FLIEGER67 From Bulgaria, joined Sep 2003, 4424 posts, RR: 56 Posted (5 months 1 week 19 hours ago) and read 10270 times:
"Taipei ups and downs by China Airlines 744/343"
哈罗, dear readers,
the year is coming closer to it´s end
and that means also the number of interesting and weatherwise acceptable destinations around Europe decreases.
With the warm spanish autumn sun in mind
I´am looking for a new departure airport, maybe also a new airline and to complement it, also a new country?.
Well, there is these island in the chinese sea with, so it looks like, the perfect weather conditions in early November.
And also the flights on offer are convenient.
And I hope, this trip will be more successfull than the no-go for Tunisia just some three days ago.
Thursday, 01.11.2012
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Service KLM KL 1764 operated by KLM Cityhopper
Scheduled: 10.15 // 11.35
All the flights are on one confirmation this time,
secured by Lastminute.de with the fare per leg ok, 185.00 Euro´s.
OLCI for the first flight of the day works pretty fast via the KL website. No need to hurry for a good seat on the way to the airport.
Departure from FRA this time.
Why?. It´s simply the last leg should also arrive at FRA and I don´t want to change for the ICE train or something else.
Wake up at 4.30 am, nothing really new to me. Dry roads, it´s public holiday in Baden-Württemberg, so as expected and scheduled low traffic only on the motorway till around Mannheim.
Hey, what´s going on here?. There is something definitely wrong!.
What an amateurish error. Public Holiday?. Sure, but only in Baden-Württemberg and from one minute to the other I´am stuck in the morning rush with all the people heading to work in Hessen.
No, this is not to my fondness, only a small time buffer left, but finally arrived at the parking location, Tourcare in Neu-Isenburg.
Goodbye to the car, a quick shuttle for the terminal. No one in front at the Sky Priority desk, where a nice young woman accepted my bag for TPE and printed my boarding pass. Hope to see you tomorrow!.
She also decides to explain the way for the lounge en detail, thanx, no need to do so!.
No time to wait at security and the flight looks like ok from gate D, 24, in the end
Also this way the plane is inbound some ten minutes ahead to schedule and decides for an apron parking position
Well, it´s FRA here
Further on for the lounge which shows no views, so my time to stay is certainly limited
Bus boarding well ontime for a drive along a thousand of planes till this one
The F70 like on schedule.
PH-JCH and leg no. 11 on type.
A new one?. Yes, new to the log, at least!
Since 11.11.1994 in the air with Fokker, Mountain West, Austrian and Cityhopper.
26 planes on type are in the actual fleet and this the oldest example
Cockpit crew is from the Netherlands. The captain with a real nice welcome after boarding is completed. We are waiting for the loadsheet.
He is several more times to hear with updates around the departure situation due to ATC restrictions. He´s later on the mike again with arrivals and connection informations.
No route info, flightlevel is 25000 feet.
10.35 am, 55 minutes to go for the Netherlands.
"City" is finally 20 minutes late with 5 degrees only and some high clouds.
Spacious enough for me here with the mixed blue fabric seats
Cabin crew is one middle aged nice male FA and one younger female english FA, slim, black hair, simply nice.
Safety on board, sure
The dutch issue, well, not that this is in any case recognizable
Legroom is perfectly good here with me in 11A, the exit row and two seats for me.
And the cabin is clean so far
The load is 80 %
Just departed from the 4000 meters "Two-Five-Center"
The dutch are so delicious, together with free drinks
Approaching AMS
Above the city
Touchdown at the 2014 meters "Two-Two", 11.35 am,
ontime, 9 degrees, wet and light rain.
And parked at the gates with the stairs directly for the terminal
Bye now for the F70, nice to meet you here
A new lounge now?. We will see!.
Thursday, 01.11.2012
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Service CI 066 operated by China Airlines
Scheduled: 14.00 // 06.45
Passport check works really quick, thanx to an extra line open for status pax.
And ready for the lounge, the KL Crown Lounge of course
There is no seat selection mode available at the CI website. And there is also no OLCI available ex AMS as later noticed. Lucky me, that I´ve called CI´s FRA office and secured my seats of choice for this flight well in advance.
The elder female agent at the lounge entrance decided also to print me a new proper blue paper for the CI flights, not that I´ve even asked it this way!.
Not to my gusto, this part of the lounge is closed
and there are not to many free seats in the open part
Well, no news are good news for my flight from gate F9
I need ages to secure these picture and don´t bother someone
Heineken secures Skyfall today!
For the gate now.
What´s on offer today?.
