Observations about Vancouver-based crew on CX 839
Feb 6, 2011, 10:53 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 1,120
Observations about Vancouver-based crew on CX 839
Took CX 838 from HKG to YVR with HK based crew and return on CX 839 with YVR based crew in Y. Some interesting observations
- On the return flight, second meal was served 8 hours into flight. Is this true with all flights or just with YVR-based crew ? They do make sandwiches and snacks available pretty much anytime throughout the flight.
- The crew specifically mentioned that they can't serve hot drinks in the galley (if you walk into galley to ask for tea/coffee, they HAVE to bring it to your seat). This is not the case with the HK based crew on CX 838. I asked them why and they said this has been a 2-year old policy. Anybody else heard this before ?
- The YVR-based crew appeared rigid and less easy going compared to HK-based crew.
- On the return flight, second meal was served 8 hours into flight. Is this true with all flights or just with YVR-based crew ? They do make sandwiches and snacks available pretty much anytime throughout the flight.
- The crew specifically mentioned that they can't serve hot drinks in the galley (if you walk into galley to ask for tea/coffee, they HAVE to bring it to your seat). This is not the case with the HK based crew on CX 838. I asked them why and they said this has been a 2-year old policy. Anybody else heard this before ?
- The YVR-based crew appeared rigid and less easy going compared to HK-based crew.
Feb 6, 2011, 11:19 pm
#2
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
Took CX 838 from HKG to YVR with HK based crew and return on CX 839 with YVR based crew in Y. Some interesting observations
- On the return flight, second meal was served 8 hours into flight. Is this true with all flights or just with YVR-based crew ? They do make sandwiches and snacks available pretty much anytime throughout the flight.
- The crew specifically mentioned that they can't serve hot drinks in the galley (if you walk into galley to ask for tea/coffee, they HAVE to bring it to your seat). This is not the case with the HK based crew on CX 838. I asked them why and they said this has been a 2-year old policy. Anybody else heard this before ?
- The YVR-based crew appeared rigid and less easy going compared to HK-based crew.
- On the return flight, second meal was served 8 hours into flight. Is this true with all flights or just with YVR-based crew ? They do make sandwiches and snacks available pretty much anytime throughout the flight.
- The crew specifically mentioned that they can't serve hot drinks in the galley (if you walk into galley to ask for tea/coffee, they HAVE to bring it to your seat). This is not the case with the HK based crew on CX 838. I asked them why and they said this has been a 2-year old policy. Anybody else heard this before ?
- The YVR-based crew appeared rigid and less easy going compared to HK-based crew.
Feb 7, 2011, 3:55 am
#4
Join Date: Oct 1999
Location: New York
Posts: 7,371
Hot beverage policy has been implemented for a while and that should have nothing to do with crew base!
Yes CX has changed the meal serving sequence on longhaul daytime flight (no overnight such as daytime US to HKG and HKG to LHR daytime flight) last year and it is supposedly an "enhancement" but it is pretty obvious that most passengers found it annoying to have lights turned on in the middle of the flight! I personally think that it is a cost-cutting effort to reduce people requesting mid flight snacks and some F/As see it as an excuse to stop serving after the final meal service! They are reluctant to serve any snack items after the final main meal service!
It has nothing to do with the YVR crew base!
Yes CX has changed the meal serving sequence on longhaul daytime flight (no overnight such as daytime US to HKG and HKG to LHR daytime flight) last year and it is supposedly an "enhancement" but it is pretty obvious that most passengers found it annoying to have lights turned on in the middle of the flight! I personally think that it is a cost-cutting effort to reduce people requesting mid flight snacks and some F/As see it as an excuse to stop serving after the final meal service! They are reluctant to serve any snack items after the final main meal service!
It has nothing to do with the YVR crew base!
Feb 7, 2011, 11:02 pm
#5
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 13,145
On the subject of YVR based crews, we've had mostly positive experiences with them. We just did CX839 and CX838 both in F recently and the YVR-based crews for both flights were superb and definitely on par with HKG-based ones.
Feb 8, 2011, 7:37 pm
#6
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Some hole
Posts: 2,783
As a frequent flyer on CX 889, JFK-YVR-HKG, I have to say that the Vancouver based crew are more friendlier. I know pretty much every cabin crew member that is based in Vancouver since I fly this route eveytime I fly CX. Another observation would be that YVR based crew are prettier than HKG based crew! Just looking at them makes me smile! In regards to tea, I have had tea in the galley before. The FA just told me to be careful.
Feb 8, 2011, 8:21 pm
#7
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,711
...888/889 crews are frequently HK-based
I'm not sure about CX839/838, but I do know for 888/889 all sectors (HKG-YVR-JFK-YVR-HKG) are very frequently staffed by HK-based crew. I know I've said this before apologies for repeating it. But I do think sometimes people get mistaken by thinking flights ex a certain destination must be a certain crew base.
