China Eastern Boeing 787 brings business class suites to Melbourne

I've literally just changed an award flight from the PVG to SYD via MEL to catch this. It certainly looks better than the seat on the A332. Just to clarify, it'll be a MU flight number but Shanghi Airlines branding?

Well what do you know Mr Alan Joyce....a real mini first class...that would make the 787/332 business class what then.......? It's a shame the QF product is once again now lagging behind the competition.

I booked with Air China to Tokyo for the coming Easter period, and this morning I was advised the return leg of PVG - MEL is cancelled (so does the Sydney flight, no more CA direct service between Shanghai and Australia from April).

Gees not a bad looking product at all!

Now, if only MU were a OneWorld airline we could use for RTW tickets ..........

Just arrived back after two overnighters with China Eastern. London to Shanghai then Shanghai to Melbourne. Cannot recommend this airline at all. My second flight was on a B787-9. The beauty and helpfulness of the cabin crew cannot make up for an almost complete lack of English communication. They did not know how to use either the entertainment system or the bed controls. With such a huge population and relatively good English language schools I cannot understand why a Chinese airline would attempt international flights without English speaking staff. The entertainment options are appallingly bad. Limited movies were mainly rubbish. Music options likewise. The large screen could not be dimmed whilst listening to music. The hand set did not sync with the main screen. After giving up on the entertainment system a crew member spent around five minutes attempting to connect my 'phone through the wireless system then gave it back with everything in Chinese. The seat/bed controls are horrible and do not allow a useful range of positions. The menu has no provision for vegetarians. The side console (seat 6D) was taken up with sloping surfaces, reducing already limited options for storing anything. Bed was so narrow it was extremely difficult to roll over. With only a handful of travellers in Business I expected the service to be much quicker, plus it would have helped if what I ordered was what was delivered.

The lounge in Shanghai was dreadful in most aspects. One (and only one) positive in my China Eastern travel marathon was the shower room at the Shanghai lounge. It was great.

As of 4 November 2019, MU739/740 have been reverted to Airbus 330-243s and MU737/738 flights are still being operated by B789s. For 2020 however, the system shows Airbus 330-243s for both MU737/738 & MU739/740. Personally I prefer the 2-2-2 layout for J as it's just easier to sleep & more comfortable while sleeping with all that extra space, and you get to meet people. On the other hand, the leg room on Vantage XL products are making sleeping feel rather constrained, be it QF or MU, they are all the same. Alternatively, the F on MU's 77W is a must try - mind the bland in-flight meals though. Oh, one more thing, there's an interesting product one can purchase online - digital Chinese/English & English/Chinese translator, inexpensive, effective and interesting. My mum uses it when flying Qantas and the responses from CCs were overwhelmingly positive.

I'm wondering if those Business Plus seats in row 1 are worth paying extra for. SeatGuru generally has warnings about Row 1 seats in most aircraft as there can be noise from the galley, activity adjacent to the toilets, and baby carriers stowed near them in most seat plans. Am I not thinking straight?!