China Southern

Out of the 75+ times I’ve flown this was the worst experience I have ever had with an airline. After two weeks in Thailand we arrived at Phuket airport at 2AM only to find out our flight was cancelled. Not a big deal – the airline representative quickly rebooked us for a flight on a different airline and sent us to a hotel for a couple hours of sleep. When we arrived back at the airport at 9AM, we were told we didn’t have tickets and were sent to information, where we were told the airline representative never booked us those flights because she said they were full and instead booked us for one at midnight that night – in 15 hours. Information confirmed that the flight was in fact NOT full, but couldn’t make any changes since the airline themselves had to make them. So – for 3 hours – until the flight we wanted to be on took off – we tried to contact China Southern Airlines but they would not answer their phones. We tried calling other airports, but their China Southern staff said they wouldn’t help us. We tried the hotline, who said all they could do was write a report. Needless to say we missed that flight and it wasn’t until 5PM that a China Southern Airlines Rep showed up. When we explained the situation they were cold and unapologetic, refused to upgrade our flight or even let us pay to upgrade our flight, and didn’t even offer meal vouchers. We argued with her for 20 minutes before walking about. Overall it took almost 48 hours for us to get home and we had the worst customer service experience you could ever imagine. Never flying with them again.

I was flying from Melbourne to Guangzhou through China Southern.I have to take next flight from there. I used to fly through Singapore Airlines generally but this was second time I have visited through China southern as my friend was also flying through same flight. I carry same baggage in all airlines and no one has objected but China Southern start measure dimensions of BOOK IN luggage.They said SUM of LENGTH + WIDTH + HEIGHT should not more than 158 cm irrespective of weight. If dimensions are more than 158 then they charge $200.I felt they want to charge $200 by any means. Ground staff did not co operate as well and nobody was ready to listen to me. Be careful with baggage in China Southern Airlines otherwise you have to pay extra at the time of check in.

We had flight from Guangzhou to Amsterdam. It starts already at the check-in, we were two adults and one child, they placed us in different rows although there was enough space in the plane. Then during starting a chinese Lady was still using her mobile phone, we informed a Stewardess, but she did nothing. The food and beverage service is not better, the wine was reallly bad quality and the quantity you get is maybe 0,05l, actually nothing. The western breakfast was finished after one third of the plane was served,… I try China Southern from time to time and hope there service becomes better, but each time I’m disappointed. Actually there planes are quite new and there flight schedule is also good, but the service is a big problem.

