Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - HKG-TPE award ticket in Y. No OW or CX status. What to expect re service, comfort, fo

(rats - my long topic line got trimmed ...)
HKG-TPE award ticket in Y. No OW or CX status. What to expect re service, comfort, food, drinks, lounges?

Service, from the heart? Anticipation of my wants before I ask for them?

According to CX's TV commericials, that's what it'll be like !

Just kidding !!! ...

But the bit "HKG-TPE award ticket in Y. No OW or CX status" is true. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

Actually it's a use-it-or-lose-it award ticket given to me by my family because no-one else could use it. I might not even bother taking the flights. But if I do, I know not to expect anything. Oh well, I never fly CX, so they might even surprise me!

[This message has been edited by Austman (edited 01-07-2003).]

It is 200 miles and an hour flight, so what do you expect? I've only flown it in F and they do serve a full 3-course breakfast (also a full meal in C, they really have to rush to serve everyone). Can't imagine there is time to serve Y except for drinks and maybe a box. CX does seem to try to provide extra-good service on this route compared to other short routes. Shame you have no status, the lounges in HKG and TPE are very (very) nice.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by number_6:
It is 200 miles and an hour flight, so what do you expect? ... Shame you have no status, the lounges in HKG and TPE are very (very) nice.</font>

Yes, I've heard lots about the wonderful lounges. And if I go, I'm not expecting anything in Y. I can only dream of an OP upgrade (yep - I know that's not going to happen either, especially on an X-class ticket). One of my friends (a former CX FA) was travelling in Y the other day HKG-KUL. At check-in, my friend got upgraded to J (but with an F class seat ). I got a call from the airport about this good news. 'Quick - go to the lounge' I said. But alas - CX print 'UPGD' or similar on the boarding pass (as well as the passenger manifest by the way) and the lounge agent refused admission.

Let's face it, if I go, I'll be on CX's shortest flight (HKG-TPE), in their lowest class (Y), with the cheapest ticket (free) and zero FF status. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

They serve a full meal in Y on the HKG-TPE run. I used to do it weekly until a few months ago. And it's 500 miles with about 70-80 mins in the air, not 200.

The meal is presented in one pass on a single tray, but it is pretty good by Y standards.

If it's after mid-morning there will be a choice of red or white wine, plus all the usual beer and soft drinks from the trolley.

Coffee / tea (normally a choice of Chinese or "English") is done in subsequent passes.

I think you may be pleasantly surprised.


[This message has been edited by christep (edited 01-08-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by christep:
The meal is presented in one pass on a single tray, but it is pretty good by Y standards.

If it's after mid-morning there will be a choice of red or white wine, plus all the usual beer and soft drinks from the trolley.

Coffee / tea (normally a choice of Chinese or "English") is done in subsequent passes.

I think you may be pleasantly surprised.


[This message has been edited by christep (edited 01-08-2003).]</font>


Isn't that their standard Y service on all routes? Did I miss 2 course meal for Yclass in a long haul routes?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by fakecd:

Isn't that their standard Y service on all routes? Did I miss 2 course meal for Yclass in a long haul routes?</font>

Yes, more or less. I've never done truly long haul in Y, but for some of the longer intra-Asia routes they do come round with a tub of Haagen-Dazs after the single-tray service and the coffee.

The only thing that didn't particuarly impress me on CX's regional flights (such as when I did Hong Kong - Tapei) was the 2-5-2 seating on the 777's - fortunately I was always able to get the aisle though! Then again, I guess it's better than squeezing into 3-4-3 seating on Thai's 777's (something I've managed to avoid thus far.)

YEs - that is a bit of a pain if you get caught in the middle (doesn't happen too often as a BDM! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif ).

It's only the 777-200s; the -300s are 3-3-3

2-5-2 seating is ideal if the load is about 80%-85%, because the middle seat will be empty, so the layout effectively becomes 2-2-2-2. This is their justification for introducing 2-5-2, but apparently it wasn't popular. And that's why the newer 777 are fitted 3-3-3.

Personally, I like 2-5-2 better, because being a MPC member, I can always request the window seat in advance, and only have 1 person next to me!

I do this twice a quarter HKG-TPE-HKG on CX. Last one was in Y. Service is OK. You will get a meal, inflight personal video (no movies, just short subjects). Seat pitch is a little tight in CX Y, but hey for a little more than 1 hour, who cares??

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by fakecd:
This is their justification for introducing 2-5-2, but apparently it wasn't popular. And that's why the newer 777 are fitted 3-3-3.
</font>

Sufficiently unpopular that they have now reconfigured the 777-200s to 3-3-3 it seems.

Well, it is pretty good for an hour flight,

You will get a hot meal, regardless of time, and the staffs at TPE are generally helpful. In terms of op upgrades, CX has a lot of J class traffic, so it is not likely to happen. But it is just an hour flight, You will be fine. You may be even able to catch an Airbus A340-600 flight with the 9" PTV in Y.

There is no choice of entree for meals. No ice cream for this short flight... but desserts are usually fresh fruit or pudding. Ice cream is featured on the longer flights to ICN, NRT, and SIN. If you have very specific dietary requirements, I recommend you to order a special meal.

Enjoy!

Carfield

[This message has been edited by Carfield (edited 02-05-2003).]

Well after several attempts (all cancelled due to SARS), I finally took this flight last weekend!

The HKG-TPE sector (departing at around 13.00) offered a hot sandwich, ice cream, tea, coffee, soft drinks, beer and wine. Actually not too bad!

The TPE-HKG sector offered a meal tray (no choice - beef with rice) plus the same beverages.

All-in-all quite OK for such a short flight in Y class (full in both directions).

Although I had no lounge accesss in HKG, my Diners Club card got me access to the EVA lounge in TPE. It's in the other terminal, but you can complete passport control in T2, go to the lounge and take the train (airside) from T2 to T1.

I had exit row seats in both directions (an A330 and a B777) but I'd hate to be seated elsewhere in Y class for a long flight! In that regard, although it's a shame to say it, TG is the best with 34" pitch in their 747s.