Hi,
Just (Happily!) booked F from JFK-BKK connecting in HKG and returning. Are there any trip reports out there for this flight (343 not the 346). From BKK-HKG I am in CX Business, how is their regional business service. Finally, will I have to clear customs in HKG? I would hate to have to go to passport control, get my bags and re-checkin. At JFK and BKK can they check me in all the way through?
Thanks
SMA
andrzej
Mar 22, 04, 6:48 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by compuz1:
Hi,
Just (Happily!) booked F from JFK-BKK connecting in HKG and returning. Are there any trip reports out there for this flight (343 not the 346). From BKK-HKG I am in CX Business, how is their regional business service. Finally, will I have to clear customs in HKG? I would hate to have to go to passport control, get my bags and re-checkin. At JFK and BKK can they check me in all the way through?
Thanks
SMA</font>
Recently I did HKG-SIN in J, Not exactly the same but I would imagine very close. I was not a happy camper on the outbound. Service sucked. The inbound was everything CX is reported to be - outstanding!
You could read my trip report which includes CX J HKG-SIN here:
No you will not have to go through customs/immigration. All you have to do is go through transit security and you will stay airside. Enjoy the wonderful Wing/Pier lounges. You will be able to check luggage all the way through.
[This message has been edited by andrzej (edited Mar 22, 2004).]
Cygnus X-1
Mar 23, 04, 7:28 am
compuz1,
After your BKK trip, you should consider staying a day or 2 in fabulous Hong Kong, to get some additional rest and rid the pollution and heat from BKK. I've found resting, or working, in BKK requires one day additional rest outside of BKK as well, before a long haul! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Works wonders. That's what I do. Enjoy CX F!
After your BKK trip, you should consider staying a day or 2 in fabulous Hong Kong, to get some additional rest and rid the pollution and heat from BKK. I've found resting, or working, in BKK requires one day additional rest outside of BKK as well, before a long haul! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Works wonders. That's what I do. Enjoy CX F!</font>
Thanks, I'll look into it http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif
PresRDC
Mar 23, 04, 9:34 am
You will be able to chekc your bag through and will not have to see it again until you reach BKK or JFK. If you want to take advantage of the excellent Cabana facilities in the Wing or the excellent showers in the Pier while in transit at HKG, you might want to pack toiletries and a change of clothes in your carry-on. That said, CX will provide basic toiletries.
Are you flying from HKG to BKK on the CX 713 in F? If they have you on the two-class flight that leaves around the same time, ask to switch to the CX 713 as it is a three class flight, which leaves at 9:30 AM.
Also, not sure if you will be able to do it, but if you want F all the way, you could take the continuation of the CX 713 from BKK to SIN and then the CX 716 (which is operated by the same plane as the CX 713) back to HKG non-stop. You will not be back in tiem to connect with the JFK flight, but if you do want to book a stopover in HKG, there is an option to avoid Business Class if you want to.
PresRDC
Mar 23, 04, 9:37 am
Also, you might want to read my recent trip report, which details the in-flight service in F on the CX 888, the HKG-YVR-JFK flight. It is at the end of a long report, but you can find it pretty easy (of course, feeel free to read the rest of it).
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by andrzej:
You could read my trip report which includes CX J HKG-SIN here:
There were only 4 seats occupied in F out of the possible 8. The FA took the meal orders from 1A, 2A and 2D(?) and finally came around to me in 1K. Guess what? My first choice for the main meal was NOT available. Shocking, unthinkable??? but true. Leah, the wonderful FA, apologized profusely, but told me that my choice was gone as CX catering only loaded 2 of the meals and the other paxs took it. She saw the disappointment on my face and after I told her that the soup will be my only main course, she must have felt sorry for me. 5 minutes later she came back and asked me if something very similar from the business class menu will be satisfactory? It was and it was delicious. BUT, I don’t ever want to hear that CX loads enough dishes to satisfy all the F paxs needs and wants. In this case they obviously did not. </font>
I thought CX always loads ample F food/meals for peopleso that they can have multiple choices? (At least that was my experience a number of years ago.)
Also, how is it as an OW Emerald that you were not allowed into the BA F lounge at MIA, if you were traveling on AA that day???
It's not relevant that you were or weren't traveling internationally...just that you were traveling on OW and are Emerald.
I am curious what the BA F lounge in MIA is like? Where is it and is it before or after security?
[This message has been edited by nologic (edited Mar 23, 2004).]
number_6
Mar 23, 04, 8:20 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by nologic:
I thought CX always loads ample F food/meals for peopleso that they can have multiple choices? ...
I am curious what the BA F lounge in MIA is like? Where is it and is it before or after security?</font>There were 19 meals loaded on my last 744 flight on CX (max 12 passengers, actual load was 9). With 4 meal choices this was between 4 and 6 of each ... so quite generous catering but not 4 meals for each pax. On lightly loaded flights it often is one of each per person (I've been the sole F pax on the plane with 10 meals loaded).
