Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - On Honeymoon in business class

Hi,

I posted here before when choosing a flight with CX, and thanks all for your help.

In two weeks time, myself and my wife-to-be are travelling with CX/Dragonair from LHR to BKI via HKG (with a few days in Hong Kong). It's a rare trip in business for us (I've done it a few times shorthaul and only once longhaul with Varig and my wife has never been in a business class cabin), so basically we want to maximise the experience as much as possible.

Any tips? Anything we need to think about? Am conscious of people's reservations about the herringbone format, but we'll get over that!

Thanks!

Do you want to start your honeymoon separated by a wall?

Do you want to start your honeymoon separated by a wall?

Ouch. A bit harshly put, IMO, but sxc is completely accurate. The walls are high, and you won't really be able to share the experience at all. Book CX 256 out of LHR, and you'll get a 343 with the old J class and not have the wall problem. Be aware that all 744s now flying have the new product, complete with the walls in J. 256 continues to be served daily by a 343 without F, so that should solve your problem.

Alternately, if you have some miles to burn, go for F on one of the other three daily LHR-HKG flights, all 744s with the new product. The seats are wide enough that you can sit next to each other in the same seat (except when the seatbelt light is on) and watch movies, or whatever.

Be forewarned, though, after flying CX F you may never want to sit in the back again.

The OP has no choice but to fly new J because CX256 is pretty much a 34B now unless there's a last minute a/c substitution.

i would book seats across from each other...my wife and i booked behind and really did not see each other on our trip...

maximise the experience by eating and drinking lots...i find that on my morning departure from YYZ to HKG (9:35) there was no way I was going to sleep much on the 16 hr flight so i consumed more than enough wine, port, champange to pickle me - even got a splash of some Krug since the F pax were just no fun that day and staff did not want to open another bottle of the cheap stuff...had three bowls of duck noodle soup in between my meals...watched 6 movies...drank about 3 litre's of H2O and arrived in HKG at 1pm local time (1am for my boddy)...sort of hung over but a good buzz going and tired but ready for my flight to CAN a few hours later...

make sure you get a few H20 bottles at your seat, this will avoid the need to stand up and risk the chance that crew may notice you are smashed...just make sure you take in the same H20 as you drink in ETOH....

once you arrive in HKG, go straight to the Wing...have a nice shower and then go get some dim sum and some ramen and a few more bevies....the cold shower will get you ready to go and have a seat at the long bar...some ice cream should help with a needed sugar rush so you can be ready for your KA flight...you may even try to have a short nap...

KA's port selection in J was great on our flight further on in our trip from PEK to HKG....

if you do not drink, then ignore the foregoing and just eat more and ask for extras if there are any......;)

Do you want to start your honeymoon separated by a wall?

Excellent comment that reflect the fact that CX business class new seat is not suitable product for honey mooners or family members traveling togather.

I always thought that CX new business class is only good for individual travel.

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the comments re the dividing wall, but we were already aware of this. Our options were basically business class in CX or economy in any other airline. Our budget wouldn't stretch as far as business on any other airline on that route. We figured that business class with the dividing wall issue trumps economy any day!

mkjr - appreciate your comments given that you have flown as a couple in this class. Our flight is at 6.30pm, and we're both drinkers, so will be making use of the alcohol supply, although will also probably be making use of the flat bed for sleeping!

Interesting to note that you recommend taking seats opposite each other. I think the opposite advice was posted elsewhere on this forum - i.e. adjacent seats.

Thanks for the replies. I appreciate the comments re the dividing wall, but we were already aware of this. Our options were basically business class in CX or economy in any other airline. Our budget wouldn't stretch as far as business on any other airline on that route. We figured that business class with the dividing wall issue trumps economy any day!

mkjr - appreciate your comments given that you have flown as a couple in this class. Our flight is at 6.30pm, and we're both drinkers, so will be making use of the alcohol supply, although will also probably be making use of the flat bed for sleeping!

Interesting to note that you recommend taking seats opposite each other. I think the opposite advice was posted elsewhere on this forum - i.e. adjacent seats.

CX is the cheapest? Wow haven't ever heard that before.

Indeed, it must be a joke! BA was offering fares to BKK for £850 until a couple of days ago. It was a companion fare, but that clearly applies here. QF also great deals. TG is now offering around £1500. Even SQ was beating CX handily ex-LHR.
What was your fare on CX? Or maybe you need to stop in HKG. But even so, the BA fare was much better adding a BKK-HKG leg.

Travel agent built the package for us, and CX came out cheaper than BA and Virgin. Not sure how much the flight element of the package was, as it's bundled in with hotels etc.

Peckham,

I'm one of those who would also suggest seats opposite each other. That way you can see one another and stretch a bit to communicate. If you take adjacent seats you will have to stand and move around to speak.

