한양왕순대돼지국밥 for lunch, then Good ol’ days cafe for work
August 18, 2023
Until December 31st 2023, many flights from Taipei to Busan and Taipei to Takamatsu will be with the Pikachu Jet CI.
Did you know that the McDonald’s inside Sydney International Airport cooks its food in the sky? Well, more so figuratively. There is a mesmerising pulley system that delivers the food from the 2nd floor to the serving staff on the ground floor.
In any case, the seating area in front of the McDonald’s was less packed later in the night and offered a good location to simultaneously do work and watch airplanes through the floor to ceiling windows.
Garry Ho
Garry was born in Hong Kong but moved to Sydney, Australia at an early age.
A late night flight starting at Sydney Kingsford Smith
Ready for take-off.
The Airbus A350-900 has a modern cabin that’s elegantly lit, equipped with a solid entertainment system, and comfortable to the eye.
I didn’t know what to expect of China Airlines before my journey to Busan, South Korea began. Like many, I was surprised to learn that the airline is Taiwanese (owned by China Airlines Group). I had never flown with them before and after the two consecutive flights en-route to Busan, I will look forward to flying with China Airlines again.
The Economy Class seat was already ruffled because I already sat in it, but you can see its modern and streamlined look.
In-ear earphones, a much better alternative to over-ear.
The Economy Class cabin was modern, sleek and comfortable. The Sydney to Taipei leg is Flight CI52 (CI is the code given to China Airlines flights by the International Air Transport Association, IATA), with a flight time of around 9 hours.
The aircraft is made by Airbus, and its model is A350-900. The entertainment system was a highlight, with recent blockbusters and a smooth operation. The Economy seat also had a charging power outlet (below the TV screen) with multi-plug adaptability.
The in-flight entertainment system was great. The movies included new blockbusters like Avatar: Way of the Water and Super Mario Bros.
China Airlines staff serving water mid-flight. The hospitality was polite and efficient.
Business Class on board CI52 Airbus 350-900
The cabin crew were efficient without compromising on making passengers feel welcomed. Seeing my interest in taking pictures of the interior, a cabin crew attendent came over and pleasantly asked whether I was a “plane geek”. This is probably a title I will aspire to. After knowing about my habit of making social media videos, the flight attendent welcomed me to see the Sky Lounge and Business Class area.
A simple dinner which was tasty and a little smaller compared to other airline’s flights I’ve taken.
The Business Class seat is more like a station, with many amenities and storage compartments.
I had never been to a similar space before, so I was excited. The Sky Lounge by China Airlines is an aesthetically pleasing haven where Business Class passengers can enjoy a cocktail or sip a tea.
The seat in China Airlines’ Business Class can recline into a comfortable sleeping position.
The Sky Lounge offers Premium Economy and Business Class passengers a calming space.
It was past midnight when I was kindly invited to see the Business Class area, and it was memorable. The seat recline can be controlled via a touchscreen panel, enabling a cozy sleeping position. I found over-ear headphones, slippers and a charging outlet in one of the compartments. The TV screen is spacious and controllable via remote. All in all, you feel like you’re in a semi-private compartment.
A profound quote to nurture fresh perspectives.
Taoyuan Airport is west of Taipei and is Taiwan’s largest.
Bidding farewell to the friendly crew, my transit was at Taoyuan Airport. The walk to the departure area for my next flight (Taipei to Busan) took around 20 minutes (excluding security bag check time). Be sure to allow time if your next flight is very soon! Fortunately my transit time was 4 hours, which was ample.
En route to the transit area in Taoyuan International Airport.
Inside China Airlines’ smaller aircraft for the ~2 hour flight from Taipei to Busan.
China Airlines has partnered with The Pokemon Company, meaning that two short routes will offer passengers the novel experience of flying in a Pokemon-themed aircraft. Your Instagram feed will love it. The two routes are Taipei to Takamatsu (Japan) and Taipei to Busan (South Korea).
You’ll see eleven Pokemon painted on the fuselage, including Jigglypuff, Snorlax, Slowpoke and Teddiursa. See the plane in this TikTok video. The flight was around 2 hours and despite the comparatively shorter flight time, we were still served breakfast. Furthermore, the TV had the same, entertaining selection as the previous flight.
Aboard Flight CI188 from Taoyuan International Airport to Gimhae International Airport.
Breakfast with a Pokemon themed snack.
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