888/889 are available to be rostered (and swapped) for HK-based staff. 888/889 is the longest (and highest earning) pattern (I believe 7 or 8 days) for HK-based cabin crew, and many of them actively swap for it due to this reason. If I recall the first layover is in YVR for a few days after doing HKG-YVR, then HKG-JFK is a turnaround with the return to YVR and another multi-day layover, and finally the return sector is flown YVR-HKG. I do not know how frequently YVR-based staff fly 888/889 but I definitely know that HK-based crew are actively rostered on it.
888/889 are available to be rostered (and swapped) for HK-based staff. 888/889 is the longest (and highest earning) pattern (I believe 7 or 8 days) for HK-based cabin crew, and many of them actively swap for it due to this reason. If I recall the first layover is in YVR for a few days after doing HKG-YVR, then HKG-JFK is a turnaround with the return to YVR and another multi-day layover, and finally the return sector is flown YVR-HKG. I do not know how frequently YVR-based staff fly 888/889 but I definitely know that HK-based crew are actively rostered on it.
Feb 8, 2011, 8:30 pm
#8
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 6,437
In the past I used to feel that the YVR-based crew is not on par with the HKG-based crew, but in recent years my impressions had changed and have had some really nice experience with them.
Feb 8, 2011, 8:44 pm
#9
Join Date: Jan 2011
Location: Some hole
Posts: 2,783
I have been CX 888/889 flights were HK based crew operating but majority of them have been YVR based and I can tell if my flight is YVR based or not. This can also apply to flights operating YYZ, LAX and SFO. They can be HK based or their own based.
Feb 9, 2011, 11:05 am
#10
Join Date: Oct 2007
Location: LONDON
Programs: CX DM, BA G4L, QR PLT, EK PLT, Hyatt CC, HH DM, SQ SLTRE, BonvoyTit, UK SL, VS Wings, UA, DL, AA
Posts: 1,717
YVR is an older base, been around since they started NYC via YVR and while at first like LAX and SFO they were so-so, they improved a lot. I used to take 888/889 regularily in J/F and found them to be excellent after a while - and because its a small base I would see similar faces, get welcomed and remembered - truly excellent service.
On a flight from JFK when the longhaul F caviar service used to be on the dinner EX JFK, the crew left a note to their HKG counterparts taking over for YVR-HKG and saved some cheesecake and caviar from the previous flight for me...
On a flight from JFK when the longhaul F caviar service used to be on the dinner EX JFK, the crew left a note to their HKG counterparts taking over for YVR-HKG and saved some cheesecake and caviar from the previous flight for me...
Feb 9, 2011, 7:59 pm
#11
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Posts: 13,145
I am certain this is all based on personal taste. But from my perspective of having been crewed by both base many times, I personally don't see one base having an edge over the other in this regard.
Feb 11, 2011, 12:48 pm
#12
Join Date: Jan 2011
Posts: 111
Took CX 838 from HKG to YVR with HK based crew and return on CX 839 with YVR based crew in Y. Some interesting observations
- On the return flight, second meal was served 8 hours into flight. Is this true with all flights or just with YVR-based crew ? They do make sandwiches and snacks available pretty much anytime throughout the flight.
- The crew specifically mentioned that they can't serve hot drinks in the galley (if you walk into galley to ask for tea/coffee, they HAVE to bring it to your seat). This is not the case with the HK based crew on CX 838. I asked them why and they said this has been a 2-year old policy. Anybody else heard this before ?
- The YVR-based crew appeared rigid and less easy going compared to HK-based crew.
- On the return flight, second meal was served 8 hours into flight. Is this true with all flights or just with YVR-based crew ? They do make sandwiches and snacks available pretty much anytime throughout the flight.
- The crew specifically mentioned that they can't serve hot drinks in the galley (if you walk into galley to ask for tea/coffee, they HAVE to bring it to your seat). This is not the case with the HK based crew on CX 838. I asked them why and they said this has been a 2-year old policy. Anybody else heard this before ?
- The YVR-based crew appeared rigid and less easy going compared to HK-based crew.
How do you know which base they are from zhaobao singaporean.....
There is always a day when a YVR-based crew has to fly back to YVR on an east-bound flight while HKG-based crew has to fly west-bound..... 
Feb 11, 2011, 1:05 pm
#13
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
When talking about crew based on base at the end of the day it will be subjective, and the individual you are dealing with. I don't anymore but I used to fly JFK-YVR-HKG quite often and I must say a couple of times the YVR-based crew really drop the ball. There's this same female FA that will guarantee to forget any request you make (cup of water, cup of noodle, pillow, anything you ask), and once there's a male crew that have my OJ that I asked in his hand, but decided to chat with this pretty FA and completely forget to deliver it to my seat (he chatted a good 10 minutes until he realized it, and serve me what is now a warm OJ thanks to his hand heat.) I didn't bother to drink it.
However, other times they are nice and as good as HKG based.
However, other times they are nice and as good as HKG based.