🇨🇳China Southern Airlines CZ319 Premium Economy Class Review Guangzhou-Perth

I took this flight on 27th Feb 2018.

I was put up in a four-star hotel near the former Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport. Fortunately, I didn't have to pay extra for being the only guest in the room. The room looked like a suite, it was big, clean and comfortable.

The shuttle bus took me back to the airport in the afternoon.

I waited to check in for my flight to Perth. The check-in was quite busy. In April 2018, Terminal 2 opened and in May, the company moved its operations from Terminal 1 to Terminal 2.

Check-in was done.

This was the entrance to the international departure area.

Before Covid, the majority of international flights at Guangzhou Baiyun International Airport were operated by China Southern Airlines.

After immigration and security, you had to walk down a corridor with various duty-free and boutique shops on either side.

It was still early, so let's do some plane spotting. This China Southern Airlines Airbus A330-300 would be flying flight CZ319 to Perth. The aircraft was delivered in April 2016.

The plane did not have in-flight Wi-Fi connectivity.

An Egypt Air Boeing 777-300ER.

A Kenya Airways Boeing 787-8.

I pre-purchased a single-use Dragon Pass on Taobao to gain access to this premium lounge in Terminal 1.

Some snacks and apple and orange juice.

The fridge had sandwiches, puddings, salads, soft drinks, mineral water and beers.

Various teabags and a coffee machine.

A wide variety of pastries.

The hot food served in this lounge tasted more like American-style Chinese food. I didn't like them at all.

I managed to grab a bite for dinner, but the food was just edible and wasn't healthy, except for the salad.

This lounge was spacious and had plenty of seating.

I went to the shower room to have a quick shower. Hm, why was there a big spot of mould on the wall?

The cleaning products provided were basic.

After my shower, I went back to the gate, it was boarding time.

Local newspapers were provided in both Chinese and English.

This aircraft used to have a premium economy class cabin. It was in a 2-3-2 configuration. However, the premium economy class cabin was removed when the aircraft was reconfigured a few years ago.

The cabin was lightly loaded.

The premium economy class seats on China Southern's Airbus A330-300 were similar to the business class seats on the company's narrow-body jets. The seat pitch was 38 inches, which meant you could stretch your legs a little during the flight. Tray tables were located in the centre armrest.

Each seat had a pillow, blanket and amenity kit. A pair of slippers was stored in the seat pocket.

The amenity kit contained an eye mask, a comb, a collapsible toothbrush, toothpaste and a pair of earplugs.

The seat pocket contained an airsickness bag, the safety information card, the airline magazine and the CAAC magazine.

A bottle of mineral water was also provided.

The safety demonstration video was now playing on the in-flight entertainment system.

The flight path was almost a straight line, covering a total distance of 6163 km.

As the aircraft pushed back, there was a light drizzle outside.

Passing an Ethiopian Airlines Boeing 787.

A Turkish Airlines Boeing 777-300ER.

Goodbye Guangzhou.

The aircraft flew at low altitude over Guangdong for a short time.

When the plane reached cruising altitude, the meal service began. It started with a bag of peanuts and a cup of apple juice.

I had pre-ordered the seafood meal. It came with buttered fish with steamed vegetables, a prawn salad, sliced orange and dragon fruit, a roll and a packet of crackers. It was tasty and well prepared.

The in-flight entertainment system was a touch screen and was very responsive.

There was a good selection of films, documentaries and music available on the system.

It was film time.

The plane had encountered some light turbulence as it flew over Indonesia.

Breakfast service began as the plane was about to enter Western Australian airspace. It started with a hot towel service.

My seafood breakfast was an omelette with steamed vegetables and fish fillets. I also had a croissant, some fruit, a yoghurt and a packet of crackers.

The cabin crew were very hospitable. When I went into the galley, they asked me without saying anything: Would you like something to drink?

The sun was coming up over the horizon.

Saw Jandakot airport on final approach.

I saw this huge beast from Russia.

An Air New Zealand Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner.

A Garuda Indonesia Airbus A330-300.

Walked past the business class cabin as I left the plane.

Thank you for bringing me to Perth.

An AirAsia Airbus A330-300.

Chinese biometric passport holders could use eGate when arriving at major Australian airports, the whole process was very quick and smooth.
Baggage claim area.

Coming from the international arrivals area.

Thank you for your support.

Steve Says

Overall I was very happy with China Southern's premium economy class product, check-in was efficient, the aircraft was new and well maintained. Seat pitch was very generous for a 7 hour flight, I was able to stretch my legs easily. Dinner and breakfast were served on this short intercontinental flight, which was a good move. The food was also hearty and well prepared. The in-flight entertainment system had a wide variety of content. The cabin crew were also very approachable and willing to help. It was a shame that the plane didn't have Wi-Fi.

The lounge at Baiyun International Airport Terminal 1 was a disaster. The food was of poor quality. The shower was also below my expectations. Still, the lounge wasn't part of the premium economy class product.

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