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Noel Philips takes Sichuan Airlines' panda-themed A350 from Bangkok to Sydney via Chengdu. The aircraft, called Panda Express, carries the theme from its exterior livery to seat cushions, napkins and cutlery. Noel describes check-in and seat-selection problems, warm bottled water and meals he finds poor, including soggy dumplings and porridge. He also reports broken entertainment, non-functional cameras, no Wi-Fi and tape holding parts together on a plane he says is seven years old. A cabin security guard walks through every 30 minutes and records passengers' faces, which Noel finds unsettling. Breakfast repeats the earlier meal, the captain makes no announcement, and the flight arrives an hour late without updates. After landing in Sydney, he passes passport control quickly and celebrates with KFC.
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Boarding the panda-themed A350
Noel Philips flies from Bangkok to Sydney via Chengdu on Sichuan Airlines' A350, which is branded as the Panda Express. The panda theme appears on the aircraft livery, seat cushions, napkins and cutlery. Check-in is smooth overall, but he has trouble with seat selection. The cabin crew are pleasant, although some of the themed equipment is worn. The seat cushion is a novelty, and the bottled water is warm rather than cold.
The food does not meet Noel's expectations. The dumplings are soggy, the porridge has a paste-like texture and the side dishes are strange to him. He says even one Chinese passenger considers the meal inedible. Breakfast repeats the earlier meal and is cold and bland. The aircraft is described as seven years old, but the entertainment system is broken, cameras do not work, there is no Wi-Fi and tape holds some parts together.
Cabin security and arrival in Sydney
A cabin security guard walks the aisle every 30 minutes and records passengers' faces. Noel finds this practice unsettling. The flight has no captain's announcement and arrives an hour late without updates. The video follows the descent into Sydney and Noel's quick passage through passport control. He celebrates landing with KFC.
Noel's review balances the novelty of the panda theme with complaints about food, worn equipment and surveillance. He describes the overall flight as poor but memorable. The route takes him from Bangkok through Chengdu to Sydney, with a meal service, a cabin security walkthrough and a final review of Sichuan Airlines. The themed cutlery and decorations stand out, while broken inflight features and the repeated meal shape much of his criticism.
FAQs (From the traveler's perspective)
- Q: What's the weirdest thing about Sichuan Airlines?
- A: The aircraft is panda-themed, but Noel finds the cabin security routine even stranger: a guard walks through every 30 minutes and records passengers' faces. He says the practice made him uncomfortable.
- Q: How was the food on Sichuan Airlines?
- A: Noel says it was poor, describing porridge with a paste-like texture and soggy dumplings. The same meal was served twice, and another Chinese passenger reportedly said it was inedible.
- Q: What happened with the inflight entertainment and Wi-Fi?
- A: Noel reports that the entertainment system did not work and that there was no Wi-Fi. He also says some cameras were non-functional and tape held parts of the aircraft together.