Air China Reviews 

Flight Booking and Customer Support: Everything was fine and we booked the tickets easily and hassle-free. The flight was only re-scheduled by 15 mins on our way there and 40 mins for our return flight from Athens to Beijing, which it was made up on the air and our flight landed even earlier than scheduled. The price was exceptional with the second cheapest ticket after that being nearly 60% more expensive.
Online Check-In: My flight included two adults and one child, we flew from Melbourne to Athens via Beijing. The online check-in process was really bad, both times I did not manage to check in online because during the process, after reaching a point, then the buttons were not working, I have tried multiple from different computers and browsers and I did not manage to complete it, something must be wrong with the website. Be aware.

Transit Layover: Air China has a Transit Hotel or Transit Lounge service. Unfortunately, again the website/app (I have tried both) was not very user-friendly and the information asked for the account creation was confusing and part of it was available only for Chinese residents. After a lot of struggle, again, the booking process reached a point where it was asking for the passport number but it did not accept it. I finally gave up and I booked a hotel nearby.

Flight: The flight was much better than what we were expecting after reading all the bad reviews. I think for some of them, people had a bad experience with a long delay or they have been too picky because the ratings are not very fair.

Back to the flight review. The seats' padding was a little bit thinner than what you can find in a similar aircraft of other airlines but not to the point that caused any inconvenience.

The meals were a bit smaller but of decent quality, like any other flight meal. The crew members were frequently passing by asking the passengers if they wanted any drinks.

The entertainment system was good with movies, some older some newer, games for the children, etc. Not the latest entertainment system or live sports games that you can find in other airlines, but good enough to keep you busy during the flight. The electronic conveniences were good, with proper touch-screen controls, a power outlet to charge your laptop and a USB charging port. Headphones and blankets were provided. Also, there is no wired remote attached to the seat, everything is controlled via the touch screen only.

The internet wi-fi was there, but it wasn't. I did not manage to connect to any website at all, it was like there was no internet at all.

The crew members were very polite and respectful. Their English were not perfect, but they could understand you 8 out 10 times. If you are not sure, just repeat and they will get it done.

Ground Service: One of our three checked-in luggage was lost upon our arrival in Athens. But it was returned in less than 24 hours

Overall, the value for money was 100% worthwhile, with airline ticket prices skyrocketing nowadays, if you are willing to sacrifice a fraction of convenience and you can live without the internet for a few hours, I would certainly recommend flying with Air China.

Scammers. Worst airline. THEY WOULD FLY A DEFECTIVE PLANE WHEN THEY CAN. THEY DONT RESPECT EU261/2004.

They don't deserve even one star. It was the worst experience ever, and I will never fly with Air China again. The entire experience, from start to finish, was awful.

During the initial booking, the website repeatedly kicked me out and didn't allow me to select seats for long flights or purchase extra baggage. According to customer service, the only solution is to book via the app, but the app is useless and doesn't work. Regardless of where you are in the world, you end up having to call them, which always connects you to China and results in exorbitant phone bills.

The information on their website regarding seat reservations and purchasing extra checked baggage is inconsistent with the app and phone calls. We had to call multiple times to buy two extra checked bags, and each time they hung up on us. The staff was very rude and unfriendly, and they misled us about our carry-on allowance as well.

Seat reservation was impossible, and when we tried to resolve it at the airport and complained, the staff was even ruder. The only response we received was a simple "sorry." This apology does not justify the treatment and behavior we endured, nor does it justify the price we paid just to book two extra checked bags. It also doesn't justify that we weren't allowed to pick our seats and were separated as a family.

Overall, it's too expensive when you consider all the extra costs and phone calls, and the disrespectful treatment makes it not worth it. You are better off with other airlines.

