Intro

Getting a chef to walk me through their airline’s menu philosophy personally wasn’t exactly what I expected when I booked Juneyao Air from Athens to Bangkok via Shanghai.

But that’s what happened when Chef Liu sat down with me at their Shanghai Pudong lounge, teaching me about Chinese cuisine while I ate my way through their business class meal offerings.

A meal tray with assorted foods including sliced beef, noodles, cut fruit, a grape, and an egg square; additional dishes and drinks are on the table in the background.

This Star Alliance connecting partner surprised me in the best way possible, both in economy, where I started, and business class, where they upgraded me for the second sector.

Is Juneyao Air Worth It?

YES, if you value:

  • Consistent food quality across cabins
  • Attentive service
  • Shanghai Pudong lounge access with Priority Pass
  • Competitive pricing for Europe-Southeast Asia routes

NO, if you need:

  • Extensive inflight entertainment systems
  • Guaranteed strong English communication from all crew
  • Direct flights without connections

Juneyao Air delivers better than expected food and service at budget friendly prices. Economy class offers solid value with two meal services on European routes.

Airplane seat with a light purple pillow and a plastic-wrapped blanket placed on the seat cushion; seat controls visible on the armrest, perfect for relaxing before enjoying your Hainan Airlines food.

Economy Class Food Review

Athens to Shanghai

They handed out headphones while still on the ground in Athens.

You’ll also find pink pillows and blankets at your seats.

Rows of maroon airplane seats with armrests and small pillows are arranged in the economy cabin, with some passengers standing in the aisle.

Service Style That Surprised

The crew kneeling down to serve passengers was something I rarely see onboard.

It adds respect and service quality that’s refreshing compared to the usual lean over your seat approach most airlines use.

(I’ve only ever experienced this when flying Qatar Airways in economy class or business class on other Chinese airlines).

Interior view of an airplane cabin showing business class seats, a red carpeted aisle, and a passenger seated in the distance.

The Cool Inflight Safety Video

The video certainly held my attention from start to finish. Funky editing, great colours, well shot.

Airplane seat screen displaying an in-flight safety video with a person wearing jewelry and a leather vest; cabin interior visible in the background.

Safety videos don’t usually stand out, but this one did.

Economy Class Meal Service

The service began with drinks, and I noticed a unique bottle of sparkling wine on the trolley. It was also featured in the lounge during my visit to Shanghai.

A close-up view of assorted beverage containers, including a cranberry juice carton and a glass bottle with partial red lettering, arranged in a plastic tray.

I had to sample it, and it was quite good. It’s not often that you’ll be offered sparkling wine in economy.

The airline also offered a local juice made from Yangmei, commonly called yumberry or Chinese bayberry, a fruit indigenous to China’s subtropical regions.

The first meal service offered two choices: a Western beef option or a Chinese pork option.

A typical Hainan Airlines food tray features pasta with beef strips, a salad, dessert, bread roll, cup, bottled water, and utensilsโ€”reflecting the standard in-flight meal quality discussed in many Hainan Airlines food reviews.
Two small trays of Hainan Airlines food feature a grape leaf roll, herbed tomato slice, and a cinnamon-topped dessert, served alongside butter and a sugar packetโ€”perfect for an authentic Hainan Airlines food review.
A typical Hainan Airlines food review might feature an airline meal on a tray with a foil-covered beef dish, side salad, dessert, bread roll, water bottle, cup, and napkin neatly set on the fold-out tray table.

I opted for the beef; it was a fairly traditional Greek airline meal option.

Though nothing spectacular, it was tasty, and the meat wasn’t tough.

A nice touch with the local Greek salad, given that we were flying from Athens, and a proper house-made dessert!

I was pleased to see some freshly made items on the meal tray and was impressed with the quantity and quality.

There were no galley snacks available, just some water and odd bits that the crew managed to scrounge up.

A wicker basket containing bottled water, packaged napkins, and a wrapped bread roll, placed indoors under artificial light.

Second Meal Service

There was no choice, just a hot dog for everyone. Sounds odd for a Chinese airline, but it worked.

A hot dog in branded packaging, a paper cup, and a napkin are placed on an airplane tray table with Juneyao Air branding visible.
A hand holding a hot dog in a bun wrapped in a napkin, with a cup and a tray visible in the blurred background.

The hot dog was quite good. I’ve never had a snack like this on a flight before, so it was nice to see something different from the usual pastry that’s offered inflight.

Some airlines no longer offer a full meal tray service for second service meals.

Although some still do, Juneyao has decided that on this 9-hour flight, you’ll have no choice but to enjoy a hot snack.

Juneyao Air No. 72 VIP Lounge

Between flights, I spent time in their No. 72 VIP Lounge at Terminal 2.

