Cathay F - Whats it like?
Aug 16, 2016, 9:19 am
#46
Join Date: Oct 2009
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ME3 is like the Ritz carlton in HK - glitzy glamory 'wow' factor record-breaking etc etc
While CX is like the Upper House, everything is a bit more subtle and maybe does not have everything in the bucket, but many people still favor it overwhelmingly
Each to their own
While CX is like the Upper House, everything is a bit more subtle and maybe does not have everything in the bucket, but many people still favor it overwhelmingly
Each to their own
Aug 16, 2016, 9:39 am
#47
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I was hoping Cathay would be how you have described.
Aug 16, 2016, 9:43 am
#48
Join Date: Mar 2012
Posts: 3,166
CX F is nice.
Not ultra luxurious and over-the-top bling, but it is a very nice product overall.
Honestly though, I think bloggers like Lucky and Gary made CX F look a lot better than what it actually is through their endless posts about CX F back in the days.
Not ultra luxurious and over-the-top bling, but it is a very nice product overall.
Honestly though, I think bloggers like Lucky and Gary made CX F look a lot better than what it actually is through their endless posts about CX F back in the days.
Aug 16, 2016, 10:08 am
#49
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I think CX has a lot of potential, but lately its management seems to be quite complacent ... there are many things CX could do to improve its F product on the soft side. For example, little things like Haagen Dazs as a snack in F is nice, but when your oneworld partner QF is serving better quality ice cream in J and Y+, it doesn't have the same effect.
Aug 16, 2016, 1:01 pm
#50
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I think CX has a lot of potential, but lately its management seems to be quite complacent ... there are many things CX could do to improve its F product on the soft side. For example, little things like Haagen Dazs as a snack in F is nice, but when your oneworld partner QF is serving better quality ice cream in J and Y+, it doesn't have the same effect.
Haagen Dazs is by no means any treat in my book but I guess it would be to others based outside US.
I never have Haagen Dazs as snack on CX. Though the snacks on CX have gone downhill big time in recent years. Long gone was the hot pot rice, then the won ton / shui gao soups have become inedible even on the HKG outbound flights, not to mention if ordered on the EU outbound flights (learned that lesson myself).
Your comment on the management is spot on. CX has become a cost-cutting airline in too many ways.
Aug 16, 2016, 3:59 pm
#51
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Also, even the new Air France 77W 4-suite La Premiere cabin with a good cabin crew easily defeats CX F.
Does CX offer suites with doors like so many of its competitors already do? NO
Does CX offer showers in F? NO
Does CX offer complimentary hotel rooms and chauffer on long stays like EK does? NO
Does CX offer an F "Residence" and personal butler like EY does? NO
Does CX offer an onboard bar for F and J pax? NO
Does CX offer a chef in F like Etihad and Garuda already do? NO
Does CX provide the same crew-pax ration as its chief competitor SQ? NO
* CX = 2 cabin crew for 6 pax (in reality only 1 cabin crew serving and 1 in galley); SQ = 3 cabin crew for 8 pax on 77W (2 cabin crew serving and 1 in galley)
It isn't about being right or wrong, but rather, having a comprehensive understanding of the competitive landscape. While CX has a great F product, it is far from the top these days based on superior amenities and services already offered by other airlines.
Does CX offer suites with doors like so many of its competitors already do? NO
Does CX offer showers in F? NO
Does CX offer complimentary hotel rooms and chauffer on long stays like EK does? NO
Does CX offer an F "Residence" and personal butler like EY does? NO
Does CX offer an onboard bar for F and J pax? NO
Does CX offer a chef in F like Etihad and Garuda already do? NO
Does CX provide the same crew-pax ration as its chief competitor SQ? NO
* CX = 2 cabin crew for 6 pax (in reality only 1 cabin crew serving and 1 in galley); SQ = 3 cabin crew for 8 pax on 77W (2 cabin crew serving and 1 in galley)
It isn't about being right or wrong, but rather, having a comprehensive understanding of the competitive landscape. While CX has a great F product, it is far from the top these days based on superior amenities and services already offered by other airlines.
