Thanks for this series of your trip to the UK, Sweden and Finland I looked forward every Saturday to your videos. CZ looks great good food and lot of it.
Mate you are one resilient bloke, that is one monstrous flight. The video is appreciated, well done as many content creators see flights like these as a bridge to far. Better you than me, I am happy to just watch. Thumbs up. Tim Mac
Well, it sucks living in one far flung corner of the globe that's for sure! On a previous trip to Europe, both out bound and inbound journeys were 30+ hours. So this is considerably a lot shorter. 😂
Great Video! The arrivals into australia are always so time consuming and stressful with onwards connections! As you said so much better in other countries!
I actually like the Chinese Airlines, I have taken 5 a lone this year and would even go as far as saying I was very impressed by the service, room for improvement but the prices I have paid I would never complain.
As someone who has flown to China already this year (and will be doing so again soon), it is remarkable how much more advanced things are there, even if the visa process sometimes makes it a pain
Bureaucracy's a real problem in China. The very heavy top down approach means if your query begins at the bottom, it will be escalated upwards through several layers until someone's willing to give you an answer. And yes, the modernity of China's mega cities. It is a sight to behold. I've never thought much about it until I stepped foot in Guangzhou. And there we have the west holding on to their past glories beating the drum making lots of noise. China doesn't really care, they'll keep progressing. Everything is digitalised, streets are so quiet because cars are electric, gleaming skyscrapers... I could go on.
@@paulineparsons9399 I appreciate every response, good or bad. I might not get to it quickly, but I'll reply eventually at some point. Hahahaha.... Once again, thank you.
I flew China Southern in March 24. I have to say it was top 2 airlines I've flown with over the years. Service was so efficient, seat pitch was goid, movie selection good. Biggest minus was the locked shades for the day flight, hope it not becoming a trend. Thanks for the vid
A closed window shade is a north Asian practice. Back in the day, FAs would come with a long stick, reach across you to shut your shade. Very common especially on JAL/ANA/KAL/Asiana. The dreamliner just made their job a lot easier.
@@ryansofly its annoying because I get a day flight to stay awake (like you) but the dimmed cabin makes it easy to pass out. Maybe it's so the screens are easier to see, idk. Cebu Pacific also did it. Flying SIA day flight at the end of the month...lets see how that goes.
I do not enjoy those long-haul flights! Moving forward, when i return to Europe i intend to schedule stopovers in each direction. I view the night or two in a hotel enroute as an essential cost, part of the air ticket itself, rather than a luxury! Thank you for the video! I am looking forward to the next video you create!
I really enjoyed this video thank you! I was thinking of booking a flight from mel to london as this airline was coming up really cheap LIKE $500 more than the other airlines and its not too long of a layover and 2 x23 kgs of luggage... so i booked it for this summer...
dancing chickens for the win! Love the dancing chickens. I can't convince my friends just how awesome they are :( What an epic journey. I've flown China Southern back to Melbourne once before in 2011. I found them ok, but basic in many ways and no personality. they look to have improved the meals looked really impressive! Time to watch a Sam Chui video..... not :P
CZ, and Chinese airlines in general have really come a long way. But my recent trip through Shanghai last week tells me their aviation bureaucracy still has a loooong way to catch up.
With regards to the window shades on the 787's If u hold the button in for a minimum of 10 seconds I'm told it unlocks the window . Always enjoy ur thorough analysis of ur trips thx again . Safe travels Christy 🇮🇪/🇵🇹 👍
I lived in China for years and flew a lot of Chinese airlines. With the exception of Air China, which I didn’t especially like, the service was always good and the flight attendants invariably friendly. You’re right about the transfer process. Far too complicated. Good review.
The transit process is something that takes getting used to. I'm eager to see if my transit in PVG will be equally complicated. Anyways, thanks for popping by!
@@ryansofly - Agree with you mate. They're just not set up to do international transfers. Poor signage, too much bureacracy, etc. One day they will figure it out. If you ever get to my part of the world, try the transfer at Riyadh. Most discombobulated I've ever seen. Down a lot of dark and dingy passage ways with no signage, and very difficult communications.
@@davenorth2903 they have the physical infrastructure in place for a transfer. But it's only reserved for MU to MU transfer. Everyone else has to go through the rigmarole of going through the arrival process (filling up form, passport stamped etc) then up to departures to go through that crazy security just to get stamped out again. PVG airside transfer has been firewalled by MU counters who won't entertain you.
Interesting...here in Canada we have an automated kiosk that spits out a printed slip but there's no additional use of an "e-gate". It's either you get in line for regular passport control (for visitors) or if you're a resident a CBSA officer will check the slip and ask a few questions before letting you through. And I thought Australia is supposed to be better at these things!
Australia's busiest airports are some of the most embarrassing showcases of arrival inefficiency. Lots of yelling, queue poles guiding you into a forever zig zag, and more yelling of instructions from officers because 1) signage is useless in that chaos, 2) space is so confined passengers are stressed out from the long flight and are too tired, 3) human flow management is an after thought. Seriously 3rd world. It still boggles my mind how the hell did MEL win that award.
Another great video. Yes. arrival at Melbourne airport is pathetic. Two weeks ago we arrived at 6am from Europe and it was chaos at the kiosks... so many confused passengers and no-one to help (well one or two abrupt rude staff (welcome to Melbourne!). On then to customs... such a stressful arrival after 21 hours for travel. So embarrassing.
It’s always a challenge getting through MEL at peak times! Seems like it’s just as chaotic as ever. This has been an ongoing issue for decades and still, nothing is really done to improve it.