Ah, this looks like the scheduled 744
The weather is as Novemberlike as it should be
China and me looking forward to some more warm sun
B-18251 is this example called
KL also on the Asia track
Ground handling at work
This is leg no. 8 on the 744 and sure, new to the log
With Mandarin and China Airlines since 14.06.1995.
31 planes on type are in service and this is, like on KLC, the oldest example in the fleet
Boarding now
Late boarding doesn´t help this time.
This plane is as fully booked as it could be.
Vacationeers only, so it looks like.
Lot´s of Asian people.
I´am in 60J, my seatmate with the two seater in the aisle seat is an really senior traveller what turn´s out as the good one in the end. It´s interesting to talk, he worked for China Airlines in Amsterdam years ago and he walks most of the time around to obviate any difficulties with his blood circulation
2.20 pm, 20 minutes late, 10 hours, 30 minutes by "Dynasty" for Thailand from the 3500 meters runway "Two-Four".
10 degrees and wet after rain.
The cabin is fitted with mixed blue-pink fabric seats, well used but nevertheless clean so far.
Cockpit crew is from Taiwan, the captain is on the mike with a short welcome after boarding is completed.
We see an ATC delay due to the bad weather situation, but nothing to worry about.
He´s short after departure again on the mike with more informations.
Safety instructions
Not the best legroom here, but lots of space, this is the first two seater after all the three seaters
Birthday, ok, but not for me today!
The cabin ceiling
The inseat video screen works
And shows me a couple of options
For example this one
A long way to go
There is a supernice young, cute, female FA with brown hair and an also nice middle aged woman serving my seat.
Mostly clouds down there
The routing is FMO-DRS-PRG-Brno-Cluj-Constanza-Trabzon-Erivan-Baku-Delhi-Calcutta-Rangoon with a flightlevel maximum up to 36000 feet and some rough air above Romania only.
And a rather scratched window
Let´s start with a mixed snack and some water
At least it´s blue up here
Till something more arrived
Perfect for me, veggie´s, rice and the right hand stuff remained untouched
Trabzon, I should go there also some day
Darjeeling, that´s what I´am looking for just when I write this, but not on the map, more in the teacup!
Something more to eat
The same procedure again.
Mashed potatoes and beans, the left hand side remained untouched this time
The purser is at my seat and asked if it´s ok to prepare a landing card for me.
No sorry, Thailand not today, but definitely nice service.
Still clouds above northern Thailand
Not that far from the destination now.
With the captain once more on the mike and a relaxed good morning
Sea or land down there?
Touchdown at the 3700 meters "Zero-One-Left". It´s 07.00 am, what means 01.00 am in Germany, 15 minutes late and 28 hazy degrees.
All pax should disembark the plane here.
Sure ok with me to have a view for one more lounge!.
Service CI 066 operated by China Airlines
Scheduled: 08.30 // 13.00
Taipei and F5, why not?
But this one first
Really good offers here in comparison to some European places
And a few guests only.
I dont recognize anyone else from my flight
For the gate now to see something like this in the bright sun, ok not that really unexpected!
The modern and airy terminal
But limited options for pictures only
It´s B-18251 again.
Sure ok for me to count leg no. 9 on the 744 to the log
Boarding now
Taxiway racecourse
S7 parked closeby
08.35 am, short behind schedule, 3 hours, 15 minutes more to go for Taiwan by "Dynasty".
30 sunny degrees now.
Cabin view
The load is 70%. Lucky me, lot´s of open seats, at least in the rear cabin. Mostly asian pax and only a few connectors from AMS, so it looks like. This AMS-BKK leg is definitely good biz for China Airlines
Legroom is good here also in the last row, 62J and two seats for me
The safety card from the other side
Just departed from the 4260 meters "Zero-One-Right"
There is a complete crew change at BKK.
The new lead purser is at my seat with a very nice personal welcome.
"Let me know if there is anything what we can do for you".
There is a very nice young female FA serving my seat.
She looks like the clone from the first leg!.
Schweppes Soda for me, please!
Cockpit crew is from Taiwan, the captain with a really nice short welcome inflight.
Routing is Surin-Da Nang-South of Haikou, Macau and Hongkong at a maximum of 37000 feet and rough air all along the way.
Something more to eat
Ok, I´am running more in the exotic direction,
but anyway it tastes good, at least the left hand part, rice and the white something!
Snaky river above Vietnam
Close to Taiwan
With a panoramic ride along the island
Sure a well populated area
A couple of clouds around
Approach for TPE
Not that far to go
Touchdown at the 3660 meters "Zero-Five-Left", it´s 1.00 pm and that´s ontime, the temperature is 27 partly cloudy degrees.
Welcome to Taiwan for the very first time.