Flew from Seoul Incheon to Copenhagen with a layover in Beijing, and I had a few concerns before booking, but everything was proven wrong. The staff was extremely nice from check-in and until the second I stepped off the second plane. Kind cabin crew who noticed if people needed help with luggage and double-checked requirements for special meals. Flight had some turbulence, but communication was great and luggage arrived with me through my transfer too. Great experience all over :)

Avoid at all cost! Bad customer service, website not easy to navigate. Don't understand English! Delayed and damaged luggage. No sense of seating..giving bassinet seats to non priority and children and thrown somewhere in the corner.

I flew London Heathrow to Tokyo in May 2024 via Beijing in economy. The London to Beijing was a B777 which looked quite dated, old and worn, all planes were incredibly hot and uncomfortable all the time, a number of people asked if it could be cooled down but nothing happened on any of the flights, the IFE systems were all very old and dim with limited Western options. The legroom on the B777 was fairly good so too was the baggage allowance of 2 x 23kg on the basic ticket. In flight service is basic and the food is sub par even for economy, the crew are not openly unfriendly but you don’t feel welcome either, strangely the crew were more friendly when saying good bye when getting off. I took a chicken menu option from Beijing to Tokyo which wasn’t particularly hot, I though it had probably cooled down but I was very ill 2 hrs afterwards, I can’t say it was definitely the food but I there was no other plausible cause and this lost me my first day so after this I avoided the food. It’s basically impossible to check in on line or select seats etc as the website and app are terrible and practically unusable, the Customer service telephone couldn’t help with this either. The layover at Beijing Capital airport is again less than good, it’s a strange place, looks nice enough, very quite with lots of designer shops with no one in them and very very limited food options some of which were closed. Basically you get what you pay for, if they are much cheaper than the alternative airlines it’s probably worth it but if it’s not much cheaper I would avoid as most airlines from my experience are better than Air China in economy.

Air China business class is competitive and excellent value for money. The latest A350 fleet is superb, the 777, 787 and A330 not as good but you still get a lie flat seat with loads of room. Food is fine, the in-flight movie selection is excellent, TV OK, music poor. Flight attendants have always been friendly and efficient. You get expedited ground handling and lounge access and they're a Star Alliance member for frequent flyer points. I fly with them to between Singapore and Europe quite a lot, yes Singapore Airlines is quicker and more polished, they're also a lot more expensive. For the price Air China provides a good business class product. I have never had a bad experience, just the opposite, it's always been very good.

We flew Air China from London Heathrow to Tokyo with around a two hour stop in Beijing each way.
We paid £1533 in total, this includes fee for picking seats and 2 large suitcase per passenger. We booked with booking.con

To check in online was impossible for us, the site is badly translated with glitches. A google search showed that many others can’t check in, as seats were already allocated we gave in and checked in on arrival, everyone was ok with this.

The flight CA856 departed on time at 9.30pm. The aircraft was a modern Airbus A350-900, plenty of legroom and according to SeatGuru more than British Airways.

There are a few films but basically I would describe the entertainment as terrible. I had loaded my phone with movies so was ok. There is supposed to be WiFi but it wasn’t working. There are power plugs (take 2pin adapter) but no usb so be sure to take a charger. Headphones are supplied, if you bring your own you’ll need the 2-1 adapter.

Food was good and drinks were offered every so often. Choice of coffee, beer, wine or soda all served in a paper cup. Cold drinks often at room temperature.

For the transfer at Beijing it’s just a short walk be aware that you are searched again so any liquids you purchased after security at Heathrow will be confiscated. Cases are transferred automatically.

The flight from Beijing to Tokyo was an Airbus A330-200, flight number CA183,the seating was 2-4-2. For some reason we were not given correct seats and didn’t notice so it’s wise to check. Much the same as the main flight really, poor films but ok food. This took 2 hours 40.

On the return short flight WiFi was sort of working. It enabled you choose from 36 films, many in English on the log on page but not connect to external websites. I’m not sure if this is how it’s supposed to be.

On the return transfer at Beijing airport it was slim pickings for food so we ended up at a KFC that didn’t sell chicken. We couldn’t find cold water only room temperature.

