Air China Questions & Answers

Yes!! They will not let you board I had to buy a whole new flight!! Make sure the middle name is on your ticket if it’s on your passport! They also wouldn’t let me change my ticket and add my middle name horrible airline!

Did it happen recently? Oh my god

Yes in June!

Is it international flight? May i know where did you travel?

They are usually not too strict with middle names, especially if the initial matched the full name. But it might be the safest to give them a call.

All I can say is, fly a respectable airline and don't even think about Air China.

Rome is a long haul flight and you need some comfort and assurance the plane will make the journey.

There is a stopover of about 11 hours at Beijing. There is a short term stay hotel within the airport. If you are travelling business class there are sleeping facilities in the lounge. I am doing the same trip in May and will stay in Beijing for a few days in both directions. You can get a free 72 hour Visa in Beijing provided that you are travelling direct into the city with no stopovers in China. There are many 72 hour tours advertised on Tripadvisor or Viator that could be fun.

Thanks Jeremy, on the website it says you can get free I. Transit hotel or lounge. I will call and find out, but do you know anything about that?(I have economy tickets) Old grumpy man, China Air is safe. My kids hate airline food anyway so I will bring my own, also in flight entertainment will be provided by my own Ipads.

The Terminal is quite large, but also you should think about going to do a bit of the Great Wall at Mutianyu as it is not too far from the airport. I met quite a few people on the wall who had long stopovers and were quickly experiencing the thrill of being on the Great Wall. If you are not planning to come back to Beijing, then I highly recommend you get yourself a driver and walk on the Wall. Check the opening times first to make sure it suits your stopover. Use the chairlift up/down to save time and energy. It's well worth the money.

The Airport shopping/things to do is not great. If you are eligible for a 72 hour visa (you must fly directly into Beijing and out of Beijing without going through another city) you should check Viator or Trip Advisor for their stop over tours.

Mutianyu is good for the great wall. You might also find it interesting to go to The Forbidden City and Tiananmen which are in the middle of Beijing showing you more of the city.

If you are more adventurous, and at a much lower cost, you could take the airport express into Beijing (Dongzhimen Station) and then the subway to Tiananmen. The Forbidden City is over the road.

All ticket machines and map have English translations.

Hi Barney. To see Beijing you should fly overnight and stay two nights. The first day go to the Forbidden City. The second day can be spent at the Great Wall and early on the third day you can see Tien an men Square before your afternoon flight. China Travel service could arrange the whole thing including your air travel.

If you wish to go it alone try staying at Swissotel at Dongshisitao which is above a metro with access to the Square/Forbidden city and the airport. If you are more adventurous the Comfort Inn at Sanlitun is quite good and offers a good breakfast. it is also above a metro.

For a forty hour stay head straight for the great wall on day one and then get a taxi to take you around Tian an men before going to the airport

Hi Barney 40 hr stay in Beijing really will give you one full day of sightseeing, the Great Wall is a must to see, it's quite some distance from Beijing so to get there and return won't leave with much time elsewhere. Also check the web site China travel Google visa Beijing 72 hours it will explain the visa requirement.

Cheers Vange

Hi again Barney. I have just heard that some flights out of Melbourne go via Shanghai. Somehow you end up as a domestic passenger on the Shanghai/Beijing sector and cannot qualify for a visa in Beijing. Check that you flight goes direct. It is the same on the way back.