Changed a couple of New Taiwan Dollars prior to immigration without a minute to wait and also one or two minutes only for the officer to stamp my passport.
Now I´am really in Taiwan.
Where there are several bus companies to run from the airport to different places in the city. Well, me as the southern german traveller decides to catch the cheapest one, the Citiairbus for Taipei´s main train station.
The bus is as old as the ticket cheap and the senior driver for sure the funny guy, laughing all the time. Doesn´t speak a single word english and everytime when someone asked a question nods his head, it´s all good here, believe me!.
We´re running and running, much longer than the schedule told me to secure all the special needs of the passengers and finally emerged somewhere in the city what looks like the main train station.
My decision is to substitute the local taxi guys, the driver is for sure a correct one and he delivers me for my hotel which is not that far away in the end, the Just Sleep Ximending.
A perfectly recommendable place with the MRT station Ximen directly in front of the door and a real quick response for my usual question, top floor please!
A supernice welcome and floor 9 is prepared for me.
Wifi is free here, sure ok this way.
The large bed
The bathroom
Room details
So, how to spend a night and the two days around in Taipei?.
Come on and follow me for some impressions.
For example catch the perfectly working and clean MRT
And join the impressive crowd of people around the
Longshan Temple
Where they burn a thousand of frankincense chopsticks
The people present goods
Food and flowers as a donation
In the main hall
With the blue sky above
People reading and do a chat together
Ok it looks like definitely chinese
You´re local business for all the temple needs
Impressive buildings here around
Something to eat?
Everything well signed, at least in chinese letters!
Ok, I know, there are shoes on offer
And your´re local business at the corner
Back for the hotel to catch, also when it´s not that much, but anyway a short sleep till breakfast is ready.
These chairs are definitely not made for my size!
The buffet
And the offers
A view from the room
Now I know why Taiwan is the world famous producer of scooters.
Walk above the street during the green light and see you face to face with 30/40/50 scooters side by side with every driver wants to be the fastest starter ever!.
Well, walk a little bit faster!
Or what about a view around Chiang Kai Shek memorial?
This is the National Opera House
The National Concert Hall
People practice marches
It looks like fun for them
This is the memorial
With these narrow little building in the distance
The main entrance
Ok, this looks like chinese
Everything what you need during you´re stay here
People doing the marches on and on
Also in chinese uniforms
Looks like an official building
The Presidential Palace
Ok, now it´s all clear. This way to go
Hang Ten ok, but Bossini?
Taipei street life
What about these cute building in the distance?
Coming closer
In the bright sun
Well, it grows from meter to meter!
And turns out as Taipei 101, the former tallest building around the world
Ok, it looks like tall
Well, it is tall
What about a view from above?
Let´s go up
This way
Well explained
A view from above
For the thousands of buildings
And Songshan airport
With a plane on finals
Some more chinese style buildings
Just around the corner
For my hotel this way
Chiang Kai Shek memorial left hand side
The counterweight
To protect the tower from vibrations
Looks like futuristic
An MD on take-off
Really steep
Just a good idea to transport you´re bike
The entrance for the Confuzius temple
Where you have the chance to leave you´re fortune card
Like this examples
Looks like really chinese
The gong
Not only the temple is interesting
Roof details
And an ATR also on the way for Songshan
A class of old people learning to write chinese letters
Frankincense chopsticks
Dragons above
And MD´s
What about a view for the surroundings?.
Fruits anyone
Freshly cooked
Extrafast trike transports
Well, you never know what is cooked here
Fruits and veggies
Like this one
The cook shouted and offers his delicious food
Scooters always first, pedestrians should stay away!
Well, this time the Express-Bus shuttled me back for the airport what worked well in the end.
Ahem, after a couple of detours around the main train station till the companies bus terminal!.
Saturday, 03.11.2012
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Service CI 061 operated by China Airlines
Scheduled: 23.50 // 06.40
No Frankfurt to see here
Ah, here it is, gate A9 by the way
Check-In is done quickly, not a second to wait till a supercute female agent accepted my bag.
Now that´s interesting to follow, the girl don´t need to take my bag, there is a young guy around the counters exactly for this job.
A view for the modern style terminal
Curbside
Down the escalator
For terminal 1
If there are some screens unused, simply do it this way
Ah, the infodesk down there
Special arts here
And also the roof is chineselike built
Looks like really good in the warm night
Well, till now I see me on a plane in February and not on a bus with this name!
Ah, there is also a lounge on offer here
The entrance
The offers
The more chinese style side
Comfortable seaters but no apron view
This one is parked at my assigned gate
The A343 like on schedule
Gate view
Face to face
This is B-18803, new to the log and leg no. 6 only on type
On the way with China Airlines since 28.06.2001.
