I’ve flown China Eastern 777-300ERs multiple times on trans Pacific flights. The first flight from New York, NY (JFK) to Shanghai China (PVG), was memorably disappointing. Subsequent trans Pacific China Eastern flights showed that experience was probably an aberration.
Those reviews did a good job of covering service, food and beverages in China Eastern widebody business class. This review concentrates on the new China Eastern A330-300 business-class seats.
New Business Class Hard Product
China Eastern A330-300s have had a recent makeover. The makeover was recent enough that SeatGuru and China Eastern’s website still display the old A330-300 layout which was a 2-2-2 arrangement. Now they are state-of-the-art 1-2-1.
The exact measurements for these seats are nowhere to be found. At least I didn’t find any in the usual spots. These seats bear a close resemblance in look and feel to reverse herringbone seats on the 777-300ER and A330-200 which are 21 inches wide.
On the flight from Beijing to Shanghai, I was in seat 2D. I moved to the other side of the cabin on the flight from Shanghai to Bangkok. Both are window single seats. There is a big difference.
Although there is something to be said for having the console on the right side for right-handed passengers, having the console by the aisle is usually preferable. That not only enhances privacy, it facilitates seeing out of the window.
The twin seats in the middle are also very nice. They are, of course, not as secluded as single window seats.
The clean lines and functionality of this seat dominate. The next most dominant feature is the large, sharp video screen.
Like nearly all business-class seats that face forward, feet and lower legs must insert into a space under the console of the seat in front. Feet fit snugly but comfortably into the footwells of these seats.
Because there is no forward console for bulkhead seats, they have larger footwells.
Seat and lighting controls, video remote, and power outlets are clustered smartly and are easily accessible. The seat offers a good amount of open and secured storage for a business-class seat.
Overall Impression
The new business-class seats on China Eastern A330s are outstanding, at least for short- to medium-haul routes. The ultra functional, clean design is impressive. I think I like this seat better than the one on China Eastern 777-300ERs. I’d like to try it out on a long-haul international flight.
I’m flying China Eastern at the end of the year in their business class. There’s so many mixed reviews, I can’t wait to try it out for myself.
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I’ve also had mixed experiences with China Eastern. There has been improvement over the years. Flying MU is like the proverbial box of chocolates. Good deals on business class make it worth the gamble.
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