Disgusting airline. Rude stewards, disgusting food, smelly plane
Used them to fly from London to Tokyo via Shanghai Pudong. On Sun 12th April 2026, MU214. During both dinner time and "breakfast" (though food is always the same mash of crap) time a horrible smell started to linger around the whole cabin. This happened also on the second 2hr flight to Tokyo. The smell was as if sesame oil had been left burning on purpose, because the food did not need to be cooked only microwaved. Maybe it was a religious chinese celebration, because the same smell was not on the return flights. The other big low point was due to a steward who showed signs of lack of awareness of the situations happening on that flight (mu201 - from Shanghai back to Gatwick), therefore unfit to be a steward. Stewards should serve customers, not be a policeman. I was letting a lady, before setting off for take off, on an inner seat of a 4 seats row, i was sitting on the aisle seat. This steward came rushing towards me asking me "Sir, sir, sir, where is your seat? Where is your seat? You must seat!!" Now, every normal human being would read the situation of that woman getting in her seat and me standing in the corridor let her in, ready to go back to my seat when she had finished settling down. That was sorted, but not very easy to explain to the guy. Maybe he was part of a protected category of workers, I don't know, but the same guy came rushing towards me because, apparently, I could not stand next door to the plane door, which happened to be also where China Eastern had put the toilet, which was occupied hence i was waiting for the person in the toilet to come out. I mean, i have been flying all my life, for business (as this time) and for leisure. I have never experienced this, never, not even with very cheap european airlines. Maybe it is normal for Chinese customers to be harassed by their stewards with rude and shouty comments and impositions, as if they are the police enforcement of the world. To China Airline management. If you want to continue be part of the civilized society, given you get paid for flights (£1900 return it is a significant amount of money for a cheap airline), and if you want to continue attract western customers you should follow common rules of kindness and politeness towards your customers. Language barrier is not the issue, cultural barrier is the biggest concern I have. And regarding time schedule. 5 stars for that, at least for the 4 flights of this round trip. Only 30 min delay on the short route, which did not make any issue because i had 3 hours slack. And change to the gate in Tokyo between the two furthest away gates in the transfer section in Haneda, with the change only communicated (badly) on screens not with vocal announcements or messages to passengers (they have our email addresses, why not sending notifications?)