Cathay Pacific » User reviews

KDFAmsterdam flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B747-400 (03/01/2012 22:24)

I have flown Cathay business class from Amsterdam to Melbourne a couple of times in the last few months and have now experienced both the 'old' style angled seating arrangement and the newer, straighter version. I must admit that I was a little disappointed with the new version as at certain seat positions I couldn't get both arms comfortable on arm rests as there wasn't really anything to rest my arm on on the left side. That said - the new layout gives more surface for drinks/snacks and avoids the irritating little surface that juts out of the divider on the old style - avoiding the all to easily spilt drink scenario (which I did manage to do - blanket replaced in a jiffy thanks to the friendly staff).
All in all - I really like both versions of the business cabin and the flat bed is terrific. Just about makes the long trip down under bearable.
Top tip at CLK airport is the West Wing lounge that has spacious 'drench' showers that really make a difference.

jonknopp flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B777-300ER (02/11/2011 23:30)

Leejos123456 flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B777-300 (21/10/2011 04:31)

My first complaint relates to my flight CX548 (HKG to CTS) on 1 October 2011.  

Whilst I appreciated the free upgrade seat change from business class to first class seat 4D with meals remained as business, I was astonished to learn that the TV system in the whole first class cabin was malfunctioned.  

Your crew had tried to reset the TV system for 8 times but still failed to get it fixed. Finally, the crew suggested that all passengers to pick a program and have it sent to each passenger's TV set individually. Thus, after 2 hours of struggling and nuisance by the nonstop resetting, we finally got something to keep us entertained for the remaining 1.5hours flight.  

I was disappointed to learn that CX failed to test and maintain the function of a simple TV system on the aircraft before its departure. This gives me a BIG QUESTION MARK on the safety and maintenance checks of the aircraft itself before CX decides to take on board hundreds of passengers to fly miles across and the health and safety risk of these passengers?

Not only the TV system was malfunctioned, the passenger sitting next to me couldn't get his seat lay flat. My question here is how often does CX have the aircraft checked on the safety, operation and maintenance of all elements on board? Is it on a regular basis? Once a week, once a month?? Or once year??? Or checkups are only done when problems occurred???

That was not my first time on CX first class and my long haul flight from YVR-HKG had similar problems as well before landing when crew had to manually force the seat back to upright position.  Please understand that I chose to fly with CX for years because of its good reputation in safe flights and caring customer services. Yet, these repeating incidents make me wonder if the CX renowned service has now declined.

The 2nd complaint I am filing here relates to discrimination for my flight on CX233 (HKG-MXP) ETD 1am on 15Oct. I have confirmed economy class ticket with prebooked seat at 31H. As a staff of UBM Asia, I have an upgrade voucher for standby upgrades to business class. 

At 12:15am, I approached departure Gate 3 and successfully got the upgrade with an issue of business class boarding pass at seat 21D. When boarding began at 12:35am, I queued up like all other passenger. However, when my boarding pass got scanned, an alert popped up and I was told that my seat 21D had some mechanical problems and technicians were trying to get it fixed. So, I was escorted next to Gate 3 and was told to sit and wait. After waited for 15mins, I approached a supervisor alike ground staff and requested for an update. She simply told me to wait but she quickly hopped off to Gate 4 with no passengers there and disappeared
thereafter.

I was shocked by this irresponsible attitude and disappointing customer service. I then approached another ground staff named at Gate 3 and requested for an update and yet again I was told to wait.

This time, I did not sit but stood at the counters. At 1:10am, I noted that all passengers had boarded except me and an Italian guy. Italian guy asked me if my seat had problems and I responded yes.

At 1:15am, Katrina told me that the seat cannot be fixed and only upright position was allowed. Katrina then revealed the truth to us and told me that in fact the broken seat was 24K belonging to the Italian guy. She said since I am a upgrade business class passenger whilst he is a paid business class passenger, he has a higher priority. 

I was astonished and mad to hear this. This is the most ridiculous reason I have ever heard.  Does this mean upgraded passengers can be kicked out whenever accident occurs?

Does this mean upgraded passengers via voucher/mileage are inferior than full fare paid passengers? We both are business class passengers holding business class boarding passes. Since his seat 24K had the problem, he should be the one to wait for solution, not me.

However, your ground staff had no integrity and lied to me about my seating having problem and tried to swap our seats behind the scene. I was furious by the lie and discrimination and refused to be downgraded due to such ridiculous reasoning behind.

Cx ground staff had no choice as both me and Italian guy refused to be downgraded and searched for volunteer in the cabin. By that time, it was 1:30am and we both refused downgrading doubting any volunteers could be found at this late night. Eventually, 
your crew found a volunteer and in return offered a goodwill to that passenger upon arrival in Milan.

As we were standing in front of the counters, I overheard the whole conversation and seemed an extra business class seat is released. I requested Katrina for boarding which I should have done so as soon as she revealed the truth that malfunction seat was not 21D.

However, to my surprise, she responded that the case is not yet solved as they need to make seats arrangements. I told her whatever seat arrangements they were making in the very beginning was none of my business as my seat 21D was performing properly. Eventually, at 1:35am, an hour after my supposedly boarding time, I was allowed to board CX233 and be seated at 21D.

How ridiculous is this arrangement? All passengers on board had their flight delayed for one full hour because of CX improper arrangement and malfunction of one seat, which should have been checked and fixed before boarding. I am demanding a full explanation on the following.

BensonSim flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B777-300 (12/10/2011 11:30)

WongChinChu flew Cathay Pacific (05/10/2011 02:06)

Consistent service from older staff and young/ new staff are eager to provide seamless service. Promising menus.

benjigco flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B777-300ER (11/09/2011 03:44)

As I entered the cabin, it was the first time I had seen the new 777-300 configuration of Cathay Pacific's lie flat bed.

The regional flights on short hauls on CX uses the old 777 planes which left little to the imagination and little to desire for. But the new lie flat beds with a 1-2-1 configuration on a slant that faced two windows was astounding to say the least. It offered a lot of room and a large screen for AVOD viewing. The headsets with noise canceling device had a storage of its own and there was plenty of space for your handbags, shoes, laptops, magazine, water and other paraphernalia. It was also a smaller version of your private cabin in the sky. Food service and choices were excellent - as it came with the appetizers, three main course choices, excellent wine choices, fruits and cheese, HagenDaaz ice cream and Pralines with your coffee or tea. Now that's what I call relaxation at 36000 feet! It's time that even short hauls are made to impress and impressed I was!

maxdeer flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B747-400 (05/09/2011 20:21)

It was my 10th time on this business class with the new product and it was a good experience. Seats are good and comfortable and the entertainment was good. On my return flight that was a night flight i could sleep good in these seats. This is much better than in a normal business seat. Service was very good . The upper deck is very good, notice the crew there address me with my name. Good experience overall and i can recommend this airline to my friends and family.

thaheem flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a A330-300 (2 class with regional product) (17/08/2011 15:52)

This is from my two kids aged 14 & 12 about thier horrible experience with this so called best Airline.
-----------------

We two kids aged 14 & 12 travelled by Cathay form Osaka to Karachi in Business class. My father specially booked Unaccompanied Minor service for us. The flight from Bangkok to Karachi returned back to Bangkok because of bad weather. We were told that we will be taken care of during our stay at Bangkok as this was our first experience to travel alone and we already had some special service paid for. But we were shocked when at Bangkok airport we were thrown in the worst hotel we ever stayed. Cathay staff was no where visible and hotel room had neither a telephone nor internet so that we could contact our parents. Horrified and shocked, exhausted after almost 24 hours we spent 6 hours in complete horror, made several attempts to contact Cathay staff but no response received. At 12 the hotel asked us to vacate the room as airline has booked it only for 6 hours. We waited in the lobby for 90 minutes before Cathay ladies appeared and asked us that they are putting us on a Thai flight to Karachi but one has to sit in economy class. When we refused to sit separately they threatened us to leave us behind and then we are at our own. They also forced us to sign some paper and take a small amount of money that for accepting their terms. When we refused they put us both in economy class and threw our passports at our faces to be responsible for them from now on. Most horrible treatment to young kids, by this horrific Cathay staff at Bangkok. Never send your kids on this horrible airline please.

