I am sitting in Economy seats A,B, and C (a 3-seat row) on this China Airlines Airbus A350-900 flight bound for Sydney from Taipei. The flight is only 60% full so make sure to be the last person to board so I can go straight to an employ row and pray a flight attendant doesn’t ask me any questions.

I am in luck.

A few other people take my lead before takeoff and get a whole row to themselves, allowing us to sleep uninterrupted for a solid 6 hours – in my case anyway.

I wake up for breakfast – it isn’t too bad – chicken noodles, bread, juice, fruit, and coffee (my first in 6 months) and then I go back to sleep for another 45 mins before getting ready to land.

This is my first time flying China Airlines in many years, and I am very impressed. The service from the cabin crew is excellent, and the hard product seems brand new. The seats are ergonomically designed and as the seat goes back, it also moves forward giving you a bit more room. There are plenty of new releases on the AV system, and the cabin interior has a woody feel to it with mood lighting. The bathroom is fresh and clean and has a deodorant body spray and the best hand cream I have used on a plane. The only letdown is the lack of nighttime amenities – no toothbrush or eyeshades (but as a frequent flier I bring my own).

What I thought was going to be a horror red-eye flight turned out to be a great experience.

Rating: 8.5/10