The return main leg was a Boeing 777-300ER, flight time 11 hours. I heard other airlines take longer as they avoid Russia whereas AirChina flyover it. Again we didn’t get the exact seats that we booked but did get similar which was the row with just two, not quite as good as didn’t fully recline. The seat back entertainment didn’t work but seemed ok for those around us, perhaps we were just unlucky. I was able to connect to WiFi to stream movies to my phone. The WiFi doesn’t let you connect to external sites.

Food was nice enough and offered water often, however it’s warm water in a paper cup. Air temperature in the plane was a little to warm.

This is the second time that we have flown with Air China. On our first trip to Taiwan we stayed in Beijing 72 hours which is something that you could consider doing.

For the price paid we would use Air China again.

I recently embarked on a return trip from Beijing to Madrid with Air China, and to say it was a nightmare would be an understatement. My experience with this airline was nothing short of appalling, and I feel compelled to share my grievances to warn fellow travelers.

Firstly, let's talk about the lack of Wi-Fi on both legs of the journey. In this day and age, Wi-Fi has become a standard amenity, especially for long-haul flights. However, Air China seems to be living in the stone age, as they offered no Wi-Fi whatsoever. This made my 12-hour flight an excruciating exercise in boredom, as I couldn't even use the internet for work or entertainment.

The drink selection was another major letdown. Despite their menu promising a variety of alcoholic beverages, including vodka, none were available. I specifically requested vodka, only to be told they were out of stock. And don't get me started on the wine - it ran out after just two glasses! From then on, it was water and juice for the duration of the flight, with no snacks to tide me over between meals.

Speaking of meals, the quality was abysmal, with not a single vegetarian option in sight. To add insult to injury, they ran out of one of the dishes, leaving me with nothing but fish and rice, which I don't even eat. The timing of the drinks and food service was also a joke - by the time my meal arrived, I had already finished my drink!

As if all of this wasn't bad enough, the crew seemed completely disinterested in providing even basic levels of service. They were unapproachable and seemed to go out of their way to avoid interacting with passengers. It was clear that customer comfort and satisfaction were not priorities for Air China.

Considering the exorbitant cost of the ticket, I expected far better from China's national airline. Instead, I was met with incompetence, indifference, and discomfort throughout the journey. I believe some form of compensation is warranted for the sheer inconvenience and disappointment caused.

In conclusion, if you value your time, money, and sanity, steer clear of Air China for long-haul flights. There are plenty of other airlines out there that actually care about their passengers' experience. Don't make the same mistake I did.

Avoid Air China at all costs.

WARNING ...DONT HAVE A MEDICAL EMERGENCY ON BOARD THEY DO NOT CARE AND WILL NOT ASSIST ...SORRY THEY WILL ASTIST AFTER THEY HAVE IGNORED YOU AND YOU AVE TO PRACTICALLY SHOUT AT THEY .. LIKE I HAD TO .... LUCKY THEY ASSISTANT WAS SCROLLING THROUGH HIS PERSONAL PHONE RIGHT BEHIND ME ...IGNORING THE ASSISTS CALL AND NOT EVEN REMOTELY BOTHERED THAT I HAD A MEDICAL EMERGENCY ... SO GREAT SERVICE ... AND JUST SO YOU KNOW ... THEIR SERVICE MANAGER EVEN SAID ON A PHON CALL THAT DURING TAXI AND TAKE OFF IF YOU HAVE AN EMERGENCY .. THEY WILL NOT HELP... I WAS SUPER SHOCKED TO HEAR A MANAGER SAY THIS...SO GOD HELP ANYOE WHO HAS A HEART ATTACK OR CHKING ... WILL BE GET NO ASSISTANCE .. ACCORDING TO AIR CHINA OFFICIALS

BY THE WAY ... THE ABOVE IS POSTED DUE TO A TELEPHONE CONVERSATION WITH THEIR SERVICE MANAGER... WHEN ASKED IF DURING TAKE OFF AND TAXI IF SOMEONE HAD A MEDICAL EMERGENCY , SHE REPLIED THAT HER STAFF WOULD NOT ASSIST DUE TO REGULATIONS...... EVEN THOUGH I SAW CHINESE PEOPLE BEING HELPED...

after being scared by some of the reviews, we had an amazing trip with air china! we flew london to tokyo with a layover in shanghai, the layover arrival wasn’t the smoothest but that is my only complaint! food was great and filling, great range of entertainment, comfy seats with comfy pillows and blankets, loads of luggage included, couldn’t ask for much more!