A woman standing behind a counter.

The lounge is quite modern with thoughtful touches throughout. (Thanks to the airline for allowing me access)

Modern airport lounge with individual seating booths, soft lighting, and unique tree-shaped light fixtures. Passengers are seated in a spacious, well-lit area.
Two people stand at a Juneyao Air service counter with a pink floral backdrop inside an airport terminal.
A modern cafรฉ with marble tables, brown chairs, and pink flower centerpieces; a few people are standing at the counter in the background.
Two gray leather lounge seats with blue pillows are separated by partitions. Each seat has a small side table with an outlet and a mounted reading lamp.
Spacious airport terminal with rows of empty seats, large glass windows, and several airplanes parked at the gates outside. Few people are walking in the terminal.
Rows of individual lounge cubicles with people resting and working inside, illuminated by standing lamps, in an airport departure hall.

Meeting Chef Liu

The standout moment was sitting down with Chef Liu, who walked me through their meal philosophy.

A chef in a white uniform stands in a modern dining area, holding a tray with a bowl of rice and several small dishes of food.

He explained how they adapt traditional recipes for altitude – increasing certain spices, adjusting salt levels, and modifying cooking times.

We sat down and sampled the range of meals that the airline offers on domestic and international flights from Shanghai.

A meal tray with steamed rice, grilled fish with vegetables, cold cuts with salad, a hard-boiled egg, and a plate of assorted fresh fruit.
A tray with a bowl of noodle soup, a side plate of greens, beef, and peanuts, plus small dishes of pickles and chili sauce in a cafeteria setting.
A meal tray with assorted foods including sliced beef, noodles, cut fruit, a grape, and an egg square; additional dishes and drinks are on the table in the background.

At main meal times, passengers can expect meal trays with a variety of hot meal choices. For refreshment meal services, a snack box concept is served.

For example, on flights to Osaka and Tokyo, the airline offers grilled eel, while local Chinese options include Wenzhou-style beef (one of Chef Liu’s favourites).

For onboard meals, Juneyao Air collaborates with chefs from the Pudong Shangri-La, Shanghai, headed by Executive Chef Olivier Pistre and Executive Chinese Chef Sam Gao.

What’s Available in the Lounge

Food Options

  • Chinese hot dishes at buffet stations
  • Made-to-order noodle bar
  • Dim sum selection
  • Salad bar with proper dressings
  • Dessert station
  • Breakfast items

Two chefs in white hats and uniforms work at a kitchen counter with pots, pans, and bowls; plates and a menu are visible in the foreground.
Two metal steamers with vegetarian buns and siu mai are displayed on a counter with name cards in English and Chinese.
A buffet tray with two sections: one containing spaghetti with herbs and garnish, the other with mixed steamed vegetables including cauliflower, carrots, and squash.
A plate of croissants under a glass dome sits on a buffet counter next to bowls of apples, bananas, and cherries.
A buffet counter with a tray of fried food, covered serving dishes, and signs indicating an allergen warning and a โ€œWestern cuisine area.โ€.
A dessert buffet features various pastries and cakes, canned drinks, bottled water, and jars of cookies, with metal tongs on a tray in the foreground.
A buffet tray with fried rice on the left and rows of stuffed tofu or fried rolls on the right.

Beverages: Full bar with wine, beer, spirits, and soft drinks. The juice selection included their own branded options, as well as fresh options.

A self-service beverage and snack bar with shelves displaying bottles, cups, plates, and decorative items, next to a refrigerator and coffee machine.
A self-serve bar station with glass pitchers of juice, bottles of wine and spirits, cocktail glasses, and informational labels on a countertop.
Bottles of vodka, gin, rum, liqueur, wine, and champagne arranged on a backlit bar shelf with labeled tags in front of each bottle.

Cultural Touches: Traditional Chinese musical instruments on display, including a guqin (ancient Chinese stringed instrument).

A traditional Chinese guqin string instrument is displayed on a dark wooden table with two orange rests at each end.

Facilities: Open 24/7, with showers available and decent seating throughout.

Two gray leather lounge seats with blue pillows are separated by partitions. Each seat has a small side table with an outlet and a mounted reading lamp.
Rows of individual lounge cubicles with people resting and working inside, illuminated by standing lamps, in an airport departure hall.
A modern cafรฉ with marble tables, brown chairs, and pink flower centerpieces; a few people are standing at the counter in the background.

In addition to the main area, there’s a separate seating area located across from the main reception area, offering recliners and a comfortable resting space.

A modern reclining lounge chair with padded sections sits in a private cubicle next to a round side table and a floor lamp in an upscale interior setting.
Modern airport lounge with individual seating cubicles, Visa pillows, small lamps, a digital flight board, and signage in English and Chinese.

