Hainan Airlines

I recently flew Hainan Airlines round trip San Jose to Beijing. Checking in in SJ was fine and orderly, as was the boarding procedures. Because I have a serious knee problem, I requested and they gave me an ER exit seat. The food out of SJ was pretty decent, but hot foods were not hot. After takeoff, the captain made an announcement, and his English was unintelligible! This is the person communicating with air traffic control? Truly scary!
The crew seemed pretty decent though not «friendly.» They also seemed not very experienced.
Several restrooms were just in front of my seat. The attendants kept spraying air freshener into them to mask the stench, but appeared to do NO other cleaning. In a very short time, the toilets were covered in urine. What is with the other passengers peeing all over the seats! Totally DISGUSTING! And so unsanitary! The return flight was even worse! After a 12 hour flight, it became so rank! The public toilets in Beijing were by far cleaner than these!
In checking in in Beijing, I again requested the ER exit seat, and was told I would have to pay an extra 600 RMB! Almost another $ 100! I told him there was no such charge in SJ, and he just said I could pay or get a regular seat.
He gave me a seat next to another non-​Asian – a former college football player with massive shoulders. I felt so bad for him being in the middle seat, and separated from his other family members, because their flight was cancelled at the last minute. If you are size 0, 2 or 4, you may be ok in these tiny seats. If you are not, you will be terribly uncomfortable! There is just not enough room.
Boarding in Beijing was like a cattle stampede. No order whatsoever. We were crammed into a bus, and driven a fair distance to board our plane, which was parked in the middle of nowhere. Again, there was a stampede getting off the bus, and we were left standing in the bitterly cold winter wind before climbing up the stairs.
There seemed to be adequate overhead storage. The attendants on the return flight seemed nicer, and more attentive. The food on the return flight was pretty bad (in fact, there was a thick black hair in one of my entrees), and again not hot. Even the coffee and tea were not really hot.
Things may be fine in business/​first class, but economy needs a lot of work. Their staff also need accent reduction classes, so the captain and attendants announcements in English can be understood. And PLEASE, PLEASE take care of the toilets!

Hainan Airlines is the best airlines in North America. Why somebody said Hainan Airlines was bad? Did you ever fly with those Amercan’s Airlines’ companies before? Their plane is old and dirty, the service is called real ‘bad’. The flight attendants in American’s Airlines will always ignore you, or seems impatient. They did not like Asians or what? I never got a free lunch or dinner in American domestic flight. Is it something really free in America? The Chinese airlines served free lunch or dinner when your flight is above 2 hours. I am glad that Hainan Airlines open this new flight route in San Jose. It is convenient for me to go back home. If you choose Hainan to fly San Jose to Beijing, they even provide add-​on free tickets for most of Chinese domestic cities. I saw they have the ad in a Silicon Valley activity. Almost 20 cities add-​on is free. OMG the ticket is cheap though, even the free add-​on cities? They just like a non-​profit organization. I think the flight attendants are quiet pretty and cute. I don’t think I can have the best service and dining compare to other airlines. I am just a big fan of Hainan Airlines. Support.

Excellent dining experience in Hainan business class and they got brand new airplane for San Jose to Beijing. It is really convenient for me to go back home. The airport staffs and flight attendants are really friendly.

Really glad this San Jose to Beijing direct flight is available. Coupled with extremely friendly and patient service from Elaine, the lady at the check in counter, it is safe to say we will be using this airline whenever flying to China, as it is much more convenient than flights from SFO.

Worst experience ever. I flew with Hainan airline from Beijing to San Jose, check-​in service in Beijing was unprofessional and rude. Besides, one checked-​in bag was lost! Called the customer service multiple times, each time I was told to wait them to call me back, they never called back! Until 2 weeks later I got a call telling me to pick up the bag, without any apology, any explanation! Glad I did not lose myself on the plane.

I made the big mistake of trying out this airline from San Jose, CA rather than just Air China as usual to Beijing, and I paid a big price. Arriving for return flight at Beijing almost 2 hours before take off, I was given the almost worst seats imaginable for a dad traveling with 3 young kids, ages 8 – 10. We were all set apart, 3 of the 4 were in ‘middle seats’, and I did not have visual contact with any of my kids for the 12 hour flight. My 8 year old told me, ‘I was between 2 strangers.’ One of the 10 year-​olds said that a stranger near him would without warning crash right into him physically every time he wanted to get up and go to the restroom, etc. He also believes this adult stranger without manners stole 100 RMB from him. My other 10 year old, says he kept finding a male stranger near him touching him. !
My wife, who is Chinese, told me that I should have demanded better seats. But really, isn’t it obvious that a dad traveling overseas with 3 young children wants to sit next to them? Further, this has never happened to me in the exact same circumstances on China Air… Further, as I told her, when one has been away from home for quite a while, you just get tired after awhile with having to fight for everything and just want to go home. I don’t think the reason is that the Beijing Hainan employee hated the U. S, since there were other US citizens on board. Could have been the ‘big nose’ thing, yes, maybe racism, but it is very unprofessional for a supposedly global company.
Lastly, the Hainan food smelled so bad I never had even 1 bite on that 12 hour flight.

I think Hainan Airlines is the best airline in China. I am glad that they have a non-​stop flight to Beijng. It is much more convenient for me. Or even for many International students who are studying in bay area. They have awesome service, food, price. The top three aspects that everybody cares. Hainan Airline made me feel like at home on board. It is very worthy to choose Hainan Airlines to fly back to my home. I am very glad they have this flight route from San Jose to Beijing, thanks. I will choose Hainan Airlines again.