Cathay Pacific are having a remarkable run of bad luck, what with the Hong Kong protests and now the Coronavirus affecting bookings. That does not take away from the fact they have a world class on board business class product, which you will read about here on a flight from Hong Kong to London.
This journey was immediately after my flight from Sydney to Hong Kong. My eight hour layover was cut in half when my original flight was cancelled and I was put onto this one.
The Pier Business Class Lounge
I started the day off in The Pier Business Class lounge in Hong Kong. Besides delicious Champagne, the food offering is superb. I’m a sucker for dumplings and so some were had.
- Dumplings and Champagne to wile away the time
There is also a noodle bar, which for me is one of my favourite aspects of the experience. I never pass through without tasting the excellent Dan Dan Noodles.
- So very delicious!
After a few hours, it was time to leave and head off to board my flight to London. It is quite a walk, as I choose to use The Pier rather than lounges closer to my gate.
CX257 – Hong Kong to London Heathrow (HKG-LHR)
28 November 2019
Boeing 777-300ER – B-KQD
Seat: Business Class 11A
Departure: 09:45 Arrival: 15:00
Boarding happens relatively quickly and soon enough I putting my bag in the overhead locker at my seat. I took the opportunity to get some pictures before sitting down.
Cathay Pacific Business Class Cabin
The seat is quite spacious and each one features a pillow, bedding pack and slippers, which are now offered on longer sectors. It all adds up to a luxurious experience.
- Seat 11A for today’s flight
- The screen and footwell
- Bulkhead art
- Menu and welcome drink
- Off to the runway we go
A large menu is provided, and shortly after the crew offer a welcome drink. I always take the Champagne, so I was sipping my bubbles waiting for boarding to finish. Once done, we had the safety demonstration and headed into the air.
Breakfast Is Served
There are four breakfast options on the Hong Kong to London sector. These comprise of a Chinese option, a western option, an express breakfast and the one I selected, the Continental breakfast. I was not particularly hungry, so I wanted something light.
- The Continental Breakfast
- Breakfast Pastries
- Oatmeal with Coconut Milk, Chia Seeds and Apricot
- The plate after eating
Featuring seasonal fresh fruit, oatmeal and pastries, it is exactly what I needed. I cleaned my plates, as I really don’t like wasting food and of course it was quite tasty.
Hong Kong To London Views
Most of the passengers elected to put their window shades down to watch movies or sleep. What they missed are the spectacular views that you sometimes get on a day flight.
- Two windows for me
- Clouds and mountains
- Look at the gorgeousness!
- We live on a beautiful planet
When visiting the galley for a top up, I mentioned the views to the crew. They opened the window in one of the doors and by their expressions of delight, I’d say they agreed with me that it was a pretty day for flying!
A Seat That Turns Into A Bed
Today, it is pretty standard for a business class seat to convert into a flat bed. In fact, many people would not fly on an airline in a premium class without one. Cathay Pacific recently added a seat topper and new duvet to the service, which I quite like.
- Bedding pack
- A peek inside
- My seat transformed into a bed
- Looking back the other way
Flying during the day usually means no sleep for me, however I decided to get comfortable while watching a movie on the excellent StudioCX entertainment system. Snug as a bug in a rug.
Dinner Time Before Landing
Being a very long flight, there is a full second meal service before landing. Starters comprised of Thai marinated shrimp with glass noodles salad or a Sweet potato soup. I’d had the shrimp on another sector and loved it, so I chose that again.
- Relaxing with a drink before the meal
- That shrimp though!
- So very, very good!
Once again, it did not disappoint, though I wasn’t so greedy as to ask for a second one this time. It is accompanied by a side salad and bread is also offered. I love how Cathay Pacific have hot garlic bread, so that’s my go to choice.
- Side salad after dressing
- Moreish garlic bread!
There are six choices for a main meal. I had already had the steamed black cod and the shrimp wonton with noodles in soup before, so I wanted to try something else. The grilled beef tenderloin, Cavatelli pasta and warm bean salad didn’t appeal to me, so I had the beef burger.
- Cathay Pacific’s beef burger
- Filling and tasty all round
- A box of chocolates
- One for me, please!
Happily it was very nice indeed, moist and full of flavour so it was a good choice. You can also order this as one of the four mid-flight snacks that are available anytime. They are the shrimp wonton and warm bean salad mentioned before, the burger or ice cream and other nibbles. Soon enough we landed in London on time and the flight was over.
Overall Thoughts
I have zero quibbles with Cathay Pacific’s business class service. My flight from Hong Kong to London featured pleasant cabin crew who generally leave you alone during flight, excellent meals and decent entertainment.
The seat itself is quite comfortable and makes for a good sleep, which I know from previous sectors. All in all, you can’t really go wrong at all using this oneworld alliance airline.
Do you fly Cathay Pacific? What do you think of the service you’ve just seen? Thank you for reading and if you have any comments or questions, please leave them below.
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Very important query: Which of the side toppings did you put on your burger? TU readers must know!
Hahahaha! The works!! I had quite a large burger once I put all that on… but it was oh so tasty!! I could go another one right now!
Hi,
May i know, how is the seat topper for the bed? Nice?
Hong Kong Airport still permit TRANSIT or connecting flight, right?
Yes, the seat topper is quite nice and makes the seat more comfortable for sleeping. I found it to be quite good. You can’t really go wrong with Cathay Pacific business class. Regarding transit and connecting flights, you can see the details here on the CX website – https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_US/covid-19/hong-kong-travel-restrictions.html