Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Cathay Welcomes First Class Cabin Airbus To Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific Airways today welcomed the arrival in Hong Kong of its first Airbus aircraft to be installed with the airline's new First Class cabin.
http://news.airwise.com/stories/2001/02/982184462.html

This will hot up the battle with SQ. Considering that they use the A340 on routes to FCO, ZRH and SFO mostly, people who normally fly SQ have suddenly a big choice on their hands. CX First is really excellent. What I do query is that since CX uses its 343's on Asian routes (it's their smallest capacity aircraft), does that mean that on short hops to Taiwan and Manila, they will offer the 3 class structure? Any ideas? Thanks http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

CX flys the A330's on many of their Asian Routes. I doubt they would use a 340 in leu of the 330.

Yes, you're right. CX uses it's 330s for Asian service mostly. But I have noticed in their timetable 343s operating Asian services. Now that some A330s are getting the new first class as well, I wonder where they'll be utilised.

Originally posted by Clement Lowe:
Yes, you're right. CX uses it's 330s for Asian service mostly. But I have noticed in their timetable 343s operating Asian services. Now that some A330s are getting the new first class as well, I wonder where they'll be utilised.

They'll be probably used for routes to Australia such as Brisbaine, Cairns etc. which are currently served by teh A330s

Originally posted by Clement Lowe:
What I do query is that since CX uses its 343's on Asian routes (it's their smallest capacity aircraft), does that mean that on short hops to Taiwan and Manila, they will offer the 3 class structure? Any ideas? Thanks http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
according to the press release from CX last year, the new first class will be installed on only 12 of the A343s and 4 of A330s...they are converting all but three of the existing A343s (currently 14 total), and none of the existing A330s (currently 12)...the one A343 on order is arriving with the new first class, while 4 of the 7 A330s on order will arrive with 3-class...

so, there are still a lot of A330s and A343s for short-haul 2-class service...

On Which routes would they be operating the 343's with the suites intially ?

YYZ - SFO ???

The good news is that they've started the change, the bad news is that it will take two years to complete. That's just a little more than a plane every two months being converted. It will be 2002 before one has a 50% chance of getting the new F and 2003 before it is sure...

From what I've learnt - the new First Class seats on the A340-300 aircraft will be put on the SFO and YYZ routes first.

I think SFO has more precidence than YYZ given that their biggest competitor on that route is SQ.

The CX web site now shows the seating plan for the new 340 (Seating Plan 3). 8 suites, with 2 rows of 4:

X _ X | X _ X

Also looks like the first one might serve the SFO-HKG route, as the a/c for that route is listed as EQV (i.e., "it varies") while YYZ-HKG continues to show 343 for all flights.