Maha Thaheem(14) Talal Thaheem (12)
PNR MR6P5 flight CX 703 BKK-KHI-BKK 13 AUG 2011

PREMADHEESHLEKHI flew Cathay Pacific (13/07/2011 09:19)

British Airways did the check in for Cathay Pacific at JFK airport ;NY USA;on 5th july 2011;10 pm;3hours before the actual flight at 1 am on 6 th July 2011 to Hong Kong.We, my mom and me were ushered by a fine gentleman from the airlines to the business class check in.
Check in/Boarding;
===============
The request for wheel chair for mom was heeded promptly with genuine smiles at the counter.
The baggage was weighed in;5 bags;with priorty bags tags and special services tags.
Pre Flight Dinner was provided with a request for vegetarian meal promptly made at the lounge for first/business class passengers.
Special care was taken for mom;we are both grateful to the airlines staff.
Seat;
=====
Mine was 20 K
Window seat for photographs-always my preference
Mom chooses aisle-she has to go to the rest-room many times in long haul flights more than 8 hours.
This was 15 hours.
New business class seats on Cathay Pacific-is a dream come true.
Everything at your beck and call.
We slept till morning like we were in our own beds-a compliment to the airlines.
Service;
======
Our earlier request for'indian hindu vegetarian meals'was promptly met.
The service was immaculate;genuine;professional and with smiles.
The food was hot;spicy to our liking.
Just like'mom's cooking'-brilliant.
We want to compliment the chef who did this specially for us-we were the only two who ordered this-I checked with in flight crew.
Flight;
Night flights are not much to talk about.
The view outside and then underneath during take off is great.
My camera was handy.
The flight was smooth but there were turbulences here and there on the way.
Overall pleasant.
Entertainment;
I saw 007 James Bond's 'Die Another Day' on board with my head phones on.
i saw mom sleeping.
I got my hot chocolate and vegetarian sandwich to enjoy with.
I was having a whale of time during the flight.
I managed to read the in flight magazine and buy duty free perfume using my credit card.
Entertainment was first class even in business class.
Landing;
=======
Landing at HKIA at 5 30 am after 15 hours flight ;could not have been better-a refreshing welcome as the sun slowly rises in the east.
Landing was perfect.
We were the last to go out with lovely air hostesses around us obliging with photos as memories.
The wheel chair was waiting outside.
I was impressed with the overall service and standard.
We are flying again.
OVERALL=10/10
A PERFECT SCORE
CONGRATULATIONS CATHAY PACIFIC

hozza94 flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (extra economy) (08/05/2011 16:27)

I have travelled on the HKG-LHR route few times a year, and it is quite nice. However the seat design has its problem. You won't want to seat on the same thin cushion for 12 hours as it hurts! I can't actually sleep on the seat because it is so bad that I usually sleep on the table, strange. Entertainment choices are fine, enough to spend the whole time. F&B quality are just good as other CX flights. Can CX move out from T3, the walk is too long!

chuchuchu flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a A330-300 (2 class) (08/05/2011 13:58)

The In-town check-in service is perfect. It is fast, efficient. I could say I only wait no more than 3 minutes to get my boarding pass.

The ground staff keeps asking us to move faster to get into the gate. To be more professional, I believe they could rephrase their wordings to sound more polite.

The aircraft is a bit old while the air-cond is not good enough. I keep sweating throughout the trip. The seat is old with a very small PTV screen. The screen quality is below average and is not video on demand system.

In the snack refreshment, I asked for wet tissue paper. The CA replied that no wet tissue paper is offered during "XXX". I cannot recall that specific term "XXX". Please do not expect all passengers understand the terms used in airline industry. I thought there is no wet tissue paper throughout the flight, but it turns out there is one in the regular meal.

The regular meal is too salty and oily. I think couscous is quite famous in north africa, but we are not quite used to it in asian cuisine.

In general, I will keep choosing CX as my first priority, because CA are speaking our own language, plus movies are all having chinese subtitle.

ww71796 flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B777-300ER (31/03/2011 05:03)

I have been a loyal Cathay Pacific customer for over 10 years flying from NY's JFK to Hong Kong.

They have been great till they partnered with American Airlines flying to Hong Kong in the past few years. Not only has their prices gone up significantly more than the other airlines but the service and the perks that made me a repeat customer has totally gone away.

On my most recent flight from NY to HK, I paid extra to get an exit seat so I can have more leg room. Didn't know why there was cold air coming in by the door but it was so cold and unbearable that I asked the flight attendant to move me to any other seat, even the cheaper economy seats. All I got was an extra blanket which I used to block off the cold wind coming in. Even the passenger next to me felt cold.

Early February, one of my family member received an email from Cathay Pacific's Marco Polo Club, which is for elite members who travel frequently. I am also a Marco Polo member but didn't get that email.

The email was a promotional offer for members to receive double miles if they travel between February and April. I figured since I was a member also, that email may have been lost or deleted so I wrote to ask about it. I told them I was planning to travel in May but will definitely move my dates up if I get the double miles also.

After numerous emails and 3 phone calls, I got the same answer telling me it was a promotion sent out to random members.

I accepted the explanation and didn't think much about it till some of my other friends told me they also received the same promotion.
That got me curious so I called my other travel companions which, like me, flew back and forth 4 times within the last 10 months to see if they received that email.
Neither one of us got that promotional email.

Right away I called Cathay Pacific Airways in Hong Kong to express my dismay. I asked if the promotion was intentionally targeted to customers that hasn't flown with Cathay Pacific for a year or more because the friends that received the promotion hasn't flown on Cathay Pacific for 1 year, and all they kept saying was it's not targeted to anyone specific, it's random.

I called and wrote them letting them know how displeased I was and that they are obviously lying to me...that is just too much of a coincidence as to who got the email and who didn't.
But they just said there was nothing they can do for me.

Also would like to let everyone know that the miles we use to accumulate to use for upgrades to Business Class seats?
Well, let's say, after the American Airline partnership, "Good Luck".
Upgrades using miles not only have blackout dates and are very limited but make sure you have the right class economy ticket or you will have to pay more for that same economy ticket to get a class where you can use miles to upgrade.

Only reason I'm giving them a star instead of none is because they "were" pretty good "Once upon a time"

secblat flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B747-400 (10/03/2011 08:10)

I had not flown with Cathay Pacific for a long time, so the experience of flying two long haul sectors (Auckland to Amsterdam via Hong Kong) - one in Economy, the other in Business - this month was the opportunity to refamiliarise myself with an airline of which I have positive recollections. My memory had not let me down: from the check-in process to quality of food and inflight entertainment, the journey was a pleasure.

As a European, I had almost forgotten the joy of being greeted on board by an Asian crew who have an innate sense of quiet, friendly service that has all too often been dulled to the point of bluntness on European (and even more so, American) airlines. It makes such a difference when a passenger feels welcome rather than an inconvenience to be tolerated. Cathay Pacific do this well, both in Economy and Business class.

