⭐ 0/5
⭐ 0/5 — AVOID CHINA EASTERN AIRLINES AT ALL COSTS ⭐ Route: Auckland → Frankfurt → Auckland Fare: $2,600 per person (definitely NOT budget!) I don’t normally write reviews, but this was the single worst travel experience of my life — stressful, expensive, and handled with an unbelievable level of incompetence by China Eastern Airlines. 1. They lost our luggage — and didn’t care. Our flight was already over an hour delayed, and the staff at check-in even printed the wrong boarding passes, then acted arrogant and rude when we pointed out their mistake. When we landed in Frankfurt, our luggage was simply missing. No apology. No update. No help. It took three days to get it back — and we had to organise and pay for our own Uber to collect it because China Eastern wouldn’t deliver it properly. And when it finally arrived? Damaged. These suitcases were only 9 months old. 2. Customer service is a joke. Trying to contact anyone was like shouting into a black hole. When we finally got a reply, it took weeks, and still no compensation. We’re 460 euros out of pocket for things we only bought because our bags were lost. 3. A so-called “upgrade” that made things WORSE. They dangled an “upgrade” like a consolation prize — except it resulted in my kids being seated separately from me, even though I paid for seat selection specifically to avoid this. They also offered a “VIP Lounge Pass”. THANK GOODNESS we didn’t actually pay for it. 4. The “VIP lounge” was a disgrace. It was so overcrowded people were standing — clearly oversold. Dirty, messy, with stained, ripped seats, and no food left. This isn’t “VIP”, it’s a waiting room at a train station after a riot. 5. The flight crew? Rude, dismissive, and unavailable. On Frankfurt → Shanghai, staff were openly rude, acting like offering water was a chore. On the long-haul back to Auckland, they ran out of food, so we didn’t eat the entire flight. Imagine paying $2,600 per person and not even receiving a meal. 6. And the cherry on top… The brand-new replacement suitcases we bought so we could return home? Damaged again. You truly couldn’t make this up. ⸻ FINAL VERDICT: NEVER AGAIN This airline turned what should have been an exciting family trip into an extremely difficult, frustrating, stressful nightmare. Lost luggage, damaged bags (twice!), no food, rude staff, broken promises, shocking customer service — and not a cent of compensation. Do yourself a favour: fly literally ANYONE else. ✈️ China Eastern Airlines is the definition of you get what you (don’t) pay for — except we DID pay, and paid a lot.