Dragonair A330-300 (Type1) Economy

Originally published on www.businesstraveller.asia 30/11/2009 - Filed under: Tried & Tested » Airlines » Tried & Tested » Tried & Tested » Airlines » Dragonair »

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CHECK IN I left the Westin Hotel in the Chaoyang area at 1045 and arrived at Terminal 3, Beijing Capital International Airport at 1120. My KA flight 991 was due to leave at 1330 so I had made it with plenty of time to spare. Not having checked in online, I proceeded to aisle C where a sizable but quick moving queue had already formed. I was told the flight was delayed by an hour, from 1330 to 1430. From my experience with this carrier’s China’s services, delays are normal, and especially so during winter. I requested a window seat in the front part of the aircraft and was assigned 25K. Dragonair operates 15 flights daily between Hongkong and Beijing, seven of them code shared with Cathay Pacific and Air China.

BOARDING: I inadvertently walked into the Domestic Departures lane, but an alert security directed me to the direction of International, Hongkong and Macau Departures, which involves taking the shuttle train from Terminal 3C to Terminal 3H where immigration counters and security checks are located. The walk from there to Gate 23 – turn left after the scanning machines and body searches – was not too far and a pleasant one through the souvenir shops which contained some attractive handicrafts. The smoking room was just by some of the seats of our gate, which made me choose to sit elsewhere. Processing began at 1400, with passports and boarding passes needing to be shown to the staff.

THE SEAT: The Hongkong-Beijing-Hongkong route uses either an Airbus A321 or an A330. Flight 991 was on an A330, of which KA has three types. The three-class Type 1 is further classified as 1A, 1B and 1C, which differs only in the location of the washrooms and baby bassinets and availability of personal TV monitors. To see a seatplan, click here

All types have 12 seats in First Class, 42 in Business Class and 230 seats in Economy Class (occupying rows 22 to 52). Seat configuration in this cabin is 2-4-2 from rows 22 to 46, with seats as AC-DEFG-HK, becoming just 2-3-2 from rows 47 to 50 with seats as AC-DEG-HK, then finally to just three seats from rows 51 to 52 with seats as DEG. Extra-legroom seats are 35C and 35H. A mineral water bottle was thoughtfully placed in the seat pocket.

WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE Seat 25K is to the left side when entering the cabin. The occupant of 25H was already settled in when I arrived, and seemed annoyed he had to stand up to let me in. After placing my laptop and winter coat in the overhead compartment, I slid in. As the TV monitor is of the overhead model in this Type 1A A330, there was no IFE box to contend with and my sling bag easily fitted in the space underneath the seat in front of me. The nearest washrooms, I noted, were nine rows behind me, right after row 34. Knowing I would have to crane my neck to catch anything showing on the main screen set against the bulkhead – rows 23 and 24 with seats AC and HK have the best positioning – I decided to listen to Maestro Herbert von Karajan conducting as well as other artists featured on the classical channel, which is one of 16 offered in the audio mode.

THE FLIGHT: I had eaten before boarding, and so asked for only dessert, which was the usual Haagen-Dazs treat offered with the coffee and tea service. They had it in coffee, one of my favourite flavours. The journey was turbulence-free and I was able to sneak in a half-hour nap.

ARRIVAL: We landed smoothly at Hongkong International Airport just about 1810, but was delayed somewhat at the luggage carousel.

VERDICT: If you’re the type who enjoys watching films while flying, best to bring along one of those portable DVD players just in case it’s this A330 type, still equipped with the overhead TV monitors, that’s assigned to your flight. The window seat in the 2-4-2 configuration allows more privacy, I find.

PRICE: Round-trip Economy Class fare Hongkong-Beijing is HK$5,355 (US$690), including all taxes and surcharges.

CONTACT www.dragonair.com

Margie T Logarta

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