Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Why doesn't CX provide a changing room in First?

Just an observation, CX provides nice Pyjamas for their First Class passengers, in fact they have stylish new black ones too, by Shanghai Tang, I'm not sure what they cost the airline, but everytime I have to go to the toilet to change into them, I realize how difficult it is to change your clothes in there, and how small the toilets are (They are similar in size in Eco and First, the only real meaningful difference is in the quality and range of the Toiliteries used).

For normal use, the size is OK, but to change in, they are TOO small, and you end up banging your elbow against the door a few times, its even worse after a few glasses of wine and your ready to sleep.

My suggestion is that they either:

1) Provide an area in the Galley, where passengers can close a Curtain around, and use the space to get changed in. This area can normally be used for other things, and probably should be in the corner somewhere in the Galley, but when needed, a passanger can close the curtains and change with some space and comfort.

2) Make the toilets larger! You may not believe this, but on a recent Flight HKg to SFO on SQ (This service flies SG - HKG - SFO), in raffles class on a 747, I was surprised to see, a toilet that is 50% bigger than the standard size! Being my first time flying anything but CX to SFO, I was amazed by this. And they did not have to sacrafice the second toilet for this, they had the same number of toilets as usual in that area. Too bad there were no Pjs.

So am I asking for a silly thing? Or is this something they should seriously think about. Also, is there anything technically incorrect right about my suggestions?

Changing rooms just don't seem to be worth the extra money for CX to spend on. There used to be changing rooms (a changing room, at least) in NBC, but it was removed.

Smaller toilets for smaller people , ie asians?

Not that I fit into that category.. I'm asian and I'm 6'.

Yes, maybe if CX would order larger toilets to be installed when they order the next batch of new aircrafts. But for the current fleet, I'm afraid we have to put up with those sizes for now.

Changing rooms just don't seem to be worth the extra money for CX to spend on. There used to be changing rooms (a changing room, at least) in NBC, but it was removed.
I used it, once. A FA told me I was, literally, the first pax she had ever shown to the changing room. I guess most people didn't know to ask, and the changing room didn't strictly speaking exist until she helped me make it. We folded back a couple panels from one of the galley, flipped some latches, folded down a bench seat, turned on a light, and voila there was the changing room. But once I was done, we undid the little construction project and the galley was restored to full size.

Could make sense, and with the right promotion pax would probably get a kick out of it. Otherwise it's just extra weight and complexity with no benefit.

Changing room was at door 2L on NBC 747s, as I recall.

The trend seems to be to eliminate the over-size toilets. QF used to have 20% more square footage for the F toilets in the 747s, but as they are being refitted with skybeds the F toilets are getting a mirrored wall for the extra space and minus the 20% square footage. They obviously concluded that the space was better used elsewhere. Another failed experiment are the self-dimming windows, these are also being removed by QF and replaced with a manual blind (they forgot that the boarding passengers on the jetway have a fine view of the F toilet when they implemented the automatic shades).
Personally I find the provision of a nice bench folding down over the toilet seat to be more useful, and CX has one of the better ones of any airline. I don't agree that it is an area for useful improvement. But I do wish they would get rid of the ST pyjamas as I don't like them (too stiff and uncomfortable -- the previous design was much better).

I guess the largest lavs for First Class cabins now go to Lufthansa. And Emirate's A345 aircrafts, I think.

I guess the largest lavs for First Class cabins now go to Lufthansa. And Emirate's A345 aircrafts, I think.

I was astounded by the size of the J lavs on a PR A340 a couple years ago. Enormous! At first I thought they were designed to be wheelchair accessible, but no way one would fit through the door. You could do sit-ups in there.

One of the few areas that CX could improve is the size of its F bathroom. It is nice to have two for 12 passengers, but it really is small and makes changing something akin to Chris Farely's changing routine in Tommy Boy. While it would be inconvenient for just beofre landing, it would be nice to loose one of the bathrooms and replace it with a larger one.

FWIW, AA has a very large bathroom between F and J on its 777s, which is handicap accessible, but is also great for changing.

I want to mention the JAL toilets which are about 50% larger and have a special drop down piece that allows you to not stand on the floor when you are changing. JAL also has two toilets in same area of plane as CX while providing a much more comfortable space.

I'd thought I was the only one who had a problem with changing on any long flight... I'm forever banging into doors and things and other blokes do have a habit of being a bad aim, resulting in sticky floors :(

But then Joan Collins always managed to re-apply her slap and change wigs in the tiny Concorde loos, so perhaps I shouldn't moan... :D

the only thing that AA beats CX is the toilet size.
i was really impressed when i found the 'handicapped access' toilet on AA J

Globalman,

The large toilet is a handicapped toilet.
AFAIK, those exist on SQ only on their B744 in J and B773 in J.