, and it acquired a bit unpleasant as a result of the workers could not clear the used plates rapidly sufficient. Anyway, we managed to discover a seat, and I acquired some breakfast. The meals wasn’t too unhealthy – acquired some laksa, noodles, porridge and even otah-otah. I did not eat an excessive amount of as I anticipated extra meals on the aircraft.
Departure from Changi Airport Terminal 3
We acquired to our departure gate at Changi Airport in good time. However once we acquired there, I seen that the cabin crew was nonetheless seated close to the gate! Not a superb signal.
Lacking Airplane?
The place was the aircraft? It was simply being towed in! So what occurred was that the plan was possible parked at some distant stand in a single day, and now it was being towed to the gate in preparation for departure. The video beneath reveals you the aircraft being towed in, and a few footage of takeoff.
Journey Insurance coverage Documentation
Oh sure, earlier than I neglect, we had purchased journey insurance coverage for our journeys and on this case, I consider we might declare some cash as a result of journey delay. Nevertheless, as with all insurance coverage claims, you want the right documentation. For journey delays, you undoubtedly want a letter from the Airline to show that the aircraft was delayed. We have been informed by the check-in workers to get these letters on the boarding gate. We acquired 2 copies. They seemed like this. You want one letter for each passenger, so we acquired two of such letters.
Retimed MU 566 – Singapore to Shanghai, departing 0800hrs 18 Could
A short time later, we boarded the plane. Lastly, we have been on our means! This was our first ever flight on China Jap. This Boeing 787-900 Dreamliner was nearly model new [Serial Number B-209N]. The enterprise cabin was beautiful, it was in a 1-2-1 staggered formation. My spouse sat in entrance of Seat 7L, whereas I used to be in seat 8L (image beneath). Take notice that the window seats have been alternate, meaning among the window seats (like 8L) have been really window seats, however others have been barely away from the window (like 7L and 9L). Purpose was that they wanted enough area to permit the seat to be deployed right into a flat mattress. Should you watch the video beneath from the 1 minute mark, you possibly can see the staggered formation – 6L, 7L, 8L. The Enterprise class begins with row 6. In entrance of row 6 is named Row 1, and that was the Top quality seating. I did not see anyone seated in ‘Top quality’ although.
Seat 8L
Flight Overview Video – Singapore to Shanghai on China Jap Boeing 787 Dreamliner
Right here is my flight evaluation video for the Singapore to Shanghai leg. We loved the service.
Easy Flight on New Plane
The flight was very clean, the expertise was fantastic. We have been served a pre-departure drink (champagne included) in addition to a sizzling towel. Earlier than take off, the stewardess got here round to take our meal orders. There wasn’t a menu although positioned on the seat, although the stewardess carried one along with her. I selected the various Dim Sum. She additionally requested whether or not we needed my meal to be served instantly upon take-off, or simply earlier than touchdown. I mentioned to be served straight after take-off. She additionally requested for permission to wake me up for the meal service if I fell asleep! Attention-grabbing.
Complete Breakfast on Single Tray
The meal was served on a single tray – environment friendly. This was what my Assorted Dim sum meal seemed like. The bowl was candy potato porridge, which was fairly flavourful (i.e. not plain). I ate all of it. In a while, the stewardess additionally got here round with heat bread/croissant. Meal service was fast and environment friendly, which I did not thoughts.
After my meal, I transformed my seat right into a mattress (push button, very straightforward) and I took a nap for about an hour or so. Properly, since I had a seat with a flat mattress, would possibly as properly! Touchdown into Shanghai was clean and general, it was an excellent flight, the delay however.
Half 2 of Journey – Flight Cancellation!
At Shanghai Pudong, the plane was parked at an aero-bridge and we acquired off the aircraft in a short time. This was the primary time that we have been flying by way of Shanghai (worldwide to home) and we did not actually know the place to go. So we requested round and realised that we needed to clear Immigration. That was fairly easy and simple – the strains weren’t lengthy. After clearing Immigration, we have been informed to undergo the luggage assortment space, clear Customs, enter the Arrival Corridor after which proceed upstairs to the principle public departure corridor and enter the restricted space for Home flights once more. We did not want to gather our baggage as that they had been checked by way of.
Shock!
