China Eastern Held in China in Unacceptable Conditions NYC Nationwide

We arrived at Bangkok international  airport January 2nd at 7:45am for China Eastern flight scheduled to depart at 10:45am. There was no check in sign for our flight and we were told by 4 different ground staff of China Eastern to wait at different checkout stands.  We were finally able to check in around 8:30am and which only allowed us 15 minutes to board for our scheduled boarding.  We were the first passengers to check in so the plane was late to leave the gate as it was waiting for other passengers to get through security. 

Upon boarding the plane we smelled a burning electrical fire smell.  We asked for information from the flight staff and nothing was provided.  We waited about 2 hours before any announcement was made that they had a mechanical issue with the plane.  Only after that did the flight staff offer any water or food.  We and other passengers asked for an update and no information was given. 

It was obvious to the passengers on the plane that the plane would not be repaired however we were forced to sit in the hot plane for several more hours.  Eventually  all the passengers were moved to another plane which departed at 5:05pm.  No communication or announcements were given so waited about an hour as staff attempted to find all the passengers and move them to the new plane. 

During the delay there were other flights departing that we could have been put on, however we were held on the tarmac and given no information. We requested information on our connected flight to NYC, and the staff refused to answer us.  We asked if the connected flight would wait for us or if there were any other flights to the US and the staff refused to answer us.

We landed in Shanghai around 10:30pm.  We were still not told by any staff if our connected flight or any flight was available.  We were not provided China arrival or departure papers and the staff refused to communicate with us.  We spent another 2 hours at the Shanghai airport where we were finally told that the airline would not offer any connected flights and we had to stay overnight in Shanghai.

The ground staff in Shanghai was rude, refused to answer questions or communicate with us or even look at us.  At least half the flight was English speaking, and no staff would speak to English speakers or call for someone who could help.  We were herded like cattle into a bus which took another 45 minutes and dropped us at a low budget motel.  Again we were given no options or explanations.

The motel staff was also rude and confiscated our passports against our will.  They refused to give us our passports until we boarded the bus back to the airport the following day. 

The low budget motel did not provide us any food that we could eat, and there was no nearby place where we could buy food.  We were given a plastic bag with dried beef ramin noodles and no explanation of how to heat them in the room.  Furthermore, all our flight bookings for this trip were for Hindu meals as we don't eat beef.  At this point I felt like a prisoner being held against my will.

The room that we were provided was 12 degrees Celsius and we were shivering all night long.  I had to wear my clothes and coat the full time we were there but I still got sick the next day because it was too cold.  It was not clean or well kept.  The sink was clogged and not draining properly. The tv did not work. There was no alarm clock. We were not given a king or queen bed, and instead had to sleep on separate twin beds shivering cold, hungry and thirsty.  There was a dirty mattress sitting in the hallway outside our room so I was concerned about cleanliness.

In the morning of January 3rd we checked out of the motel. There was a small breakfast area that had no food that looked edible so we still did not eat. We took the bus back to the airport.

We had tickets to take the 8:15pm flight January 2nd flight with exit aisle seats, which we were not on due to the airline delays.

We were told that the next flight to NYC was leaving at 11:30am January 3rd.  Initially the ground staff wouldn't communicate with us or look us in the eye and muttered that we may have to go on standby and miss that flight as well. We were eventually given seats in the back of the plane but not exit aisle.

We had to spend another $60 at the airport on food and water and also have a large phone bill from making international calls trying to obtain flight information.

This flight was also delayed and departed at 12:30pm.  There were no Hindu meals available on the flight.

Because we arrived a day late to NYC we both lost a full day of consulting income for our small business.

No apology or compensation was given.