China Airlines Premium Business Class review – A350 from London to Taipei

This is our review of China Airlines Premium Business Class on an A350-900.

It is the first in a series of reviews looking at Taiwanese carrier China Airlines. You can see my overview of China Airlines, where they fly and what you can expect in my guide here. Later on in this series I will take a look at the lounges in Taipei as well as China Airlines premium economy from my return flight.

China Airlines provided my flight for review purposes. HfP paid for all out-of-pocket expenses.

China Airlines check-in at Heathrow

China Airlines operates from Terminal 3 at Heathrow, with check-in desks in Zone B just to the right of Virgin Atlantic and Delta. I headed straight to the front of the queue and after a few minutes one of the two business class check-in desks was free and I was checked in by a fantastic dnata staff member. She was excellent and even recognised me again on boarding.

In addition to my boarding pass I was issued a lounge ticket and a map to find the lounge – in this case, the Cathay Pacific lounge.

Fast track security was a little busier than normal. A random check meant I had to rescan my feet in the special shoe scanner, but apparently this could only be done by another male staff member which unnecessarily slowed the entire process down.

Whilst it doesn’t have its own lounge at Heathrow, China Airlines uses one of the best available: the Cathay Pacific Business Class lounge (review here). Together with the First Class lounge next door this is my favourite lounge at Heathrow thanks to its beautiful design, staffed bar and noodle bar.

Onboard China Airlines’ A350

China Airlines doesn’t have First Class so its business class cabin is at the front of the aircraft. With just 32 seats it’s relatively small, with all eight rows situated between doors 1 and 2, where you board.

Speaking of boarding, the Door 2 welcome area on China Airlines’ A350 is impressive with a highly customised galley that ditches the practical industrial look and replaces it with persimmon wood finishes and other novel details.

This space turns into a walk-up Sky Lounge snack bar for business class passengers during flight, with various Taiwanese snacks and drinks available as well as spirits.

Turn left for business class and you’ll see the sidewall adorned with a quote from Proust:

“The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes.”

The attention to detail in the galley sets the scene for the cabin and business class seat itself.

Premium Business Class seat

China Airlines introduced the latest version of its Premium Business Class seat with the arrival of its A350 fleet back in 2016.

It is based on the Super Diamond reverse herringbone seat from Collins Aerospace, the precursor to BA’s Club Suite seat which would eventually evolve to feature a door. This is an earlier version.

Although it is an off-the-shelf product, China Airlines has managed to make it its own with an impressive level of customisation, which gives it a lot of character.

Whilst I can see how it might not be for everyone, I love that China Airlines has something to say. It makes a big difference from airlines such as BA which play it safe and end up with a characterless and frankly dull cabin aesthetic.

Virtually every detail has been customised in some way, from the carpets to the persimmon wood effect on the tray table and pattern on the seatbacks themselves.

Seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration with direct aisle access. The reverse herringbone layout ensures each seat feels private, even in the absence of suite doors, as you face away from the aisle. I was in 10K which is the very front row – don’t be confused by the numbering!

The Super Diamond seat was very popular in its time and its legacy continues with updated versions flying with many airlines, so you’re probably familiar with the seat mechanics themselves.

The seat is 28″ wide and converts to a 6’5″ flat bed. It is controlled via a small screen at armrest level, with the ability to customise the leg rest, back rest and recline levels separately.

Next to this is the console table with two shallow storage areas featuring two USB-A ports and a 110v mains socket, as well as a remote control for the in-flight entertainment.

One of my favourite features of the seat is this unique claw-foot table lamp:

It’s such an unexpected detail to find on an airplane and adds so much character to the seat. Next to it is a literature pocket as well as a small reading light.

There is more storage at shin level, both under the side console:

…. as well as in the adjustable arm rest on the other side, which is where you’ll find your headphones:

You can place shoes or a handbag under the ottoman:

The overhang of the TV screen and side console from the seat in front creates quite a deep foot coffin, but I found it comfortable enough for sleeping. An added benefit is that it is fully open to the side wall of the aircraft to maximise space.

The seat converts to a fully flat bed as you would expect.

A large bi-fold tray table slides down from under the screen. This is one of the noticeable differences between this version of the seat and the version BA has (apart from the BA door!) as newer versions tuck this further away when not in use, although I suppose the ledge doubles as a cocktail table:

When it comes to toilets, there is one at the front of the aircraft with a further two shared with the premium economy cabin.

In-flight entertainment and wifi

Opposite your seat is a fixed 18″ touchscreen which was relatively responsive. I was pleased to see a range of films and TV loaded in HD and the resolution seemed higher than you normally find on aircraft due to heavy compression.

The selection, as you would imagine, is pretty much a 50/50 split between English and Mandarin content. Recent releases included Inside Out 2, Furiosa, The Fall Guy, Civil War and other recent cinema releases. The TV selection is weaker with a fairly random smattering of episodes.

The supplied headphones were not at all bad, with excellent noise cancellation, although I found them lacking slightly in the bass department.

Strangely, I couldn’t find the tailcam that is normally available on the A350. I’m not sure if this is because China Airlines hasn’t enabled it or if I just couldn’t find it ….

Wifi is also available on the A350. Depending on your class and status this can be free, although you can also pay for the following packages (prices in US$):

• 15mb light messaging – $3.25
• 1 hour browsing – $11.95
• 3 hours browsing – $16.95
• 24 hours browsing – $21.95

The 24 hour package can be used across multiple flights, making it a good option when connecting. It was also possible to switch usage from one device to another. In terms of speed, it was adequate for light browsing although page load times were slower than on the ground.

China Airlines business class amenity kit and bedding

Waiting at my seat was a large Oxford pillow and duvet as well as a thin mattress protector:

It’s a shame they haven’t transitioned to reusable cloth bags for bedding sets rather than single use plastic.

