I recently had to be in Shanghai and ended up flying with Shenzhen Airlines, with a connection at Shenzhen Bao’an International Airport before continuing to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport. It was on premium economy and the ticket cost S$550 after a Trip.com sale.
The main reason I chose premium economy wasn’t the seat. I actually needed just a bit more status miles to renew my Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Elite status, which also gives Star Alliance Gold.
The mileage earning was the real attraction. Shenzhen Airlines’ premium economy is closer to an economy class seat sold under a more generous fare class than a separate premium cabin. The red seats at the front make the section easy to identify, and there were a couple of small extras waiting at the seat, but the experience in the air was otherwise almost identical to economy class. I wouldn’t pay a substantial premium for the product alone. As a reasonably priced way to earn the status miles I needed, however, it made sense.
Check-in and boarding
I arrived at Singapore Changi Airport just before the regular check-in counters opened at the three-hour mark, so I used the Early Check-in Facility in Terminal 1 instead. This facility serves a small group of Chinese airlines rather than every carrier operating from the terminal. Changi Airport currently lists Air China, China Southern Airlines, Chongqing Airlines, Shandong Airlines, Shenzhen Airlines and Xiamen Air as eligible airlines.
The check-in process was straightforward. My bags received priority tags and were checked all the way through to Shanghai Hongqiao Airport, so I didn’t need to collect them during the connection in Shenzhen. As a Star Alliance Gold member, I was also given an invitation to the SATS Premier Lounge.
The seat
The premium economy section occupied rows 3 and 4 on this Boeing 737-8, the aircraft commonly known as the Boeing 737 MAX 8. The seats were upholstered in red, which distinguished the two rows from the rest of the economy class cabin, but I didn’t notice any major improvement in the seat itself. This is not the sort of premium economy product with a wider seat, a generous recline or a cabin that feels separate from economy class. The only difference was that the legroom is a little wider.
A bottle of 5100 Tibet Glacier Spring Water and a pair of slippers had been placed in the seat pocket. These appeared to be premium economy extras, although neither made much difference to the flight. For a short journey, the seat was adequate for me, and I had boarded with fairly modest expectations in the first place.
Pillows and blankets were also provided for premium economy passengers, but I’ve also seen that they were available for economy passengers too.
I would think that the most useful advantage was simply being near the front of the aircraft. Rows 3 and 4 are among the first economy class rows to leave after landing, which matters more during a connection or if you want to get to immigration quickly.
Shortly after boarding, we began to take off.
Service
The service at my seat was the one part of the flight that did feel different. A flight attendant came over shortly after I sat down, greeted me warmly and asked how I would like to be addressed. He also gave me information about the flight, including the expected flying time, and said that we should depart on schedule.
My neighbouring passenger didn’t receive the same introduction. The crew never said why I had been singled out, but I suspect it was recognition of Star Alliance Gold status rather than a standard premium economy benefit. Either way, it was unexpected and handled very well.
The same flight attendant helped again later in the flight. This was a nearly full Boeing 737, with two lavatories serving the premium economy and economy class cabins and one lavatory at the front for business class. The queue for the two rear lavatories became extremely long. He came over and told me to use the business class lavatory instead, adding that I could say he had sent me if anyone asked. I did so without any issue.
In-flight entertainment and Wi-Fi
There was no personal in-flight entertainment screen at the seat. Instead, shared monitors were mounted overhead every three or four rows and showed a film during the flight. There was no practical way for me to listen to it from my seat, so it was little more than something moving on a screen above the cabin.
I was fine without entertainment for a flight of around four hours, but passengers expecting a modern seatback system should download something before boarding, because there is also no Wi-Fi at all on this flight. Premium economy doesn’t change anything here.
Food and drinks
Premium economy passengers received the same meal as economy class, at least for this particular flight. The two choices were dory fish with spaghetti or chicken with rice, and I chose the fish.
The meal was below average. I ate the fish but left most of the spaghetti, and the presentation looked like a standard tray uplifted from a SATS kitchen in Singapore. The tray also came with a KitKat bar, a bread roll, an Emmi yoghurt and some sliced fruit. It was enough for a meal, but there was nothing about the food that made this feel like a premium cabin.
Concluding thoughts
I wouldn’t pay more for Shenzhen Airlines premium economy purely for the experience. The seat felt much like economy class, the meal was the same, and there was still no personal in-flight entertainment. Apart from sitting near the front and getting off the aircraft earlier, the physical product offered very little over the rows behind.
The calculation changes if the fare class matters. The particular fare bucket I was ticketed on, was eligible to earn 90% of the flown distance with Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles, and I needed those status miles to renew Elite status. At S$550 after the promotion, the itinerary got me to Shanghai while helping me close that gap. The unusually personal greeting and help from the flight attendant were welcome as well, although I wouldn’t assume every premium economy passenger will receive the same treatment.
If the price were noticeably higher and I didn’t need the status miles, I would book economy class instead. If I were in the same position again and needed status miles for another two years of Turkish Airlines Miles&Smiles Elite membership, then why not?
