Flying from Auckland to Chengdu on Sichuan Airlines

Sichuan Airlines began flying the Auckland-Chengdu route in June 2017. Photo / Supplied

Ben O'Brien flies from Auckland to Chengdu on Sichuan Airlines 3U8909

The plane: A new A330-200, with a standard 2-4-2 layout in Economy and 2-2-2 in Business. Note the weird flight number: Sichuan Airlines' IATA code is 3U (I don't think I've come across another airline with a number in their IATA code before).

Class: Economy.

Price: Sichuan Airlines began flying the Auckland-Chengdu route in June 2017, and I managed to snag an introductory special fare, meaning my return ticket cost only $530. Regular prices start around $750 for the round trip, with onward connections to other Chinese cities for a small premium.

Flight time: 13 hours.

My seat: Given that the plane is so new, the seats are in fine condition, with a personal entertainment unit at each seat, however the Western selection is very limited so I suggest bringing your own if possible. Also due to China Civil Aviation Authority rules, cellphones are not permitted to be used at all during the flight — even in flight mode, so don't rely on being able to pass the time listening to music or playing games on your phone, however tablets are allowed (go figure). This is an overnight flight so lack of entertainment isn't as much of an issue as most people will be sleeping anyway.

How full: About 50 per cent full, with most people using the extra space to spread out and get comfy after takeoff.

The service: Sichuan's long haul international routes are new to the airline, and this shows — The flight attendants' English is limited, but otherwise the service is well-intentioned. Sichuan airlines also has a "special" extra safety video for flights over bodies of water, which explains how to float and row the life-rafts to safety, very informative!

Food and drink: We were offered the option of either rice or noodles for dinner, and both options came with both chicken and fish (choose your carbs instead of choosing your meat). There was no repeat of this at breakfast unfortunately, which was congee (savoury rice porridge). Neither meal was overly appetising and drink selections were limited.

The toilets: As you'd expect on a new, aircraft the toilets were in good shape, and well-maintained.

Luggage: Economy passengers receive a generous allowance of two bags of 23kg each.

The airport experience: At check-in, airport staff are required to ensure you have the required documentation to enter China, which can cause delays.

The bottom line: This is a great direct link to Chengdu in Western China. However as full-service carriers go, it's a very limited experience so make sure the price reflects this. For $530 return, I would be happy to take this flight again.

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