I just flew to from London to Phenom Phen via Guangzhou (with China Southern) - and I can say with full confidence that I would use CS again if I need to. Seats were relatively comfortable, good legroom and good amenities, meals were really nice and staff were friendly and helpful. One could argue that they could have more western film options, but was enough to keep me occupied. On top of that, I had a 17hr layover in Guangzhou and CS gave me a really nice hotel room free of charge. Had no issues with Chinese immigration getting a 24hr transit visa. The flight tickets were also reasonably priced. I paid around £620 GBP for my round trip in Economy which included a 23KG checked luggage allowance and two hand bag allowance.
I was like you... My initial response to the IFE was it is crap. But in all honesty, it kept me entertained throughout the flight. I thought their western selection was a little random though. They had one or two episodes of whatever series so there wasn't any continuity. My ticket was sadly not eligible for that free transit hotel. But I got a room at Novotel at the airport for about AUD120, which is so cheap! So we did not mind paying for it. It was covered in a previous episode at the start of this series. Linked below... ruclips.net/video/AxQUofeI-Dk/видео.htmlsi=feWUxJKJYrf3REeD Cheers and thanks for watching!
Another fantastic video man! Really sent me at 6:58 😭💀 😂 crazy that the airport airport staff in Guangzhou didn’t speak any English! That definitely makes a stressful travel journey that’s for sure specially if they’re being that rigorous and pulling your bags apart. I actually had no idea that Chinese airlines could make use of Russian airspace that’s so interesting to know! Flying to the UK next week but not with China Southern. Hopefully it’ll be a good experience :) Thanks for sharing! Regards, Nilesh
Suppose China is such a HUGE country, don't think many outside realise just how big they are. Which is why they don't feel the need to speak English. And you are expected to speak their language. This explains how their airlines are structured as well. It reminds me of Japan in the 80s when they were an economic powerhouse. You were expected to speak Japanese in Japan or when dealing with their airlines... Not the other way around. I remember flipping through JAL Winds, their in-flight magazine... And everything was in Japanese. The English section was a miniscule couple of pages. These days the China Southern magazine is the same.
Another great series of excellent information and experiences Ryan. Great to see the level of service at China Southern but concerned by the transit process…are the Chinese authorities likely to make improvements or is the system locked in government policy? Thank you, thank you for showing what Melbourne Airport calls an arrival hall. We experienced the “sea of humanity” morning arrivals back in June when returning from Narita. Total chaos and confusion…really adds to the exhaustion of a red eye flight. Customs seem to be trying their best but to no avail. Then when you finally escape the whole process the realisation that there’s still no train service to our Airport …in a city of 5,316,000 people! Always looking forward to your future vlogs Ryan. Can’t do the amenity bag comp as I’m an old man and not involved in social media like instagram etc. Keep up the great work!👍
Thanks for your constant support. Suppose if you're mentally prepared for the transit bureaucracy, it'll be ok. As mentioned, I'll do one transit in Shanghai in a couple of weeks. We'll see if that's any different.
@@ryansofly You make a good point on the transit authority and of course to be armed with information (your vlog). I spent a lot of time searching every aspect of our travel to Japan which made a significant difference in good outcomes…
The very warm cabin thing is insane. I've experienced it while on a flight from Guangzhou to Dubai. Not sure if it's done on purpose but alot of reviewers have said the same
China Southern Airlines is thousand times better than the over rated Singapore Airlines. You and your hubby are match made in heaven. Long live the passion and eternal love forever. 🌺❤️💗💝💘💝💖
Of course it's another great and enjoyable video, Ryan. Looking at the LHR-CAN route I found it strange that your CZ would not continue to overfly Moscow in a direct line rather than pause and make a circle turn. Maybe it was a 'one-off' ? As for Taiwan I personally would not want to fly via mainland China because of the current political situation which might lead to short notice airspace closures.
Hahahaha there was clearly a glitch in FR24's playback. I don't recall us flying that route and circling like that. Political firebombs have always gone off for decades between CN and TW. But life goes on. There are supporters and opposers on both ends so no one really bothers, and they'll let the politicians do the fight. Cross straits flights will still continue to happen because the economic losses on both sides would be catastrophic. No one really wants to return to the days where ALL CN-TW flights went via HKG.
Dude you re awesome ! I love watching your vids. I m looking to book a trip to Beijing and I am now seriously considering China Southern. What is their safety record? they seem very good
China Southern will soon start its seasonal services between Beijing Daxing and Melbourne and Sydney. Chinese carriers have a strong interest in flying to Australia.
lol, just this B-1243 had the tail strick to runway during the first officer landing practice at Baiyun international airport on 20th Oct 2024. The tail section has damaged during the incident, repairment meight be too high without choice of write off from fleet.
Hi Ryan. Thanks for your reviews. Excellent. Quick question. Long check in queues at Heathrow. Do you reckon that was a one off or is it a regular occurence?
@@johnlastactor I noticed these long queues are specific for airlines like VN CZ MU GF and SV. They begin to fill up four times five hours before departure. I've departed T4 on MH numerous times and it wasn't like that. So who knows?
We flew with CX and had no queue at all. Check in took 10 mins, and that was us tagging the luggage and then getting boarding passes for LHR-HGK-MEL-ADL
You're a braver man than me doing UK - Australia or NZ without a stopover for a day or two. People do it though - a friend of mine recently flew all the way GLA - AKL via DXB in a oner ... shudder!
I've done a couple of these "oners". Last trip to Europe, we did a oner MEL-SIN-CDG-MLA... 33 hours. I've also done SIN-NRT-SFO-MSO-ORD and ORD-DTW-NRT-SIN which were also oners. But yeah, it gets harder with age.
