China Eastern, China Southern & Air China Questions and Advice Sought.

[QuotaMan]

16 hours ago, dnaliaht said:

China eastern isn't bad if you can transit in Pudong terminal 1. Terminal 2 is a dump. The restrooms are a disaster. They even have a damn squat toilet in one. Food is even worse.  I've used both terminals and there never seems to be any rhyme or reason as to which terminal they use at any given time or when you get bused to the plane or not. Probably based on load, but I wish they would use terminal 1 more since it's huge, new, and rather nice. The transfer process is pretty straight forward, just follow the signs. Luggage gets forwarded to the connecting flight automatically. The transfer passport machines can be finicky, but they've started to have an attendant there to help out. A 1.5 to 2 hour layover would be optimal, but most I've seen out of LAX vary between 3 and 6 hours. Just part of the low price. The other option for a cheap flight is through Japan and either Narita or Haneda. It's usually only $500 for the flight where you have to switch airports. Sucks, but if you have the time you might be able to see a little of Tokyo as well. 

I was just researching this a bit and which terminals you use at Pudong appears to be based on which airlines you use.

Since I flew China Eastern into Pudong and Shanghai Airlines out of Pudong to BKK,  both airlines are based out of Terminal 1. 

Probably the best way to try and get the smoothest transit experience in Pudong is when searching for flights online, check to see which airlines your flights are on (and possibly which terminals the flights operate out of but not sure if this info is given). This way you can see which terminals are associated with the flights.

I'm wondering in my situation years ago when I had to take a bus to the terminal and take a tram to the other terminal, if the codeshare flight I took to BKK just happened to be at the other terminal.

Here's info on which airlines use which terminals at Pudong:

https://www.chinaairlinetravel.com/airport-guide/shanghai-airport/pudong-airport-terminal1.html

https://www.chinaairlinetravel.com/airport-guide/shanghai-airport/pudong-airport-terminal2.html

[nutosf]

I have flown China Eastern a few times.  No drama, flight ok.  I take a sleep pill, so I am asleep most of the time.  The fly into two different airports.  One you have to go through immigration and the other you do not.  I do not remember the names.  I was told the reason you have to go through immigration is that they want to collect bio-date from your passport.  Either way not issues for me.

[markland1510a]

1 hour ago, nutosf said:

... I was told the reason you have to go through immigration is that they want to collect bio-date from your passport.  Either way not issues for me.

It did feel that way to me. Not done other international airports I have transferred through.  It occurred to me that was the only reason they where doing it. 

Meals on all three seem worse than standard compared to other carriers I have used on the same route.  Seems like lower quality stuff, meat, veg. Basic items and not as well prepared (soggy).  Last time,  on China Southern, both inbound and outbound, China to LAX they ran out of other choices. I could only have the fish. 

While the food was not as enjoyable, it was edible and did the job to sustain life during my travel.  My ticket price was a lot less and I could enjoy a lot of great meals and good times in Thailand with the many thousands of baht I saved on my ticket, so I thought it was fine.