The fleet counts 6 actual examples
Boarding now
11.50 pm, ontime, 13.35 hours by "Dynasty" for FRA.
An rolling endless takeoff from the 3660 meters "Two-Three-Right" follows.
24 degrees and clear sky in Taipeh.
Cockpit crew is impressive, all chinese,
see them at the gate, two captain´s, three FO´s.
One of the captains with a nice and detailed welcome after departure later on.
Engine view
Cabin crew on service for my seat is one well middle aged woman, black curly hair, nice with a somewhat tough style and another also middle aged nice asian woman.
By now for TPE
Two for me in 39K, the last row rule worked perfectly this time. Legroom is ok and the load is 90%. 30% asian travellers and beside that mostly german vacationeers on connecting flights
Safety instructions
Cabin view with the blue-purple somewhat well used fabric seats
The taste of Taiwan like in the right corner is still with me here at the homebase and I like it!
Entertainment for anyone
The seat view
And that´s finally my entertainment
Not that funny to eat with really rough air after departure till Korea
I´ve don´t expected the routing like this
Really far north
It feels like really cold down there
The white sea
Central Europa ahead
The dark cabin
Someone for Helsinki
Sure, Helsinki!
Routing is Jeju-Busan-all along northern Russia-north of Helsinki-Stockholm-Malmoe-Rostock and more rough air later on approach.
But anyway something more to eat
No, this is not my choice for breakfast
The second captain is on the mike with a nice and relaxed good morning during the early approach.
Lights on
Cabin view
Welcome back to Bankfurt, sorry, Frankfurt, early in the morning
Touchdown at the 2800 meters "Two-Five-Right".
6.30 am, ten minutes ahead to schedule, 7 degrees and light rain.
Perfectly organized Germany impressed me again.
The priority tag works well but nothing moves at the exit.
It seems customs is closed with a large group of pax and some difficulties till an airport employee opened one of the emergency exits and leads the people out for the public.
The shuttle works quick, the car is where it should be and the motorways are empty this early Sunday morning. Not that long thereafter back at the homebase.
Here are the conclusions:
1. KLM Cityhopper Frankfurt-Amsterdam: Short and comfy with the exit row window.
2. China Airlines Amsterdam-Bangkok: Nice staff and acceptable also with the full load.
3. China Airlines Bangkok-Taipei: Rough air but sure ok to fly the 744 again.
4. China Airlines Taipei-Frankfurt: The longest flight ever in the log successfully done.
Something more to fly this year?.
Sure, the climate around the Arabian peninsula looks like also interesting for a shorty night.
And there is also a new departure airport, airline and yes, country to log.
Something like this and no, this is not pictured at FRA!:
回头见,
comments welcome,
FLIEGER67 or "Markus Klaus Felger" by Facebook.
PlaneHunter From Germany, joined Mar 2006, 6219 posts, RR: 79 Reply 3, posted (5 months 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 10059 times:
Servus Markus,
nice report about your Taiwan visit. Even though you had a new cabin on the 744, the product in general cannot impress me. There's a huge IFE box on the A343 and the food doesn't look good at all. And that's indeed a very long flight on the A343, I try to avoid such sectors in Y Class nowadays.
But you were lucky with with the weather in Taipei. It's a great city, wouldn't mind to go there again. Your pictures remind me of my visits there.
roberts87 From Netherlands, joined Dec 2011, 675 posts, RR: 0 Reply 4, posted (5 months 1 week 17 hours ago) and read 9827 times:
Hello Markus,
A great report on what seemed like a nice short trip to Taipei. Acceptable service on the China Airlines I would say, but nothing special. How many days did you send in TPE? Seemed like a short trip for such a long flight.
rogerbcn From Andorra, joined Sep 2006, 1140 posts, RR: 19 Reply 5, posted (5 months 1 week 17 hours ago) and read 9773 times:
Hola Markus!
A very interesting read, as usual, for this cold and rainy morning here.
Very nice and detailed info about CI, I have never flown them but they seem a great option, really nice to see them here, the IFE looks great for the length of the flights. As long as they have a nice map I am happy, and here it seems you had different options to choose from.
Food looks a little 'dodgy', but I am sure I would have eaten everything... as long as it is safe to eat it I would go for it.
reifel From Germany, joined Feb 2005, 1155 posts, RR: 1 Reply 6, posted (5 months 1 week 17 hours ago) and read 9757 times:
Hi Markus,
thanks for sharing. CI is not often covered here, and they seem perfectly fine. Suprised that KL/AF/Havas (or whoever is in charge of CKIN in FRA) doesn't issued you a boarding pass for the CI flight...
