I'll admit I went in with low expectations, but that made the ensuing flight a much more pleasant surprise. happened to coincide with a award sale from Avianca LifeMiles, I knew it was my chance to finally sample Air China's first class.
With airlines around the globe retiring their older 747-400s in favor of more fuel-efficient planes, these three airlines will be the last ones to operate the beloved Queen of the Skies into the next decade and hopefully beyond. Air China is one of just three carriers (along with Korean Air and Lufthansa) to order the next-generation 747.
But there was one product I was still dying to try before I threw in the towel: Air China's 747-8 first class. My first two attempts - flying business class with China Eastern on both a 777-300ER and brand-new 787 - left me sorely disappointed.
But since moving to Shanghai about a year and a half ago, I've been curious about testing this widely held assumption myself. There's no way around the fact that mainland Chinese airlines have an abysmal reputation, especially compared to nearaby competitors like Cathay Pacific and EVA Air, who are among the world's best. Update: Some offers mentioned below are no longer available.