@@ryansofly longest haul I ever did in one go was YYC-YVR-LAX-TPE-KUL-CGK - same route back. It was 30+ years ago when I was young and more resilient though!
@@ryansofly It was! YYC YVR LAX on CP and LAX TPE KUL CGK on MH. They were two separate tickets CP and MH which I got at a special rate because I worked in the industry at the time.
I've been working/living overseas for decades. Suppose I've learnt to live with it. I travel very light, I still have a couple of suitcase worth of belongings till this day even though I've lived in AU for more than 12 years.
When we returned from Europe in January, we were jetlagged like you for more than a week before we started to feel normal again. This trip, our bodies strangely fared a lot better. That being said, it gets harder with age though. 😏
@@sduru if it is a CZ-CZ international transfer in CAN on a single ticket, then yes. It'll be tight, but doable. If anything happens, the airline is liable for selling that connection. No?
I haven't had money to travel in decades. If i spent all that money to be stuck in crowds, in stinking hot terminals. And in the economy class planes, would you think id enjoy my first holiday?
It's all part of the experience. I always hope for my travels to go pear shape so I can get all excited by the stress. Perhaps I'm a little mad that way. 🤣
With those long queues you have commented on, a tip I have for those who want to take advantage of the VAT refund - try your best to not depart on flights that leave around the same time as those with many passengers headed back to China. It's tricky to find this out but if you could shy away from those with direct flights to China, it's a start and will make your VAT refund experience a smooth one.
found flight from Amsterdam to Jakarta with transit 1hour 25mins at CAN, will i make it because at CAN we will have to again check passport, check bags and all? whats your opinion about that. and i am afraid if i lose my connecting flight and i dont speak mandarin
If the airline sold you that connection, they're responsible for making sure you make the flights. CZ-CZ international connections in CAN are seamless as everything is in one terminal. You'll be fine.
144 is no longer required for now as we can enter visa free for 15 days on an Australian passport. Although if you're doing an overnight transit and like to clear customs, there might be a need for an entry permit.
There are China Southern flights to Vietnam from Melbourne which transits in in Guangzhou 6+ hours, can't really deal with the time gap but would like to try it one day. Agree, Melbourne airport sucks balls 😅 @noriaquach
I plan to fly China Southern from NZ to Thailand next year. I kind of fear to fly. I know that China Southern is the biggest Airline in Asia, 6th biggest in the world. But is CS is the safety airline?
Hello sir new subscriber here i just want to know if lay over in china baiyun airport is easy for transfer i will be flying first time paris-china,china-philippines.
If your layover is over 8 hours you can do VISA FREE for 24 hours in China, I'm also a Philippine Passport Holder. Enjoy China its nice even just for a few hours. Just head to 24 Hour Visa counter.
@@pasyaltayo actually sir I'm only having transfer in china with the same airline and my lay over is only 1 hour 45 minutes hope I can make it to the next flight there I can catch my connecting flights with that short time🙏
@@pasyaltayo yes I did the temporary entry permit on my way to London. The transit was 19hrs so we left the airport and stayed at Novotel at the airport. Went to town for dinner as well.
Hi Ryan, your comment re Melbourne Airport I cannot agree with more. We live in Melbourne also and travel a fair bit as well and every time we get annoyed by the standard of this airport. They want to be a `world standard airport` but in fact nowhere in the world is it as bad as here. As you mentioned, the arrival hall is absolutely pathetic with those kiosks and lots and lots of international guests are super confused with this `new` (waste of time) technology. ...and they say it should save time??? yeah, right! The best part of Mel airport we find (apart of finally boarding the plane and living) is that you do not have to remove computers etc at the scanning when you enter airside. apart from this, we reckon, its one of the worst airports world wide.
Adelaide is my home airport, but all my international trips begin and end in MEL. Which is why they seem to do my head in because my international flights always arrive in the morning in MEL. Still boggles my mind how the hell did they win that award.
the main problem is that there are not enough e terminals, in addition they are not intuitive as well. Thats why there is so much banking up, best spend your time in duty free and let the crowds thin out
@@etheral9027 either that or select an international arrival outside of that peak. I arrived from Colombo with Sri Lankan airlines at 4.30pm, I was at the kerb side by 4.35pm. 😄
Yep, that... And airlines are lobbying their respective EU governments to ban Chinese airlines from using Russian airspace, crying it's unfair competition. Silly, since the EU created this unfair playground in the first place. 🤷
@@尼古拉斯-Nicholas OMFG! Edinburgh! You know the group of us who were there are STILL going on about our time there. It's truly a beautiful place. I'd return in a heartbeat. By the way, part of my family comes from Thailand! So we speak Thai amongst a myriad of other languages... 😀
@@ryansofly I thought you had a bit of a Thai look .. 🤣 Yeah Edinburgh is a nice place to be but the weather has been horrendous recently especially the last couple of days with the storms here in the UK.
I'm flying with CS next month, Economy, Can i bring 7kilo Handluggage and personal small crossbody bag with me in the plane, apart from my 23kilo Check in luggage? is it possible? please somebody can answer me?🙏🏼 I'm confused to understand their rules, I will fly from Amsterdam to Manila
Without pandering to massive stereotypes, how were rest of the passengers.. ive heard chinese can be difficult .. im hoping to fly to taiwan next year and chinese airlines are much cheaper than others .. im wondering if the difference is worth it for an 'uncomfortable' experience onboard.. ill be flying from uk btw...