Lovely staffs, delicious food, easy boarding, smooth landing, and time efficient. Those are the qualities I experience from my first ever Air China from LHR-MNL via Beijing. The flight was short that I reach PH just in no time. Hope you'll upgrade me when I get back from my holidays. Hehe

Air China are the worse fly company ever exist!
Rude people in Peking and very bad employees for wheelchair service that nearly hurt me bad because he drive the wheelchair like a crazy man.
I send many emails but Air China don’t take responsibility for bad people working for them.

London to Melbourne-layover at chine.
Heathrow checking staffs are horrible.they don’t speak English and speak their own language in front of passengers.same as the boarding gate.they have no idea what they are doing seems like undertrained.no smiles or nothing didn’t even say hello .

Food is disgusting, even for Chinese passengers! The stop over was bad organised, multimedia is poor.. staff is very kind, but not really professional compared to other companies.. 2 stars because they have WiFi on board, and sometimes it works for just WhatsApp messages

The only difference with premium economy and economy is wider hard seats and an extra suitcase. The dinner was chicken or beef with rice. The tea was chicken with rice or beef with noodles, both meals came with a cup, neither time was it filled up. The service level was poor. The headphones were poor. The volume on the screen barely cover the noise of the plane. And everything had Chinese subtitles, whether you wanted them or not. Couldn't use the controller as I couldn't get it out of the seat 33c The one star is for the emergency details which was a cartoon with a panda

Had a long trip Thailand to Cph over Beijing... super service and pleasant trip... Thanks!!

Six hour delay, no means of resolution or compensation. Nobody answers the phone number given. I have tried multiple times to engage with the European customer service and they keep referring me back to a number no one answers. AND I have a hearing disability and they refuse to consider accessible routes to resolution.

Customer service was awful customer service on flight, at the airport and online. The food was average at best and cheap quality drinks. To make matters worse I was unexpectedly moved from extra legroom seat to one with less space. The entertainment screen and USB charging port didn't work on 3/4 of the flights. I encountered issues with the website after I booked my flight. Lastly, the service in the airport lounge was awful, with poor English communication throughout my experience. Overall appalling experience, DO NOT PUT YOURSELF THROUGH IT I would not recommend this airline due to these numerous disappointments.

Had an excellent experience recently travelling from London - Auckland (New Zealand) via Beijing. Staff, food, seats, flights themselves were all great.

For flights over 9 hours, you receive a free hotel room with a transfer. Get your visa from the 'Tourist Visa' counter. You get a visa on arrival (check eligibility first), and then find the Air China service desk in the terminal you're in. They check your name, then direct you to a transfer bus. The hotel room was clean and cosy, no windows, but functional and would have been very easy to sleep.

Things to note:

- Get to check in three hours early, there is no workable online check in and the line was very long!
- Bring your own movies. The selection isn't great on the plane.
- The food is great but I would bring snacks if you want food in between meals - they don't offer heaps of snacks.
- If you want to go into China on your stopover, then download AliPay and set it up, you can't do anything without it.
- Get ExpressVPN first (you can't download it in China), it's the best VPN for bypassing the Chinese firewall and accessing western sites.
- If you need help with your booking, don't bother with the online sites. Call the help line. If you don't have a mainland Chinese number, the site doesn't work well. Call the help line!

Overall, 9/10 experience, only thing that would've made it better is a better app / check in, and more time in the wonderful country that is China!