I recently flew from Cebu to London Gatwick with China Eastern, and I have to admit, I was a little apprehensive beforehand. It’s always a bit nerve-wracking trying out a new airline, especially when you’re so used to the consistency of the big names like Emirates, Qatar, or BA.
So why did I take the plunge with China Eastern? Quite simply – the price. The fare was £260 one way, compared to over £700 with every other airline on the same route. That kind of saving is hard to ignore, and curiosity got the better of me.
Seat Selection & Comfort
For a journey of this length, comfort is everything. I paid an extra £100 in total for extra-legroom seats across both sectors, and I cannot stress enough how worthwhile this was. The difference it made on a long haul was huge – I’d highly recommend it if you’re considering the same route.
That said, booking these seats was a mission in itself. Their website is extremely clunky and frustrating to use, even for me as a travel professional who spends all day dealing with airline systems. It took far more effort than it should have to select and confirm the seats.
Once onboard, however, the seats themselves were perfectly decent. In economy, I honestly didn’t feel much difference in comfort compared with Emirates or Qatar. The legroom upgrade definitely paid off, and overall I was pleasantly surprised by the space and seating.
Service & Crew
This was one of the standout positives. The cabin crew were excellent – friendly, attentive, and all spoke good English. Nothing was too much trouble, and they struck that balance of being efficient without seeming rushed.
One thing that really impressed me was how frequently they came down the aisles with water. Genuinely more often than I’ve seen with any other airline, and for a long-haul flight where you’re at risk of dehydration, this was a big plus.
They also put a little sticker on everyone’s seat who missed a service sleeping – which I thought was cute.
Food & Drinks
The food was another highlight – but then again, I’m a big fan of Chinese cuisine. On the Cebu to Shanghai sector (around 4 hours) it was just a snack pack, nothing special, but perfectly fine.
The Shanghai to London sector was much better:
- Two hot meals served, both very, tasty and fresh.
- Two snack services in between.
I thoroughly enjoyed the meals – certainly better than I expected, and I’d even put them ahead of some so-called premium carriers.
Drinks, however, were limited. The trolley came round frequently, which was great, but the choice was very basic: Coke, juice, water, coffee, tea, and cans of beer. No wine, no spirits. If you’re someone who looks forward to a gin and tonic at 35,000ft, you’ll be disappointed here.
In-Flight Entertainment
This was easily the biggest let-down. On the shorter flight, there were no seat-back screens at all. On the long-haul Shanghai to London sector, screens were fitted, but the entertainment library was shockingly poor.
- Roughly 45 movies total.
- None of them felt like “must-watch” new releases.
- TV shows even more limited and were equally uninspiring.
I honestly couldn’t find a single thing I wanted to watch. If you’re the type who relies on IFE to pass the hours, make sure to download your own films and series before you fly.
The Tech & Check-In Experience
Booking and managing the flight was not straightforward.
- The China Eastern website is clunky and unhelpful.
- I eventually managed to book my seats, but online check-in didn’t work.
- Their app isn’t available to non China Residents – you can’t even register unless you have a Chinese mobile number for the OTP code.
For a major international airline, this was frustrating and outdated.
The Stopover: Shanghai Pudong Airport
This was another weak point. For such a large, modern airport, it was incredibly dull.
- Dining and shopping options were virtually non-existent ( just a tiny take out starbucks).
- It made for a very boring 3-hour layover.
- There is free Wi-Fi, but thanks to the Great Firewall of China, you can’t use Facebook, YoutTube, Insta, Twitter, WhatsApp, or Google – which, let’s be honest, makes it feel pretty useless.
If I were to do this again, I’d absolutely book into an airport lounge to make the stopover more bearable.
Business Class Temptation
When I booked, Business Class was available for around £1,050, which is incredible value for a London–Asia flight.
The only reason I didn’t go for it was because I wrongly assumed it might be more like BA’s Premium Economy. In reality, it’s a fully flat-bed seat, so I definitely missed a trick there.
I can’t comment on the service in Business, but the seats looked fantastic. The only caveat is that you’d still be stuck with the same poor entertainment system.
Final Verdict
Overall, I was pleasantly surprised by China Eastern.
✔️ Comfortable seats
✔️ Excellent service – attentive crew and great hospitality
✔️ Tasty food with generous portions
✔️ Incredibly competitive price
❌ Very limited entertainment selection
❌ Poor website and app functionality
❌ Dull, uninspiring Shanghai airport layover
❌ Drinks choice limited to basics
Would I fly with them again? Yes – absolutely. If the price difference is as dramatic as it was this time (£260 vs £700+), then it’s a no-brainer. However, if the fare difference was under £200, I’d probably opt for Emirates, Qatar, or Turkish for the superior entertainment systems and better stopover experience.
For the value though, China Eastern delivered far more than I expected.
Feel free to WhatsApp me if you’ve got any questions I haven’t covered – happy to share more tips if you’re considering them for your own travels.
Book your China Eastern flight for the best price here.