CI is often used from Germany for cheap fares to Bali. When I flew with LOT from FRA to WAW lately there were even connecting guests on my LO flight which came in with CI from DPS. What a trek and a beautiful terminal change in FRA
The pictures of TPE are stunning. The airport is beautiful, but the city is georgeous. Really makes me want to go there!
FLIEGER67 From Bulgaria, joined Sep 2003, 4424 posts, RR: 56 Reply 7, posted (5 months 1 week 16 hours ago) and read 9527 times:
Hey, good to follow these comments.
@PH:
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 3):
nice report about your Taiwan visit. Even though you had a new cabin on the 744, the product in general cannot impress me. There's a huge IFE box on the A343 and the food doesn't look good at all. And that's indeed a very long flight on the A343, I try to avoid such sectors in Y Class nowadays.
Thank you and lucky me here on the last leg with the two seater and me alone.
Quoting PlaneHunter (Reply 3):
But you were lucky with with the weather in Taipei. It's a great city, wouldn't mind to go there again. Your pictures remind me of my visits there.
Quoting roberts87 (Reply 4):
A great report on what seemed like a nice short trip to Taipei. Acceptable service on the China Airlines I would say, but nothing special. How many days did you send in TPE? Seemed like a short trip for such a long flight.
Thank you and it was just the night and the two days around in Taipei.
@R.:
Quoting rogerbcn (Reply 5):
A very interesting read, as usual, for this cold and rainy morning here.
Very nice and detailed info about CI, I have never flown them but they seem a great option, really nice to see them here, the IFE looks great for the length of the flights. As long as they have a nice map I am happy, and here it seems you had different options to choose from.
Food looks a little 'dodgy', but I am sure I would have eaten everything... as long as it is safe to eat it I would go for it.
Thank you and sure also my point with the meals.
Quoting rogerbcn (Reply 5):
Certainly the most annoying thing on this flight.
Loved the Taipei pictures, really nice city.
How bad was the turbulence you encountered BKK-TPE and the one over the China Sea?
Taipei is for sure a great place to go and both the flights are shaky, but not that really superspecial.
Especially the last leg during the meal service was not that really nice.
@F.:
Quoting reifel (Reply 6): hanks for sharing. CI is not often covered here, and they seem perfectly fine. Suprised that KL/AF/Havas (or whoever is in charge of CKIN in FRA) doesn't issued you a boarding pass for the CI flight...
Thank you. The KL leg is more or less an add on and shows up with KL OLCI. I´ve decided to pick up the paper in style at AMS!.
Quoting reifel (Reply 6):
CI is often used from Germany for cheap fares to Bali. When I flew with LOT from FRA to WAW lately there were even connecting guests on my LO flight which came in with CI from DPS. What a trek and a beautiful terminal change in FRA
Now that sounds also interesting.
Quoting reifel (Reply 6): The pictures of TPE are stunning. The airport is beautiful, but the city is georgeous. Really makes me want to go there!
Definitely a place to spend some time if you are in Asia.
SloAir From Slovenia, joined Jul 2010, 336 posts, RR: 6 Reply 8, posted (5 months 1 week 15 hours ago) and read 9415 times:
Hi Markus,
another very entertaining report, thanks for sharing! Good to see so many long haul reports from you recently and I know there are a few more coming
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): I´am in 60J, my seatmate with the two seater in the aisle seat is an really senior traveller what turn´s out as the good one in the end. It´s interesting to talk, he worked for China Airlines in Amsterdam years ago and he walks most of the time around to obviate any difficulties with his blood circulation
Always good to have a nice seatmate on such long flights.
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): Really good offers here in comparison to some European places
Nice, looks really good.
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): The bus is as old as the ticket cheap and the senior driver for sure the funny guy, laughing all the time. Doesn´t speak a single word english and everytime when someone asked a question nods his head, it´s all good here, believe me!.
aerdingus From Ireland, joined Dec 2006, 2495 posts, RR: 18 Reply 11, posted (5 months 1 week 13 hours ago) and read 9096 times:
I was curious to see about CI. I love their livery. They had a few "incidents" over the last few years, didn´t they? Food looks ok, & yeah I agree that the IFE box must´ve been irritating. TPE looks fantastic though, somewhere else in Asia I would love to see...
Thanks
BA EI FH FR LX RE SK TS VY ZB 3K 5G A300 A310 A319 A320 A321 A333 ATR72 B735 B738 B744 B772 MD82 BCN BOH BRU CPH CRL DUB
FLIEGER67 From Bulgaria, joined Sep 2003, 4424 posts, RR: 56 Reply 12, posted (5 months 1 week 13 hours ago) and read 9073 times:
Hey, more comments, nice.