As for the food, I might have guessed the Business Class offerings would be excellent, and indeed they were; a nice touch is added by the availability of one alcoholic and one non-alcoholic cocktail, which changes monthly. I was therefore more impressed to discover that the dishes available in Economy far exceed the quality of anything I have eaten in Economy class on the airlines I have frequented recently (KLM, Lufthansa, BA): for lunch, a tasty starter featuring prawns, tempting choice of 2 main courses, and a simple but delicious dessert, all of which I ate with relish. There was then a lighter supper served before landing, which again was of a very high quality.

Since my first flight was a daytime one, I was planning to see a film or two, so was delighted to discover that, even in Economy, the choice is very wide - far wider in fact than the magazine suggested. Even better, the flight was already showing "The King's Speech", a film which I was keen to see but has not yet reached the cinemas where I live, so I was more than satisfied!

Do I have any criticisms? It is hard to think of any. I guess I was a little disappointed at my choice of seat on the Economy leg as the rear of the plane is quite noisy; but that was my choice. As for the Business Class seating, the "fishbone" style individual cabins, I have read criticisms of these from passengers who find them claustrophobic and unfriendly if travelling with a companion; but, while I can see the point, they suited me very well and the fact that the bed folds completely flat is a huge advantage, permitting me to enjoy 4-5 hours of uninterrupted sleep.

In summary: I would go out of my way to fly CX again.

continentalclub flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (25/02/2011 01:37)

Yes, Economy.

Regular readers may already have suffered a slight cardiac flutter with the news that such a class of travel exists, if not a full-blown arrest at the revelation that continentalclub has sampled such a thing. Nevertheless and in the name of research, your intrepid reporter has done just that and lives to tell this tale.

Granted, a slightly shorter sample would have been sufficient, but we were in Hong Kong and we needed to get to Auckland, so eleven-and-a-bit hours it would have to be.

Armed with a British Airways Executive Club Silver card, pre-operation anaesthesia was applied in the comfy confines of Cathay's Wing lounge complex at Chek Lap Kok. Whilst it may have been superseded in modernity and facilities by other lounges around the world (and indeed arguably by its own Pier and Cabin lounges elsewhere in HKIA) The Wing is still a rather pleasant place to numb the nerves prior to re-engaging with the hordes.

Food offerings continue to be noodles from the open kitchen, dim sum from hotplates, soup, fruit, cereals and rather dainty paper-wrapped sandwiches and rolls (several of the latter being offered a temporary home in the rollaboard in case of limited on-board supplies).

Beverage choices come from self-served soft drinks and beers in the galley area of the noodle bar dining area, or the full bar including hot drinks in the main lounge. Somewhat horrifically, milk supplied with either tea or otherwise very good coffee consisted of a UHT jigger. For Cathay to condone that in a directly-operated business lounge is surprising; for The Peninsula to put its name to it as the F&B supplier in the lounge is nothing short of amazing.

The lounge receptionist confirmed that boarding would be at-leisure for oneworld status-holders, and this it proved to be.

By-passing the throngs at the gate, clear signage was in place for First & Business Class boarding and therefore, by default, cardholder. At the aircraft door, the welcome was by name read from the boarding pass, and a member of crew in the cabin showed your correspondent to his seat; 66A on the outboard port side - the foremost of three rows of paired seats at the rear of the tapering fuselage.

Such seats offer the advantage of some additional space between the seat and the cabin wall, which is handy for locating goods and chattels for easy inflight access. They do limit the scope for leaning against the wall inflight however, at least for those of non-giraffic tendencies.

There is also a slight off-setting of the tray tables and screens from the seats in front, given the positioning of this first row of pairs.

The seat itself, the principal reason for taking the flight, was something of a revelation; a glorious concept of protected space for the economy traveller, if one that is slightly (though not irretrievably) flawed in execution. For those unversed in the subtleties of back-of-the-bus benches, Cathay uniquely plies the skies with hard shell seats in economy - seats which do not recline per se, but instead slump within the confines of their pre-defined space. The seat base slides forward, and the backrest follows in hot pursuit. Backrests lurching towards the unwary are banished, as are the lurches and recoils of ones own backrest being used as a brace for a rearward passenger to lever themselves out into the aisle.

This, finally, shows some respect for the economy passenger and their rights to enjoy just a little bit of peace despite their lack of recumbence. A triumph, no less.

It's not all good though, with a seat base that's lumpier than boarding school custard and a backrest that feels as though it's been made out of the same plastic from which yoghurt pots are born. The choice of colours for the seats is also somewhat Fisher-Price, which hardly adds to any feeling of solidity. One assumes that there was a job-lot of turquoise acrylic to be had at giveaway prices in Kowloon when the refit was being planned, and this was its ultimate moulding. Ghastly.

Never mind, the headrest is more than comfy and the judicious application of the (therefore) redundant pillow and the attendant blanket can mostly mask the shortcomings of the Cathay upholsterer, and a perfectly pleasant perch constructed.

IFE is a real Cathay highpoint, not without the need for the odd reboot of the Panasonic system, but the quality of the content, the size of the seatback screens and the ease of navigation are all superb, as is the rare ability to play music while watching the moving map, or to turn the screen off altogether while maintaining the presence of soothing tunes. The seat back also offers a multinational power socket, a separate drinks holder and a very sturdy tray table. Top marks.

Catering service is heralded by a nicely printed menu, even this far back on the aircraft. The menu was probably the highpoint of the meals however, as the food itself was non-descript at best and rather polarising in a Marmite sort of way at worst. Think citrus starter and Creme Caramel dessert; both styles of dish that can engender rather love/hate emotions. Lots went back. Quantity was passable, but the lounge-liberated sandwiches came in handy. Quality was fairly poor, to be honest - BA's may look worse but the raw materials are undoubtedly an order of magnitude better. It was doubtful that my Cathay chicken had ever been near an egg.

Crew service was typically Cathay; that is to say charmingly polite, very hard-working, mostly robotic, hardly engaging and most unwilling to discipline passengers. At no point during periods of turbulence did any member of crew make additional PAs or directly speak to the significant numbers of passengers who continued to walk the aisles, use the washrooms or open overhead bins. I find this extremely frustrating, but sadly commonplace.

Disembarkation at Auckland was unsurprisingly leisurely, given that almost the entire passenger count had to leave before the dizzy heights (or backs) of row 66 could evacuate. Smiles and nods from the crew and reasonably rapid reclaim of bags marked the conclusion of the flight.

Overall, and as a longtime fan of Cathay, the flight itself was not one my better ones with them, expecially with regard to catering and crew control of passengers, but that seat was exceptional in terms of basic idea and I would be unafraid to favour airlines who develop it is ever I have need or desire to forego something a little more horizintal in future.

PS: I flew back to Hong Kong in the same seat; worse crew, everything else the same.
PPS: I flew London to Hong Kong return on British Airways in Club World. Ate like a King and slept like a baby both ways. Aircraft probably last cleaned in 2004.

Wingtips flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a A330-300 (11/01/2011 16:06)

This CX flight from Hong Kong to Chennai still has the old Economy seats, but since the journey was only about five hours and some, it wasn’t that big a deal to me.

Seat 30 C – along the aisle on the first row in the Economy class cabin – would have been perfect except for the IFE box underneath it, which took up all the space. This made it impossible to stuff any tote bag or laptop case. I had to make do with the two small overhead compartments where I stored my bulky computer case and soft bag with some presents.

As I feared, the passenger behind me jammed his knapsack in the one with my soft bag without making sure he wasn’t crushing any of my fragile valuables. I had to rearrange things the minute he sat down. He seemed unperturbed by what I thought was his lack of consideration.

