The International Schools Review Forum

I'm getting a lot out of reading the current threads on airfare, baggage, credit cards, etc. I was wondering if any of you could weigh in about favorite airlines going to Shanghai or Beijing. We would be coming from Texas and could go either east or west. Our main priority would be low fees on excess baggage. We will be traveling with young kids, so an airline with a kid-friendly reputation would be immensely helpful. Thanks!

"Our main priority would be low fees on excess baggage" Don't fly an American airline, then!

Coming from TX you can't go wrong with Singapore or Cathay Pacific. China Air is a lower cost carrier who has a 2 bag free deal and also flies animals - I am likely using them for my upcoming move this summer (once I get home to North America from my present posting!).

Air China is an ok airline, based in Beijing thus not the most convenient carrier to Shanghai. That 3-4 hour layover isn't bad going home but can be pure misery if you are returning to Shanghai. And don't get Air China confused with China Air which is Taiwanese and has less than steller safety records in the past. If you are going to fly a Chinese Airline I find China Eastern, which is the largest, to be pretty good. At least the stewardesses maintain order on the plane.

Thanks Overhere - Air China is the one I meant. Price seems very very good and honestly, price is the main consideration :-)

Air China sucks. Definitely the worst airline I've ever taken, and that list even includes the American carriers and the dodgy Indonesian ones. Flight attendants don't speak much English, and the passengers (mostly Chinese) are rude, unruly, and disgusting. Food was inedible; we actually brought a couple of sandwiches with us on the return flight so we didn't have to eat the disgusting food.


Best airline I've flown is Singapore, but Cathay Pacific, Korean, and Asiana are also good.

Having flown the so called best and worst carriers in the world I can state generally the difference is negligible, unless you upgrade. For example, some low cost carriers have older planes thus often more room in seats for tall passengers. However the same older plane may lack personal TV's which might bother some but can be solved with a laptop or tablet. Even grumpy staff from unionized NA carriers can be a complaint versus other airlines where staff speak less English. Some airlines do have better food (complete with menus) but is it worth paying 200 hundred dollars extra? I guess it's up to the individual. I just know I've over spend for so called 'great' airlines and been disappointed and under spent on 'cheapo' airlines and been thrilled!

No guarantees

Since you are traveling w/ kids plus would need generous baggage, I'd go with Singapore/Cathay/Korean or Asiana. Great service and great Changgi and Incheon are great layover airports!

Best airlines I've ever flown are Cathay Pacific and Thai Airways. Good food, personal TVs with tons of movies, friendly flight attendants.

I've done a lot of flying on Air China. I prefer them to China Eastern Airlines, who will serve you bread, water, and pickles on a six hour flight. I've had that happen more than once, so it's not an isolated incident. The food on Air China isn't fantastic, but at least it's a hot meal. However, if you're flying from New York to Shanghai, you can go direct on China Eastern. Just bring food.

Best airport to have a layover in? Hands down, Changi in Singapore.

Oops- that should have read Beijing, not Bangkok.

Thanks so much for the feedback.

Any of the major asian airlines. Singapore Airlines is my favorite. Unless you get a direct flight from the west coast (expensive) you will likely have a layover in Naritta (Japan). My advice is:

1) Pick the shortest possible flight for the international segment of your flight. The things that make flights unbearable can almost all be attributed to longer flights. The best video system and food is going to get tired and old the more you have to endure it.

2) Arrange your flights with decent breaks in between. Your flying from texas which means your likely flying from where ever you are to either Dallas or Houston on an american carrier and then off to LAX. International flights are best for kids if you can fly that international segment at night.Doing this your kids will hopefully sleep through most of the flight and between dinner and breakfast most of the other passengers will hopefully be asleep. You want to ensure that if there are any problems or delays you have plenty of time built into your schedule to make your international connection. You also want to make sure your luggage has plenty of time to make your flight as well.

3) Dont use a site like expedia or orbitz. Your not traveling your moving and if there are any problems you want the shortest resolution/complaint path possible, ideally this means you and the airline. As soon as you introduce additional parties they will blame each other for whatever the problem is. Your likely to have two airlines the domestic airline and the international airline. Working with just those two will be problematic enough. Travel agents are great for travelers, but being in another country for an extended period of time a travel agent in the states knows you cant really do anything from the other side of the planet.

4) Always use a credit card. Yeah this gives you an option to dispute the charges if your airline messes up, but the international customer service line has BEEN amazingly helpful for me in fixing all kinds of problems for me from denied boarding, to processing a claim for lost luggage under the extended travel protections I didnt even know i had. They also arranged for an advance from the hotel, when all the banks were closed. The support representative was able to explain in the foreign language my problem and secure a resolution for me, that included a hotel and several food vouchers on one occasion.

5) Research the aircraft and services important to you with the varrying airlines. Some small things are more important to people then others, such as the number of restrooms in coach on a particular plane. The video/audio programming on a particular route or the menu availability with different airlines. I know one teacher with two kids who insisted on an american carrier, which I couldnt fathom, but her reasons were very simple. Her kids were 8 and 10, and the american airline had a large selection of kid appropriate childrens programing including Nick and Disney as well as kids movies. The also offered a kids happy meal option for the kids. Try getting a child whos a picky eater to eat the "adult" entree, which included Sushi which her oldest hated. Those things were FAR more important then anything else.

4)

I am headed to Shanghai from Houston. When I was looking at flights I noticed some of them involve much longer total travel time than others, like 17 hours total vs. 26 hours total. With small kids that would definitely be something to consider, I'd imagine.

It really depends where the extra hours are spent. If your spending that extra 9 hours on the ground and during the day in a decent location, id leave the airport and see some of the sites, grab a decent meal, and get some pictures. Id rather do that then spent a couple more hours on a plane with kids getting more fidgety.