Chinese travellers had a massive reputation for misbehaving etc... I'd like to think those days are over. These days they are mostly well behaved, and weren't cutting lines etc and kept to themselves. Suppose this generation is a little more travel savvy. The onboard experience was surprisingly very positive. The product is A LOT more modern than... say... BA or VS. Transit China can be very bureaucratic but hey, it's all part of the experience! I'd say go for it! Just enjoy the ride! I'm heading to TW in 2 weeks!
Indeed. Mainland China airlines have low fares and are capitalising on their shorter routes to the Far East (from Europe) because they overfly Russia whereas Western carriers do not ...for obvious reasons.
@@alexmcwhirter6611 the EU airlines are now lobbying for their government to ban Chinese airlines from using Russian air space, crying unfair competition. I don't understand, their governments created this shit hole they're in. And just because they can't get what they want, they want everyone else to suffer as well?
@@ryansofly Thanks for the reply Ryan. I haven't yet viewed your video but will do so later. Yes it's a highly political situation here and the EU is reluctant to act because it has now imposed a new levy on imports of EVs from China. The latter responded by putting a new tax on French brandy imports ! Meanwhile BYD is building an EV plant in Hungary which will create 1,000s of jobs. So we shall see.
guangzhou was a mess, never going again, spent an hour trying to get a transit visa which idek if i needed, a lot of miscommunication, ended up landside when we wanted to stay inside the airport even though we had a long layover, we're asian and everyone was visibly irritated that we didnt speak chinese, everyone seems on edge and does not know the slightest of customer service, did not see a single smile in that airport
It was a challenge even for me and I'm fluent in mandarin. I can only imagine the frustration of those who don't speak the language. I was the pseudo translator for the motley crew of us transit pax trying to determine whether or not we needed that transit permit. Even the authorities couldn't decide. 🤷
lol beryozka and clapping Vladimir was fun enough :D subscribed. nice trip report, thanks!
You're welcome. Thanks for your subscription! 😀
Thanks for this series of your trip to the UK, Sweden and Finland I looked forward every Saturday to your videos. CZ looks great good food and lot of it.
Glad you enjoyed the series! Yes the food on CZ did surprise me. All was great. Thanks for your support, as always. Cheers.
Great review Ryan
Thanks for watching!
Mate you are one resilient bloke, that is one monstrous flight. The video is appreciated, well done as many content creators see flights like these as a bridge to far. Better you than me, I am happy to just watch. Thumbs up. Tim Mac
Well, it sucks living in one far flung corner of the globe that's for sure! On a previous trip to Europe, both out bound and inbound journeys were 30+ hours. So this is considerably a lot shorter. 😂
@ryansofly Might have been PM Keating's phrase "we are the arse end of the world".
Great Video! The arrivals into australia are always so time consuming and stressful with onwards connections! As you said so much better in other countries!
Yeah it is just so embarrassing... Very 3rd world.
Thank you very much for posting these videos. I am really surprised by the good service of China Southern Airlines.😊
You're welcome! I was pleasantly surprised by the service on this flight too.
I actually like the Chinese Airlines, I have taken 5 a lone this year and would even go as far as saying I was very impressed by the service, room for improvement but the prices I have paid I would never complain.
Yes I agree. I'd definitely fly them again if the price is right.
Another awesome trip report Handsome ! I think I will give the Chinese carriers a miss if travelling East 😊 safe travels
Yeah I agree that Chinese carriers aren't everyone's cup of tea.
Very nice throughout here my friend well done
See you again stay in touch big thumbs up cheers
Cheers for watching! 👍
As someone who has flown to China already this year (and will be doing so again soon), it is remarkable how much more advanced things are there, even if the visa process sometimes makes it a pain
Bureaucracy's a real problem in China. The very heavy top down approach means if your query begins at the bottom, it will be escalated upwards through several layers until someone's willing to give you an answer.
And yes, the modernity of China's mega cities. It is a sight to behold. I've never thought much about it until I stepped foot in Guangzhou. And there we have the west holding on to their past glories beating the drum making lots of noise. China doesn't really care, they'll keep progressing. Everything is digitalised, streets are so quiet because cars are electric, gleaming skyscrapers... I could go on.
Ryan, you should not forget your loyal subscribers outside of Australia 😀
I'll never ever forget my subs! Hahaha... Eventually I'll open these giveaways to international subs. I just don't trust AusPost enough.
Love watching your shows....and can't wait for the one to start.grestcwirk Ryan 😂
Thank you Pauline.
@@ryansofly ..thank you replying....not a lot take the trouble to reply.....keep up with your great work 👍😊
@@paulineparsons9399 I appreciate every response, good or bad. I might not get to it quickly, but I'll reply eventually at some point. Hahahaha.... Once again, thank you.
I flew China Southern in March 24. I have to say it was top 2 airlines I've flown with over the years. Service was so efficient, seat pitch was goid, movie selection good. Biggest minus was the locked shades for the day flight, hope it not becoming a trend.
Thanks for the vid
A closed window shade is a north Asian practice. Back in the day, FAs would come with a long stick, reach across you to shut your shade. Very common especially on JAL/ANA/KAL/Asiana. The dreamliner just made their job a lot easier.
@@ryansofly its annoying because I get a day flight to stay awake (like you) but the dimmed cabin makes it easy to pass out. Maybe it's so the screens are easier to see, idk. Cebu Pacific also did it. Flying SIA day flight at the end of the month...lets see how that goes.
I do not enjoy those long-haul flights! Moving forward, when i return to Europe i intend to schedule stopovers in each direction. I view the night or two in a hotel enroute as an essential cost, part of the air ticket itself, rather than a luxury! Thank you for the video! I am looking forward to the next video you create!
