Back in the air today, flying PVG-SFO-SEA. As I woke up late due to being jet lagged, I did not have time to grab a bite to eat before leaving for the airport. Sadly this meant I barely had the strength to use my large suitcase as a cattle prod when crossing the Shanghai Metro Line 2 Platform of Death. (Read post from Day 119 if you’re confused…)
Getting to the airport was pretty easy and there were not too many people in lines. I had to wait maybe 20 minutes to go through immigration control and there was no waiting at the final baggage check & metal detector for those lucky enough to use the mysterious line 27 (business, first class, and “VIP”). (“VIP” will be the premise for another post some day…)
Having an hour to spare, I made my way to the Air China lounge near gate 71. This lounge is pretty terrible, to be honest, in terms of quality but it does try really hard. There’s a number of shower stall for those in need, lots of seating, and a hot & cold food buffet. Sounds pretty good, right? Well …
When you walk into the lounge the overwhelming smell of stale smoke reminiscent of a Reno casino wafts so hard it’s as if someone slapped you across the face. And it only gets better.
In the traditional Chinese way, the bartender is extremely slow and will only pour half a glass of wine at a time. But don’t worry, I found where there’s a self serve location upstairs in the lounge; more on that later. Don’t even try to order a mixed drink as you’ll be highly upset with the wait time and the quality of what is mixed. The spirits are the brand names you’re used to, but … just don’t taste right.
The downstairs portion of the lounge has lots of seating, which is great. There’s even cold refrigerators with water, soft drinks (Pepsi & Schweppes if it matters), and beer. Grab one of those items, you’ll be happier in the longrun. It’ll also help dampen your sense of smell so you don’t notice the stale smoke scent when trying to relax.
Upstairs is where the food, more seating, and the showers are located. It’s also the location that gets busier quicker, likely because the stale smoke scent doesn’t permeate this region.
Find a spot, drop off your bags, and head over to the buffet for some uninspiring quisine. While I do like most food and don’t expect much from what airlines offer … What Air China puts on their buffet is just… Tasteless. Except for one item, that is. I’ve tried most the food items on offer and have to say the ‘old duck soup’ is rather tasty, but remember not to eat the meat unless you enjoy crunching on small bones.
Typically the food buffet comprises a number of options:
- Hot options: rice, yangzhou fried rice, Singapore noodles, two soup, two mixed veggies offerings, and one or two meat-based dishes.
- Cold options: sushi rolls, cold cuts
- Salad options: cut fruit, salad with toppings, mixed salads like fruit or potato
- Desserts
While plentiful, none of the food is tasty and makes me wonder what the offerings aboard an Air China flight would be like. Also, check out those short shorts; honey was working it!
One thing I will say about the wine that’s offered, and you know I’m a bit of a wine snob, could barely pass as consumable. Yes, it’s that bad. Prior to today’s flight I ordered from the bartender on the first floor and learned to ask for 两杯红酒, or two glasses of red wine as they never pour a full glass. It was always just “ok” but not really good and I never saw the labels. Well, today I discovered the self pour section upstairs in the lounge and realized why. Friends and co-workers have spoken about Chinese wines and how they’re just terrible, in general. As it turns out, the swill they serve in the lounge is branded as Air China and The Great Wall, with the latter brand being some seriously cheap wine that might hospitalize a person if they are not careful. It’s just that bad.
Currently my flight is suffering from a mechanical delay, something about the parking break and it not being able to function (aka, release) has us sitting at the gate for over an hour. We may depart at some point today if a spare part can be found, fingers crossed, but in the mean time I’m enjoying a lovely Australian Malbec that the flight attendants keep refilling. Mmmm so much better than what was served in the Air China lounge!