Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - COMPARISONS of the New CX FC Suite on the B777ER and the 747

I had the pleasure of experiencing Cathay's new First Class suites on the new B777-300ER and the 747A and would like to give you a quick comparisons.

Link to my Trip report here (http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=773867).

Link to the video with First class cabin. (http://youtube.com/watch?v=aogxR2u6JCk)

Layout:
The B777 First class cabin has 6 Suites (with two rows of 1-1-1 seating layout) as compared to the 9 suites on the B747. Because there is a wall surrounding the middle suite, the window suites on the left hand side of the 777 are much more private than the ones located on the right hand side.

On the 747, i find the aisle to be very tight in rows 1 and 3 and the seats to be too close. The aisles on the B777 are definitely wider than the 747 and there is enough room for the cart service.

TV:
On the new B777 aircraft, the TV in each of the suites can now be fully extended in front so that it does not block the entrance to the suite. I have experience the problem on the 747 where the TV cannot not able to extend forwarded and this created a bit of awkwardness as the FA has to "stretch"over to place the meals onto the table. I was also told by the Tomoko, our FC purser, that they are experiencing some problems with the new Suite on the 747: ie seats not reclining, Entertainment system not working. I guess that happens when you launch a new product, but I am glad that CX has fixed some of the problems with the new aircraft delivery.

Washrooms:
The biggest letdown on the B777 is the washroom.The First class washrooms on the B777 are nowhere as big or as nice as the B747.There are two standard sized washrooms on the B777 and both are located across from each other. Of the two washrooms, only one has the new faucet, sink and tile flooring, while the other is the old washroom type.

CABIN AMBIENCE:
This one is a bit of a toss. While I really do like the space on the B777 - the high ceiling and wide Aisle, I do find a lot more traffic back and forth between the galley (located in front) and the Business cabin. I am slightly in favor for the 747.

www.youtube.com

Thanks, ACfly! ^ Amongst all the interesting and useful info you answered a question I had about which side has the entrance to the middle seats. (SeatExpert.com has it wrong BTW. ;)) Could you tell us which side has the snazzy bathroom?

All the seat maps for this plane that I have seen show 2A and 2K blocked. Are they reserved for CX elites? Or might I (as OW Gold) snag one by phoning up? For 2 people travelling together I like the idea of having the window seats on the left - almost like having your own private cabin!

All the seat maps for this plane that I have seen show 2A and 2K blocked. Are they reserved for CX elites? Or might I (as OW Gold) snag one by phoning up? For 2 people travelling together I like the idea of having the window seats on the left - almost like having your own private cabin!

2A/K are probably blocked due to the baby bassinet position.

Thanks, ACfly! ^ Amongst all the interesting and useful info you answered a question I had about which side has the entrance to the middle seats. (SeatExpert.com has it wrong BTW. ;)) Could you tell us which side has the snazzy bathroom?

All the seat maps for this plane that I have seen show 2A and 2K blocked. Are they reserved for CX elites? Or might I (as OW Gold) snag one by phoning up? For 2 people travelling together I like the idea of having the window seats on the left - almost like having your own private cabin!

Hi Cheetah SA - The bathrooms are on the left hand side of the plane. They are right across from each other. The washroom on the left is the nicer and larger of the two. However, both have no windows and are standard size.

If there are two people travelling, I would advise the right hand side of the cabin - this will allow you to easily access each other. The "A" suites (Right hand side suites) has a wall preventing you from accessing easily someone sitting in the middle or far right side. I would recommend for couples to sit in suite 1A and 2A - you are in the private side of the aircraft partitioned of by the middle wall from the middle suites. Both are windows and very private You will not be interrupted by the other passengers.

As far as 2A/K seats being blocked... I know that on my flight, the relief pilot seat was 2K - and when I checked with Expertflyer, it always showed blocked. The reason why 2A is blocked is probably because someone else has selected the seat - I think this seat is blocked for elites. I had no problem selecting 2A, but once I did, the system showed blocked and taken.

Hope that helps

2A/K are probably blocked due to the baby bassinet position.

I dont see anything that it is a baby bassinet position.

2A/K are probably blocked due to the baby bassinet position.

I took 77W once too in F and I think I was also told that 2A/K are bassinet positions...but they're happy to release it as long as you agree that if there's really a baby in the end you'd agree to be reseated...

I dont see anything that it is a baby bassinet position.

If you have a look at the official seat maps you will see they are marked as baby seats.

