FlyerTalk Forums - View Single Post - Big Trip 2012 – Hong Kong, the UK and the South of France on CX, BA and EZ!
Old Jun 15, 2012, 6:23 am
  #3  
matthandy
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,809


Fruit plate and a rather odd looking but tasty croissant


Here come the mains


Chicken and mushroom crepe gratin


The main Business class cabin, from the back


The main was actually quite tasty, despite it looking a little bit like an up-scaled economy meal (which all CX mains seem to). After everything was tidied away I finished off watching the film ‘Hugo’ on the IFE. The system was very good, with lots of choices and easy to use menus. The supplied headphones were also good, having a quality feel and effective noise cancelling. The film itself was surprising, Martin Scorcsese making kids films?

We were instructed to close our window blinds so that people could sleep and with that, the crew basically disappeared.

I spent the next hour or so watching the IFE before realising that something had been missing up to this point, Champagne! On most flights where it is available I’ve got to have some. I went to the galley (I hate using my call button) and asked for a glass. The crew member asked me to go and sit down and she would bring it over for me. She did, with nuts too. Mmm, that’s better!


Somewhere over the outback?


Hugo with my feet up


Champers at last


Seat controls

After Hugo I decided to doze a little bit and discovered that the seat controls were pretty easy to use as well as being sophisticated enough to move the seat into multiple custom positions to get comfortable. I opened up the duvet to find it was very thick and luxurious indeed, very nice. We hit some turbulence at about 10am Hong Kong time and the seat belt sign was turned on, so actually getting some sleep wasn’t going to happen. However, it was nice to be able to close my eyes for a short while, after such an early start in the morning. Sleeping would have been easy though, with lots of shoulder room and enough leg and knee room to sleep on my side in a slightly curled up position, which I like to do. The only thing that I didn’t like was the covering on the ottoman, it really felt weird compared to the seat itself. A word of warning though, don’t leave anything on the floor if you recline the seat fully, because it will be crushed!


Comfy duvet

At about 11.30am Hong Kong time (3.5 hours to landing) the crew went through the cabin with hot towels, in preparation for the lunch service. It was pretty clear that the crew were not particularly pro-active on this flight as my empty Champagne glass was still sitting on the side table some 2 hours since I’d finished it. Not great really.

At 12pm the lunch service began. This started with a drinks service, and hallelujah, alcohol was being offered, along with some warmed nuts. I decided to have another glass of Champagne and then leave it at that.

My table was laid with a table cloth and then a few minutes later the crew came along to serve the tray with the starter, salad, cutlery and condiments. The starter was a medley of fish and it was absolutely fantastic. I was a bit concerned that with the lunch meal coming second, the plated food might have dried out a bit after 5 hours in the air. Not the case at all. I particularly like the seared tuna, it was like eating silk! If that dish was served to me in a restaurant I’d be very happy indeed.

Next up weere the main courses, with a good selection on offer. I’d hoped that these would be properly plated up, but unfortunately we were still on the china economy dishes. The food did generally look good though and I decided to try the vegetarian dish, the Paneer. Not exactly the most fancy looking of dishes but it was excellent.


Starter – fish medley


Main - Paneer


Cheese please

The main and the tray were cleared away, making room for the dessert or cheese course. Again, these were presented on a trolley. I asked for the cheese which was cut at my seat and dressed with fruit and biscuits. I could have probably asked for the dessert too but I didn’t fancy it. Once done the plate was cleared and the crew offered ice cream, which I gladly accepted. One other crew member also went around to take tea and coffee orders, so I ordered a green tea. This was served promptly, in a nice china tea pot along with an offer of chocolates which I declined.

Overall the lunch service was pretty substantial and of very good quality. I certainly had no complaints on that front, I just wish that the mains would be properly plated and that the service was completed by hand like so many other carriers do in Business class.

Lunch finished at about 1:30pm, leaving about one hour and 30 minutes until landing. I decided to try and grab another little snooze before we began descending into Hong Kong.

At around 2:30pm the Captain announced that we had already started our descent and were expecting to land at 3pm. I started to pack everything away, completed the Hong Kong immigration card and then watched as we made our way into a rather grey and raining Hong Kong.


What a mess


All tidy – ready for landing

We had a rather bumpy descent but the landing itself was pretty standard. We happened to arrive just as a BA 747 was being towed away from the gate, presumably to go and park up somewhere before an evening flight. The weather really didn’t look up to much and I really hoped that it would improve tomorrow so that I could enjoy some time by the pool at the Four Seasons.


Hong Kong is there somewhere


Landing


Another A330 lands after us

We taxied to gate 71 (all of the Australian flights seem to leave from the high 60’s/low 70’s numbered gates) and shortly after the air bridges were attached, both to doors 1L and 2L. As I made my way to exit through door 1 I noticed that the cockpit door was open so cheekily asked the cabin crew member standing in front of it would be possible to take a photo, again waving my camera as if to legitimise my request. She said that she would need to ask, which she did, and then I was invited to join the crew in the cockpit. The Captain was sitting there completing some paperwork whilst the other two crew members were having a chat. I apologised to two of the crew as earlier during the flight I’d ended up bumping into them either making their way to or from the toilet at the front of the cabin, so I made a little joke about it. The Captain suggested that I take his seat, and he sat in the jump seat. I spent a couple of minutes chatting away before politely thanking them and leaving. It was great being able to visit the cockpit. It looks very similar to an A380 cockpit but a lot, lot smaller. I can’t imagine sitting there for 9 hours straight.

With one last look at the cabin I made my way out into the airport terminal.

Last edited by matthandy; Jun 15, 2012 at 6:57 am Reason: Spelling corrections - yes I must get better a proof reading!
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