China Southern Air

My wife and I traveled with China Southern from Cairns Queensland Australia to Shenyang China April - July 2019. We had a trouble-free experience with check-in and departures, cabin service was of a high standard. Arrivals and departures were on time. We experienced damaged luggage on our arrival home, and despite delays with the negotiation of the claims process, we eventually received a fair payout settlement for the damages. Whereas we have flown with other carriers, such as China Air, China Eastern, Hainan Air... over the past seven years, we'll likely fly with China Southern again once international flights resume into and out of Australia later this year.

I am stating outright here I would NEVER fly this airline again. Anybody wanting to fly this airline because of cheaper tickets, think again.

Email response takes 48 hours if you are lucky. If you get a response, it is usually standard reply with hardly any coherent answers.

We booked 2 Business Class tickets Auckland - Guangzhou - Amsterdam - Oslo RETURN, 11 August - 8 Sept.

On the return trip from Amsterdam to Guangzhou, we were downgraded from business class to economy. We didnt find out until we checked in at the airport. The airline said that they have a problem with the plane which was scheduled. So they have to use a smaller plane, which has fewer business class seats.

We were given a letter stating that we should pass on the letter to our travel agent, which is EXPEDIA, to claim the refund from the airline.

So we sent the letter to EXPEDIA. We got the standard robotic email replies - we will call you in 24 or 48 hours, which they never did ( they claimed they call, but there is no notification on my phone of calls). Finally, after a month, an email from Expedia to say that the airline had responded saying that they wont refund because the ticket status is USED... and that we have used their services. The services here was the economy seat and food.

How ridiculous is that. Of course the ticket is USED! The airline put us on the plane, in the economy seats because they have got a problem with their scheduled plane!

Finally a call from Expedia ( after I told them I will take them to Commerce Commission, Disputes Tribunal, and expose this thru social media). Expedia said that they will offer a laughable $xxx as a gesture of goodwill. I declined the offer as it was ridiculous amount.

I intend to pursue the refund thru every means and Avenue.

So if anybody is thinking of using China Southern Airline or Expedia, think twice. It is not worth the hassle, for a few dollars cheaper ticket.