CX service was efficient as ever, and was tested when they had only vegetarian meals left when it was my turn to be served. I made it clear that this was not to my liking, prompting the stewardess to say that she would be back with another option. It was good of her though to mask any annoyance she may have had at my stubbornness. She quickly brought back a seafood meal from Business class, which was piping hot and delicious. I showed my appreciation by consuming everything in the container. Well done, cabin crew!

hemispheres flew Cathay Pacific First, on a B747-400 (11/01/2011 05:13)

Cathay First Class from Hong Kong. Slightly late in boarding but excellent information in the lounge. On board comfort exemplary. Lovely variety of food which was tasty, well cooked and beautifully presented. Cathay's 9 seat First Class cabin is well thought out & makes traveling a pleasure.

spidergirl flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B777-300ER (26/12/2010 17:03)

The flight was delayed for one hour which was unusual of CX as its flights are usually punctual but there was announcement immediately that they need to change plane. Flight was smooth and I felt asleep immediately after takeoff. I slept for 5 hours and got myself a dan dan noodle (spicy shangainese noodles with mince pork) which was quite tasty. Breakfast was served 2 hours prior to landing and there were choices of dim sum (Chinese) American breakfast with sausage and scrambled eggs or cold cut. I chose Chinese dim sum and it was good. The captain made up for the delay and we arrived at 7:30am. Definitely great to be on CX flight as service is always consistent.

rainbowrunner flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a A330-300 (2 class) (13/12/2010 11:58)

This was my first time to try the fully-flat bed in a herring-bone set-up on CX’s A330-33B from Hong Kong to Bali’s Denpasar. I found it a little claustrophobic, as the space is rather narrow and the panels on both sides completely cut one off from the rest of the cabin, although it feels a bit more spacious in the fully flat position. I was watching people stretching their necks to exchange a few words with their travel companions. A couple, who probably thought they would be sitting next to each other in the same row, were actually cut off by the aisle. The windows being at the back of one’s window seat one cannot enjoy the view and the whole cabin is darker. On a long haul flight, it is surely quieter and easier to fall asleep then on the regular business class where alcohol-induced chatting can stretch into the night, but it is less fun.

tim.6789 flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B747-400 (21/11/2010 14:17)

Having retired in 2004 after 30 years of business travel in Business & First I was really looking forward to my business class CX flight from HKG to SFO as part of my £5000 RTW ticket with my partner. My first trip in CX's new business class. I thought I had done everything right!

Seatplans.com told me the upper deck business class seat was longer and quieter! I booked seat number 81K the second from the front.

It was a DREADFUL flight. 80K is a flight crew seat. Every two hours or so a different crew member would land (heavily) in the seat (with boots on!) and watch a movie, fidget & move. Why can't they sit still?

I slept really badly and jet lag was particularly bad for a few days later. I was awakemost of the flight despite having taken a sedative. On writing to Cathay I received two anodyne standard responses apologising but not even mentioning the incident itself.

No real apology, no compensation. CX has one of the BEST reputations.

This seat should not even be sold to passengers in my view.

PhillDanze flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a A330-300 (14/09/2010 01:50)

I flew in this aircraft configuration a couple of times over the course of two months. The economy class seat is different to most airlines in that the seat slides forward instead of reclining. The downside of this is that leg room decreases when you "recline" the seat and as I am over 6ft., I found it hard to get my legs comfortable when trying to sleep. Overall though, I far preferred this seat over a traditional reclining one as it meant that the seat in front of me remained at an acceptable and constant distance from my face; especially handy when watching a movie. I also found that my seat was not constantly jerked and leaned on as passengers in the row behind me got in and out of their seats. The seats also had adjustable headrests and good lumbar support. The video screens are mounted in the back of the seats and the size is just right with good brightness controls. The entertainment selection is vast without being overwhelming and with a good selection of latest release and foreign films. Cathy's service and food was good and the toilets kept clean throughout the flight.

frustratedflyer flew Cathay Pacific Economy (short haul), on a B777-200 (18/06/2010 08:53)

The computer crashed a check-in but this was soon rectified and the staff were very apologietic.

I am a Oneworld (BA) sapphire card holder so had priority boarding with the business class passengers. Cathay also try and keep the middle seat empty next to sapphire acrd holders which is a nice touch I have not found elsewhere on the OneWorld network - not even my home carrier BA. The cheif stewardess also came to my seat to welcome me onboard. I did not eat the food but it looked better than most and the drinks service and staff were superb.

I was in seat 30C which is a bulkhead seat. It has the advantage of the bulkhead not protuding in front of you so there is lots of room to spread out. The disadvantgage is you are quite close to the toilet. On my next journey I was in 32C and was grateful not to be in a middle seat (B) as the AV box takes up quite a bit of legroom under the seat in front. This was only a 2.5 hour flight but there IFE was switched on and there were a number of channels of TV (no films) programmes to watch.

chuchuchu flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (new product) (09/06/2010 11:44)

PVG to HKG It is rare to see Cathay 747 that is having new seat feature flying from SHA to HKG. I chose seat 67C which was the last few row and having extra space and personalized space with my friend. The new seat feature was good which having power supply and was able to incline your seat without disturbing the one at the back. However, this new incline feature cannot please me coz it was not that comfortable especially for my neck.

Service is acceptable but a bit rush. CA was not smiling at all but offering instant response service. My PTV was not working at all, but not disappointing at all coz no movie was showing in this short-haul flight.

jmnvdbnck flew Cathay Pacific Economy (07/04/2010 00:04)

The most uncomfortable airline seat I have ever had the misfortune to endure. I am dreading the return flight. If they don't change back to reclining seats I shall be using a different airline. With no recline as soon as you fall asleep your head drops forward either waking you immediately or causing agonising neck pain later. Apart from the seat everyhing else was fine, but for a long flight comfort is the most important aspect.

kitaholic flew Cathay Pacific (10/03/2010 20:28)

Was very efficient, calm and enjoyable. I will definately use this again..

Pat_travels flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B777-300 (24/02/2010 13:11)

BKK/BOM - Check in was a free for all and little order or control. As a premium passenger with a Gold card I did expect better. CX lounge in BKK - is dull and uninspiring, lucky with the Gold card I was able to go to the BA/QF lounge which is much, much better with a nice selection of food, wine and champagne. Boarding the flight was woeful and yet again no priority boarding. The cradle seat is uncomfortable and lacks a great deal of adjustment, so a comfy sleep is not possible! The flight had a delayed departure of over one hour, little explanation for this and a cursory apology upon arrival in Mumbai. Yet again an unimpressive show by CX - next time I will try Jet Airways, Kingfisher or Thai

Pat_travels flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B777-300 (24/02/2010 13:01)

BOM/BKK in Business class. Prompt and efficient check in with an invitation to the 'Clipper Lounge', since I have a BA Gold card I was invited into the First Class part of the lounge. Not a particularly good lounge at all with no facilities, a few tatty magazines, only local papers and a food selection which was poor. The wine offering is local stuff and not to be recommended! Boarding was a frenzy of madness and clearly Business Class passengers were given no priority. The seat, was the cradle type seat, looked dated and felt uncomfortable - it was terrible to try and sleep in this seat and given the flight had an 05:15hrs departure sleeping was the priority. So not a comfy flight and certainly not value for money on a four hour flight. Service was polite, nothing more, nothing less than that.

