RUN don't walk away from this airline. (China Eastern Air)

Member Name: isc53151

Product:	China Eastern Air
Date:	26/06/06 (1057 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Cheap

Disadvantages: bad equipment, bad communications

Reciently I flew them from Shanghai to Hong Kong. Made my reservations a day early. Arrived at the air port to find my flight cancelled. I was put on a flight 30 minutes later. When I arrived at the gate area the gate I was given on my boarding pass and the gate displayed on air port information we very different. After asking around I was told to go to the gate on my boarding pass. The gate agent confirmed that this was the correct gate. Fifteen minutes after the susposed boarding time we were informed that the gate was changed to the gate shown on the air port displays. Went to that gate to find that the flight was delayed for an undetermined time. After 30 minutes I saw a heated discussion going on with a number of pasangers and airline personel away from the gate. I went to check it out and found that there was another flight leaving that I could take if I hadn't checked any luggage (I had). The fight was to try to get checked luggage moved to that flight. Eventhough we did not have an aircraft available for our flight we would told that they couldn't take our luggage off of our flight.

Eventually they o.k.ed us on the new flight. On to gate number three accross the air port. Upon arrival at this gate we found out that we this gate had been changed. On to gate number 4.

Finally boarded this flight and then sat at the gate for close to one hour - reasons given, maintenance problems, waiting on additional passanges (although the flight was full). and no reason. Finally took off.

Landing in Hong Kong was VERY rough. Never got to a gate. Had to deplane in the rain down portable steps on to busses. Looking at aircraft saw engine cover on port side off. Apparently reverse thust did not work on that engine.

Long story - To get to Hong Kong from Shanghai I had to go to four different gates, with three different flights, on an air craft with mechanical problems and arrived 5 hours late.

Summary: Four gates and three flight numbers to get one flight out of Shanghai