I managed to get some sleep for a few hours and loved how quiet it was.

The bathrooms and shower facilities are clean and well thought out.

A mirror in a room.

You have everything you need, including Dyson hair dryers, Aesop & Aqua Di Parma products.

A Dyson hair dryer with a copper and white finish rests on a metal stand in the corner of a countertop, with its power cord coiled below.
Three Aesop bottles labeled shampoo, conditioner, and body cleanser are mounted on a black wall rack against a light gray tiled background.
A modern public restroom with two sinks, a large mirror with orange lighting, toiletries on the counter, and toilet stalls visible in the reflection.
Modern shower with rainfall showerhead, wall-mounted soap dispensers, and a control panel, set against light beige marble tiles. A small sign with text is visible on the wall.
Accessible restroom with a modern toilet, support grab bars, wall-mounted controls, a toilet paper holder, and a small trash bin.
A bathroom sink with a modern faucet, toiletries, a pink diffuser, a hairdryer, and a wall-mounted mirror with backlighting.
A soap dispenser, packets of toiletries, and a blue Acqua di Parma bottle are arranged on a marble bathroom countertop next to a white faucet.

Important Practical Details

Crowding: Can get busy due to smaller size; access may be restricted during peak times.

Location: Near gate D73.

Access: Priority Pass accepted.

Bonus: They sell Juneyao Air branded merchandise at the reception.

A wooden shelf displays plush panda toys, airline model plane, collectible cups, mugs, boxed items, and souvenir products in a modern indoor setting.

The modern design has an international aesthetic that differs from the typical Chinese airport lounge.

Shanghai to Bangkok

The crew took meal orders and drink preferences while still at the gate.

I was also offered a pre-takeoff drink, and selected an orange juice.

A glass of orange juice on an airplane tray table, with a passenger holding a tablet in the seat ahead and white slippers on the floor.

Since this was a refreshment service flight, a full meal was not served on the 3.5-hour flight; instead, I would be offered the snack box service.

Inflight Service

Hot towels came around 10 minutes after takeoff, followed by the meal delivery.

A hand holding a piece of food.

The business class meal was a step up from the economy class meal, but economy passengers still received a snack box as well.

A meal tray with assorted sandwiches, sliced chicken with corn, fruit, dessert, utensils, a glass of water, and a packet of salad dressing on a tray table.
Airplane meal tray with a boxed meal, glass of water, packaged mixed nuts, and a rolled white napkin on a folding table.

While economy didn’t receive any fresh items, it was all pre-packaged snacks.

A closed airline meal box with colorful abstract graphics sits on an airplane tray table, with a seatback pocket visible in the background.
An airline meal on a tray table includes a boxed entree, bread, packaged snack, bottled drink, and napkin, inside an airplane cabin with a water bottle in the seat pocket.

I don’t know about this style of service for business class on a 3.5-hour international flight; most airlines would typically offer some sort of tray service (even Cathay Pacific provides hot meals on refreshment flights departing from Hong Kong).

However, many Chinese airlines offer these types of refreshment boxes in their premium cabins. Hence, they tend to imitate one another.

Regardless, there was absolutely nothing wrong with the food; it just felt slightly less premium for a business class meal concept.

However, you’re still eating with real cutlery, tray cloths, hot towels and all the other trimmings you would expect in business class.

Common Concerns

Based on other reviews and common questions, here’s what you should know:

“Limited English from crew”

Reality: True, but service quality compensates. Basic needs are handled professionally, and the crew’s attentiveness makes up for any language gaps.

“Poor website and online check-in”

My Experience: The website is functional but not intuitive. Recommend arriving at the airport with extra time if you have any special requests. I couldn’t check in online and had to queue up with everyone else in Athens, which took a considerable amount of time.

“Inconsistent food quality”

My Experience (2025): Consistently good across both flights and both cabins. Good choices, and better than most European carriers at similar price points.

The Crew

Professional service without being over the top. They handled requests without making it feel like a big deal.

The crew kneeling to serve passengers was genuinely impressive. Shows service respect that some airlines have abandoned.

There were some language barriers, but the staff were polite, and service quality was consistently high across both flights.

Conclusion

Juneyao Air surprised me with consistent food quality across both cabins and service touches that actually matter.

The idea of a hot dog as a second meal may sound odd, but it proved more appealing than the usual pastry options most airlines serve.

If you’re flying from Europe to Southeast Asia, this routing via Shanghai offers decent value with better food than most European carriers.

Economy class is a great value – two meal services and attentive crew make the connection worthwhile.

Note – The airline provided lounge access and an upgrade on the sector from Shanghai to Bangkok, I paid for my own tickets.

About Juneyao Air

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