Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Retrofitting Schedule for 34C & 34D

Retrofitting for the 34C & 34D has begun according to the folks at HKADB (http://www.hkadb.com/forum/viewtopic.php?t=22154):
34C
HXI - August 2009
HXL - October 2009
HXM - November 2009
HXN - April 2009
HXO - July 2009

34D
HXA - October 2008
HXB - December 2009
HXC - October 2009
HXD - November 2009
HXE - July 2009
HXF - December 2009
HXG - February 2009
HXH - May 2009
HXJ - June 2009
HXK - September 2009
The new code for the aircraft after completion of the retrofitting is the 34B. There will be a total of 26 seats in business and 257 in economy. No more F for the 343s by then.

That seems like a lot of long haul A340s. I didn't think CX had that many long haul A340s, or are they converting some regional aircraft to long haul aircraft?

It's a pretty hefty reduction in premium seats. The 3 class aircraft had 38 F+J, and the 2 class aircraft had 30 J.

CX doesn't have any A340s in regional configuration.

Regional config is on A330s, B777-200, and B777-300 (except the ERs obviously).

The A33B seats 30 passengers in Zone A (between doors 1 & 2). Interestingly, the A34B seats only 26.

Theoretically they should be the same airframe - though admittedly the 34C has only 12 forward J seats compared with 14 in the 33B, although with the angle of the new seats this should really only impact on one (maybe 2) seat 'spaces' occupied by 14HK on the 333 (which doesn't exist on the 34C). 4 seats in the context of the herringbone is essentially one whole row of seats (plus the 'extra' seat space available on the 333 not on the 343). So does this mean that the J seats planned for the 34B will be a different, wider design - or is it just an extra row of coat closets or something? It would be nice if it were the former, but seems unlikely.