As for the BA lounge in MIA, it is diligently guarded by BA to be only for BA pax. Very difficult to get in, and the rules be ****ed. Located airside in concourse A (upstairs in the rotunda). Maybe the worst BA F lounge in the world, so hardly worth the trouble to get in (even their wines are the same as the J lounge, and they stock JW Red!!!). Methinks the BA station manager is selling the liquor on the black market and pocketing the proceeds.
andrzej
Mar 24, 04, 8:32 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by nologic:
I thought CX always loads ample F food/meals for peopleso that they can have multiple choices? (At least that was my experience a number of years ago.)
Also, how is it as an OW Emerald that you were not allowed into the BA F lounge at MIA, if you were traveling on AA that day???
It's not relevant that you were or weren't traveling internationally...just that you were traveling on OW and are Emerald.
I am curious what the BA F lounge in MIA is like? Where is it and is it before or after security?
[This message has been edited by nologic (edited Mar 23, 2004).]</font>
Like I said, I'm just reporting the facts. I couldn't believe it either. I wanted the pasta dish and it was NOT available by the time she came around to me. She did get some other pasta dish from J.
The BA lounge gatekeeper was not even trying to be nice about the whole thing. When I came off the elevator, there was nobody at the desk. After few minutes I started to wonder if the place was opened. Finally she came out, took a quick look at my CX issued F class BPs and my EXP card, sat down, and said NO you can't come in. Like I said, I only had about 20 minutes till my flight started to board, at a gate right under the lounge, so I tried to use that logic and asked her to consider that I'm OW Emerald and all I need is 20 minutes, and she calmly replied that there is NO way I'm getting in.
I really think that the other OW partners should have a talk with BA about their lounges. Speaking from my own experiences, the only time I do have problems getting in to OW lounges, is when I try BA lounges. It's not every time, but it does happen.
compuz1
Mar 24, 04, 10:16 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by andrzej:
Speaking from my own experiences, the only time I do have problems getting in to OW lounges, is when I try BA lounges. It's not every time, but it does happen.
</font>
Does the same thing happen at the JFK BA Terraces lounge? I think thats what CX uses in Terminal 7...
Also because I am traveling in J class from BKK-HKG and F class from HKG-BKK, what counter do I check-in at in BKK? First or Business? If i have to go to the J class counter, can they give me my boarding pass in F?
Finally, I only have a 1hr 15 min layover in HKG. I tried to get on an earlier flight listed on the CX website, however the CX reservations line agent claimed it did not exist. I guess that's because it only operates 2 days per week (it operates the day I am flying). I have heard that CX's on-time record is pretty good, so should I worry?
***Update. I was getting worried about that layover (and I so very much wanted to check out the Wing/Pier) that I booked myself on an earlier flight out of BKK and I have a 2.5 hr layover.***
[This message has been edited by compuz1 (edited Mar 24, 2004).]
[This message has been edited by compuz1 (edited Mar 25, 2004).]
HKG_Flyer1
Mar 24, 04, 11:49 pm
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by compuz1:
Also because I am traveling in J class from BKK-HKG and F class from HKG-BKK, what counter do I check-in at in BKK? First or Business? If i have to go to the J class counter, can they give me my boarding pass in F?</font>
You can use the F class counter in BKK and the gate agent will put F class bag tags on them. Also, he/she will give you a pass for the F class lounge in BKK.
This is a very common situation, as most of the BKK-HKG flights don't offer F class these days and many BKK originating pax are connecting onwards from HKG in F class.
As an aside, the F class lounge in BKK isn't really anything special. Nice staff, but small and pretty spartan food & beverage offerings.
number_6
Mar 25, 04, 7:52 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by compuz1:
Does the same thing happen at the JFK BA Terraces lounge? I think thats what CX uses in Terminal 7...</font>There is no problem accessing the BA lounges at JFK (except that they are airside so you must be departing on CX/QF/BA in order to reach the lounges -- this automatically excludes AA pax). There is even a CX employee at the BA lounge (during CX departure times).
Cygnus X-1
Mar 25, 04, 10:26 am
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by compuz1:
Does the same thing happen at the JFK BA Terraces lounge? I think thats what CX uses in Terminal 7...</font>
No. CX shares the BA loungs at JFK T7 . I will add, however, that the Business Class BA lounge is better than the BA First Class lounge at JFK.
<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by compuz1:
Also because I am traveling in J class from BKK-HKG and F class from HKG-BKK, what counter do I check-in at in BKK? First or Business? If i have to go to the J class counter, can they give me my boarding pass in F?</font>
The BKK-HKG flight is a 2 Class flight, so just go to the line that is opened for the upper class. When getting to Don Muaung BKK International Airport, there are 2 terminals. 1 is domestic, 2 is International. Unless changed (and it hasn't as of today), CX is the *last* counter at T2. So make sure your taxi, or driver, gets to the end of T2. There are small airline ad signs, so numerous, CX is there at the end. NB: JL is at the beginning of BKK T2.
BDLBKK
Apr 1, 04, 4:22 pm
Well, that is almost right. BKK actually has 3 terminals. T1 and T2 are both international and actually appear to be 1 long building with 2 seperate sections of check in areas. JL is in the middle of Terminal 1 and CX is in Terminal 2. The Domestic Terminal is connected to Terminal 2 via a skybridge.