Overall - uninspired by the product and service

Survivor flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B777-300 (21/02/2010 14:33)

With a 3-3-3 seating and the toilet at the front left aisles of the cabin I do not suggest taking first row 30. To other disturbances and also being a weekend and holiday season, avoiding these rows are advised as these are also the bassinet seats which were full with lovely "noisy" babies on board my flight today. This aircraft is equipped with the old seats which are not a problem for a short flight and I have to admit it feels more comfortable when reclined compared to the new ones. Cathay has to be more diligent with the servicing of the entertainment system. The movie I wanted to watch was going on nicam audio between English and German constantly. The Chief Pursuer tried to restart the system and finally had to make do by replacing with the return leg movie … there goes my brilliant plan on what movie to watch!!! Also, the airline needs to get hygienic levels up as it is totally lacking. My chair table had food and coffee stains when I opened it for meal service. I really wonder whether they clean any control buttons or any surface you touch on the plane ………. I definitely never sit on the toilet – any planes I fly with!!!

allanhildon flew Cathay Pacific Business (22/01/2010 15:03)

I have flown London to Sydney via Hong Kong 6 times in the past 10 years, twice with Cathay Pacific. My recent flight (Jan 2010) was the most comfortable long haul flight I have experienced in 20 years of long haul travel. The new herringbone seat arrangement with a fully flat bed is superb, and a major improvement on the older "lie flat" beds that are still standard for most airlines' business class seats.

The new seat offers excellent privacy, unrestricted aisle access, a good work space, convenient power source, a large video screen, and a permanent footrest. The seat was slightly better in flat mode than in the seating position, but it's the bed comfort that counts most for long haul flights.

Perhaps the best feature of Cathay's new business class arrangement is the low level of cabin background noise due to the partitioning of the cabin area. Air travel is noisy enough without the incessant droning of passengers who seem to think they are in a competition to see who can drown out the noise of a Rolls Royce jet engine! While passengers travelling with a friend or partner may initially feel "cut-off" from their companion I expect most people will accept this small inconvenience for the wider benefits offered by the herring bone arrangement.

The meal service is standard for most major carriers, and a single tray option is available for travellers who do not want the full meal service. The in-flight entertainment is the best I have used - over 100 movies and dozens of TV programmes on offer. I appreciated that films with adult themes had not been sanitized as is the habit of most American carriers.

In my opinion the new Cathay business class is a winner in the areas which count most on a long haul flight.

frustratedflyer flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a A330-300 (2 class) (13/01/2010 08:17)

Was expecting to be in economy but got a surprise upgrade to business. This was the old style seating fitted in a 2-2-2 configuaration and I was sitting in seat 19D at back of the business class cabin. Not such a good seat as it is right next to the toilet which if the curtain is not drawn is a bit of a nuisance.

Looking across at seats 19 A&C I was not sure they would recline fully as there was not as much space behind the seat to the bulkhead as there is on the other seats in row 19. I would suggest sitting as far forward in the cabin as possible as there is no shortage of legroom.

This was a short flight of three hours and there was one rotation of films on the AV system. The only frustration was that the controls are fitted into the top of the centre armrest which resulted in me changing channels every time I rested on them. Food and Drink was of good quality although my choice of main course was gone when they reached the back of the cabin. It was better food that I have experienced on a lot of long haul flights.

Marcus3 flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (20/12/2009 17:17)

On Cathay Pacific 747-400 LHR - HKG you get the most courteous of cabin crew i've ever come across, smiling all the time and always helpful. The biggest and the most generous leg and shoulder room. Ample free food & drink with very high quality of breakfast lunch and dinner. I was a bit peckish so i asked for some more food and they gave me another dinner. Now for the Piece De Resistance, the entertainment system is second to none in my opinion. You have a (5 by 8) inch screen to view whatever you fancy. You have a list of programes and genres and films which seem endless, i'm telling you now - if you decided you were not going to sleep on your 12 hour flight to Hong Kong or whereever, and wanted to watch all which was available to you, you would need 24 hours veiwing time, and i am not exaggerating. All that does not include all the music you get to, which is tottaly interactive so you have full control of what you are watching when you wish to watch it....fast forward, rewind, pause, and so on and on and on... Sorry for the long review, but needed to be said for future reference... Cathay Pacific Economy 8 out of 10 for comfort, complete service and reliabillity.

xXCerosXx flew Cathay Pacific Economy (short haul), on a B777-200 (14/11/2009 07:00)

a very good, relaxed and comfortable airline. seats were exceptional and the staff were very friendly. personally i have never fallen asleep this fast on a plane

Survivor flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a A330-300 (25/10/2009 02:58)

Going on board to an old seating plan for a short flight did not really bother me until I sat on 34D!!

There was a box under the seat in front of me and gave me very lttle room to stretched my legs. I was first given the first row ailse but since it was near the toilet I opted to be a few rows down.

As a diamond card member, they told me that the seat next to me would be blocked during check-in - so good to have the extra space. But to my disappointment just before we boarded the flight, a message was sent to me that the flight is fully booked and the seat next to me is no longer available! No more 34D even if I am promised extra seat next to me empty - you never know!!

Survivor flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a A340-300 (25/10/2009 02:48)

The new seats is much more comfortable than I expected. Hard back seats that are very good as I was not at all disturbed by the passenger in front when they recline. Even better for me since I have a bad back and needed my seat to be reclined even during meal service. The interacitve inflight entertainment is great to have in economy class.

I managed to fast forward a movie I did not finished on my last sector and over this short trip to Hong Kong, I cleared two movies!!!

Survivor flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B747-400 (new product) (13/10/2009 07:06)

The new business seat does not get more comfortable. Always a disappointment on a short flight as the space does not allow you to work comfortably.

After flying with the airline many times within a month, the choice of in-flight entertainment becomes too limited. I feel they need to put on more choices for the frequent travellers.

Survivor flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B777-300ER (13/10/2009 06:59)

It is always a disappointment to go onboard and find the old seating but at least it is more comfortable to sit and read on a short flight than the new seats which is only good for sleeping. In-flight entertainment is also old so there is no function to fast forward the ads.

Survivor flew Cathay Pacific First, on a B747-400 (new product) (12/10/2009 14:26)

The new first class product is really surprising good after such a disaster the airline did on the new business class seats.

Since it was a midnight departure on a overnight long haul flight, I prepared my bed as soon as the flight took off.

Unfortunately, the seat could not recline but the efficient cabin crew managed to reset it manually.

Their efficiency may be because this is a common problem.

Cabin food on Cathay is always good especially with an Asian choice available.

SerendipityJan flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B777-300ER (09/10/2009 07:00)

djeacock flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (new product) (11/07/2009 19:54)

The seats are slightly smaller than you expect.

J.AKIMOTO flew Cathay Pacific First, on a B747-400 (new product) (26/06/2009 02:46)

I went to Europe from Japan via Hong Kong, Cathay Pacific First class flight. I think CX’s new 744 First class seat is very comfortable and excellent full flat bed.

First flight, CX271 HKG to AMS was midnight flight, so I ate meal quickly and asked crew changing my suite from seat to bed. I had good sleep because I could get 6 hours sleeping time and I had good condition next day.

Second flight, CX252 LHR to HKG, day to night flight, was excellent flight. Because this day’s CX252 first class passenger was only me. I surprised this flight, but I enjoyed 1 passenger only first class flight.

Both flight, cabin attendants were excellent service, I think that it is natural that Cathay Pacific Airways won airline of the year 2009. If you have long flight plan, I recommend Cathay Pacific new First class.

frustratedflyer flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a A330-300 (2 class) (12/06/2009 16:20)

Was in 37G but like my earlier flight had a box under the seat. If you want an aisle pick C or H as D, G & K have IFE boxes under them. Service was good food indifferent. IFE only had one rotation of less than an hour on this 2.5hr flight.

frustratedflyer flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B777-300 (10/06/2009 16:58)

Seat 36H Aisle. Quite good leg room better than J, K or E that have A/V boxes under them. Service good, food OK and reasonable AV (not on demand) for a 2hr flight between HK and BKK. Seats look old but are comfortable.

luvflying flew Cathay Pacific Business (short haul), on a B777-200 (07/05/2009 12:53)

Recent 3+ hour flight HKG-BKK was regretable. Boarding at BKK airport was chaotic with no separate business class boarding. No welcome on boarding the plane. No pre-dinner drinks. IFE lacks quality and choice - no VOD. Plastic panel from seat in front fell off leaving an unsightly hole.

