Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok International

I took the Hong Kong Airport Express from Kowloon to the airport. I decided not to check in at Hong 7Kong but use the Eva Airways facilities at the airport.
The Business Class Counter was empty as I reached it and I was asked for ID. I told that I am already checked in, but had to check luggage due to a overnight transfer. The agent confirmed that I was already checked in and labelled my luggage to Taipei and printed a new boarding pass on Eva Airways Paper and also an lounge invitation. The gate was not yet known, therefore I was asked to see at the monitor, but it would also be made an announcement in the lounge.

For this flight, Eva Airways used the Virgin Clubhouse and this means I was able to enjoy another lounge I most likely would not visit that often.

But before I would be able to enjoy the Virgin Clubhouse, I had to pass immigration and security. Both had long lines, which luckily moved quickly and two additional counters at immigration were open which further speeded up the process. Nevertheless it was close to 25 minutes before I had passed security and immigration.

I took the automated people mover to reach the Virgin Atlantic Clubhouse, which is located close to gate 60. A quick train ride later, I arrived at the entrance to the Virgin Clubhouse. The lounge is level above the main concourse next to gate 60 / 61 and next to the United Club and the Premium Plaza Lounges, which is used by Priority Pass. I was welcomed at the entrance, my invitation was taken and I took a seat close to the bar area. With much time, I had thought about some lounge hopping but in the end decided against it and remained in the Virgin Clubhouse.

Like in London, the lounge is not offering a buffet but a menu is available with different selections which are brought by service staff. I went for a glass of champagne and dim sum. Both were delivered promptly. This lounge is not as fancy and stylish as the clubhouse in London Heathrow, but it was not very busy and very quiet and thus the reason to remain there, though the gate would be at the other end, i.e. 512 which is a bus gate close to immigration. Of course it would be possible to use any of the other Star Alliance Lounges.

Ten minutes ahead of scheduled boarding time we were called to head over to the gate and also given directions.

Boarding had started and the first bus was about the drive to the plane and so it was the second bus to me. We were also handed over rain capes as it was raining.

04 May 2014
HKG – TPE
[Hong Kong Chek Lap Kok – Taipei Taoyuan International]
BR 852; McDonnell Douglas MD 90 (B-17913)
Gate 512
11:10 – 12:50 [effective 11:04 – 12:56]
Business Class
Seat 02 A

It took some time before all passengers had boarded the bus and we drove over to the McDonnell Douglas MD 90, which was Eva Airways using for this short 1 hour 50 minutes flight to Taipei.

Most of the passengers in the Business Class had already boarded the plane, but only seven out of the 12 available seats were taken. Therefore I had not difficulties to store my hand luggage in the overhead compartment. I had no seat neighbour on this flight, so I could move blanket and pillow as well as my jacked to the empty seat next to me.

As the second bus was not that full, it did not take too long until everybody from the second bus was seated. The safety video was shown on the tiny overhead screen, while we were offered a pre-departure drink, it was either orange juice or water. There were no other options and I did not ask for Champagne this time.

Pre Depature Drink

Orange Juice

The first three rows of this MD 90 were configured in 2 – 2 much like on US airlines, while Economy Class had a 3 – 2 configuration. Business Class offers a seat pitch of 36 inch and a seat width of 19 inch, while the seat pitch in Economy is 30 inch which is also not that bad.

The plane was delivered to UNI Airways on December 14, 1996. UNI Airways is a subsidiary of Eva Airways and operated the plane on behalf of Eva Airways. It was in the meantime taken out of service later in 2014 and is now stored. The plane was powered by two IAE V2525-D5 engines with a thrust of 25000 lbf. There is only one other engine available for the MD 90, the IAE V2525-D8, which is a variant of aforementioned engine type with 28000 lbf. There are currently a little above 70 of these planes till in service and so far only EVA / UNI Airways and Delta still operate these planes.

After McDonnell was acquired by Boeing, the successor of the MD 90, which was originally planned as MD 95, was then launched as Boeing 717.
We were pushed back ahead of schedule at 11:07 and while we were taxiing to the runway, the flight attendant came around with the menu, showed it to us and asked for our choice of meal. The options were either beef or fish and as I inquired about white wine, I was told a German and a Spanish white wine were available; I chose the latter to go with my beef. I am not sure, but it might be, that the meal orders were taken by status as the flight attendant did not take the orders row by row but addressed some passengers ahead of others. I was asked first and then a gentlemen in the row behind me before it was the lady behind me and then the passengers in front of me. I was also addressed by name, but only on this occasion, not later.

We had reached the runway and behind a Hong Kong Airways Airbus A 330 and a Shenzhen Airways Boeing 737-800 took off at 11:20 and climbed into the rainy sky. The clouds were very low and I could see nothing of Hong Kong and the first half of the flight was quite bumpy with the seat belt signs not turned off for quite some time.

In the air, it was first a hot towel, which was not very hot and also quite dry. Also on this short flight, Eva Airways did perform a full service, i.e. the tray table was laid with line, but the meal was brought on the tray along with first course and desert and also cutlery and napkin round about 25 minutes after we took off. My white wine and a glass of water were already placed on the tray. After the flight attendant delivered all trays, she offered rolls and croissant and garlic bread. I chose the garlic bread and have to say, that this was one of the best garlic breads I had on-board an aircraft so far. One could really taste the garlic and there were even small slices of garlic. It was also not too soft and not too hard; it had just the perfect consistence. Even on board Singapore Airlines, I have so far not encountered any better garlic bread.

Meal

Beef with rice and steamed vegetables

The meal was good, the beef quite tasty and soft and also not to dry. The vegetables were a bit hard but the rice was good and not too dry. For such a short flight and with the limited resources in the galley of a narrow body, this was a very good meal.

Trays were cleared 30 minutes later and coffee and tea or any other beverage was offered. I chose a coffee which was brought in a mug rather than a cup.

The flight, which was quite bumpy in the first time, became calmer and seat belt signs were turned off during the meal service. The flight deck has also updated us about the flight time and the weather in Taipei, but it was hard to understand as the microphone was not very good and / or the captain did not speak very loud.

As we had already begun our final descend into Taipei Taoyuan International Airport another hot towel was offered, which was again more of the dry side and additionally not very hot. We approached the airport from the Sea and touched down around 12:45 and taxied for our arrival gate C6, where we arrived at 12:56.

Eva Airways closed the curtain between Economy Class and Business Class not only during the flight but also after we had arrived at the gate. So the unwashed massed behind the curtain could not see how we disembarked the plane and also were held back. Eva Airways uses terminal 2.

I walked to immigration where long lines were awaiting me and after 20 minutes I was finally in Taiwan.

My suitcase had already arrived and was circling on the belt. After a quick visit at an ATM I walked downstairs to the bus stop and bought a ticket for the bus serving the stop next to my hotel.

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