Agree.... On the way there's the overnight stay in Guangzhou which was heavenly.
I really enjoyed this video thank you! I was thinking of booking a flight from mel to london as this airline was coming up really cheap LIKE $500 more than the other airlines and its not too long of a layover and 2 x23 kgs of luggage... so i booked it for this summer...
Ok cool! Enjoy your flight and let me know how it goes!
dancing chickens for the win! Love the dancing chickens. I can't convince my friends just how awesome they are :( What an epic journey. I've flown China Southern back to Melbourne once before in 2011. I found them ok, but basic in many ways and no personality. they look to have improved the meals looked really impressive! Time to watch a Sam Chui video..... not :P
CZ, and Chinese airlines in general have really come a long way. But my recent trip through Shanghai last week tells me their aviation bureaucracy still has a loooong way to catch up.
With regards to the window shades on the 787's If u hold the button in for a minimum of 10 seconds I'm told it unlocks the window .
Always enjoy ur thorough analysis of ur trips thx again .
Safe travels
Christy 🇮🇪/🇵🇹 👍
That's great to know, thanks Christy! Thanks! I'll take note of that. Thanks for your support 🙏🙏
Come again soon Ryan, hope we served you well 😁🇬🇧🇦🇺🇸🇬
Thank you mate. Can't wait to return to the UK.
I lived in China for years and flew a lot of Chinese airlines. With the exception of Air China, which I didn’t especially like, the service was always good and the flight attendants invariably friendly. You’re right about the transfer process. Far too complicated. Good review.
The transit process is something that takes getting used to. I'm eager to see if my transit in PVG will be equally complicated. Anyways, thanks for popping by!
@@ryansofly - just in my experience CAN and PEK were difficult. PVG is easier. Let me know what you discover. Looking forward to your video!
@@davenorth2903 just did the PVG transfer JAL -> China Airlines. It was thumbs down. Unnecessarily complicated....
@@ryansofly - Agree with you mate. They're just not set up to do international transfers. Poor signage, too much bureacracy, etc. One day they will figure it out. If you ever get to my part of the world, try the transfer at Riyadh. Most discombobulated I've ever seen. Down a lot of dark and dingy passage ways with no signage, and very difficult communications.
@@davenorth2903 they have the physical infrastructure in place for a transfer. But it's only reserved for MU to MU transfer. Everyone else has to go through the rigmarole of going through the arrival process (filling up form, passport stamped etc) then up to departures to go through that crazy security just to get stamped out again.
PVG airside transfer has been firewalled by MU counters who won't entertain you.
Interesting...here in Canada we have an automated kiosk that spits out a printed slip but there's no additional use of an "e-gate". It's either you get in line for regular passport control (for visitors) or if you're a resident a CBSA officer will check the slip and ask a few questions before letting you through. And I thought Australia is supposed to be better at these things!
Australia's busiest airports are some of the most embarrassing showcases of arrival inefficiency. Lots of yelling, queue poles guiding you into a forever zig zag, and more yelling of instructions from officers because 1) signage is useless in that chaos, 2) space is so confined passengers are stressed out from the long flight and are too tired, 3) human flow management is an after thought.
Seriously 3rd world. It still boggles my mind how the hell did MEL win that award.
@@ryansoflyI think all major airports regardless of efficacy will face these issue that Melbourne and whatnot have with morning flights
Thank you for these video I'll be going with these same flight from Heathrow to Gaungzow next month then to manila.. Xhe xhe☺️
Enjoy the flight! 🛫
Another great video. Yes. arrival at Melbourne airport is pathetic. Two weeks ago we arrived at 6am from Europe and it was chaos at the kiosks... so many confused passengers and no-one to help (well one or two abrupt rude staff (welcome to Melbourne!). On then to customs... such a stressful arrival after 21 hours for travel. So embarrassing.
It’s always a challenge getting through MEL at peak times! Seems like it’s just as chaotic as ever. This has been an ongoing issue for decades and still, nothing is really done to improve it.
Thanks for the review. We're looking to take CS to Europe next year but needed to convince the husband that it's a legit airline for the price!
Glad you enjoyed the review. Hopefully it helped convince the husband! Thanks for watching!
I just flew to from London to Phenom Phen via Guangzhou (with China Southern) - and I can say with full confidence that I would use CS again if I need to. Seats were relatively comfortable, good legroom and good amenities, meals were really nice and staff were friendly and helpful. One could argue that they could have more western film options, but was enough to keep me occupied.
On top of that, I had a 17hr layover in Guangzhou and CS gave me a really nice hotel room free of charge. Had no issues with Chinese immigration getting a 24hr transit visa.
The flight tickets were also reasonably priced. I paid around £620 GBP for my round trip in Economy which included a 23KG checked luggage allowance and two hand bag allowance.
I was like you... My initial response to the IFE was it is crap. But in all honesty, it kept me entertained throughout the flight. I thought their western selection was a little random though. They had one or two episodes of whatever series so there wasn't any continuity. My ticket was sadly not eligible for that free transit hotel. But I got a room at Novotel at the airport for about AUD120, which is so cheap! So we did not mind paying for it. It was covered in a previous episode at the start of this series. Linked below...
ruclips.net/video/AxQUofeI-Dk/видео.htmlsi=feWUxJKJYrf3REeD
Cheers and thanks for watching!
Another fantastic video man!
Really sent me at 6:58 😭💀 😂
crazy that the airport airport staff in Guangzhou didn’t speak any English! That definitely makes a stressful travel journey that’s for sure specially if they’re being that rigorous and pulling your bags apart.