Promporn flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B747-400 (new product) (05/05/2009 03:42)

The flat bed is very comfortable and allow for good sleep. However, it felt a little claustophobic because of the high partitions on both sides. It is great if you are travelling alone and don't want to have to be friendly with your seat mate, but doesn't allow for conversations if you are travelling with someone. Also, be careful of the storage area behind the seat, because things can fall down when the seat is upright, and difficult to retrieve. Great big TV screen.

HenryBanson flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B777-300ER (30/03/2009 08:43)

I have been on the new Business Class few times and I like it more than the conventional Busienss Class becuase I have 100% privacy and my seat can recline to 180 degree. Dunno why there are so many negative comments on this new product.

HenryBanson flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B777-300ER (30/03/2009 08:43)

I have been on the new Business Class few times and I like it more than the conventional Busienss Class becuase I have 100% privacy and my seat can recline to 180 degree. Dunno why there are so many negative comments on this new product.

Survivor flew Cathay Pacific First, on a B747-400 (new product) (25/03/2009 06:23)

May not be the best first class product amongst other airlines but it does provide a more comfortable bed than the new CX business class flat bed. So, for a overnight long haul flight it is definitely worth spending the dollars for a great night sleep.

Mixing-with-the-best flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a A330-300 (16/03/2009 10:45)

CX724 - KL - HK. Check in prompt and efficient. Comp upgrade to business - very well recieved. CX lounge bit tatty but comp wireless and power points. Boarding on time - in flight service very good - food passable.

Would most certainly choose CX on this route - flight times are good and well worth the $$.

Mixing-with-the-best flew Cathay Pacific Economy (short haul), on a B777-200 (15/03/2009 08:18)

HK - KL. Check in always swift and efficient. No comp upgrade. Economy seat 30K - good seat, window seat first aisle, convenient and have plenty of room for economy. Veggie food much better this time - was edible which is a first time experience for CX.

In flight service very good - and baggage reclaim at KLIA on time and no problems. Would most certainly pick CX over MAS on this route every time.

Mixing-with-the-best flew Cathay Pacific Business (short haul), on a B777-200 (15/03/2009 08:13)

Swift check in - complimentary upgrade, have to love Gold Marco Polo. CX BKK air lounge, fine, comp wifi. Boarding on time - seat 18D, aisle seat, I prefer window, but was a good seat as is backs onto the serving section. So can recline the seat without worrying about the comfort of other passengers which was a huge problem on this flight because the seats reclined back practicaly into the lap of the passenger behind. Caused some friction in the business class section!

This is currently the old business class product, and they did not have the correct attachment for me to use to powwer my lap top whilst on board - vert inconvenient.

Vegetarian food as always - would rather eat cardboard. Baggage reclaim at HKIA as always, no complaints with CX.

There are many competing flights on the HK - BKK route, I pick CX because of the comp upgrade which is 95% assured as the route is so busy. If I was not gold MP, I would certainly look at other carriers such as TG and Emirates as an alternative option.

JohnSullivan flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (extra economy) (10/02/2009 13:35)

Flew SFO to HKG in seat 44C. The seat was an exit row and had fixed armrests so it was a little tight. Seat was near a lavatory so many people were standing in front of me waiting. The service was great and the food better than average.

Braveheart flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a A330-300 (2 class) (01/02/2009 16:08)

Jakarta-Hong Kong Seat 16A I arrived on a domestic flight at Soekarno-Hatta airport around 4 hours ahead of departure time. Cathay doesn’t have any desks open until noon. I wasn’t the only one waiting for more than an hour. Can’t Cathay arrange to have at least one desk open for early arrivals? In any case, check-in in was fairly smooth. Cathay lounge invites offer a choice of two lounges and I took the Purah Indah option, which was fine, food not too bad, a waiter hung around the drinks section. Entrance includes complimentary wifi. Flight was called in the lounge in good time and I headed down to the gate for the final security check. We kicked away from the gate on time and were airborne soon after. 16A is a window seat pretty much in the middle of the business class cabin. This time the power socket did work so I managed to get a couple of work items out of the way early in the flight. Drinks service was very swift and starter satays were served barely 30 minutes into the flight. FAs were great, but yet again the IFE system is a bit of a let-down. As a frequent flyer, I noticed that the selection hasn’t really changed in a couple of months. Despite the quibbles, a great flight and happy with the selected seat.

Braveheart flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a A330-300 (2 class) (01/02/2009 15:53)

Hong Kong Jakarta 18D It was Chinese New Year and Hong Kong airport was predictably packed, so check-in took forever. Got an upgrade and my first chance to sample the new Business Class offering. After all the hype and flak, I was intrigued. Boarding was pretty orderly but we still left half an hour late. 18D is a centre seat on the port side. Upside: I have to say I loved the herring-bone seats. Privacy is great, seat itself is comfy and cosy. Listened to some great music on the IFE system and watched a documentary or two. Downside: Maybe just my imagination, but I found it much more difficult to catch the eye of the FAs from this angle. The power socket didn’t work but the space was great to work in. The IFE choice is adequate but it needs to be updated a little more often. Overall, definitely one of the best Cathay flights I’ve had in a long time.

Braveheart flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B777-300 (01/02/2009 15:47)

Route: Manila-Hong Kong Seat 17C Very busy flight and was upgraded in the lounge. The Manila CX lounge is pretty tired and dated for such a busy route but the staff are always friendly. I was guided into the First Class lounge here but the only advantage I can see is that it is less cramped than the Business Class lounge. Unexciting in terms of food and beverage. FAs were helpful. Flight was delayed by about 10 minutes but we managed to make up the time and landed more or less right on schedule.

frustratedflyer flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a A330-300 (2 class) (16/01/2009 13:42)

In old config in seat 57G. Seat was old but OK. Unfortunately seat G has a large box under the seat in front which it makes it difficult to stretch out. Service was good and was impressed that as an Emerald FF they came round and asked me waht meal I wanted reserved. Despite being only a 3.5hr flight there was IFE although the film I picked was dubbed in French on the English channel!!

frustratedflyer flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B777-300 (13/01/2009 06:33)

Seat 41D. Loads of legroom (more so than row 30 at front of forward cabin). Its a good seat but the legroom is so much that people tend to use it as a crossover which can get annoying after a while. 41C or 41G would be better as you tend not to get disturbed although the row is in by the toilet. The seat is OK but the AV controls protrude into the seat making it quite narrow.

Braveheart flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (new product) (07/01/2009 17:04)

HKG-LHR Seat 68k, window seat right at the back. Flying in between Xmas and new year, the flight was barely 40% full. I had no one beside me and some lucky people had an entire middle row of 4 seats to themselves. Can't complain though. I ran through a few movies picked at the meal and quickly dozed off to wake just before lunch service. Overall inflight service was fine and we landed ahead of schedule. Only downside was that due to strong tailwinds the pilot delayed takeoff by over half an hour to keep to our landing schedule.

Braveheart flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a A340-300 (07/01/2009 16:48)

LHR-HKG 68K This is the old style seat - certainly nowhere near as comfortable as the new ones so a bit unlucky to get this but I had to book well in advance for the new year rush and so couldn't be too choosy. The London lounge was very busy with lots of kids and many prams, but all the kids seemed very well behaved. However given the importance of the London route, surely Cathay should do something to expand or upgrade its offering here, especially given BA's belated advances in this area. Boarding was on time but takeoff was delayed by almost half an hour when about half a dozen passengers failed to show. Onboard service was adequate but the young male FA's are pretty hopeless.admittedly it was the holiday period and perhaps staff were hard to come by. Disembarkation was at the furthest possible gate at HKIA with the longest walk to the transfer trains I've ever taken. I'm never sure why long-haul flights are always given these gates and I felt sorry for the many young families and prams who faced such a trek.

