REVIEW SOUTHERN CHINA AIRLINES

BY CAPT. VIC MAY 7, 2019

 CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES

PReFLIGHT

I was recently in Penang  ( see PEARL OF PENANG)   and when it came time to look for transport back to Toronto I found the airfare for most were a pinch on the pricey side. The only reasonable option was  CHINA SOUTHERN AIRLINES  so CZ396 to Guangzhou and CZ311 to Toronto was in the books.  I decided to arrive at Penang International fairly close to departure because I wasn’t sure what kind of business lounge they had at this modern but small facility.

check-in and lounge

Penang International does not have a large terminal but the facility is fairly new, modern, and well laid out. The check-in process for China Southern was fast and easy using the Sky Priority Lane. Here you receive the document check and your boarding pass as well as check any bags you may have. I was quickly on my way to security screening, which was also handled efficiently, so I headed for the next stop which is the business lounge that China Southern and many other airlines at this airport use. This is a fairly small Plaza Premium facility that I found comfortable and surprisingly not too crowded with adequate food and beverage service.

CABIN AND SERVICE

CZ 396

 

 

 

I was first to board the China Southern A320 and quickly stowed my carry on above seat 2C so I could get some photos of the cabin. For a narrow body airbus I was impressed with seating comfort. With a 44/22 Pitch/Width there was ample room for my tall frame which is just what your looking for when you book business.

 

 

After perusing the menu I was introduced to a lovely  French Cru Bourgeois that is generous and rich on the palate with a smooth finish. The appetizer, as well as the rest of the meal, was generous in portion for a rather short flight to the main hub. The smoked duck was followed by a salad and some grilled salmon. Lovely.

 

 

 

This flight was great overall. We were boarded promptly, the seats were great, we got off the gate early, the food was tasty with generous portions and they even asked for my input on food and service later in the journey. On the ground in Guangzhou business class was boarded onto a private VIP bus for the ride to the terminal.

cz311

The flight to Toronto was on a Boeing 777-300 and was delayed due to mechanical problems by 45 minutes. They use a separate gangway to board business class just like the 380’s which I found to be a nice touch. Once boarded I proceeded to seat 6K which is a pod type of an affair that I found claustrophobic but still comfortable. It offers a 74/26 pitch/width with a slot to stretch your legs and also has a fully lie flat feature. The pod has a nice amenities kit with slippers, headphones, and personal grooming items.

 

The selection of food and drinks was good and the service also, at least at the start of the flight, and then it dwindled down to spotty. The flight was unfortunately in light to moderate turbulence for hours. In spite of this the flight attendants continued to serve the meal while they bounced around the cabin while the wine spilled and the food flew. This is not something that would happen when I was in command of flights. The safe thing, of course, is to seat the cabin until more stable conditions are encountered and this is the practice you will find with most airlines of the world. I had to tell them to stop serving me for the time being.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

This flight had the same problem that I frequently encounter on other airlines around the world and especially in North America. Even though its early morning or afternoon and the sun is shining the crew goes around after service slowly lowering all the blinds. The cabin is dark and bathed in dim artificial light. Many folks like to bury their head in the entertainment display or under a blanket and that is fine. Some of us like to stay up and read or work on the laptop and watch the clouds roll by at least until it actually gets dark. Maybe we need separate cabin classes for that?

DEBRIEF

This airline has a lot of nice little perks and many extras that I found to be a great touch. They need to work on cabin safety in my opinion although the service was good especially on the first flight. One other negative is at the current time they are not affiliated with any of the big alliances reward programs that frequent flyers definitely covet. For the price though, and thats starting to creep up there a bit, the airline offers good value in clean, fairly new aircraft.

👍