In these times, when airports and air travel can be tiring and tiresome, an airline enters the Australian market to remind travellers how pleasant the travel experience can be, both in the air and on the ground.  Shanghai’s Pudong Airport is recognised as one of the best facilities of its kind in the world, already giving passengers flying with Juneyao Air a positive start to their travel experiences perhaps preceded by a high-tech ride on Shanghai’s maglev train, which makes the journey from Shanghai to the airport in a mere eight minutes at 300kph.

Juneyao Air’s dedicated Business Class check-in counters at PVG were staffed with friendly, helpful agents who efficiently expedited the process.  It took less than five minutes from “Hello” to “Have a good flight.”  A separate Business Class queue for Security and Immigration was similarly quick and easy, allowing maximum time to enjoy the food, beverages, and comfortable seating in Juneyao Air’s spacious lounge at Gate 72 before departure to Sydney at Gate 73 directly across from the lounge.

The tranquil environment of the lounge was also found on board the aircraft.  Low-volume music and soft colours during the boarding process set the tone for a relaxing flight.  As occurred on the flight to Shanghai, the Business Class seat gives an excellent first impression upon entering the cabin.  It is incredibly spacious, not only in the seat itself but also in the personal space surrounding it.  Wide enough to accommodate crossed legs that do not even touch the armrests, and long enough for a basketball player to sleep in peace on the fully flat bed, Juneyao Air takes its seats seriously, resulting in an outstanding level of comfort.  Maybe that is why the seat’s massage feature is noticeably effective in soothing tight muscles and inducing a deeper state of relaxation.

Similarly outstanding are the food and wine menus, as well as the affable cabin crew, who attend to the passengers’ needs and requests.  Unique to Juneyao Air is the golden cutlery, including chopsticks, that adds a touch of glamour to the meals.  Unknown to many people is Juneyao Air’s enlistment of the expertise of MHD China, a member of the LVMH Group, to enhance this aspect of its services to the best of its ability.  The Juneyao Air wine list features a carefully curated selection of over 100 wines from around the world. The impressive collection was selected by a team of esteemed food and wine experts, including Juneyao Air’s own wine consultant. China has invested heavily in the wine industry, with commendable results.  Among the highlights on board Juneyao Air are a sparkling Chandon rosé and the exceptional red wine, East Garden, from Domaine Franco-Chinois in Hebei Province’s Huailai region.  Enjoy them while you can.

While numerous other countries are busy creating bureaucratic obstacles for potential visitors, China has gone the other way and eliminated visa requirements for Australian (and many other) citizens staying fewer than 30 days for leisure purposes, making spontaneous travel to this fascinating country easy and facilitating the option of a Shanghai stopover when flying with Juneyao Air from Australia to one of its European destinations.  Although Australians have several options for stopovers when travelling between Australia and Europe, Shanghai is one where a cool springtime climate makes sightseeing a pleasure without the constant perspiration of hotter, more humid places.  For travellers in transit coming back from Europe to Australia, the time between flights can be filled with an enjoyable day tour of Shanghai, thoughtfully offered by Juneyao Air.  Even better would be a stay of several days in China’s most dynamic city.

By Robert La Bua – Global Travel Connoisseur

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