Cathay Pacific Observations

[Dali]

Recently flew round trip on Cathay Pacific from the US to BKK. A few observations:

 

The new 'hard shell' business class seats are great, particularly for people with longer legs than the average Asian. The seats get closer to horizontal and you don't have the person in front of you leaning back into your space.

 

Having flown CX before and been very impressed, I must say their service has gone downhill a bit. Food wasn't nearly as good as I remember from previous trips (edible, but nothing to be impressed by), service wasn't as good either, and flight attendants didn't seem as pretty as in the past (OK, a very sexist comment I admit). Except for the last point, I assume this is because of economic realities. With SARS and competition being what it is, I'm sure CX has had to cut costs like everyone else.

[Guest]

Dali,

 

I am curious if you would choose to fly Cathay Pacfic again, or would you pick another airline? I was considering using them for my next trip (business class). BTW, what did you pay for your ticket? They seem to have rather steep business class fares.

 

Regards

BKK22 -

[think_too_mut]

>Having flown CX before and been very impressed, I must say their service has gone downhill a bit.

 

You should see others....

 

Wherever I go, my first question is "What's CX have to offer on that route?"

 

Would not mind going with them NRT-HKG-BKK rather than direct flight on a scrap metal plane of TG.

 

IMO, CX is world's leading airline, ahead of SQ.

[JJsushi]

CX is an excellent airline. I fly them to LAX-BKK if I can't get a UA flight. CX has superior biz service to most airlines and I would rate them #2 behind SQ. CX FA's are okay looking but not as hot as the SQ honeys. Service in Biz is excellent, First is outstanding and economy is better than most(seats are a little tight). The lounges in HKG are very nice with showers and other amenities.

They have a decent FF program and I have gold status with them which gives some perks like Biz lounge access extra luggage allowance etc. The program is really more beneficial to those in HKG or go there regularly because of the partners in the program.

The downside to CX is that you pay a premium to fly them over other Asian based carriers except for SQ and ANA.

[jp1]

IMO, CX is world's leading airline, ahead of SQ.

 

TTM,

 

 

very well observed. CX certainly is Asia?s No. 1 carrier and this means the best airline in the world. Their service is outstanding; their flight attendants are very attentive and extremely well trained. SQ can't beat them. Unfortunately they're in the wrong alliance.

[Guest]

very well observed. CX certainly is Asia?s No. 1 carrier and this means the best airline in the world. Their service is outstanding; their flight attendants are very attentive and extremely well trained. SQ can't beat them. Unfortunately they're in the wrong alliance.

 

***

 

Beg to differ JP1.

 

CX is Asia's No. 1 carrier? Er... not nowadays.

 

Flown both business and economy and they have nothing on SQ or ANA. Service levels have gone to the dogs.

 

Like TG, CX used to be great but as the song goes, 'you've lost that loving feeling.'

 

Perhaps it could just be the difference between first class and economy!

[Guest]

Haven't flown CX but they sound interesting. I typically fly biz class and my most recent trip on KLM had the best biz seats I've seen so far and wonder if they are similar; sounds like it. TG by the way seems dead last in amenities. Strangely, each airline seems to offer the same foofie stuff they call food like duck livers and salmon pate. Hope someone offers real food like pizza and burgers at some point.

[Guest]

I like Cathay buss class very much. use them when ever I can, ( when its free with milieage)

 

but:

 

the 'hard shell' on my last trip did not seem as comfortable as the older style ( about a year ago)

 

no matter how much I reclined, it felt like I was sliding down in the seat.

 

any others find this, or just me?

 

I really like the lounge in hk, showers, good snaks, plesant area to read and relax.

 

 

By compairisio, I flew eva eco-delux last time, was ok, I used my worldclub card to use the china air lounge. shower was kind of "rinky dink" but the snaks were ok, and coffee best I have had in asian lounge in ages.

 

on my retrun flight china air would not honor my world club card ( said nw air did not have flights at that time, so they did not let me in) and that after a long walk from the eva gate.

 

kind of picky, as I emailed nw to complain, and ask if this was the policy, but no reply from nw.

 

 

I guess having a nw worldclub card is not all that good a deal after all.

[Dali]

Yes, I would fly CX again. Still a very good airline, Hong Kong is a good transit point and I really like the business class lounge with rooms for showering, shaving and changing during a long trip. Service is still good, just not up to the level I remember from a couple of years ago. The biggest disappointment was the food.

 

All these observations were made based on 4 flights with 5 groups of attendants, flying from LAX to BKK, and back from BKK to SFO. So the sample was small and might not necessarily be indicative of all their flights.

 

Actually, I have no right to complain at all since my tickets were free, compliments of American Airlines FF miles. The thing that surprises me is CX is the cheapest business class ticket to BKK using AA FF miles, though if you are paying cash it is indeed more expensive than other tickets I've priced.

[Guest]

Dali

 

 

I notice now cx joined the others in the aa group and upped business class from 90 to 110 k miles.

 

bummer.

 

have to spend another $20K on my visa card for each trip now.

 

 

still beats nw by a long ways though.