Btw, congratulations on your upcoming marriage.

peckham...

my thinking has evolved after many flights from YYZ to YVR on the 77W's...AC's J is pretty much the same as CX J....and just as ugly....

i originally thought one after another was better but i no longer think so..i think kitty corner....i find first in the cabin is best with the first seat across from it...if you are on a 777 the small front cabin is nice too...

i also would perhaps drop the fact that this is your honeymoon...never know about an upgrade to F...don't count on it...

part of that view on across from each other also drives off booking a recent J trip for three...i think the triangle arrangement is the best...that said, i may actually decide to fly on my next trip on JAL since they have a middle three in the new J on JAL 006...still thinking...

sorry, i did not remember to advise you to arrive about a good 3-4 hours early for your flight. that will allow you to check out all the lounges you can enter....and to do a lounge crawl....i am sure many will think i am nothing more than a drunkard, however, my only view of lounges is they have fewer people than terminal bars and free booze (food is OK so that is not a factor per se)...that said, no one talks to each other there....i have yet to have a good conversation with someone in a J lounge that I do not already known...

that said, having a few before your flight outside of the lounge is better for chit chat IMO...just my thoughts...that said, be sure to examine what is out and make sure not to mix...nothing is worse than 4 hours in and feeling the pain of mixing single malt and wine...

aslo ask what champers they have...sometimes they have stuff from the F lounge...

BTW...who cares about cost...this is your HONEYMOON....so what about the cost and sales that come up after the fact..

wife's family is from HKG and so I know that food is great in many places you will go....i find places around causway bay to be very good....

make sure to have some hairy crab or seafood in general...

Do you want to start your honeymoon separated by a wall?
:rolleyes: They have the rest of their lives to spend together. What's the first 12 hours?

:rolleyes: They have the rest of their lives to spend together. What's the first 12 hours?

Very true.

As a couple we LOVE the Air NZ herringbone seats, but we found CX version too cheap looking.

Travel agent built the package for us, and CX came out cheaper than BA and Virgin. Not sure how much the flight element of the package was, as it's bundled in with hotels etc.

Your TA must have used some packages such as CX holiday (which is quite attractive). But if he hed been more creative in looking for discount business fares, he would not have missed the companion offers of BA or the great fares of QF, SQ, ...

I'm one of those who would also suggest seats opposite each other. That way you can see one another and stretch a bit to communicate. If you take adjacent seats you will have to stand and move around to speak.
.

Seems like this is the consensus then. The aircraft is shown as 74A on both the outward and return legs. Am I correct in thinking that upstairs towards the front is our best option (i.e. quieter, less passing traffic etc.).

i also would perhaps drop the fact that this is your honeymoon...never know about an upgrade to F...don't count on it...

Thanks - had thought about dropping this into conversation when checking-in, but not that optimistic about it producing any result (neither of us are frequent flyer members or anything).

sorry, i did not remember to advise you to arrive about a good 3-4 hours early for your flight. that will allow you to check out all the lounges you can enter....and to do a lounge crawl....i am sure many will think i am nothing more than a drunkard, ...

We're transferring from another flight, which is due in 4.5 hours before our departure to HKG, so will have plenty of time to kill. I wouldn't consider you a drunkard....I'm Irish!


make sure to have some hairy crab or seafood in general...

Thanks for the recommendation

sorry, i did not remember to advise you to arrive about a good 3-4 hours early for your flight. that will allow you to check out all the lounges you can enter....

Peckham,
Sorry to temper mkjr's enthisiasm, but you cannot usually do lounge hopping on a J ticket and without OW spaphire or emerald. You are directed to the CX lounge and that's it. Anyway in CX terminal at LHR, the other alternative would be the AA lounge. The CX lounge is nice and quiet, with all necessary amenities (shower, computers, liquors, snacks, dim sum and instant noodle soup) but nothing to rave about. And the terminal is a crowded mess. In HKG you can try both Wing and Pier.

Peckham,
Sorry to temper mkjr's enthisiasm, but you cannot usually do lounge hopping on a J ticket and without OW spaphire or emerald. You are directed to the CX lounge and that's it. Anyway in CX terminal at LHR, the other alternative would be the AA lounge. The CX lounge is nice and quiet, with all necessary amenities (shower, computers, liquors, snacks, dim sum and instant noodle soup) but nothing to rave about. And the terminal is a crowded mess. In HKG you can try both Wing and Pier.

sorry, my mistake....no BA lounge access....darn it....

Suggest you wangle an upgrade to F and then ask if you can use the crew rest area for a bit of passion - word around HKG is recently a couple YVR-HKG in F were actually offered the rest area in the ceiling of the CX773. I believe that the Lothario involved even posted this (with censored photos) on his blog.

Suggest you wangle an upgrade to F and then ask if you can use the crew rest area for a bit of passion - word around HKG is recently a couple YVR-HKG in F were actually offered the rest area in the ceiling of the CX773. I believe that the Lothario involved even posted this (with censored photos) on his blog.

was it not a flight from YYZ to HKG....

was it not a flight from YYZ to HKG....

Spot on, I was too hasty on the keyboard