I just flew JNB - HKG in the new Biz class 747-400
Utter debacle
Too narrow Cannot hold up a newspaper
All face inwards so the windows are behind you
Cannot talk to your neighbour / kids / family
Food has to be served over the top of the PTVs
No swivel food tray unit so you are stuck there till the tray is taken away
Claustrophobic
No air ciculation
Triple seat belt unit awkward to attach
small curved area for your feet is not comfortable
at least they are now flat so I can give them 1 out of ten for that
Any person over 95 kgs is going to have a serious problem getting into these pod coffins :td:

I just flew JNB - HKG in the new Biz class 747-400
Utter debacle
Too narrow Cannot hold up a newspaper
All face inwards so the windows are behind you
Cannot talk to your neighbour / kids / family
Food has to be served over the top of the PTVs
No swivel food tray unit so you are stuck there till the tray is taken away
Claustrophobic
No air ciculation
Triple seat belt unit awkward to attach
small curved area for your feet is not comfortable
at least they are now flat so I can give them 1 out of ten for that
Any person over 95 kgs is going to have a serious problem getting into these pod coffins :td:

There are numerous threads that discuss this, and I think most of us after traveling the new J pretty frequently have come around. I was repulsed the first time...and then grew to the point where now I actively avoid the old J whenever possible because of the sleep possibility with the new one. Yea, there are negatives but whatever.

However, good to hear 74A was on JNB...I posted a while back asking about that and I think someone said maybe it would be on the route in the winter time (HKG) but then taken off..any idea?

I flew down on the 747 with the old sloping J seats - another CX cost cutting joke
(at least you could get up when you wanted) and the new 'coffin kit' was on the return leg from JNB Who needs a seat belt when your shoulders are already touching the seat partitions ?
After flying CX as a MPO member for 27 years I have seen nothing but cut ,cut, cut , chop of members' benefits.
Even the duty free they want 60% off the suppliers' best world retail prices before they will take the range
The new kak narrow seat is and remains a debacle and cannot even be considered if you want to talk business with or have your family or friends with you.
The world is flying more which explains the fact they are frequently full, not because they offer the best any more.

Meanwhile you heard this on 'Radio Marco Polo'
The CX pilot union is planning a strike for February
CX offered them a meagre 5% increase which they told them to shove (they really know how to handle their staff with the cabin crew threatening like action recently over medical fees) - meanwhile Dragonair are parking planes due to pilot shortage and CX will be next I am told
- No hi tech bus drivers no can fly - :p :td:
there is a worldwide shortage of hi tech bus drivers and other airlines are throwing carrots to entice them
Having spoken to three pilots recently they confirmed this.

Meanwhile you heard this on 'Radio Marco Polo'
The CX pilot union is planning a strike for February
CX offered them a meagre 5% increase which they told them to shove (they really know how to handle their staff with the cabin crew threatening like action recently over medical fees) - meanwhile Dragonair are parking planes due to pilot shortage and CX will be next I am told
- No hi tech bus drivers no can fly - :p :td:
there is a worldwide shortage of hi tech bus drivers and other airlines are throwing carrots to entice them
Having spoken to three pilots recently they confirmed this.

Ha, that would be hilarious. Inconvenient, but hilarious. I really was rooting for the flight attendants a few months back, so I guess I'll throw my weight behind the pilots this time despite the delays I'm sure I'll get stuck with. Anything to make CX mgmt realize they're sticking it. Because my philosophy is this: if the crew is happy, my time on the plane is probably more comfortable and better served by a happy crew than angry FAs who got gypped on copay or pilots who wish they had jumped to Oasis.

You know the truth is, I really could care less about paying $1k or $2k US more per trip if they could just get better food options, happier FAs and seats that would work all the time. With Asia the way it is now I doubt I'm in a minority. I already have to pay like $10k-$12k US round trip to JFK in J, it really doesn't make it a huge difference to go to $13k or so if they can guarantee me a better (and more consistent) product. I ended up paying something like $3 or $4k to upgrade to F a while back from J to LAX, and still I got stuck with Cuvee William Deutz (reserve!) and a seat in 1K that jiggled around in both the upright and lie-down position. What did I get out of it? $250 in vouchers. I have my fingers crossed when SQ begins to LHR and trans-Pac to SFO on the A380 at least people will have an option, and maybe CX will be forced to SLIGHTLY change. Ripple effect?

meanwhile their seat manufacturers are evidently being sued for breach of patent by Virgin who are also demanding other airlines remove the patented herringbone product

I really could care less about paying $1k or $2k ?

