For my latest trip to Italy (or rather Europe, since we spent a few days in Budapest before heading home), I flew for the second time with China Eastern Airlines, a Chinese airline that I had previously flown with between 2018 and 2019 and had a positive experience. I’m happy to report that this second experience was also good, reaffirming my initial impression of the airline from that first flight.
Despite some concerns about layovers in China, where I’ve read about not-so-pleasant experiences lately, Chinese airlines currently offer the most competitive rates for flights between Europe and Japan. With that in mind, I decided to give it another go, especially since I was hoping a layover in Shanghai would be less complicated than one in Beijing. Additionally, my previous experience with China Eastern had been smooth, and I had never encountered any negative reviews, unlike another Chinese airline that seems to receive frequent complaints.
Moreover, both the outbound and return flights had ideal schedules for me, arriving in Budapest early in the morning (after an overnight layover in Shanghai) and departing from Rome in the evening, giving me the whole day to explore the city before heading to the airport.
As always, I’d like to point out that this review reflects my experience in Economy Class, and for both occasions, I booked the flights through third-party websites—Opodo in 2018 and Booking.com for this latest trip.
My Experience Flying with China Eastern Airlines
The journey didn’t start off perfectly actually… The first flight to Shanghai was scheduled to depart at 16:55, but just as boarding was supposed to begin, an announcement was made that it would be delayed by over an hour. Surprisingly, this ended up being great news for us because it not only allowed me to finish watching the sumo tournament on TV, but also shortened our layover time in the airport for the next leg of the journey!
There was also a half-hour delay on the return flight, this time from Shanghai to Tokyo, which had happened back in 2018 as well. The long-haul flights, however, were on time with no issues. I assume that Narita Airport may have challenges managing flight traffic, so keep in mind that you might experience minor delays (about an hour to an hour and a half) when flying with China Eastern.
Delays aside, the overall flight experience was good. The seats were normal, not too uncomfortable (in fact, I’d say they were slightly more spacious than average), the USB ports worked, and the food was even pleasant—especially the smoked salmon slice served on the flights to/from Japan, reminiscent of my experience with Cathay Pacific.
Onboard entertainment was rather limited: there weren’t many recent films, and also not so many options in English or with English Subtitles. More choice for kids. But ince there is a USB port at each seat, it’s useful to download something on Netflix in advance and you don’t need to worry about running out of battery while watching it.
Despite the flights being absolutely packed, we had no issues with the bathrooms. There were plenty available, and even toward the end of the flight, they were still clean and well-stocked with toilet paper and seat covers.
Service, Amenities, and In-flight Meals
The positive in-flight experience was enhanced by the great cabin crew (despite the stereotype that Chinese service might not be the most accommodating). On both occasions—my flight with China Eastern in 2018 and again this year—the crew was extremely helpful and kind. Especially this year, despite us being assigned seats far apart at check-in, the hostess kindly found us two seats in the same row, separated by the aisle but with extra legroom, even though the flight was fully booked!
The ground staff was also very friendly, and this time I noticed better organization when it came to handling transfers in Shanghai, especially for short layovers (we had about an hour and a half on the return flight) or delays (the Tokyo flight was almost two hours late, and some passengers needed assistance for flight changes). This gave me confidence that any issues would be promptly addressed.
As for the meals, I found almost all of them quite tasty (except for one), and there are, of course, options for specific religious, dietary, or personal preferences. We had no particular needs, so we opted for the standard meal. For the three-hour flight, one meal was served, while on the long-haul flights, two meals were provided: one about two hours after takeoff and another a couple of hours before landing.
As my long-haul flights were always overnight, I appreciated the dim lighting during the meals, and the timing of the service was perfect. For those who continued to sleep despite the smell of food, a sticker was placed on their seat so they could request their meal after waking up by calling a flight attendant.
There were no amenities provided, just a blanket and pillow, and the headphones for the in-flight entertainment were given upon request. I noticed this in 2018 as well, so I can confirm it’s not a recent “downgrade.” However, eye masks, slippers, and toothbrushes with toothpaste were available upon request.
On my 2018 flight, I was able to use the Wi-Fi for the entire route for free (though many websites were restricted due to being on a Chinese airline). This year, however, there were only 10 minutes of free Wi-Fi, which I couldn’t even use since the registration page never loaded.
Check-in and Baggage Policy
One downside was the difficulty of checking in online, as the China Eastern Airlines website is quite terrible. At one point, it only redirected me to the Chinese version of the page. Also, because I had entered the same phone number for both myself and my boyfriend during registration, it either showed my name and passport twice or his, without allowing changes.
We managed to check in at the airport fairly quickly though, thanks to the many operational counters.
The basic fare includes two checked bags of 23 kg each, which are tagged for international transfer at the departure airport and sent directly to the final destination. Be sure to remember that lithium batteries and power banks must be carried with you in your carry-on luggage (each passenger can bring one carry-on of 8 kg).
Layover at Shanghai Airport
Upon arriving in Shanghai, passengers with short layovers are identified by ground staff as soon as they disembark and are given an “Express Transfer” sticker on their shoulder, allowing them priority through security checks, which are required even for transfers.
These checks include passport scanning, facial recognition, and hand luggage screening (liquids aren’t allowed, and you’ll need to remove umbrellas, laptops, and external batteries from your bags).
If you have a layover longer than six hours, you can leave the airport and explore the city for a short stopover (limited-time visa released), but we didn’t look into this since our layover was not long enough (and it was at night).
We spent the time waiting for our flight in the transit area, which honestly doesn’t have much to offer—few restaurants and little to do. On the bright side, there are plenty of charging stations (both USB and plug), and the waiting seats don’t have armrests between them, so you can comfortably lie down for a nap (just avoid spots near the escalators, as there are constant announcements there).
To use the airport Wi-Fi, you need to register and confirm your identity either via SMS or passport photo. For PC access, you’ll need to register at the desks, where they scan your passport and give you an access code. Since it’s China, websites like Google, Instagram, and WhatsApp are blocked, but with a legitimate VPN, you can access everything. I used Surfshark and had no issues.
Unfortunately, China Eastern does not currently fly to Milan, which would be much more convenient for me, but it’s definitely an airline I recommend and would fly with again, especially if I’m traveling back to Rome (or other European cities like Budapest), or if they open a route to Milan.
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