I actually had no idea that Chinese airlines could make use of Russian airspace that’s so interesting to know!
Flying to the UK next week but not with China Southern. Hopefully it’ll be a good experience :)
Thanks for sharing!
Regards,
Nilesh
Suppose China is such a HUGE country, don't think many outside realise just how big they are. Which is why they don't feel the need to speak English. And you are expected to speak their language. This explains how their airlines are structured as well. It reminds me of Japan in the 80s when they were an economic powerhouse. You were expected to speak Japanese in Japan or when dealing with their airlines... Not the other way around. I remember flipping through JAL Winds, their in-flight magazine... And everything was in Japanese. The English section was a miniscule couple of pages. These days the China Southern magazine is the same.
Another great series of excellent information and experiences Ryan. Great to see the level of service at China Southern but concerned by the transit process…are the Chinese authorities likely to make improvements or is the system locked in government policy?
Thank you, thank you for showing what Melbourne Airport calls an arrival hall. We experienced the “sea of humanity” morning arrivals back in June when returning from Narita. Total chaos and confusion…really adds to the exhaustion of a red eye flight. Customs seem to be trying their best but to no avail.
Then when you finally escape the whole process the realisation that there’s still no train service to our Airport …in a city of 5,316,000 people!
Always looking forward to your future vlogs Ryan. Can’t do the amenity bag comp as I’m an old man and not involved in social media like instagram etc.
Keep up the great work!👍
Thanks for your constant support. Suppose if you're mentally prepared for the transit bureaucracy, it'll be ok. As mentioned, I'll do one transit in Shanghai in a couple of weeks. We'll see if that's any different.
@@ryansofly You make a good point on the transit authority and of course to be armed with information (your vlog). I spent a lot of time searching every aspect of our travel to Japan which made a significant difference in good outcomes…
The very warm cabin thing is insane. I've experienced it while on a flight from Guangzhou to Dubai. Not sure if it's done on purpose but alot of reviewers have said the same
Think they seem to like the heat seeing how stuffy Guangzhou airport was as well.
China Southern Airlines is thousand times better than the over rated Singapore Airlines.
You and your hubby are match made in heaven.
Long live the passion and eternal love forever. 🌺❤️💗💝💘💝💖
@@manithangavalu7885 thank you .. kind words.
@@ryansofly
You're welcome.
Many happy blissful memories of unison.💞 💐🌷🌹🌺💐💞
Of course it's another great and enjoyable video, Ryan. Looking at the LHR-CAN route I found it strange that your CZ would not continue to overfly Moscow in a direct line rather than pause and make a circle turn. Maybe it was a 'one-off' ? As for Taiwan I personally would not want to fly via mainland China because of the current political situation which might lead to short notice airspace closures.
Hahahaha there was clearly a glitch in FR24's playback. I don't recall us flying that route and circling like that. Political firebombs have always gone off for decades between CN and TW. But life goes on. There are supporters and opposers on both ends so no one really bothers, and they'll let the politicians do the fight. Cross straits flights will still continue to happen because the economic losses on both sides would be catastrophic. No one really wants to return to the days where ALL CN-TW flights went via HKG.
Dude you re awesome ! I love watching your vids. I m looking to book a trip to Beijing and I am now seriously considering China Southern. What is their safety record? they seem very good
@@michailspyridakis2966 thanks man, kind words. As one of the largest airlines in the world, they're as safe as any other major carriers.
A great review Ryan, but then I think nothing less from you
Thanks, appreciate the kind words. Thanks for your support, as always.
Absolutely impressive filmed.... how you did it sir?
I just use my phone! 😁 GoPro for a couple of shots, but yeah... Mostly through my phone.
China Southern will soon start its seasonal services between Beijing Daxing and Melbourne and Sydney. Chinese carriers have a strong interest in flying to Australia.
Would be great if ALL the flights were done by the A350. I reckon that is a better aircraft.
lol, just this B-1243 had the tail strick to runway during the first officer landing practice at Baiyun international airport on 20th Oct 2024. The tail section has damaged during the incident, repairment meight be too high without choice of write off from fleet.
😵💫😵💫 omg no way...
@@ryansoflycarbon fiber laminated body is hard to fix it compare to aluminum. damage also appearing on vertical section panels in the tail cargo area.
CX still do a bar cart run before the meal.
@@colin5373 it's CX, they don't do things in bits. Think the bar service is only absent for flights to BKK SGN HAN TPE KHH and CAN.
Hi Ryan. Thanks for your reviews. Excellent.
Quick question. Long check in queues at Heathrow. Do you reckon that was a one off or is it a regular occurence?
@@johnlastactor I noticed these long queues are specific for airlines like VN CZ MU GF and SV. They begin to fill up four times five hours before departure. I've departed T4 on MH numerous times and it wasn't like that. So who knows?
@@ryansofly thanks so much. We’re hanging our hats on 3 hours before but mayyyybe we’ll get there earlier…..
We flew with CX and had no queue at all. Check in took 10 mins, and that was us tagging the luggage and then getting boarding passes for LHR-HGK-MEL-ADL
You're a braver man than me doing UK - Australia or NZ without a stopover for a day or two. People do it though - a friend of mine recently flew all the way GLA - AKL via DXB in a oner ... shudder!
I've done a couple of these "oners". Last trip to Europe, we did a oner MEL-SIN-CDG-MLA... 33 hours. I've also done SIN-NRT-SFO-MSO-ORD and ORD-DTW-NRT-SIN which were also oners. But yeah, it gets harder with age.