@B.:
Quoting SloAir (Reply 8):
another very entertaining report, thanks for sharing! Good to see so many long haul reports from you recently and I know there are a few more coming
Thank you.
Quoting SloAir (Reply 8):
Always good to have a nice seatmate on such long flights.
I was curious to see about CI. I love their livery. They had a few "incidents" over the last few years, didn´t they? Food looks ok, & yeah I agree that the IFE box must´ve been irritating. TPE looks fantastic though, somewhere else in Asia I would love to see...
Thank you and sure also the point with the incidents. In fact it´s the airline with the worst safety record around the larger companies.
Taipei is sure worth a visit, definitely.
We have been there as well! Good to know about the better lounge amenities compared with its European counterparts. Did you manage to visit CI Lounge as well?
FLIEGER67 From Bulgaria, joined Sep 2003, 4424 posts, RR: 56 Reply 15, posted (5 months 1 week 7 hours ago) and read 8203 times:
Hey and good to see these comments.
@M.:
Quoting 767747 (Reply 13):
Great photos from Taipei! I like the city views from the top of the building! What a cool looking city.
I've heard mixed reviews before about China Airlines. Food looks pretty average on your AMS-BKK flight, but better on the last 2 segments.
Thank you and sure, Taipei is a place worth to visit.
@S.:
Quoting akhmad (Reply 14):
How exciting to read your story! I have been waiting for this to come! Guess which registration Herman and I were flying with one week later?
Thank you and perfectly good to know.
Quoting akhmad (Reply 14):
How considerate of them! KL staff members are always accommodating.
Quoting akhmad (Reply 14):
What a pity. It looks delicious to me.
Sure ok with me and the other side.
Quoting akhmad (Reply 14):
Not considering to go there as well apart from Trabzon?
Sure a good idea.
Quoting akhmad (Reply 14):
What a nice gesture, though a bit early. I assume you got your landing card for Taiwan later on?
No need to do so for Taiwan.
Quoting akhmad (Reply 14):
We have been there as well! Good to know about the better lounge amenities compared with its European counterparts. Did you manage to visit CI Lounge as well?
sultanils From Belgium, joined Mar 2010, 1215 posts, RR: 29 Reply 16, posted (5 months 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 7329 times:
Hi Markus,
Good to see this good longhaul report on the board. CI seems to deliver a pretty decent service, not 5* but hospitable and friendly. The B744 cabin definitely looks better than the A343 although I prefer the latter aircraft in general.
Very nice destination pics of Taipei as well!
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): She also decides to explain the way for the lounge en detail, thanx, no need to do so!
As if you're a regular
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): Bus boarding well ontime for a drive along a thousand of planes till this one
Is that your new signature shot? The plane's a** iso the wing lol!
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): Lucky me, that I´ve called CI´s FRA office and secured my seats of choice for this flight well in advance.
The perfect way to secure your desired seat. Still strange that you were not able to check in online, were you on a KL ticket?
infodesk From Switzerland, joined May 2006, 1256 posts, RR: 33 Reply 17, posted (5 months 6 days 14 hours ago) and read 7329 times:
Hi Markus,
Thanks for this very nice report. As others have said, I am really impressed with your pictures of Taipei, I like the look of the city a lot. I particularly like the ones of the Concert Hall and the views from Taipei 101.
CI also positively surprised me, the food looks more than ok and I like the lilac colour scheme. TPE looks pretty smart and BKK of course, as I remember from other reports on here.
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): What an amateurish error. Public Holiday?. Sure, but only in Baden-Württemberg and from one minute to the other I´am stuck in the morning rush with all the people
Easy mistake to make with all the complicated public holidays. Main thing is you made it on time.
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): Passport check works really quick, thanx to an extra line open for status pax.
I also noticed a line for E-Passports which I don't remember from previous visits. That one really speeds things up.
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): Perfect for me, veggie´s, rice and the right hand stuff remained untouched
I'd do exactly the same!
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): Darjeeling, that´s what I´am looking for just when I write this, but not on the map, more in the teacup!
Not run out of supplies have you?!
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): The bus is as old as the ticket cheap and the senior driver for sure the funny guy, laughing all the time. Doesn´t speak a single word english and everytime when someone asked a question nods his head, it´s all good here, believe me!.
Great stuff. Perhaps we could do with a few such bus drivers over here in Europe.
planiac787 From India, joined May 2012, 225 posts, RR: 0 Reply 18, posted (5 months 6 days 13 hours ago) and read 7271 times:
Great Trip report mate!
It s nice looking at china airlines long haul product. Y class actually looks better than Y on BA,LH, AF,AA ,DL and many more european and american airlines...