What is there to say, Well best to be objective, I have traveled a lot, I have been to twenty countries with numerous internal flights as well as many flights while in the military my flight to Philippines via china was possibly the best flight I have ever had, Feeling I had done well in my choice I had no idea what was to come, I traveled from Cebu to Manila nothing said on air Asia flight, I took shuttle bus from one terminal to another nothing said, Then I arrived and tried to check in for return flight, It is best I say first part of this nightmare was not China southerns fault, At counter I was told International runway closed due to Chinese airliner crash landing delays for up to eight hours, Well this extended and extended and ended up being 24 hours but great it is clear lets get out of hear I thought still time to be back for work Monday glad I booked to have 1 and a half days rest, China southern airways well hours and hours later time to get a boarding pass three and a half hours in a line to get a boarding pass, Here is the problem booking was changed again and again, By this time there are 10 of thousands of people in the terminal everywhere they were sleeping, Then we started to see flight attendants walking the halls with flight numbers as nobody could hear the speakers because of so many people all airlines but China southern it seems a man I met in line from England living in France and an Asian man living in US were sitting with me passing the time the English man went to the toilet and came running back and said they have given final call for our flight we ran to the gate got there to be told no we have closed now we said it over the speakers that nobody could hear? So hear we go again they tried to blame us until the number of passengers had reached eight people left behind funny enough nearly all were European a thing I have noticed often in my short dealings with this country, Ok so this is now over 48 hours since I was meant to be on flight and over 50 hours since I left my new wife to return for work in Australia, The story about calls over the load speakers was not the first untruth spoken by this airline, So ok they will organised again so a few hours later lady came is with sign with new flight on so we run to gate wait in line then they tell us to sit down until all booked passengers were seated, Then they said two passengers had not turned up, We thought great I was first to arrive at gate I should get a seat then suddenly 10 minutes later much longer than they gave us on previous flight when they closed door the passengers turned up and they held flight for them to get on not to put a finer point on it but passengers were Chinese? So then they closed doors and left with us still waiting there all off us were very upset and stated if they could not look after there passengers then give us our money back so we could organize ourselves they gave us some left over economy class meals and all there staff left without saying anything ? Ok then later we were moved out into the hall again and the lady left without saying a thing a now normal trend, so after waiting a few more hours a new flight came in and we finally got on This was 55-57 hours after we arrived at the airport and this was for the 2 and a half hour leg to China I thought great I only have a 2 hour wait for flight to Australia because we asked and they said ask when we get to China well I got there and they said no flight today now you have to stay in China and you must get Visa for being hear? But we will give you accommodation because your flight is 9.30 pm tomorrow night by this time I have been away for over 60 hours I was starting to actually see things moving that were not there, So I thought at least I could get some sleep well no directions just a picture on paper how to get to station for accommodation and this airport is huge and I mean huge so half an hour later I found what was on picture, Ok now am organized, Lady comes and guides myself and one other to a station wagon in pick up neither the lady or the driver spoke and English so it took some convincing to get us in unmarked car, But I was to tired to fight anymore so of we went with a strange women in an unmarked car in a country I was not meant to be? I found myself awake again as I watched the driver fight to stay awake drifting across lanes, But thankfully we made it alive much further away from airport than I expected We go to counter myself and a young man from Korea who spoke English to find out no staff behind the counter spoke English at all< Though hand signs and showing vouchers and passport they got the message and booked us in, And again to be fair the room was beautiful, So as I had not ha a shower for nearly three days now was the time I enjoyed a shower then fell asleep in a very comfortable bed 10 hours lady I am in the lobby again trying to indicate that voucher was only for a bed but not food and as I was not meant to be in country I had no local currency and I had not had food since the flight so duty manager came out who ha a small amount of English and I explained an at the end he said noodles or rice I thought this was an offer so I said noodles would be nice he shook his head and left, but never came back? So after nearly an hour I packed my bag and went back to reception and told then I wanted to go back to airport, The duty manager came out and pointedd to boarding pass that showed that it was then over nine hours till my flight so I explained that would be a day since I had had foo so not taking the hint he ordered the shuttle to take me back to airport then finally I could change some money and get some food at burger king where nobody can speak English? I waited at the airport ha a drink of coke walked an walked to pass the time then it came to flight time an first thing they said was flight is delayed for 30 minutes? Ok I can survive this Then it came in Chinese of course so all the Chinese lined up before we even new what was happening so finally got on flight Now is the time to mention that I have had a slipped disk in my back torn the cartilage in both knees multiple time an tore all ligaments in my right side of my ankle over the years and as you get older they all come back to haunt you, So everything hurt, So for the first time in my life I asked to be upgraded so I could have some leg room I showed them paperwork that showed I was meant to be home three days ago and that I was in exhausted and in a lot of pain the stewardess said I will talk to the supervisor an she never came back? So two hours later when they came back I finally snapped and when she offered me me food I said no thank you and f**k this airline, Hear is the last twist they allowed a couple of Chinese to go forward and return just before landing and when I got up first and all but ran down hallway to get out off plane there was only two people in the entire business class so thank you very much China southern airways (I will not be back) David Anderson flight to Manila via China 27th July meant to return Friday 19th but arrived home afternoon 22nd Losing $400 Aus of work Thanks again. (All that I have said hear is true)

They do not send any information about the ticket that they sell. We bought the ticket 5 months before the departure date and Southern China Airlines did not provide any information about the transit situation and even the information was not on their website! We denied onboarding just because they did not provide any information on their website about having a visa of China for a 3-hour stop!!!. We had very dramatic days and we had to buy a very expensive ticket instead because we had to be back in Australia on time. When we contacted them they did not accept any responsibility. Definitely, we will follow this legally, but by writing this review at least we prevent another drama for someone else. So, I do not recommend this airline to anyone looking for peace of mind!