That's why I asked before, can you name a single (and perfect) F class offered by any one airline? Not cherry picking the one thing that might be outstanding by each airline.
Does EK have showers on every aircraft with First? No
Do all airlines have a bar on every aircraft they fly? No
Do other airlines offer closed suites on every aircraft they fly? No
Does Air France have it's suite on every aircraft? No
Do all airlines offer escort through TSA at US airports? No
Does CX have a single product that's uniform across every aircraft so you know exactly what you're going to get? Yes.
Aug 16, 2016, 5:41 pm
#52
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Actually, EK has Suites on all A380 and 77Ws now in fleets of over 100 aircraft so pretty consistent in 2016, well in F that is. The Suites themselves are pretty similar though A380 has showers and a bar.
EY has The Residence and F apartments on its entire A380 fleet; same with GA on all its 3-class 77Ws.
Certainly, no airline has a perfect F product, but CX F just doesn't offer anything that exceeds the top products out there.
Aug 16, 2016, 7:01 pm
#53
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 15
I have only flown first class with EK and CX, but found them both excellent.
Probably prefer Cathay, for the lounges and the seats I thought gave be better access to to papers I needed to be looking at. It was easy for me to get my work done and then get to sleep, which is what I needed to be doing. Flying Emirates involved a bit more moving things around and consumed more time.
Flight staff on both airlines were equally professional and excellent.
(Given that I generally fly economy, I should just be grateful).
Probably prefer Cathay, for the lounges and the seats I thought gave be better access to to papers I needed to be looking at. It was easy for me to get my work done and then get to sleep, which is what I needed to be doing. Flying Emirates involved a bit more moving things around and consumed more time.
Flight staff on both airlines were equally professional and excellent.
(Given that I generally fly economy, I should just be grateful).
Aug 16, 2016, 10:22 pm
#54
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Aug 17, 2016, 9:13 am
#55
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Aug 17, 2016, 9:29 am
#56
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It's considered very premium in HK. Same goes for Godiva chocolates. Both are priced at a steep premium compared to the US (HD family size is like $10 compared to $4-5 in the states. The most extreme case, I can get Arizona tea for 49 cents but in HK it retails for like $3.)
Aug 17, 2016, 10:10 am
#57
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I beg to differ. Anything that is available in every 7-Eleven is not by any reasonable definition "premium".
And most "western" food is substantially more expensive in HK than in its native country. You can eat cheaply in HK, but only if you stick to stuff coming from the motherland!
And most "western" food is substantially more expensive in HK than in its native country. You can eat cheaply in HK, but only if you stick to stuff coming from the motherland!
Aug 17, 2016, 12:22 pm
#58
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It's considered very premium in HK. Same goes for Godiva chocolates. Both are priced at a steep premium compared to the US (HD family size is like $10 compared to $4-5 in the states. The most extreme case, I can get Arizona tea for 49 cents but in HK it retails for like $3.)
I beg to differ. Anything that is available in every 7-Eleven is not by any reasonable definition "premium".
And most "western" food is substantially more expensive in HK than in its native country. You can eat cheaply in HK, but only if you stick to stuff coming from the motherland!
And most "western" food is substantially more expensive in HK than in its native country. You can eat cheaply in HK, but only if you stick to stuff coming from the motherland!
Well, foods coming from mainland China do not always be cheap. And, sometimes they contain stuff many do not want to put in their bodies. Else we would not hear the broadcast in HKG about the restriction on how many cans of baby formula a passenger could carry... just an example. YMMV.
Aug 17, 2016, 11:58 pm
#59
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Just because something is more expensive doesn't mean its better, even though that is the mentality in HK. Both Haagen Dazs and Movenpick are mass produced and owned by large conglomerates, and both retail for around the same price in much of the world.
Aug 18, 2016, 10:25 am
#60
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Yes, but in general, Movenpick is considered a far more premium brand. A while back, SQ was giving Haagen Dazs in Y!