I never knew the 343 would be used for such a long flight.. I thought they prefered the 777 for flightts of this distance...
Never the less , great photos
Cheers and Happy new year.
Pradat
Be the change you want to see in the world- M.K.Gandhi
CaptainRed From Germany, joined Oct 2010, 588 posts, RR: 19 Reply 19, posted (5 months 6 days 8 hours ago) and read 6980 times:
Hi Markus,
great report here on your little Taiwan trip, nice to see another longhaul report from you. Very nice pictures from Taipeh, seems to be a really interesting city. Nice contrasts here with the modern high-rise buildings and then all the Chinese architecture. China Airlines also look quite good, of course nice to get to fly in a 747 again, certainly a wonderful airplane.
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): Perfect for me, veggie´s, rice and the right hand stuff remained untouched
Hmm, doesn't look too appetizing, what was that right hand stuff?
FLIEGER67 From Bulgaria, joined Sep 2003, 4424 posts, RR: 56 Reply 22, posted (5 months 6 days 6 hours ago) and read 6868 times:
Hey, more comments, nice.
@N.:
Quoting sultanils (Reply 16):
Good to see this good longhaul report on the board. CI seems to deliver a pretty decent service, not 5* but hospitable and friendly. The B744 cabin definitely looks better than the A343 although I prefer the latter aircraft in general.
Very nice destination pics of Taipei as well!
Quoting sultanils (Reply 16):
Is that your new signature shot? The plane's a** iso the wing lol!
Hah, good point. Much more difficult than the under the wing thing.
Quoting sultanils (Reply 16): The perfect way to secure your desired seat. Still strange that you were not able to check in online, were you on a KL ticket?
It was a CI ticket with the KL leg as an add on. Sure strange also from my point of view.
Quoting sultanils (Reply 16):
I remember us taking almost the same route from NRT to FCO a few days ago. Really far north.
Interesting.
@H.:
Quoting infodesk (Reply 17):
Thanks for this very nice report. As others have said, I am really impressed with your pictures of Taipei, I like the look of the city a lot. I particularly like the ones of the Concert Hall and the views from Taipei 101.
CI also positively surprised me, the food looks more than ok and I like the lilac colour scheme. TPE looks pretty smart and BKK of course, as I remember from other reports on here.
Thank you.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 17):
Easy mistake to make with all the complicated public holidays. Main thing is you made it on time.
Oh, yes, true words.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 17):
Such cute packaging! What was the snack?
Chocolate cookies, really good.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 17): I also noticed a line for E-Passports which I don't remember from previous visits. That one really speeds things up.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 17):
Great stuff. Perhaps we could do with a few such bus drivers over here in Europe.
Oh, yes that might be good.
Quoting infodesk (Reply 17):
What? I've never been to Taiwan!
Crikey, having an i on your forehead is bad enough, but a ? strikes me as even worse.....
It s nice looking at china airlines long haul product. Y class actually looks better than Y on BA,LH, AF,AA ,DL and many more european and american airlines...
I never knew the 343 would be used for such a long flight.. I thought they prefered the 777 for flightts of this distance...
Never the less , great photos
Cheers and Happy new year.
Thank you and the very same to you.
@M.:
Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 19):
great report here on your little Taiwan trip, nice to see another longhaul report from you. Very nice pictures from Taipeh, seems to be a really interesting city. Nice contrasts here with the modern high-rise buildings and then all the Chinese architecture. China Airlines also look quite good, of course nice to get to fly in a 747 again, certainly a wonderful airplane.
Thank you.
Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 19):
Hmm, doesn't look too appetizing, what was that right hand stuff?
I don´t remember it.
Quoting CaptainRed (Reply 19):
Looks great, already looking forward to my trip to BKK later this year.
palmjet From United Kingdom, joined Nov 2001, 1053 posts, RR: 16 Reply 23, posted (5 months 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 6440 times:
Hi Markus
Thanks for this one. China Airlines flights to Europe are not often covered here. Great to see what your experiences were like.
I've always loved their livery - I remember their old livery which was so bland in comparison. The plum blossom on the tail, and the use of purples and mauve colours was pretty unique when it came out.
Service onboard looked ok. Food looked a bit tasteless but then again, it's hard to expect a lot in Y these days on any carrier. Some of their 744s are certainly getting a little old nowdays and that scratched window would have driven me crazy!
Of course, I loved the TPE pictures. So many places looked familiar - the CKS Memorial Hall was one of the first places I went to visit when I first visited Taiwan in December 1990. It hasn't changed a bit!