I am sure you can get a pretty good meal with even better champagne than Krug Grand Cuvee.

I really doubt many people will have the same thinking as you. Asian or no Asian

ACfly, your SP was same as mine on a London flight in July.

I am sure you can get a pretty good meal with even better champagne than Krug Grand Cuvee.

I really doubt many people will have the same thinking as you. Asian or no Asian

(Trivial but still out of principal):Yea I know. It's just that Deutz is such an obvious cost cutting measure, and it seems so blatant. It's not like possibly skimping on the truffle oil without telling...since pax can read, if they've ever bought a bottle or headed to a bar or such they may well know the real price difference between say Andre, Veuve, Mumm, Krug, Dom etc. It's such an obvious flaunt by CX like "Hey! We used to give you a $100 bottle of champagne, now we give you a $40 bottle! Haha you'll take it because we know you'll still fly on us!" Anyhow, this isn't the big issue IMO

(More important): The bigger issue to me is the seats (see the other thread I started yesterday about new product issues)...when the seat jiggles around, it really - IMO - destroy the reason for being in F or J, which to me = sleep. I want to arrive with as few jet lag problems as possible because usually it means meetings in one time zone and then in a day or two head to another continent for more meetings. When CX starts giving those stupid vouchers I just want to go ballistic...THAT'S NOT THE POINT! I try to explain (usually futile)

So, I do think I would be willing to pay $1000 if I could greatly increase the probability of having a.) better service (quicker service in F, dare I say add another FA back to 3 for the cabin?) and b.)A (new) seat product that worked the way it should more consistently, and in the event it doesn't work right CX doing everything in their mind to either make it work or compensate me properly (two one-way one-class upgrades on any route). And for these improvements I would happily pay $1k-$3k more per round trip. I cannot do corporate...I spend probably $100k-$200k per year on about 10 long-haul round-trips as well as 30-40 regionals so I must do commercial, otherwise I'd go broke.

(Trivial but still out of principal):Yea I know. It's just that Deutz is such an obvious cost cutting measure, and it seems so blatant. It's not like possibly skimping on the truffle oil without telling...since pax can read, if they've ever bought a bottle or headed to a bar or such they may well know the real price difference between say Andre, Veuve, Mumm, Krug, Dom etc. It's such an obvious flaunt by CX like "Hey! We used to give you a $100 bottle of champagne, now we give you a $40 bottle! Haha you'll take it because we know you'll still fly on us!" Anyhow, this isn't the big issue IMO

(More important): The bigger issue to me is the seats (see the other thread I started yesterday about new product issues)...when the seat jiggles around, it really - IMO - destroy the reason for being in F or J, which to me = sleep. I want to arrive with as few jet lag problems as possible because usually it means meetings in one time zone and then in a day or two head to another continent for more meetings. When CX starts giving those stupid vouchers I just want to go ballistic...THAT'S NOT THE POINT! I try to explain (usually futile)

So, I do think I would be willing to pay $1000 if I could greatly increase the probability of having a.) better service (quicker service in F, dare I say add another FA back to 3 for the cabin?) and b.)A (new) seat product that worked the way it should more consistently, and in the event it doesn't work right CX doing everything in their mind to either make it work or compensate me properly (two one-way one-class upgrades on any route). And for these improvements I would happily pay $1k-$3k more per round trip. I cannot do corporate...I spend probably $100k-$200k per year on about 10 long-haul round-trips as well as 30-40 regionals so I must do commercial, otherwise I'd go broke.

I agree with you. I am paying a lot of money to get a consistently outstanding product. I am not travelling on CX as much as you, by far, and tends to use sevral airlines (out of necessity because of my points of origin/destination). I used to rank CX and SQ equal at the top. Being assured of having an outstanding product 99% of the time removes the stress from travel and allows to get to be operational as soon as you land. Now frankly, the new products of SQ beats the new CX products by a wide margin. I think that they did not compromise on "weight" as CX did, so seats are stable and work. The new C seat on the 777-300ER that serves CDG is great in most aspects. It is not F seat, but wow; and you can travel with a companion; and drink champagne Charles Heidseick Rare Cuvée which is as good as the infamous WD served in CX F. I would prefer it to F on many airlines (not CX). That is reflected in pricing though. Return F fares to HKG charged by CX out of CDG are just €1000 more than SQ C fares to SIN.