Review of Air China Boeing 77W Business Class

Before catching my trans-Pacific flight back to Canada, I took a short regional flight with Air China.

The Space

The business class cabin on this Air China 77W uses a 2-2-2 layout, which can be a bit inconvenient if you prefer a window seat. The good news was that only about half the seats were taken, so my window seat didn't have a neighbor.

Despite the 2-2-2 layout, the seats are generally wide enough, and there is ample legroom whether you are sitting up or lying down. By way of comparison, my connecting flight on a 787 with a 1-2-1 layout didn’t offer as much legroom in flat mode.

There are various storage spaces designed for passengers; however, I found most of them inconvenient. Take my water bottle, for example: it was hard to find a secure place for it without it wobbling around or becoming a safety concern during turbulence.

There is also no dedicated privacy screen between you and your neighbor. This is okay if you are traveling as a couple—the parallel seat design makes it more intimate compared to the 1-2-1 layout on a Boeing 787, whether you want that intimacy or not.

The Comfort

The plane itself is almost 10 years old, although the interior design makes it look like a 20-year-old aircraft. That being said, you may not like how an old sofa looks, but often it’s more comfortable than some newer sofas where costs have been cut.

While the seats are controlled via a dedicated button panel—nothing fancy—the seat quality itself is good, with ample support. Together with the wide space, overall it’s very comfortable.

The touchscreen quality definitely looks out of date, with a yellowish tint covering everything you watch, and it's positioned at an awkward distance for reaching. It is, however, big enough to see details clearly.

Every seat comes with a L'Occitane en Provence amenity bag. While the brand is known, the contents looked like someone scrambled to grab everything from a dollar store at the last minute, though it does include most things you might need during your flight. What bothered me most was the very rough zipper; I don’t think I’ll be keeping the bag for future trips.

The Service

Maybe because my flight was during the day when nobody really needed a nap, the flight attendants were quite active and attentive, which was one of the highlights of my trip. They even told me the seat next to me was empty so I could make full use of it, which I really appreciated.

The Food

Compared to the variety of Chinese food you can enjoy on the ground, the food served on Chinese airlines is somehow disappointing most of the time.

I ordered curry rice for my one meal during the flight. It looked similar to a frozen meal box from Walmart, with the only advantage being a few extra pieces of meat. When looking at the plating of the appetizers, I got the feeling the chefs were trying their best with a limited selection of ingredients.

At best, this is $10 fast-food quality you’d find at a mall food court. That being said, the portion size is similar to those joints that actually fill you up.

Summary

Overall, I would say the flight was comfortable, a 7/10. If you are traveling as a couple, it could be a nice upgrade for your trip, allowing you to enjoy some quality time together.