Teach Heathrow a Lesson or two (Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG))

Member Name: johnboyle007

Product:	Shanghai Pudong International Airport (PVG)
Date:	14/07/09 (16 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Clean and Efficient

Disadvantages: None

I arrived at 07 30 on Thursday 9th July onboard Virgin Atlantic. Your first encounter is Health Officials boarding the plane to take veryone's temperature. Stay seated or they shout at you. Being in Upper Class you get to leave the aircraft first. It is a very modern airport and being one of the first flights in it was spotless clean almost as if it has just opened.

There is a long walk to arrivals the terminal is a long straight building. As you reach immigration you expect a queue but nothing. First of all they check you have completed the health form you then hand that in and then you join the short queue to clear immigration again no problem.

As you walk into the Baggage Claim you have the opportunity to buy currency either from cash point or from a Bureau. Exchange rate is the same
TIP Make sure you tell your card provider that you are travelling to China or you may find your card blocked after this transaction as happened to me

After picking up your bags again straight through customs into a relatively empty arrivals area. Signs are plentiful written in English and Chinese - Mandarin I think but not sure

I was picked up my Virgin so did not get to use public transport

There are many options

MAGLEV for your fastest train journey ever but remember it stops in middle of nowhere in Shanghai so you need a taxi to final destination

Taxi cheap and many of them but be prepared for a manic fast lane changing journey

Bus ? Metro not really an option unless you are familiar with network

It is one of the best international airports I have visited and I will do a review for my return flight this weekend
Pudong to Heathrow with Virgin Upper Class


Driver was there waiting as I checked out of my hotel a very clean Rover 75 imitation, thankfully not a bog standard Shanghai VW Passat taxi

It was about a 50 minute journey pass new motorway network for Shanghai Expo in very light traffic so I would suggest allow 90 mins in rush hour.

The road to the airport is 20km of beautiful gardens I would compare it to a drive through Kew Gardens.

As you approach the terminal building it reverts back to Shanghai chaos 5 lanes in front of terminal simply used as car park so lots of near pedestrians collisions. The Driver just stopped pointed at entrance at Terminal 2 and that was it .

Entering the terminal expect the usual Departure boards telling you where to check in. Reached the Virgin Desk which already had a queue building but with Upper Class straight to the front and received boarding card all in less than 5 minutes
Lounge access comes with the ticket and they gave you directions where to go

Through departure immigration 10 mins no priority unless you are a Diplomat or member of Communist Party elite - some are still more equal than others.

Sign says 95% of passengers clear security in 25 mins so in busy times you may have to queue. Whilst waiting a polite man tests you with an Explosive sniff device. After that
through the usual security scanners not as thorough as Europe I had left liquids in my bag no one bothered / noticed.

Long modern terminal very clean and was busy but not overpowering probably due to its size meaning plenty of space for people to spread out. Pudong is for international departures only.

Usual range of eateries, for example, Burger king and coffee bar in lounge. Usual range of expensive shops and duty free as if you have not shopped enough in Shanghai
Terminal windows look out onto apron and in the near distance see all the ships pulling into the harbour collecting the exports

Left terminal behind and went to Virgin lounge shared with other airlines even at 730 quite busy. Self service food area mix of Chinese and western - fine coffee machine  and some excellent cream cakes - worth paying the extra for on the ticket just for the cakes.

Seats are comfortable in the lounge a cubicle arrangement. Newspaper selection disappointing and magazines are decidedly for wealthy people not poor business travellers.
Amazing toilet with control pad which had more functions than the average DVD player

Boarding scheduled at 0840 for a 0920 departure did not board until 9 but still left gate at 9 20 so credit to staff for fast boarding

Once on board offered champagne / orange juice being early morning I asked for cup of tea and to my surprise got one

Meal selection made shortly after take off I went for the lamb which was excellent

Good selection of films on demand, bit of a snooze in between films and a bacon roll mid flight and a second one just before landing and flight was nearly at an end

On landing given a Priority Pass to whisk you though Customs which I was grateful for given the length of the queue. Walking through Heathrow is like a rabbit warren and they are doing their bit to upgrade Terminal 3 with new toilet blocks and repainting but when you compare it to other Hub International airports it is purely a sticking plaster, there is only one solution demolition each terminal in turn and rebuild. The radical option of a new airport in the Estuary is just too big for the European mentality

Anyway back to my trip bags were there quickly and then straight through customs and walked over to Virgin Limo Desk and Driver was there waiting. Back to the relative sanity of M25 M1 and home for 6pm a little tired after 18 hours travelling but nowhere near as exhausted if all done in economy

Virgin Upper Class well worth , if I had the money would select it anytime had a long haul flight

I think they set the standard for Europe airlines, I hope one day to be able to compare with airlines such as Singapore and Emirates who are supposed to have even better service levels

Thursday this week back to reality and a day trip to Brussels from East Midlands sigh

Summary: Why cant all airports be like this