Dug this one out of the archives. New York City to Beijing is currently one of 4 routes the Chinese flag carrier currently uses the Queen of the Skies on. Since starting service to New York, Air China has used some variety or another of 747, even as most carriers have switched to more economical twin-jet designs.
Server: Solo
Airline: Air China
Aircraft: Boeing 747-8I
Origin: John F. Kennedy International Airport, New York City, New York (JFK)
Destination: Beijing Capital International Airport, Shunyi, China (PEK)
Flight Number: CA982
Route: KJFK-ZBAA
Seat: 2L (First Class)
Time En Route: 16 Hours
Getting ready to board at Terminal 1. Both of Air China’s routes to the East Coast, PEK-JFK and PEK-IAD, use the 747-8I, while the West Coast routes use the 777-300ER.
Taxiing out of the Terminal 1 ramp. Air China’s first class configuration is weird, with the suites located between the first two exit door pairs instead of forward of the first ones, giving the effect of Row 11 being the furthest forward seats.
Entering the runway for the long flight to China
Taking off from JFK, bound for Beijing
3:38 A.M. above the Arctic Circle
Sunset over the Bering Sea as we slip past the limits of seasonal near-constant sunlight
Final descent into PEK
Landing in Beijing in the morning
Pulling into our gate
Parked at the Terminal 3 midfield satellite
