After our trip through Japan, I fly on China Eastern to Hanoi. It is not the most inspiring flight, but it is good for saving XPs for my status with Flying Blue / Skyteam. In this review, I’ll tell you about my experience in Business Class on China Eastern flight MU522 in the Airbus A330.
“Business Class offers little privacy, little luxury and makes me long for seats with a door“
As soon as I arrive at my seat, I am a little disappointed. After wonderful flights in the Qsuite and KLM Business Class, it takes a while to adjust to China Eastern’s open seats.
Of course, you have to put it in perspective, as the chair is still reasonably comfortable, but in this arrangement, you have little to no privacy from your neighbour.
China Eastern Business Class
The Business Class seat on this China Eastern flight is a seat that can go completely flat (full flat) in a herringbone arrangement.
On your seat, you have the option of using the infotainment system, a number of options to adjust your seat and a remote control for the screen. The seat also has a power outlet to charge your devices.
China Eastern: food & drink
Again, China Eastern’s Business Class does not hold up. A menu is available, but it only shows drinks. There is no menu for a meal.
A flight attendant walks by during the flight, asking if I want the pork noodles or chicken, but even those options are too limited for a Business Class flight as far as I am concerned.
Business Class ticket benefits
Flying Business Class not only has the advantage of a bigger seat. So there is also a separate desk where you can check in, you get to enter the lounge and you have priority when boarding.
Tokyo
So too in Tokyo. With a Business Class ticket, you get priority check-in and baggage drop-off, have priority at security and, of course, boarding.
Amenity kit China Eastern
It seems to be the story of this Business Class, as this too is disappointing. Indeed, I don’t get much more than the slippers.
While I understand that this is a short flight at midday, I did expect to receive an amenity kit on my onward flight from Shanghai to Hanoi. Unfortunately, no amenity kit was handed out on that flight either.
Toilet
Nothing special, but clean. Throughout the flight, the toilet is neat and clean, despite the full Business Class cabin.
Internet and WiFi China Eastern Business Class
I’m repeating myself, but here again China Eastern does little good. The internet is agonizingly slow and basically unusable. Where you have fast WiFi at KLM these days and can stream series and sports at Qatar too, you can’t do anything at China Eastern.
After connecting, I try to send a message and open a page, but both fail.
China Eastern Business Class ticket price
I paid €622 for my ticket from Tokyo to Hanoi. That is on the expensive side, but since I have to go to Hanoi anyway, I am aware of expensive oil prices (April 2026) and want to achieve my status with Flying Blue, it is a good choice for me.
I pay €18 per XP converted, but if I subtract the price of a regular ticket, the price per XP is acceptable.
Advantages China Eastern
- Saving XPs for Skyteam and Flying Blue
- Chair itself is good
Disadvantages China Eastern
- Food and drink are bad
- Privacy not contemporary
- Internet / WiFi poor
- No luxury feeling in Business Class
Conclusion
Needing the XPs, I deliberately choose China Eastern’s flight, but China Eastern’s Business Class on flight MU522 from Tokyo to Shanghai is nothing special.
The seat offers little to no privacy, food and drinks are sparse and nothing is done in the form of amenity kits either.
If you have freedom in choosing a flight, I would choose a different airline in this case.