Today, Taipei looks a lot more ordered, and much less polluted than it was when I lived there as a student. Looks like they've done some impressive things to clean it up a lot. I really want to go back for a visit. You had some great weather too.
One thing which looks like it hasn't changed is the number of scooters on the streets! You should have seen it before the Taipei Metro was completed ! Chaos!
FLIEGER67 From Bulgaria, joined Sep 2003, 4424 posts, RR: 56 Reply 25, posted (5 months 4 days 10 hours ago) and read 5885 times:
Hi, more comments, nice.
@J.:
Quoting palmjet (Reply 23):
Thanks for this one. China Airlines flights to Europe are not often covered here. Great to see what your experiences were like.
I've always loved their livery - I remember their old livery which was so bland in comparison. The plum blossom on the tail, and the use of purples and mauve colours was pretty unique when it came out.
Service onboard looked ok. Food looked a bit tasteless but then again, it's hard to expect a lot in Y these days on any carrier. Some of their 744s are certainly getting a little old nowdays and that scratched window would have driven me crazy!
Thank you and I´am sure you know my opinion about that scratched window.
Quoting palmjet (Reply 23):
Of course, I loved the TPE pictures. So many places looked familiar - the CKS Memorial Hall was one of the first places I went to visit when I first visited Taiwan in December 1990. It hasn't changed a bit!
Today, Taipei looks a lot more ordered, and much less polluted than it was when I lived there as a student. Looks like they've done some impressive things to clean it up a lot. I really want to go back for a visit. You had some great weather too.
One thing which looks like it hasn't changed is the number of scooters on the streets! You should have seen it before the Taipei Metro was completed ! Chaos!
It´s definitely a place for another visit and lucky me with the weather, definitely.
@M.:
Quoting ba319-131 (Reply 24):
Nice read and pictures thanks for sharing.
You sure are getting that feeling for Asia, don't blame you, I love the place.
adamspotter From Netherlands, joined Feb 2011, 818 posts, RR: 2 Reply 27, posted (5 months 4 days 6 hours ago) and read 5775 times:
Hi Markus,
Another entertaining report with many nice pictures, well done!
Great idea to try China Airlines, they look quite good especially on the outbound with some nice and attentive crew! The food looks pretty edible too!
Love your pictures of Taipei, it looks like a great city
Quoting FLIEGER67 (Thread starter): No time to wait at security and the flight looks like ok from gate D, 24, in the end
jwhite9185 From United Kingdom, joined May 2007, 748 posts, RR: 0 Reply 28, posted (5 months 3 days 15 hours ago) and read 5587 times:
Hi Markus,
Great read there. Looks like your experience with China Airlines was better than PlaneHunters! Great pictures from around Taipei too. Looks like a great place to visit.
Nice report Markus. Interesting to see the TPE-FRA routing....that's a long flight!
Thank you and sure a long way to go from TPE for FRA!.
@B.:
Quoting adamspotter (Reply 27):
Another entertaining report with many nice pictures, well done!
Great idea to try China Airlines, they look quite good especially on the outbound with some nice and attentive crew! The food looks pretty edible too!
Love your pictures of Taipei, it looks like a great city
Quoting jwhite9185 (Reply 28):
Great read there. Looks like your experience with China Airlines was better than PlaneHunters! Great pictures from around Taipei too. Looks like a great place to visit.
Thank you and it was sure ok for me to fly CI this way.
MSS658 From Belgium, joined Oct 2010, 2256 posts, RR: 14 Reply 30, posted (4 months 3 weeks 5 days 14 hours ago) and read 4545 times:
Hello Markus
Good to catch up with the latest travels.
Surprised to hear so many good stuff about TPE!
Air China doesn't look bad at all, nice to see the 744 retrofitted.
FLIEGER67 From Bulgaria, joined Sep 2003, 4424 posts, RR: 56 Reply 31, posted (4 months 3 weeks 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 4403 times:
Hi, M.,
Quoting MSS658 (Reply 30):
Good to catch up with the latest travels.
Surprised to hear so many good stuff about TPE!
Air China doesn't look bad at all, nice to see the 744 retrofitted.
The777Man From United States of America, joined Jul 1999, 6115 posts, RR: 56 Reply 32, posted (4 months 3 weeks 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 4361 times:
Quoting MSS658 (Reply 30): Air China doesn't look bad at all, nice to see the 744 retrofitted.
Hi Marc!
Markus didn't fly Air China (CA); he flew with China Airlines (CI)
The777Man
Need a Boeing 777 Firing Order....Further to fly....GA, T5, CI and LX 777s
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Food looks ok, & yeah I agree that the IFE box must´ve been irritating. TPE looks fantastic though, somewhere else in Asia I would love to see...
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