Hainan Airlines transit hotel in Changsha

HI All

Hi,

I have just done CDG-XIY-MEL on HU in business class last Thursday. So I can just talk about these flights. However, I suppose the process would be about he same for your segments.

Are you travelling Business class or economy as I think service will be different.

I am travelling economy.  But would love to hear your experiences with Hainan airlines, even if it relates to business class. Thank you.

With pleasure!

In business class:

- A330-200 on all legs : CDG-XIY and XIY-MEL - only 18 seats in business at the very front of the plane- config 2-2-2. Plane aged between 6 and 9 years old. In excellent conditions.  I was travelling alone and I did not have anyone seated next to me on both flights, which is good for that configuration. The seat is pretty comfortable  however not that much good on the first leg on lie-flat position; no idea why it was better on the second leg with exactly the same hard product. Screen is small ( around 25cm x15cm) and are all (not just front seats) at the end of an arm that you have to fold away. Dining tablet is small too - maybe too small to welcome the wonderful Hainan table setting ( real 5* skytrax on that).

Food is excellent (better that EK First  A380 I had the previous week) - however a few (very little) annoying things: warm Champagne, a dish that was not hot enough, a pre-order breakfast selection (before sleeping) that is not detailed enough - you have to guess that "western breakfast" automatically means "omelette, bacon..." even if not mentioned in details in the pre-order form. Every time there is a little problem with whatever it can be, the WONDERFUL staff will immediately make up for it.

They provide slippers (good size, EUR 42 easy in them), bvlgari products amenity kit , matelas AND quilt  on all legs- Pyjamas was offered only on second leg (first leg flight time is 9 h 15min and 2nd leg is 10h40 min)- it may be: less than 10 hour flight, no pyj!

There is a free limo transfer from MEL to anywhere around Melbourne - this does not exist in CDG. This has to be reserved by contacting via email your local Hainan office (very easy to find on their website: go to your country page and click contact us)

You can select your seat too using the same email address.

Transit hotel room is offered for more than 6 hours layover: in Business class, someone got me before taking my bags in XIY, collected my bags for me and took me to a chauffeur who drove me to the hotel that is not the (very nice) hotel aiport. It is "nearby" the airport and in fact it is 20 to 30 min away. Bedroom OK with good AC- Chauffeur drove me back to the airport on time.

To benefit from that service, I just emailed the same email (already mentioned) and they answered pretty quickly than I could have a free room and that I had to deal with the company staff once there. I did not have to do that as I was taken care off directly. Maybe it is because I was travelling business. However ask them if in economy there is a free hotel room AND transport organised to get you to the hotel and return to the airport.

Hainan is a very good airlines. In terms of soft product in Business class, they honestly compete with the best ones in the world. They have a brand new hard product ( I think 333 or 787) with reverse herringbone seats 1-2-1. Once these are deployed on all routes, they will be among the best of the best.

HOWEVER:
when flying CDG-XIY-MEL, you have to collect your baggage in XIY and check them again for the second leg and that is where the "glitch" is. You cannot check them straight away once in XIY as the connecting flight is so much later that the check in is not open. So you need to go to the transit hotel with your luggage.

Plus with transiting in China, you have to go through immigration. I think even if your connecting flight is a couple of hours after the first flight and that you just stay in the airport.  Immigration process is much much better in Xi'an than in Beijing though.

I do not know for Oz passport holders, but with a French passport, no need to have a visa if you stay less than 48 hours (please check this on your side depending on your nationality) - take a printed copy of your e-billet to prove the immigration officer that you indeed have a connecting flight within that time frame (important to avoid a surrealistic situation with someone who does not speak English).

Does this help?
Cheers

Yes seats are fully flat bed - If I feel like quibbling a bit I would say that they are slightly lower at the very end of the seat (where the feet are) - however I did not feel like they are huge in length: I am 1m80 and I would not recommend them for people much taller than that.

Awesome thanks very much, I figure why not give them a got a $2k return 

Wow, thank you for the detailed review of your trip HBrown, very much appreciated.
Cheers

I bought a business class ticket from Sydney to London. Connection time in Shangsha is 21 hours. Can you tell which hotel is provided for free stay during transit? I am told about the limosine service free offered to business passengers is only either pick-up or drop-off, I am not offered pick-up AND drop-off service in Shangsha. Is that right, either pick-up OR drop-off? Thanks.