I Survived A Long-Haul Flight On China Airlines — Here’s What It’s Like

A brutally honest review of my flight from Taipei to Sydney

I booked a flight to Australia and wondered if it was a mistake.

My father laughed when I mentioned I was flying with China Airlines. “You must be joking,” he said. “Why would you fly with China Airlines when you can go with Emirates or Singapore instead?”

I replied that China Airlines was the cheapest option. Then, after a few moments of silence, my father realized I was serious and wished me the best of luck.

Here’s what happened when I flew from Taipei to Sydney on China Airlines:

Ground Experience

I arrived at Taipei International Airport after spending a few hours in the city. Clearing immigration to leave the country only took a few minutes, as I used the automated eGates at passport control. Then, I wandered through the airport terminal and explored everything it had to offer.

Taipei’s International Airport was breathtaking. Each gate had a strong theme and featured activities to keep passengers occupied. Several gates also had fascinating information about Taiwanese culture and nature. For example, 58% of Taiwan is covered by woodland or bamboo. So, even though I was in Taiwan for less than one day, I enjoyed the unique opportunity to learn about the island.

I arrived at my gate approximately one hour before departure. I was surprised to find plenty of seating and appreciated the bathrooms directly opposite my gate. Then, once boarding began, the process was quick and efficient.

Cabin And Seat

I stepped onboard the China Airlines A350 and was pleasantly surprised. The interior cabin was stylish, as many walls had bamboo wallpaper. So, instead of spending nine hours in a boring airplane cabin, it felt like I was surrounded by nature.

The carpet of the China Airlines A350 was covered with geometric images of persimmon — a fruit commonly grown in Taiwan. Throughout the flight, I couldn’t help but notice that China Airlines beautifully integrated Taiwanese culture into its cabin design.

The economy-class seat onboard China Airlines was comfortable. During my flight, the seat pitch (legroom) was approximately 32 inches and comparable to several major airlines. However, the complimentary pillows and blankets had stains on them — and thus weren’t used during the flight.

Inflight Entertainment

I was offered complimentary earbuds by flight attendants shortly after boarding the aircraft. My girlfriend commented they were flimsy and didn’t block out external noise (such as screaming children). Therefore, I was grateful to have packed noise-canceling earbuds in my backpack, and I would highly recommend doing the same.

The selection of movies onboard China Airlines was excellent. Countless Hollywood blockbusters, such as Super Mario Bros., Fast & Furious 9, and Guardians Of The Galaxy 3, were available. However, the choice of TV shows was slim, and it was clear China Airlines didn’t have many options for a Western audience.

That’s a stark contrast to other Asian carriers. When I flew on Singapore Airlines, for example, I had the opportunity to watch full seasons of TV shows in multiple languages. So, I felt disappointed that China Airlines didn’t meet the standard of popular carriers in the region.

Food And Drinks

I was served chicken and rice shortly after takeoff. The alternative option onboard China Airlines was seafood pasta. However, since I have a shellfish allergy, I decided it was in everyone’s best interests to avoid a medical incident above the Pacific Ocean.

The chicken was okay — but nothing special. It came with fresh fruit, a side salad, and a piece of stale bread. The cabin crew also served tea, coffee, and various soft drinks.

My flight from Taipei to Sydney was a red-eye flight. However, China Airlines thought it was a good idea to wake all the passengers three hours before landing for an early breakfast. Needless to say, I wasn’t very hungry and wanted to go back to sleep.

Breakfast featured a choice of chicken & rice or scrambled eggs. Unfortunately, the eggs tasted bland and the accompanying sausage was cold and rubbery. So, if I fly on China Airlines again, I’ll bring my own snacks in case the food is terrible.

Service

The flight attendants onboard China Airlines were outstanding. All of them were friendly, patient, and very eager to ensure that all the economy-class passengers had a comfortable flight.

The flight attendants also kept the bathrooms clean during our nine-hour ride down to Sydney. Midway through, I was asked to wait several minutes so a flight attendant could clean the bathroom after a previous passenger. Then, when I stepped into the bathroom, it felt like nobody had used it during the entire flight.

All the flight attendants I spoke to were extremely polite. Throughout the long-haul flight from Taipei to Sydney, they happily offered additional drinks upon request. And, since the flight was delayed by one hour, the flight attendants were extremely apologetic about our late arrival.

The quality of service onboard my China Airlines flight to Sydney was comparable to other Asian carriers such as Singapore, Emirates, and Etihad. However, I’ve read several online reviews about the service being hit or miss. So, I would be hesitant to say that passengers receive five-star service onboard every China Airlines flight.

My Overall Impressions Of China Airlines

I landed in Sydney feeling exhausted. Although the service was excellent, the food and in-flight entertainment dampened the experience.

It’s worth noting, however, that many China Airlines tickets are affordable. For example, you can buy a one-way ticket from Los Angeles to Sydney for less than $1,000 (including baggage). So, if you have low expectations and only care about getting from A to B, consider flying with China Airlines.

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