Air China – Beijing, China (PEK) to Hangzhou, China (HGH) – Flight CA1712. First-Class Review

A comfortable flight lacking any wow factor.

Air China – Beijing, China (PEK) to Hangzhou, China (HGH) – Flight CA1712 - The Air China – Beijing to Hangzhou Flight CA 1712 had us all excited at the prospect of a trip. Curious about the flight after having read other flight reviews on Air China’s first-class services, we wondered how it would fair in our flight review about its service, cabin, food and more. With a set-back at the start with a delay of 30 minutes, the rest of the journey was debatable. (Click here to read our Beijing hotel and restaurant reviews and click here to read our Hangzhou hotel reviews.)

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The Check-In: The check-in on Air China was quite efficient and spoke of the first-class service the flight offered. We were happy with the efficient start of our flight from Beijing to Hangzhou.

The Lounge: We waited for our flight to Hangzhou in Air China’s first-class lounge. Read our review of Air China's First Class Lounge here.

First Impression: The boarding for Air China started right on-time with no delays which was a refreshing change from some of the other flights we have encountered. They called on the first-class passengers to board before the rest and we were met by a really friendly and cheerful air-hostess who made us feel welcome and comfortable right away. We were relieved of our jackets on boarding and they were hung for us in the closet. The surprise element was being greeted by a pair of slippers, a comfortable pillow and blanket; quite unusual for a short domestic flight.

The Cabin: The cabin of Air China’s First-Class compartment was spacious and very comfortable. With 2 rows of two seats each, there was a lot of space that avoided a claustrophobic atmosphere from setting in. The airbus A319-100 had very well sized chairs, perfect to sink into for this short flight. The cabin had a freshly-cleaned feeling and lent an air of comfort and it exuded a feel of how First-Class cabins should be like; more like the cabins of the old air flights rather than being starkly modern in look and feel.

The Flight (Service/Food/Drink): Soon, the food was served out to the passengers and I opted for the beef noodle soup. Needless to say, the food of Air China didn’t do much for the taste-buds. After a few bites, I was forced to put aside my meal, deciding to wait till I could reach Hangzhou to eat something that was properly prepared. The service was very attentive and friendly, but with just 2 rows of people to cater to, and with most of them in slumber, it didn’t seem like too much work. A couple of different kinds of Chinese wines were also offered, but I decided to settle for a soda.

Arrival: The flight was expected to take off at 1 pm and arrive at 2:55pm. In spite of a half-an hour delay in taking-off, we made up for the lost time in air and arrived as per the schedule. A first-class pick-up bus, dedicated to the first-class passengers picked us up at the airplane and drove us to the terminal. Here, we were met with another set-back of the Air China service; delayed baggage arrival. Being first-class passengers, our bags were labeled with priority-tags. In spite of it all, they arrived 25-minutes late.

Overall Impression: The first-class Air China flight from Beijing to Hangzhou was definitely a very comfortable flight offering attentive service. But it didn’t live up to the mark of being a great first-class flight. With the delays and set-backs, we have to knock off points in its favor.
Rating: Between bombastic and Not.

Additional Information:
Flight Time from Beijing to Hangzhou: 1 hour 55 minutes

Airline Partners:
Adria Airlines, Blue1 SAS, TAP Portugal, Air Canada, BMI Airways, Shanghai Airlines,Thai Airways, Air New Zealand, Croatia Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Turkish Airlines, ANA, Egypt Air, South African Airways, United Airlines, Asiana, LOT Polish Airlines, Spanair, US Airways, Austrian Airlines, Lufthansa Airlines, SWISS Airlines

Other Airline Partners
Cathay Pacific Airlines, China Airlines, Dragonair, ShanDong Airlines, Virgin Atlantic Airways

Airport Codes:
Beijing – PEK
Hangzhou - HGH

Be sure to read our Beijing hotel and restaurant reviews and our Hangzhou hotel reviews.

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