It was fairly straightforward to navigate after which we acquired a shock. As my spouse tried to clear safety to enter the restricted space for Home flights, the safety officer who checked her boarding move knowledgeable her that our flight MU 2162 dep 1730 for Xi’An had been cancelled! What??? We have been simply booked on that flight that very morning, at round 6AM whereas nonetheless at Singapore Changi!! It was now previous 1PM, and the flight was cancelled. We have been informed to go to the China Jap reservation counters to get ourselves rebooked!
Goodness, this was getting loopy. We have been initially speculated to arrive in Xi’An earlier than 10AM on 18 Could. However now, we weren’t even positive that we’d be capable to make it to Xi’An on that day! Fortunately, my spouse spoke very fluent mandarin. We needed to go communicate at a number of completely different China Jap counters (as a result of they mentioned completely different departments took cost of various issues!). In abstract, we needed to
1. See whether or not we will get rebooked on one other flight to Xi’An on that very same day, in any other case the Airline has to place us up in a lodge for the night time.
2. Get one other letter to show our onward connection was cancelled
3. Retrieve our baggage (they have been speculated to be checked by way of… the place have been they now??)
Rebooking to a later flight
Thankfully, the counter reservation workers mentioned that he might e-book us on the final flight going to Xi’An, which was MU 522 departing 2110. We would have liked 2 seats in Enterprise class, and there have been 2 accessible.
Letter
We additionally needed to discover the Responsibility Home Supervisor (completely different from reservations) to get one other cancellation letter for the missed flight. This time, it seemed like this.
For good measure, my spouse took a photograph of the departure board – MU 2162 to Xi’An, dep 1730hrs, was cancelled. Why the sudden cancellation? Frankly I do not know. No causes got to us both. Properly, cancellations weren’t unusual, so the bottom workers we spoke to did not appear stunned.
Retrieving our Baggage, returning again to Baggage Declare space
What about our baggage? The obligation supervisor informed us to return to the Arrivals Corridor, and discover the doorway again into the restricted space. The guard there requested us (in mandarin after all) why we needed to return in. We needed to clarify to him that our flight was now cancelled (confirmed him our boarding move for the flight that was cancelled) and we had to return to the bags space to gather our baggage. He allow us to in with none issues.
As soon as inside, we headed to the China Jap workplace, and there was a brief queue to see the workers. One workers informed us to return to the luggage declare carousel for MU 566 to test if our luggage have been there first, earlier than coming again to see him if we could not discover our luggage. So I went to the bags declare space and fortunately, each our luggage have been nonetheless there. So it seems that the Airline would ship the baggage out to the bags declare space, although they have been checked right through initially, as a result of the Airline might inform that the flight had been cancelled.
Verify whether or not your onward flight is cancelled if you arrive
Looking back, what we must always all the time do subsequent time (if we fly by way of Shanghai) is to test whether or not our onward flight was nonetheless operating, earlier than we go away the bags space. If certainly our onward flight had been cancelled, then we would wish to gather our luggage from the bags carousel anyway.
No meal vouchers?
We had additionally earlier requested whether or not the Airline would offer meal vouchers to cowl the time in between. One workers at reservations counter within the public space mentioned we needed to get them from the luggage declare space! However once we checked with the workers on the baggage declare space, they mentioned that there was no want to supply vouchers for us as a result of we might achieve entry to the Enterprise class lounge. However we defined that the workers earlier mentioned that we might solely test in 3 hours earlier than departure! The supervisor on the baggage declare space checked out us incredulously and mentioned there was no such rule. Anyway, he acquired his workers to make a name someplace, and confirmed with us that we might test in and use the lounge. The time was about 1500hrs and our flight MU 522 wasn’t departing until 2110hrs.
Checking in for MU 522 dep 2110 to Xi’An
And after we acquired our baggage, we needed to convey every little thing again to Departure space, and search for the check-in counters. China Jap has a separate space for premium clients on the far finish of the terminal for Home check-in, close to the home check-in safety counters. After we acquired there, there have been no queues. The counter workers seemed a bit careworn although. He needed to name his supervisor to confirm that he might test us in for the MU 522 flight (with out imposing any further costs on us). We needed to clarify to him (and confirmed him all our boarding passes) that it was not our fault that we have been on this predicament. Absolutely, the Airline needed to ship us to our closing vacation spot! He was fairly apologetic and defined that this problem straddled a number of departments, so he needed to test. Lastly, he was given the inexperienced gentle to test us in for the MU 522 flight, departing 2110 for Xi’An. Properly, the excellent news was that it now seemed like we’d be capable to get to Xi’An in any case!
