Everybody loves Air China

Air China is famous for its bad customer services. I've heard dozens of complaints from friends about how this company encouraged its customers to its competitors.

However the fares from this company are reasonably low compared to other operators. And you can even purchase tickets online, though the system is one of the worst, which is better than China Southern Airlines (on whose website you can't change your departure dates once you have proceeded to the fare page) and China Eastern Airlines (on its local website you can't even select any international departures; on its international website you can't even proceed).

As you probably have been aware of, I am planning a trip to SE Asia. Well at first I was thinking about going to Malaysia, Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand, or at least any combination of them. Then it turned out I have to go back to China for a week so I cut the journey to only Malaysia. I've booked return tickets to and from MEL/KL but I had difficulties in finding the right one to China. At first I wanted to go through Tianjin by Air Asia however the flight has been suspended due to weather conditions and therefore I had to land on some southern China city if I want to go by Air Asia. At this moment, Air China caught my eyes. It offered a price directly from KL to BJ at only A$240. What a bargain!

However, after I booked my ticket, and received my confirmation letter, something strange happened. I found that my family name and given name were reversed. How come? So I went back to its website and Geeeeeeeeeeee….. It was the first airline website in English I've seen that put last name before given name…..

I am afraid this might be a problem. Then I called Air China Melbourne. After three minutes of busy tones, the call was disconnected automatically. Then I called Air China customer service in China and enjoyed five minutes of classic Chinese music. Then a girl picked up the phone and forwarded me to the website department because I ordered online. And then the staff at website department who has such a strong Beijing accent told me in deep sorrow that they were only in charge of Chinese website, not international website.

So I had to dial Air China Melbourne again because I ordered through airchina.com.au. A lady picked the phone and said there was nothing she could do unless I pay $100 to change the name. Then she realized I was not flying from Australia so she suggested me to call Air China Kuala Lumper to find out whether Malaysian people have a different position.

So I did. Unluckily it was morning in KL so I waited for half an hour for them to have a breakfast and a cup of tea and gossip times. Then the phone was picked up and girl, once again, forwarded me to their website department.

'So are you Chen Li?' asked the lady from website department. 'No I am not I am Li Chen' I answered for the fifth time. 'Alright if this is the case, I am sure you will be all right based on your passport information provided.'

Should I be happy? Should you love Air China?

The Gambler – a novelette

I read The Gambler from the latest issue of Science Fiction World Translations brought for me by Li Meng during his last trip home. It was a special issue for the Hugo Award nominates 2009. The Gambler was nominated as a best novelette but unluckily did not receive the award.

It was a story about a young Lao journalist in LA who fled to US after unrest in his country and arrest of his farther. He struggles in keeping himself as a responsible writer to the environment and society, whereas the journalists were judged by the clicks of his blog received.

The government in that story just reminds me of what I saw in the movie Persepolis. Same fear, same darkness. I sometimes question myself, will I have the courage to do what they do when confront the same scenario. Probably not. But I certainly will go abroad, infinitely.

But at this stage, I'd rather take my responsibility doing something for the environment. Yes, I did study Environmental Sciences while I was in China and about to choose something similar in my honours study. Maybe I will be an environmentalist rather than an agricultural scientist. But anyway I will never choose a career which may turn out as a threatening to the earth.

If I can't make a difference myself, at least I can help those people by subscribing their blogs, buying their books, even donating them. If more and more people are concerning, there will be some changes.