Also at your seat inside the storage units are a bottle of Evian water, an amenity kit and slippers:

I was given size L slippers which were a little small for my 10.5 feet!

The amenity kit has recently been upgraded. Whilst it used to be provided by North Face, it is now from MOSCHINO. This is a much better fit, I think, and looks very smart.

Inside you’ll find a MOSCHINO luggage tag, eye mask, dental kit, mirror comb, Moroccan Oil lip balm, body lotion and hair treatment (not for use on the flight, presumably!)

China Airlines business class food and service

Boarding started promptly 40 minutes before departure with strict adherence to group number / cabin. A member of staff stood at the head of the tensabarrier queue with a sign announcing which cabin / group was next and turning those away who didn’t qualify. It’s amazing how many people can’t read / don’t pay attention!

I was quickly on board and in my seat in 10K. Although the seat is not the newest I did notice it was very clean. Once settled, I was offered a glass of water, apple juice or orange juice, with champagne or sparkling wine glaringly absent (although I didn’t ask for any, either.)

I opted for the orange juice which looked a suspicious dark orange (rather than yellow) colour and the taste confirmed it was grapefruit juice (I think!) which I was happy with.

Shortly after, crew came around handing out menus as well as with a hot towel service.

I was addressed by name throughout and crew came round again before takeoff to take my meal choices for not one but both meals. Talk about efficiency!

Before long we were taxiing at Heathrow and fortunately there were few delays with a prompt ascent in the fabulously quiet A350.

The seatbelt sign stayed on for an unusually long time after take-off, and this proved to be a running theme on my flight. I’m not sure if it’s just this pilot or China Airlines policy, but the seatbelt sign was on for most of the cruise including when the flight was smooth as butter.

I’m not sure why this is done but in practice it means (at least in the business class cabin) that everyone simply ignores the sign. This is in nobody’s interest, and I would recommend more judicious use of the seatbelt sign that more accurately reflects the current danger posed by turbulence.

After takeoff we were offered a drink with a small snack – in this case a small bag of China Airlines branded trailmix. These were presented in a plastic wrapper on a cute, plum-blossom shaped plate. The plate was cute but the plastic bag less so!

I went for the champagne which in this case is Charles Gardet Prestige Millésime Champagne 2007. I was surprised to find such an old vintage being served in business class. To my (untrained) palate it was perhaps a bit sweeter than the champagne I’ve had in the past.

Deciphering the menu was a bit of a challenge, as for the first meal there are multiple options. One choice is the Chinese noodle dish, which comes with a range of appetisers, a main of wonton noodle soup, a cheese platter and dessert.

Alternatively you can opt for the ‘Featured delicacy combo’ which is more Western style. It comes with a starter, salad and soup and a choice of two mains: braised beef cheeks with creamy truffled polenta or grilled pork fillet in pumpkin sauce with potato strudel and vegetables.

What I didn’t quite twig is that the Chinese noodle dish is more of an express option, served as a single tray. The other options are served course-by-course with the starter, salad and soup brought out at the same time.

Nevertheless, as this was quite a late departure, I was quite satisfied with my wonton noodles which weren’t too heavy before bed. I particularly enjoyed the little canape starters it came with, although I wish these were served as their own course rather than with the wonton noodles. The canapés in question included:

• Cold marinated string beans
• Braised eggplant with chilli sauce
• Drunken chicken
• Beef and asparagus roll

For dessert, it was a choice of Jude’s ice cream or Mozart chocolate tart with orange macaron. I opted for the latter, which was automatically served with the cheese plate:

After that tea and coffee was offered, as well as a basket of Taiwanese snacks including dried guava, a rosemary bread stick and various cookies.

I found the seat comfortable in bed mode – certainly more comfortable than my recent trips in BA’s newer Club Suite, where the seat padding seems to be knackered in places – and managed to get a good five hours or so of sleep.

The duvet was particularly comfortable with a white sheet on the bottom. Proper mattress pads still seem few and far between, with Virgin Atlantic providing some of the best. I was glad to have a mattress protector that fitted over the headrest and stayed in place, unlike some others which simply lay on the seat and inevitably get scrunched up.

If you’re worried about how far the tray table sticks out in the photo above, I still had plenty of space to manouevre:

I woke up during the midpoint of the flight and made my way down to the Sky Lounge snack bar at the galley, where the same snacks I had been offered earlier were available.

Crew came through the cabin regularly offering snacks or drinks. I had a couple of cups of tea as well as the hot dog which looks rubbish here but hit the spot:

About two hours before landing the cabin lights brightened and the crew got us ready for breakfast with a drink and hot towel.

For breakfast, there was a choice of Western or Chinese set menus. I went for the congee which came with an assortment of toppings, a steamed bun and a surprisingly good bowl of cut fruit:

I also wanted to try the Western main so I asked if they had any left over, and they did. Here is the frittata with chorizo, vegetables and smoked turkey ham, all of which was very flavourful:

Overall I think the menu could be clearer in terms of what you get as I got a bit confused at times. In both cases my meal was a single tray service although partly that was down to what I ordered, I think.

Conclusion

There is a lot to like about China Airlines. For a flag carrier, the airline is much more quirky and creative than you might expect, with unique cabin interiors and impressive amenity kits. You can’t say it doesn’t have personality.

The service was very good, with a friendly and attentive crew who always asked if I wanted a top up or another cup of tea!

When it comes to food, which was tasty, the menus could be clearer. I wish it were possible to order between Chinese and Western dishes in the same meal, as currently it’s very much segregated. The menu is not designed to make that easy with two very different services depending on what you order.

Stay tuned for more China Airlines content as we review the lounge in Taipei as well as their premium economy cabin. The China Airlines website is here.

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