China Jap Shanghai Pudong Home Enterprise Class Lounge
Clearing safety was clean (hardly any line) and we headed straight to the Home terminal lounge. Right here is the video of the lounge expertise. This lounge is to not be confused with the Enterprise Class lounge for worldwide departures. This was the enterprise class lounge within the Home part of Terminal 1 at Shanghai Pudong.
Grateful that every one points have been sorted
Fortunately we sorted out all the problems with our onward flight, and because the departure to Xi’An was now 2110hrs, we had loads of time. I recall once we acquired to the lounge it was solely round 1630hrs. By no means thoughts, it was time to relaxation and get some meals! I went straight for the noodles, which was very comforting. Additionally had a glass of white wine, which wasn’t too unhealthy. Took a nap, after which woke as much as eat dinner. They began dinner service at about 1730hrs and there was rice, with some meat and veggies. I need to say that the meals was all very native, and never worldwide oriented. But it surely labored for us since our Singaporean tastebuds have been considerably much like the native Shanghai delicacies that was being served. (or put in one other means, we weren’t fussy eaters!)
Boarding Bulletins have been made
There have been boarding bulletins and certainly, we waited until our flight was introduced to be prepared for boarding, then we left for the departure gates. Upon reaching the gate, we realised that we needed to be bussed to the airplane. This was our first bus expertise in Shanghai (once we arrived, it was an aerobridge).
Premium passengers get to board a separate mini-bus. After we acquired to the boarding gate, normal boarding had already begun. So what you do is to go proper to the entrance of the road (sure, reducing queue!), present your boarding passes and they’re going to allow you to by way of first. After all, different passengers in line could provide you with stares, however so be it!
Whenever you get to the bus bay, board the small bus (sufficient seats for all) and never the large one. Since all of us had seats, the bus journey to the aircraft could be comfy.
Arrival at Distant Stand
When the bus arrived on the distant stand, different passengers have been already boarding (Economic system passengers who had arrived by way of an earlier bus). No hurry to board. The climate was good that night, nevertheless, if it was raining, I believe most of us would get moist!
As soon as boarded, we rapidly settled into our seats on this cosy Airbus A321. There have been solely 3 rows of Enterprise class seats in a 2 by 2 configuration. Thank God there was area for us!
Flight MU 522 Shanghai to Xi’An Flight Overview
Take a look at my flight evaluation video of this 1hr 50min flight beneath. I titled this video 2 Tarts and 5 Fruit Slices as a result of we have been actually served this gentle snack of two tarts and 5 fruit slices on this flight! Wow. Granted that this was solely a 1hr and 50 minute flight, one would nonetheless have fairly anticipated some kind of supper.
Properly, you’ve gotten been warned… eat your dinner earlier than you get on-board! Fortunately, I had my fill within the lounge. We arrived in Xi’An barely forward of schedule, however we needed to take a bus from the airplane to the terminal. That took a little bit of time, however by this time, we have been simply going with the movement. At the least we made it to Xi’An!
Conclusion
Properly, this wraps up our thrilling China Jap Airways Enterprise Class journey, from Singapore to Shanghai, onward to Xi’An.
This was our first time onboard China Jap Airways in any class. General, the precise Enterprise class product was very first rate given what we had paid. Nevertheless, what wasn’t so enjoyable was all of the delays and hiccups. First, out of Singapore (9 hour delay), after which the onward flight getting cancelled solely once we arrived in Shanghai, and the truth that we have been just about on our personal by way of making an attempt to type out the bags and re-booking. We have been actually operating from division to division throughout the identical airport, from restricted baggage space (degree 1) out to public test in space (degree 3), again to restricted baggage space to retrieve luggage and once more to home check-in space. Felt like we knew the airport very properly after this expertise!
Thank God my spouse spoke wonderful Mandarin and she or he might navigate her means by way of the China Jap system.
We acquired to our vacation spot protected and sound, so cannot complain. Sure, we have been speculated to have landed in Xi’An at 0930hrs on 18 Could and we ended up arriving solely at 2350hrs, i.e. 14+ hours delayed. We misplaced a day of sight-seeing, however hey, not less than we made it. We went on to have a really enjoyable vacation in Xi’An, and would fly again to Singapore some days later.
We’re within the strategy of claiming journey insurance coverage. Will replace once more once I get information on whether or not the declare is profitable!
Thanks for studying and watching my movies!