@@ryansofly longest haul I ever did in one go was YYC-YVR-LAX-TPE-KUL-CGK - same route back. It was 30+ years ago when I was young and more resilient though!
@@derekbryce2632 wow that route! Was that a Canadian Airlines / Malaysia Airlines combo? I think they did a code share at some point.
@@ryansofly It was! YYC YVR LAX on CP and LAX TPE KUL CGK on MH. They were two separate tickets CP and MH which I got at a special rate because I worked in the industry at the time.
@@derekbryce2632 if memory serves, think Canadian flew briefly to KUL with their DC10.
Nice video. Was there any wifi on this service ?
Yes there is, but it did not work for me.
Sorry , I like 2 recommend an Av geeks podcast
" On - Air " with Dan & Alex . Enjoy
Christy 🇮🇪/🇵🇹 👍
@@plasticscouser3791 yes I do watch Dan's videos from time to time.
Have found a kindred soul , also ask for any spare food :-)
My huge healthy appetite, plus inflight catering going to waste is a deadly combo. 😂
Hi Ryan.... Just curious... After travelling to many places or countries... Do u develop some kind degree a feeling of separation anxiety?
Cheers!
I've been working/living overseas for decades. Suppose I've learnt to live with it. I travel very light, I still have a couple of suitcase worth of belongings till this day even though I've lived in AU for more than 12 years.
Just finished a 21 hour economy trek from Denpasar to DFW with a stop in Melbourne. Still jet lagged a week later….
When we returned from Europe in January, we were jetlagged like you for more than a week before we started to feel normal again. This trip, our bodies strangely fared a lot better. That being said, it gets harder with age though. 😏
Would 1 hour transit in Guangzhou be enough? what do u reckon?
@@sduru if it is a CZ-CZ international transfer in CAN on a single ticket, then yes. It'll be tight, but doable. If anything happens, the airline is liable for selling that connection. No?
I haven't had money to travel in decades. If i spent all that money to be stuck in crowds, in stinking hot terminals. And in the economy class planes, would you think id enjoy my first holiday?
It's all part of the experience. I always hope for my travels to go pear shape so I can get all excited by the stress. Perhaps I'm a little mad that way. 🤣
With those long queues you have commented on, a tip I have for those who want to take advantage of the VAT refund - try your best to not depart on flights that leave around the same time as those with many passengers headed back to China. It's tricky to find this out but if you could shy away from those with direct flights to China, it's a start and will make your VAT refund experience a smooth one.
Those lines you saw at the end was a bottle neck for the egates ticket. It happens every single time when there's a morning peak hour arrivals.
@@ryansofly i was talking about those at Heathrow
@@_Tripsandtips101 ah! Lol okie.
Only food and tea? no alchoool?
@@savurazvan7854 nah... I never ever consume alcohol at altitude.
@@ryansofly i didt said for you i just ask if they have alcohol at bord ..thnaks for your answer
@savurazvan7854 of course they have alcohol. Beer and wine.
found flight from Amsterdam to Jakarta with transit 1hour 25mins at CAN, will i make it because at CAN we will have to again check passport, check bags and all? whats your opinion about that. and i am afraid if i lose my connecting flight and i dont speak mandarin
If the airline sold you that connection, they're responsible for making sure you make the flights. CZ-CZ international connections in CAN are seamless as everything is in one terminal. You'll be fine.
@@ryansofly thanks this is very helpful
Hi Ryan, sorry for the question but did you have to apply for the 144 VISA when you arrived at the airport in China? thanks!
No, you don't need one if you are an Australian citizen. You can go to China visa-free for 15 days from July 1st.
144 is no longer required for now as we can enter visa free for 15 days on an Australian passport. Although if you're doing an overnight transit and like to clear customs, there might be a need for an entry permit.
@@SM-be3mz thank you!!
@@ryansofly thank you so much! Great to know 😊
There are China Southern flights to Vietnam from Melbourne which transits in in Guangzhou 6+ hours, can't really deal with the time gap but would like to try it one day. Agree, Melbourne airport sucks balls 😅 @noriaquach
For a transit that long, I'd go business. Guangzhou airport can be slightly yawn inducing for a stay of that length.
I plan to fly China Southern from NZ to Thailand next year. I kind of fear to fly. I know that China Southern is the biggest Airline in Asia, 6th biggest in the world. But is CS is the safety airline?
@@linny1996 CZ is as safe as any airline can be. Not sure why you would think otherwise.
@ryansofly Thanks. It might be because the accidents of some Asian airlines like Air Asia, Malaysia Airlines lately plus my aerophobia.
@linny1996 hahaha I completely understand. Asian airlines are no different from western airlines.
Don't be afraid. If your time has come, you will leave even if you are lying in bed.
Is it safe to fly over Russia/Ukraine currently? 9:20
@@aaron6091 obviously not Ukraine, especially after MH370. It's completely fine over Russia.
I flew with these, never again.
Yikes... What happened?
Are we allowed to have a personal item with are economy tickets?
@@TroubleWorld of course we are.
Hello sir new subscriber here i just want to know if lay over in china baiyun airport is easy for transfer i will be flying first time paris-china,china-philippines.
If you're transmitting through CAN airport, just be prepared for the extra stringent security checks. Once pass that, you'll be ok.
If your layover is over 8 hours you can do VISA FREE for 24 hours in China, I'm also a Philippine Passport Holder. Enjoy China its nice even just for a few hours. Just head to 24 Hour Visa counter.