Mixing-with-the-best flew Cathay Pacific Economy (07/01/2009 08:43)

CX1724: KL- HK - pls note this is a code share with MAS, so if you take the earlier flight at 17.55 then its a CX craft not MAS. Check in at KL was fine, took the KL airport express which I recommend rather than taking a taxi. CX lounge in KL airport is pretty tired - definitely needs a refurb and a much better choice of food and drink. Comp wireless internet which is good.

Flight was punctual - and the vegetarian food was tastier than the option on a CX craft. Although no personal TV which can be a bit boring even for 3.5 hour flight..

Air Asia was actualy more expensive than CX during this time ( I flew mid Dec), so CX was definitely worth the cost.

Mixing-with-the-best flew Cathay Pacific Economy (07/01/2009 08:38)

CX721: HK - KL. Complimentary upgrade to business which was most sociable of CX. Check in efficient as always at HK airport - Business class flight was good, service was very good and the food was ok, not as great as it could have been.

Seat was a middle seat which was fine - old business class model. Most acceptable for an upgrade, doubt that would need to purchase on such a short flight and with the old business class type.

Mixing-with-the-best flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (new product) (07/01/2009 08:31)

CX250 rtn flight LHR-HK. I can't remember the seat unfortunately, and I have been flying CX quite frequently recently on this particular leg so not much more to add.... except flight was freezing again, and there are far too many noisy children with parents who seem incapable of controlling them... not CXs fault, but just a general moan.

Also the CX lounge at LHR is pretty rubbish - a refurb would be nice,with comp wireless internet and edible food...

Mixing-with-the-best flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (new product) (07/01/2009 08:28)

CX251: HK - LHR. 30k bulk head seat - well worth it, much more leg room - much more spacious for an economy flight and K seat is the window seat - which I prefer than the aisle.

Major complaint - the flight was FREEZING - I had a coat and scarf on - and three blankets and I was still cold. The vegetarian food was tasteless as is the majority of the time.. and other options for the meat eater the typical chicken with rice or beef with noodle - CX is a real let down in the economy menu.

O/wise check is excellent at HK and bags were not too long when we landed in London.

CX is not the cheapest option back to London- but if you are tied into Marco Polo and you have associated benefits, it is probably worth the 2k.

Mixing-with-the-best flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (new product) (07/01/2009 07:27)

CX251 - HK - LHR. Seat 32A. Regular seat - no bulkhead available. But the newer CX economy is fine now I am used to the non-reclining seats, I actually find them better.

AVOD choice fine - veggie food was unimaginative as always...no updates there unfortunately!

Check in at HK was super efficient as always and CX lounge at gate 1 is an acceptabel choice of food/drinks - and comp wireless internet unlike the LHR lounge where you have to pay and the food looks like it has been sitting htere for a week...

flight price was good value rtn flight to UK given the time of year.

Mixing-with-the-best flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (new product) (07/01/2009 07:16)

As usual with the earlier flights to HK with CX, well al the ones I have experienced - check in was a complete pain. CX252 dept at 11:30 and at 8am, a queue of 50 people and only one check in desk open with one person.. ridiculous.

Apart from the check in, the flight was fine. The service wasn't as great as it can be..but was passable. AVOD choice wasn't too bad considering I watched 11 hours of non-stop TV and movies...

Seat 30A, bulk head - great seat for economy- room to stretch out legs - as long as you dont have the annoying passengers that I had sitting next to me you will be fine!

Topaz05 flew Cathay Pacific First, on a B747-400 (07/01/2009 07:07)

I missed my December 18 morning flight to Manila on another airline. After several failed attempts to get onto succeeding flights, I hurriedly called my travel agenton the evening of December 19 to find me any available seat to Manila leaving for the morning of the next day.

My agent was able to book me on the only remaining First Class seat on CX 901 to Manila. The flight was scheduled for 0910 last December 20.

With the flight confirmed and paid for, I went straight to Cathay Pacific counter (since I was still at the Hong Kong International Airport) to check in my luggage.

What a relief not to have to queue! It could have been just an ordinary day - not the Christmas rush - when I went up the CX First Class counter at Terminal 1. After giving my eticket number, my luggage was check in and my boarding pass printed in less than five minutes.

I went home and had a good night sleep.

The next day, I returned to HKIA an hour and 10 minutes before the flight. Despite the crowd, I cleared immigration in 15 minutes. I reached Gate 12 at the other end of the airport 15 minutes before boarding time.

Boarding was on time but due the big number of people to Manila on holidays, passengers with First Class and Business Class tickets had to line up to get onto the plane. However, boarding was brisk and efficient.

The First Class section was right up front with only 10 seats. I was in 2K, which was very near the nose of the airplane. It was a very full flight, so it was hardly surprising that take off was delayed for 20 minutes.

After all the stress of the previous day, it was heaven to be seated all by myself. The seat is wide enough to fit another person. It can also be converted into a lie-flat bed. But with only less than two hours of fly time. I didn’t bother to try it out. I was grateful for the spacious legroom that allowed my legs to fully stretch.

It’s a pity I didn’t have any hand-carry luggage because there is plenty of dedicated cabin storage for each passenger.

The personal TV screen is huge. Inflight entertainment accessed via the Studio CX personal handset has a library of more than 100 movies, 888 music CDs, 350 TV programs, 22 radio channels and 70 video games to choose from. I opted to tuning in on one radio channel for the duration of the flight, using the noise cancelling earphones.

After offering a welcome drink, the flight attendant handed out the menu for breakfast. Shortly after the plane took off, breakfast was served and I ordered ham omelet, bacon, sausages and potato cake. I washed it down with orange juice. The service was good, friendly and efficient. It was fine dining on air at least judging by the cutlery.

The flight was way too short to enjoy all the perks of First Class, but it was hassle-free flying.

Braveheart flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (new product) (11/12/2008 04:13)

London Hong Kong Seat 53k This is a window seat in the last row of the middle section with a three-seat configuration. It's also close to the galley. I like Cathay's new economy product and find I can generally get 5-6 hours sleep during this run. The inflight entertainment is also so much better with AVOD system, meaning you can watch half a movie, snooze and restart when you wake up, which is a great way of killing time. Breakfast was also quite tasty but service with the bread rolls and coffee seemed a little rushed again. A good tailwind got us into HK ahead of time but the bags took forever.

Braveheart flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (new product) (11/12/2008 04:07)

Hong Kong-London Seat 68K This is the very back row of the plane. I booked this one since I prefer the rear but found two disadvantages. First it is too close to the toilets and that's always a risk on a long-haul flight. Second is that it is set about ten inches or so away from the window side so you can't rest your head on it. Service was a major improvement on my immediately previous CX flight I'm glad to say.

travelman flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B747-400 (new product) (10/12/2008 20:50)

First time on this business class with the new product and it was a good experience. Seats are good and comfortable and the entertainment was good. The flight from Amsterdam to Hong Kong did feal shorter as there was many good movies to choose from. On my return flight witch was a night flight i could sleep good in these seats. Much better than in a normal business seat. Service good and on upper deck the crew always adressed me with my name. On the way back i didnt get upper deck but i did notice the crew there didnt adress me with my name like they did on upper deck. Good experience overall and i can recomend this airline to anyone!

spidergirl flew Cathay Pacific Business (26/11/2008 02:48)

My flight on business class on CX from Rome to HK this July had problem with the entertainment system, though the stewardess had been kind enough to reload the system, it was not very successful. It is frustrating especially for a 14 hour flight! But worst of all, out of 4 luggages, 3 were late for 2 days, 3 luggages wheels were broken (got compensated with new ones or fixed the wheels) and 2 golf clubs were broken! CX baggage claim dept has been very helpful though and had refund part of the value while my travel insurance covers the remaining value.

