Lots of things we didn't like!!! My sister and I travelled to Cairns Australia on China Eastern via Shanghai. The first leg of the flight for approximately twelve hours from Heathrow to Shanghai. We were offered a drink at the start of the trip. My sister and I both asked for red wine, the stewardess poured about an inch of wine in the cup. On the next visit after the meal they had run out of red wine, had no beer and no other alcohol on offer! I have never been on a flight where there was no bar service!It was the same on the three other flights. The food was atrocious and I'm not a fussy eater. A choice of only two meals each time either pork and rice or beef and noodle. I chose beef and it was laced with fat! On one of the flights there was no choice, the fish meal had run out! There was a person caught smoking in the toilets, this was reported to staff, don't think it was taken any further, but in the UK this is a prisonable offence with a heavy fine! The staff weren't at all friendly and hardly smiled, although the in flight vidoe showed a lovely cup of coffee with very happy staff, this wasn't at all what we experienced. If you have booked with this airline I would definately think of changing. Other people we met on the flight were thinking the same as us. Especially on such a long flight, think again.

Flew China Eastern March-April 2013 -- 7 times during a three week trip, including roundtrip from LAX-Shanghai and five trips within China, including Hong Kong- Shanghai (round trip) , Shanghai-Beijing, Beijing-Xi'an, Xi'an-Chengdu. The airline batted 100 percent in three categories: None of the flights were on time. ( A posted on-time rate that I saw online said they have a 54 percent ontime history, I believe this is way off). All of the food was pretty bad ( even for airplane food standards) and all the in-flight entertainment was outdated or physically unviewable. We did have one recent American film shown, and it was great-- but it was a 1 1/2 hour flight, so they cut it off before the ending ( see the landing procedures later in this review). other than that, the pilots got us there alive 100 percent of the time. More details: They are quick to warn you regarding turbulence, and the flight attendants are plentiful and responsive. And apologetic. Especially when on one flight they quickly ran out of the pork/rice entree and all they had left was eel. Speaking of the meals, the entree is always a meat/brown gravy rice or noodles congealed mass. best meal was the Chinese breakfast of yogurt, fruit, and pork and chicken dumplings. drinks/ softdrinks are frequently served , but beer/ wine, if at all available runs out quickly ( but it is free, even in economy) No hard alcohol in economy, but it is vastly different in business class and first class-- very different food, all drinks ( including a wide selection of alcohol) and a personal screen with a wide selection of entertainment. a business class upgrade from LAX- Shanghai was $1100 , oneway, ( special" deal offered at check-in) entertainment in coach/economy is vastly different, and if you are on a long flight, bring your own. entertainment consisted of very old animal documentaries( lots of them), 1980's random films( and we felt lucky to get those) and historical dramas in Chinese ( These might have been good, but the English subtitles were in very small font, and the celing drop- down screens are very small and far away from most seats. and if there is a tall person sitting inthe far off line of sight, you are completely out of luck. Also an FYI regarding switching off your electronic devices approaching landing-- they initiate this process 30-45 minutes before you actually land.

I would only reccommend to travel business class with China Eastern, due to the fact that we had an amazing flight to Shanghai on the way to Syndey, however from Shanghai to Sydney it was a dated plane which was tatty and not business class seating was more Premium Economy. However the worst was yet to come, we were delayed 3 hours initially, when leaving Sydney to Shanghai, we then boarded the plane, only to be removed after taxi'ing down the strip. 3 futher hours and we were invited to go back to the plane. Then the shambles with the hotel in Shanghai (courtesy of China Eastern). Then delayed a further 2 1/2 hours from Shanghai back to London.... their excuse was due to late arrival of the plane, however this was the same plane that we flew from Sydney in and there was no way they could fly out over night as we were the last flight in.... simple lies!! The reason I knew was due to the fact there was a tear in the lining above my seat, and I sat in the same row each time Row 6 A.... Food was a little to be desired even in business class, so beware.