pixielonghaul - 04/02/2012 09:58 GMT
I have flown Biz and Premium, better known as "Elite" with EVA. On my last flight in Biz I was disturbed for most of the night by noisy staff bashing the crockery and cutlery around ; so this time I elected to travel in Elite and boy was I glad I did. There was obviously co-pilot assessments going on in Biz Class and from the passenger I spoke to on arrival they were not amused. I was fine in Elite, fabulous seating though looking a little jaded but still comfortable. Service was excellent but the ladies found it hard to crack a smile which is unusual. Food much better than in Biz Class but a little too sweet for me, however the nice young man sitting next to me much appreciated my left overs. He had flown from Seattle on route to Thailand and upgraded to Elite in Taipei. He was a very tall man and found the seating fantastic and the price difference is minimal to get that extra comfort. My check in at Taipe was smooth as I had already booked in online and I very much appreciated that my bag was lifted onto the scales. As I am now retired I have never before found ground staff so helpful and again it started my journey off without the aggravation of struggling with bags. Boarding was almost on time just a few minutes delay. Flight arrival was delayed due to Bangkok airport being very busy, so we had a lovely low level tour around a big lake and over some beautiful hills before a smooth run into the airport. My bags were through very quickly and I was off on my long awaited holiday. Ten days later I experienced my first check in at Bangkok and again I was helped with bags, didn't have any wait and was on my way through security in no time at all. The Eva Staff on duty at the check in were very pleasant and most helpful. Boarding was smooth for my return flight which was uneventful. Seating excellent, food reasonable though again beverages in short supply. For anyone considering using Premium Economy all I can say is that it is well worth the little extra to pay and arrive well rested. The seating is almost as good as in Biz but not the leg room of Biz. For a person who is wide at the hips then these seats are so much more comfortable than in econmy. I shall certainly be using EVA Elite Premium for future short or long haul trips. A useful tip for anyone travelling from Europe to Asia and visa versa. On the ticket for baggage it states 20 kilo but with Elite you can take up to 26 kilo, however for some regulation they are not permitted to put a higher rate ! Well worth checking with the airline direct to ensure exactly what the weight restrictions are. Different weights for the Americas.