Mixing-with-the-best flew Cathay Pacific Economy (short haul), on a B777-200 (21/11/2008 08:23)

38G - Excellent seat, new plane with new video-on-demand service. Great flight - food choice for vegetarian as always absolutely dreadful in economy. O/wise thumbs up for CX - especially VOD in economy - niceone!

frustratedflyer flew Cathay Pacific Economy (short haul), on a B777-200 (19/11/2008 09:30)

Was in seat 36G. Not a bad choice purely by luck. This is an old plane with an old AV system. As a result there are large boxes restricting the legroom for seat D in the middle bank. Large boxes are also under the seats between A&B and J&K - so if you like window seats you are out of luck. AV programmes showing were different to that in the guide and the controls on top of the armrest so I kept switching on the light and even pressed the call button by accident once! Service was good however.

luvflying flew Cathay Pacific Business (short haul), on a B777-300 (17/11/2008 15:10)

Regional business class are generally efficient and punctual. The HK-Bangkok and HK-Singapore in-flight services are usually soul-less and cheap. The cabin crew seems to be doing us a favour which I am made to feel I haven't quite paid enough for. There were times, there wasn't even a welcome as you board. I now will try to use much friendlier rival airline even though I miss out on Asia Miles - at least I know I will be welcomed on board and fed well and arrive chilled out. Yet in the old days, CX had the best regional biz class - what has happened to it??

J.AKIMOTO flew Cathay Pacific First, on a B747-400 (23/10/2008 01:27)

I went to Hong Kong by Cathay Pacific Premiun Class. Return flight, I got First Class from Hong Kong to Tokyo Narita. In Hong Kong international Airport, I think Cathay's First class Lounge is most comfortable in the world because good facility, good lounge foods, and drinks. This flight, First Class, despite old style seat, but very very comfortable and finest cabin crew and meal, drinks. So I enjoy my First class flight. I think I want to ride on Long flight in Cathay Pacific Flrst class.

Braveheart flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a B747-400 (new product) (17/10/2008 08:14)

Cathay Pacific London-Hong Kong Economy Class on CX250 Boeing 747 (with new long haul product) I’m a fairly regular traveller on this route and have favoured Cathay over its rivals in the past for its mileage system, dependable lounges and frequency. Since I prefer window seats, I normally look for a two-seat configuration in economy toward the rear of the plane, since it feels less claustrophobic and on long-haul is certainly less awkward than climbing over two other passengers for trips to the toilet. Unfortunately even though I had checked in online the day before, I was only able to get 65k, which is a portside window seat on the very last row of the three-seat clusters. Nonetheless I found it much quieter at the back than the front, where I’m often automatically allocated, since young families tend to be seated at the front sections near the seats with bassinets. One of the advantages of the new seats is the much improved inflight entertainment, using video on demand technology, and Cathay’s range of programming is usually excellent. However, I quickly realised my left earphone wasn’t working. It took two separate requests to different flight attendants before I got my replacement headset. Admittedly this was lengthened by the meal service but even so it was pretty frustrating. The meal itself was pretty good, better than most of the economy class meals I’ve had in Cathay in the past couple of years, which has become blander in my opinion. I’ve also noticed over the years that Cathay flight attendants seem to be developing tunnel vision, walking up and down the aircraft apparently unable to see a raised hand or a facial gesture from passengers trying to attract their attention. Is it too much to ask them to regularly scan the cabins to see if anyone wants something rather than to stare ahead down the aisles? I resent having to switch on the attendant call buttons each time for what are fairly trivial requests, which in any case could be avoided by slightly more regular rounds with drinks. In any case, attempts to get a cup of water before sleeping was even more frustrating than the headphones situation. I simply gave up asking after three requests to three different attendants and then nodded off. The seats are bearable for a 12-hour flight and I prefer them to the older ones but I noticed that the middle seat in my row, 65J, me had its cup-holder taped up. This suggests that the new seats are not entirely as robust as they should be given that they have only recently come into service. Arrival was rather strange, we arrived ahead of schedule but disembarkation was delayed for about 20 minutes as the ground handlers hadn't expected us. I’m not quite at the stage where I’m ready to switch carriers on this route but I detect a dreadful slippage in Cathay’s onboard service quality. This is becoming too common, I’ve even experienced it in business class, and is highly irritating on a long-haul flight where comfort and convenience are my key concerns. The flight attendants seem rushed and only too happy to get the meal and drinks service out of the way - more like service at a motorway service station than a premium airline.

Survivor flew Cathay Pacific Business (short haul) (13/10/2008 06:17)

I flew on the old configuration which is 2 - 3 - 2 in business between Bangkok and Hong Kong - the seat was old and dirty, the arm rests were also dirty. Now I know why the hand towel is given when you board, it's for wiping your hands after you have touched the seat. I didn't eat the meal, the flight was less than half full, but they called me by my name. I am a Marco Polo Diamond Club member so good name recognition as usual.

loneflyer flew Cathay Pacific Economy, on a A330-300 (2 class) (03/10/2008 16:48)

The plane I was on was fitted out in the old configuration and did not have herringbone seats in Business Class. I was in 33G but if you want an aisle seat I would avoid D and G as these have large boxes under the seat that restrict legroom. You are better off with the aisle seats on the outside. Service was excellent but the IFE was poor. I tried to watch two films. The first deteriorated in quality and stopped before the end. The second stopped a few minutes before the end. Very frustrating!!

firstclassboi flew Cathay Pacific First, on a B747-400 (new product) (02/10/2008 12:27)

Cathay Pacific crew provide for me the ideal between the professional (unfriendly?!) but exceptionally efficient service of Singapore Airlines and the chatty buddiness of Qantas at their best. Cathay crew are superb at never letting my glass be empty, of always being attentive, of being friendly but not overly so - they deliver a high class product in a friendly, exceptional manner.

The food and drink offering, the cocktails that are updated frequently, are all of high quality, in a good quantity, with attractive glass and tableware. The inflight entertainment and games fill the hours, the seats (new and old First) are good for wake, sleep and everything inbetween. The perfect friendly-professional balance and a classy product.

If only they had priority arrival services in Hong Kong as I always seem to be at the end of a 45-60 minute queue which rather defeats the object of my hand-luggage only policy... And bring back First Class to Sydney please!

slinky09 flew Cathay Pacific Business, on a B747-400 (new product) (02/10/2008 09:35)

Admittedly I only have one experience, HKG to LAX, on Cathay's new business class. I loved the service, thought the food was great, but was totally underwhelmed by the Pier at HKG (not a patch on VS clubhouses) and the narrow, poorly fitted seat without air vents made for an uncomfortable and hot journey. Further, try putting a laptop and a glass on the rickety table while watching TV, no chance, bang your elbows while working in the tight width, yup ... and why are the drinks served in thimbles? Overall, a poor experience compared to the class leaders.

AndrewFlyer flew Cathay Pacific First, on a B747-400 (new product) (29/09/2008 11:59)

The best of the recent groupings of new First Class in the air in my opinion, Cathay Pacific provides truly exceptional levels of comfort, service and style in elegant and contemporary surroundings. Cathay Pacific excel at innovation in seat design, priority (from check-in to baggage and everything in-between), catering, service, seat comfort, design and innovation in First Class - streets ahead of other carriers. I look forward to my next trip with great excitement.