@@pasyaltayo actually sir I'm only having transfer in china with the same airline and my lay over is only 1 hour 45 minutes hope I can make it to the next flight there I can catch my connecting flights with that short time🙏
@@carlasamson3205 you can, as long as flying with the same airline they will help u out...
@@pasyaltayo yes I did the temporary entry permit on my way to London. The transit was 19hrs so we left the airport and stayed at Novotel at the airport. Went to town for dinner as well.
Aquaman
Qué?
Hi Ryan,
your comment re Melbourne Airport I cannot agree with more. We live in Melbourne also and travel a fair bit as well and every time we get annoyed by the standard of this airport. They want to be a `world standard airport` but in fact nowhere in the world is it as bad as here. As you mentioned, the arrival hall is absolutely pathetic with those kiosks and lots and lots of international guests are super confused with this `new` (waste of time) technology. ...and they say it should save time??? yeah, right!
The best part of Mel airport we find (apart of finally boarding the plane and living) is that you do not have to remove computers etc at the scanning when you enter airside.
apart from this, we reckon, its one of the worst airports world wide.
Adelaide is my home airport, but all my international trips begin and end in MEL. Which is why they seem to do my head in because my international flights always arrive in the morning in MEL. Still boggles my mind how the hell did they win that award.
the main problem is that there are not enough e terminals, in addition they are not intuitive as well. Thats why there is so much banking up, best spend your time in duty free and let the crowds thin out
@@etheral9027 either that or select an international arrival outside of that peak. I arrived from Colombo with Sri Lankan airlines at 4.30pm, I was at the kerb side by 4.35pm. 😄
International airlines cut China flights over Russian airspace ban, economic concerns
Yep, that... And airlines are lobbying their respective EU governments to ban Chinese airlines from using Russian airspace, crying it's unfair competition. Silly, since the EU created this unfair playground in the first place. 🤷
@@ryansofly I know .. crazy indeed also funny am based in Edinburgh.. And was living in Thailand while your from Singapore small world indeed ..
@@尼古拉斯-Nicholas OMFG! Edinburgh! You know the group of us who were there are STILL going on about our time there. It's truly a beautiful place. I'd return in a heartbeat. By the way, part of my family comes from Thailand! So we speak Thai amongst a myriad of other languages... 😀
@@ryansofly I thought you had a bit of a Thai look .. 🤣 Yeah Edinburgh is a nice place to be but the weather has been horrendous recently especially the last couple of days with the storms here in the UK.
Just wondering do you need any face masks or anything
@@royalmusic2366 you didn't see anyone wearing masks one the video right? But you can wear one, it's optional.
I'm flying with CS next month, Economy, Can i bring 7kilo Handluggage and personal small crossbody bag with me in the plane, apart from my 23kilo Check in luggage? is it possible? please somebody can answer me?🙏🏼 I'm confused to understand their rules, I will fly from Amsterdam to Manila
@@cynthiavandenberge7286 no need to be confused. They're just like any other major full service airlines. Of course you can take that on board.
@@ryansoflythanks so much.. you are so helpful ❤ God bless you
Without pandering to massive stereotypes, how were rest of the passengers.. ive heard chinese can be difficult .. im hoping to fly to taiwan next year and chinese airlines are much cheaper than others .. im wondering if the difference is worth it for an 'uncomfortable' experience onboard.. ill be flying from uk btw...
Chinese travellers had a massive reputation for misbehaving etc... I'd like to think those days are over. These days they are mostly well behaved, and weren't cutting lines etc and kept to themselves. Suppose this generation is a little more travel savvy. The onboard experience was surprisingly very positive. The product is A LOT more modern than... say... BA or VS. Transit China can be very bureaucratic but hey, it's all part of the experience! I'd say go for it! Just enjoy the ride! I'm heading to TW in 2 weeks!
Indeed. Mainland China airlines have low fares and are capitalising on their shorter routes to the Far East (from Europe) because they overfly Russia whereas Western carriers do not ...for obvious reasons.
@@alexmcwhirter6611 the EU airlines are now lobbying for their government to ban Chinese airlines from using Russian air space, crying unfair competition. I don't understand, their governments created this shit hole they're in. And just because they can't get what they want, they want everyone else to suffer as well?
@@ryansofly Thanks for the reply Ryan. I haven't yet viewed your video but will do so later. Yes it's a highly political situation here and the EU is reluctant to act because it has now imposed a new levy on imports of EVs from China. The latter responded by putting a new tax on French brandy imports ! Meanwhile BYD is building an EV plant in Hungary which will create 1,000s of jobs. So we shall see.
@@ryansofly thank you.. I'll be watching out for that video.. I'm hoping to be there for pride next year :)
Melbourne airport is a dump!
The domestic areas are an embarrassment as well
I know right... Shockingly embarrassing.
All Aussie airports are a dump compared to Changi. And flying in Australia is terrible as if they are late there are no consequences.....
guangzhou was a mess, never going again, spent an hour trying to get a transit visa which idek if i needed, a lot of miscommunication, ended up landside when we wanted to stay inside the airport even though we had a long layover, we're asian and everyone was visibly irritated that we didnt speak chinese, everyone seems on edge and does not know the slightest of customer service, did not see a single smile in that airport
It was a challenge even for me and I'm fluent in mandarin. I can only imagine the frustration of those who don't speak the language. I was the pseudo translator for the motley crew of us transit pax trying to determine whether or not we needed that transit permit. Even the authorities couldn't decide. 🤷
No thank you !!!
@@RussellJamesStevens not your thing?
i love flying n i always enjoy all meals on the flight . @samalaleckie
Awesome.... Ask for seconds like I do! 😜