people sitting in an airplane with signs on them

Review: China Eastern 737 Economy Class (KMG-HKG)

Home » Airlines » China Eastern » Review: China Eastern 737 Economy Class (KMG-HKG)

Introduction
China Eastern 734 737-700 Economy Class Hong Kong to Kunming
Transiting Kunming Airport – International to Domestic
China Eastern 734 737-700 Economy Class Kunming to Lijiang
Jin Hong Garden Villa Lijiang
Biking in Lijiang, Day 1: Baisha Village
Biking in Lijiang, Day 2: Down to Lashi Lake
Biking in Lijiang, Day 3: Into Dali Villages
China Eastern 733 737-700 Economy Class Lijiang to Kunming
Transiting Kunming Airport – Domestic to International
China Eastern 733 737-700 Economy Class Kunming to Hong Kong


China Eastern Flight 733
Sunday, May 15th, 2015
Origin: Kunming (HKG) Gate: 69 Dep: 13:55 (14:05)
Destination: Hong Kong (KMG) Gate: 502 Arr: 16:05 
(16:20)
Duration: 2 hr 10 min (2 hr 15 min)
Aircraft: Boeing 737-700
Seat: 38A (Economy Class)

Upon boarding I passed the business class seats again, which I would actually like to try in the future.

IMG_6618

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Business Class

It was back to the same cabin, where I said hello again to my seat.

IMG_6619

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class

IMG_6620

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Seat 38A, B, C

IMG_6622

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Seat 39A, B, C

I was given a decent pillow and blanket (both of these surpassed the subsequent quality I got on Korean Air business class).

IMG_6626

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Pillow

IMG_6625

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Blanket

As with the last flight, legroom was sufficient, and didn’t pose a problem for the two hour flight.

IMG_6621

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Legroom

We were parked next to another Yunnan 737 styled similarly to the outbound plane.

IMG_6623

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Kunming Airport

IMG_6624

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Kunming Airport

The safety video played, which is the same for all China Eastern fleet.

IMG_6628

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Safety Video

The views out were insanely awesome, and we got to see Kunming traffic at a distance. I’m not psyched to see the city anytime soon from an aerial view, but the airport is sure a lot for eye candy.

IMG_6629

Traffic Kunming Airport

We were fifth in line for takeoff, in which the PA announced “don’t worry, thank you for your patience”.

IMG_6630

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class View of Wing

IMG_6631

View of Runway Kunming Airport

My friend turned on flight mode, in which she was promptly addressed by a flight attendant who threatened to take her phone (China Eastern has a dreadful policy that phones aren’t allowed). I kept my phone out of sight and discreet.

Takeoff was smooth, and we quickly escalated and levelled off.

IMG_6633

Takeoff Kunming Airport

IMG_6635

Takeoff Kunming Airport

IMG_6636

Takeoff Kunming Airport

Lunch was served immediately after takeoff, and I was expecting some fireworks especially after what I got on the outbound.

I think that the fireworks came out of my own head instead of out of my lunch when I realized what my lunch was served in.

IMG_6641

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Lunch

I opened it and felt as let down as I thought I would feel.

IMG_6638

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Lunch

The buns were dry, the biscuits were fine (though you can’t go wrong when you buy them at your local supermarket), and they had the balls to serve cupcakes that had gone five months past their baking date.

IMG_6639

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Cupcake

I mean, it wasn’t just simple. It was an abysmal lunch. ‘Nuff said.

IMG_6642

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Cabin during Lunchtime

That said, I didn’t have breakfast, so I nibbled on everything until the box was empty. They didn’t take the boxes, so I guess it was a souvenir.

I took a while to admire the mood lighting…

IMG_6646

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Mood Lighting

…then just resorted to staring out of the window.

IMG_6643

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class View

I then talked to my seatmates for a while, no less about the abysmal lunch and the selection of seats we had.

Soon enough it was descent into Hong Kong, and I had a look at the amazing views that Hong Kong seems to have in the afternoon.

IMG_6648

Views upon Descent Hong Kong

IMG_6652

Views upon Descent Hong Kong

IMG_6654

Views upon Descent Hong Kong

IMG_6657

Views upon Descent Hong Kong

IMG_6659

Views upon Approach Hong Kong

IMG_6662

Views upon Approach Hong Kong

We touched down about fifteen minutes behind schedule, and it seemed like all the big planes and interesting traffic was nearby.

IMG_6664

Traffic Hong Kong Airport

IMG_6665

Traffic Hong Kong Airport

Including the Korean Air 777-200 that I’ll be taking in half a year.

IMG_6667

Korean Air Boeing 777-200 Hong Kong Airport

IMG_6668

View of Runway Hong Kong Airport

IMG_6670

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class Cabin Post-Landing

We parked next to a Sichuan Airlines and a mainline China Eastern A321.

IMG_6674

Sichuan Airlines Airbus A321 Hong Kong Airport

IMG_6673

China Eastern Airbus A321 Hong Kong Airport

Seeing the plane when we were bussed back to immigration made me sort of proud, as I had survived four legs on China Eastern.

IMG_6676

China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Hong Kong Airport

Bottom line on China Eastern Boeing 737-700 Economy Class

The aircraft impressed me. It was spanking new, the seats were comfortable, and I don’t expect PTVs on such a short flight.

While the service and meals on this flight were abysmal, I really can’t say that China Eastern left a bad taste on my mouth. Dinner on the outbound was spicy, flavourful and delicious, and really, what am I to judge airline catering out of western China?

Really, I wouldn’t hesitate to take China Eastern again.

Bottom line on this trip

I had an amazing trip. The biking was eye-opening as I expected, and it was great to hang out with friends for longer periods of time.

Even from a first world perspective, I’d do the trip again.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *