Travelling is like Turbulence.. - SYD-HKG-DXB-AMM-DXB-HKG-PVG-HKG-SYD CX/RJ/FM/KA Y/J
Feb 18, 2010, 4:24 am
#16
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
Thanks everyone for your kind comments - unfortunately I cannot write an update until next week as my laptop decided to crash and my photos are on my laptop - stay tuned and I do apologised for taking longer than expected =(
Posted from my iPhone =P
Posted from my iPhone =P
Last edited by Platinum A332; Feb 18, 2010 at 4:25 am Reason: Spelling
Mar 18, 2010, 6:00 pm
#17
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
Sydney-Hong Kong in style!
Sydney-Hong Kong in style!
Apologies for the delay in writing the rest of my trip report. After my computer crashed prohibiting me from uploading photos, I had quite a rough two weeks. Let’s just say, I won’t be writing about the new relationship that I thought was fulfilling. Anyway, I digress.
I eagerly approached Gate 33 for the flight to Hong Kong this morning. Maybe it was the one too many hits of caffeine I had that morning, but more likely the thought of flying on CX Business Class for the first time. Either way, it was hard to contain my grin or excitement before the flight this morning!
I will unashamedly admit that one of my favourite things about flying in a premium cabin, or having emerald/sapphire status in a oneworld program is the fact it takes a significantly shorter period of time to board the airplane. You get to bypass the massive queue for economy class. Today, there was however, no evil glares at this stage of my Business Class experience (unlike before my flight HK-Dubai).
I walked into the Business Class cabin and it seemed like it was going to be a full flight, which it was. Not one spare seat on this service to Hong Kong. What was interesting to notice was the quite large percentage of Japanese passengers in the cabin (the two rows behind me, for example, were all Japanese passengers). This proved true on the remaining of my CX flights also. I unfortunately, did not try out my Japanese skills on some people I have never met before, for fear of being looked at strangely and being dubbed a “hen/baka na gaijin!!”
Flight Attendants offered an assortment of juices before take-off. I took the Apple Juice. The Japanese female passenger behind me points at the tray and asks “is this Champagne?” to which the F/A replied “Unfortunately on morning flights, we don’t serve Champagne until after take-off”. 8.15am in the morning? Never too early for some Champagne!!!!
Apple Juice
Newspapers
TV, and jacket on hook in the seat before being taken away =)
Water
Took off pretty much on time, but I admit I didn’t exactly pay notice as to what time we actually took off. I also picked up some newspapers before boarding, although the flight attendants did also offer newspapers as they came around. They also offered some hot towels before take-off too! As well as a bottle of water. As an aside, on the flight from Sydney, SUMMIT water was provided, but on all my other CX flights, Evian was offered. So far, my impressions have been A+. CX flights to Sydney tend to generally use one air bridge, so the Flight Attendants performed all the pre-take off tasks effortlessly and efficiently, weaving their way past the economy class passengers as they walked through the cabin.
Japan Airlines Boeing 777-200
Qantas Airbus 380 and Wunala Dreaming Boeing 747-400ER
My first impressions of the seat – I think, if you complain about space you either A) Complain far too much or B) are severely obese. The seats seemed to have quite a generous amount of width (then again, I average a Size 30 in Jeans =D). There also seemed to be a decent amount of space for where you could store items such as mobiles/wallets/boarding pass/passport etc.
After take-off, the flight attendants began distributing the menus for the flight, as well as the amenity kits by Agnes B and Dermalogica. They were pretty nice and, imo, much better than the strange box type things you get aboard Qantas. The male ones were black, the female ones were Blue with white stars on it. However, Qantas do give Pyjamas where as CX doesn’t. However, I did come armed with my favourite CK pyjamas when I wanted to relax. My Dad sitting across from me got a special welcome from the chief purser due to his frequent flyer status. One of the junior crew introduced herself to me though however, and guided me through the features of the seats. She was extremely friendly throughout the whole flight and talkative, yet reserved and professional.
My Dad's TV was stuck - no, I was not trying to get a photo of the F/A before any such inferences are made.....
The menu looked quite extensive for today’s flight and is as follows. I won’t bother typing up the drinks menu, as it seems to be quite similar across most CX flights (based on reading other trip experiences with CX). Upon reading the menu, I was quite impressed, and I had a bit of trouble deciding what I would eat for Lunch. Of course, I was definitely going to have the Asian Breakfast option this morning!
Breakfast
Starters
Orange or Apple Juice
Mango and passionfruit smoothie
Assorted seasonal fruit
Natural or fruit yoghurt
Assorted cereals
Main Courses
Poached eggs on spinach with Hollandaise sauce, back bacon and grilled tomato
Stir-fried egg noodles and Chinese dim sum with chilli sauce
Congee with prawn and fish fillet
Bread Basket
Assorted breakfast bread served with preserves, honey and butter
Uh Oh….my first dilemma of the morning….there are TWO Asian options for Breakfast. Congee or Noodles? Taking advantage of the privacy of the cabin layout, I decided to flip a coin (literally) – heads for noodles, tails for Congee. As the photos show, the noodles were chosen this morning. My Dad also decided to go for the Noodle option. Everything about breakfast was delicious. The fruits were very fresh, the muffin was moist and, dare I say it, devilishly naughty, and the noodles and dim sum held quite well, especially for 35000ft above the earth. Thumbs up to CX
I deliberately chose this shirt to match the peg....
Fruits and Chocolate Muffin
Main Course
Close up of Main Course
After the meal service, I made use of the flat bed and doona, by lying down and watching some of the extensive entertainment options. I remember watching Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, Family Guy and The Simpsons – I didn’t avail myself to any movie options, as, generally, I don’t have the patience to sit through a movie for the entire flight. I was however a good boy, and tried learning some Mandarin through the language entertainment options CX have on their flights. I did not get very far, however…….as before I knew it was already time for Lunch which was a leisurely affair that commenced probably about 3.5 hours out of Hong Kong. The menu options for lunch looked even more extensive and tempting than that of Breakfast.
Lying down learning Chinese
Cabin View
Lunch
Starters
Grilled prawn and hot smoked salmon with soba noodles and wasabi mayonnaise
Seasonal salad with Italian dressing
Main Courses
Grilled chicken breast with mushroom cream sauce, rosti potato, wilted spinach and roasted tomato
Stir-fried pork with ginger, garlic and oyster sauce, steamed rice and mixed vegetables
Indian spiced lamb shank with gobi muttar and pilau rice
Mushroom tortellini with tomato olive sauce and roasted vegetables
Cheese and Dessert
King Island Camembert, Cobram mature Cheddar, Strazlecki goat blue
Fresh seasonal fruit
Lemon and lime flan
Tea and Coffee
Pralines
Snacks
Roasted duck with noodle in soup with chili sauce
Ice Cream
Prior to the formal meal service commencing, there was a beverage service accompanied by a choice of either Marinated olives or Roasted Nuts. Being the glutton that I am, and, after substantial verbal pressure was exerted onto me by the Cathay crew, I had both accompanying my Oriental Breeze.
Soon after, the linen was laid and the appetizers were brought out. I must say, it was delicious. The salmon was well smoked and the components fitted very well together. Then again, I am quite partial to Japanese flavours. Bread rounds were made, and I went for the Garlic Bread.
Oriental Breeze, Marinated Olives, Roasted Nuts
Starter of Smoked Salmon
After a satisfying entrée, it was time to pursue the main meal options. The Indian spiced lamb shank stood out for me, and upon receiving it and tasting it, I was not disappointed. I was especially surprised how the rice was able to maintain its pilaf like consistency despite the limitations of onboard ovens. For the mains, I liked how the meals were presented on a trolley so you could observe and see if your expectations matched the visual appearance of the meal.
Main Course
Close Up of Main Course
Soon after was the Cheese, Fruit and Dessert trolleys. Unlike some other airlines, on CX you can have all three options if you want. And that is what I decided to do, helped along by the F/A I mentioned earlier who kept remarking comments such as “It is OK, you look like you stay quite fit, so you can eat as much as you want”. However, as you can see from the photos before, I did struggle to finish it. Life is tough, I could get used to this!
Cheese and Fruit
Cheese, Fruit and Dessert
Enjoying CX Business Class - probably about 5kg heavier!!!
Prior to the plane commencing descent into Hong Kong, I decided to play Poker – and I was pretty good at it, as you can see from the screen below (you start off with 200). Unfortunately, soon it was time to land into Hong Kong, and we landed 15 minutes early. The approach was a little bit bumpy, due to the weather at HKIA. I was disappointed to be disembarking, but knew I had First Class lounges and another flight awaiting me. Stay tuned!
Overall, there was very little I could fault about this flight. I will give a score summary at the end of my report. Some people have commented that the seats are narrow, but I disagree on this point. The service was great as expected. The food was of high-quality, maybe, CX can plate the main courses, but to me, this is not an issue to mark CX down on.
Once again, I apologise for the delay in getting the report up, but hope it was worth the wait…..
Coming up – Lounge-hopping in Hong Kong and HKG-DXB!!
Apologies for the delay in writing the rest of my trip report. After my computer crashed prohibiting me from uploading photos, I had quite a rough two weeks. Let’s just say, I won’t be writing about the new relationship that I thought was fulfilling. Anyway, I digress.
I eagerly approached Gate 33 for the flight to Hong Kong this morning. Maybe it was the one too many hits of caffeine I had that morning, but more likely the thought of flying on CX Business Class for the first time. Either way, it was hard to contain my grin or excitement before the flight this morning!
I will unashamedly admit that one of my favourite things about flying in a premium cabin, or having emerald/sapphire status in a oneworld program is the fact it takes a significantly shorter period of time to board the airplane. You get to bypass the massive queue for economy class. Today, there was however, no evil glares at this stage of my Business Class experience (unlike before my flight HK-Dubai).
I walked into the Business Class cabin and it seemed like it was going to be a full flight, which it was. Not one spare seat on this service to Hong Kong. What was interesting to notice was the quite large percentage of Japanese passengers in the cabin (the two rows behind me, for example, were all Japanese passengers). This proved true on the remaining of my CX flights also. I unfortunately, did not try out my Japanese skills on some people I have never met before, for fear of being looked at strangely and being dubbed a “hen/baka na gaijin!!”
Flight Attendants offered an assortment of juices before take-off. I took the Apple Juice. The Japanese female passenger behind me points at the tray and asks “is this Champagne?” to which the F/A replied “Unfortunately on morning flights, we don’t serve Champagne until after take-off”. 8.15am in the morning? Never too early for some Champagne!!!!
Apple Juice
Newspapers
TV, and jacket on hook in the seat before being taken away =)
Water
Took off pretty much on time, but I admit I didn’t exactly pay notice as to what time we actually took off. I also picked up some newspapers before boarding, although the flight attendants did also offer newspapers as they came around. They also offered some hot towels before take-off too! As well as a bottle of water. As an aside, on the flight from Sydney, SUMMIT water was provided, but on all my other CX flights, Evian was offered. So far, my impressions have been A+. CX flights to Sydney tend to generally use one air bridge, so the Flight Attendants performed all the pre-take off tasks effortlessly and efficiently, weaving their way past the economy class passengers as they walked through the cabin.
Japan Airlines Boeing 777-200
Qantas Airbus 380 and Wunala Dreaming Boeing 747-400ER
My first impressions of the seat – I think, if you complain about space you either A) Complain far too much or B) are severely obese. The seats seemed to have quite a generous amount of width (then again, I average a Size 30 in Jeans =D). There also seemed to be a decent amount of space for where you could store items such as mobiles/wallets/boarding pass/passport etc.
After take-off, the flight attendants began distributing the menus for the flight, as well as the amenity kits by Agnes B and Dermalogica. They were pretty nice and, imo, much better than the strange box type things you get aboard Qantas. The male ones were black, the female ones were Blue with white stars on it. However, Qantas do give Pyjamas where as CX doesn’t. However, I did come armed with my favourite CK pyjamas when I wanted to relax. My Dad sitting across from me got a special welcome from the chief purser due to his frequent flyer status. One of the junior crew introduced herself to me though however, and guided me through the features of the seats. She was extremely friendly throughout the whole flight and talkative, yet reserved and professional.
My Dad's TV was stuck - no, I was not trying to get a photo of the F/A before any such inferences are made.....
The menu looked quite extensive for today’s flight and is as follows. I won’t bother typing up the drinks menu, as it seems to be quite similar across most CX flights (based on reading other trip experiences with CX). Upon reading the menu, I was quite impressed, and I had a bit of trouble deciding what I would eat for Lunch. Of course, I was definitely going to have the Asian Breakfast option this morning!
Breakfast
Starters
Orange or Apple Juice
Mango and passionfruit smoothie
Assorted seasonal fruit
Natural or fruit yoghurt
Assorted cereals
Main Courses
Poached eggs on spinach with Hollandaise sauce, back bacon and grilled tomato
Stir-fried egg noodles and Chinese dim sum with chilli sauce
Congee with prawn and fish fillet
Bread Basket
Assorted breakfast bread served with preserves, honey and butter
Uh Oh….my first dilemma of the morning….there are TWO Asian options for Breakfast. Congee or Noodles? Taking advantage of the privacy of the cabin layout, I decided to flip a coin (literally) – heads for noodles, tails for Congee. As the photos show, the noodles were chosen this morning. My Dad also decided to go for the Noodle option. Everything about breakfast was delicious. The fruits were very fresh, the muffin was moist and, dare I say it, devilishly naughty, and the noodles and dim sum held quite well, especially for 35000ft above the earth. Thumbs up to CX
I deliberately chose this shirt to match the peg....
Fruits and Chocolate Muffin
Main Course
Close up of Main Course
After the meal service, I made use of the flat bed and doona, by lying down and watching some of the extensive entertainment options. I remember watching Gossip Girl, Sex and the City, Family Guy and The Simpsons – I didn’t avail myself to any movie options, as, generally, I don’t have the patience to sit through a movie for the entire flight. I was however a good boy, and tried learning some Mandarin through the language entertainment options CX have on their flights. I did not get very far, however…….as before I knew it was already time for Lunch which was a leisurely affair that commenced probably about 3.5 hours out of Hong Kong. The menu options for lunch looked even more extensive and tempting than that of Breakfast.
Lying down learning Chinese
Cabin View
Lunch
Starters
Grilled prawn and hot smoked salmon with soba noodles and wasabi mayonnaise
Seasonal salad with Italian dressing
Main Courses
Grilled chicken breast with mushroom cream sauce, rosti potato, wilted spinach and roasted tomato
Stir-fried pork with ginger, garlic and oyster sauce, steamed rice and mixed vegetables
Indian spiced lamb shank with gobi muttar and pilau rice
Mushroom tortellini with tomato olive sauce and roasted vegetables
Cheese and Dessert
King Island Camembert, Cobram mature Cheddar, Strazlecki goat blue
Fresh seasonal fruit
Lemon and lime flan
Tea and Coffee
Pralines
Snacks
Roasted duck with noodle in soup with chili sauce
Ice Cream
Prior to the formal meal service commencing, there was a beverage service accompanied by a choice of either Marinated olives or Roasted Nuts. Being the glutton that I am, and, after substantial verbal pressure was exerted onto me by the Cathay crew, I had both accompanying my Oriental Breeze.
Soon after, the linen was laid and the appetizers were brought out. I must say, it was delicious. The salmon was well smoked and the components fitted very well together. Then again, I am quite partial to Japanese flavours. Bread rounds were made, and I went for the Garlic Bread.
Oriental Breeze, Marinated Olives, Roasted Nuts
Starter of Smoked Salmon
After a satisfying entrée, it was time to pursue the main meal options. The Indian spiced lamb shank stood out for me, and upon receiving it and tasting it, I was not disappointed. I was especially surprised how the rice was able to maintain its pilaf like consistency despite the limitations of onboard ovens. For the mains, I liked how the meals were presented on a trolley so you could observe and see if your expectations matched the visual appearance of the meal.
Main Course
Close Up of Main Course
Soon after was the Cheese, Fruit and Dessert trolleys. Unlike some other airlines, on CX you can have all three options if you want. And that is what I decided to do, helped along by the F/A I mentioned earlier who kept remarking comments such as “It is OK, you look like you stay quite fit, so you can eat as much as you want”. However, as you can see from the photos before, I did struggle to finish it. Life is tough, I could get used to this!
Cheese and Fruit
Cheese, Fruit and Dessert
Enjoying CX Business Class - probably about 5kg heavier!!!
Prior to the plane commencing descent into Hong Kong, I decided to play Poker – and I was pretty good at it, as you can see from the screen below (you start off with 200). Unfortunately, soon it was time to land into Hong Kong, and we landed 15 minutes early. The approach was a little bit bumpy, due to the weather at HKIA. I was disappointed to be disembarking, but knew I had First Class lounges and another flight awaiting me. Stay tuned!
Overall, there was very little I could fault about this flight. I will give a score summary at the end of my report. Some people have commented that the seats are narrow, but I disagree on this point. The service was great as expected. The food was of high-quality, maybe, CX can plate the main courses, but to me, this is not an issue to mark CX down on.
Once again, I apologise for the delay in getting the report up, but hope it was worth the wait…..
Coming up – Lounge-hopping in Hong Kong and HKG-DXB!!
Mar 27, 2010, 3:35 am
#18
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
Lounge-Hopping Part One
Lounge-Hopping HKIA Style
Some of you may be questioning why I did not go into Hong Kong Island or Kowloon given that I had quite a long layover in Hong Kong before my flight to Dubai. First and foremost, as you can see from the photo below, the weather was not the greatest. Second, in true FTer style, some of the greatest lounges in the world are in HKIA and it is not everyday that I get to exploit someone else’s (in this case, my Dad’s) Frequent Flyer Status. So, off I went lounge-hopping around Hong Kong International Airport.
The Wing
Having arrived into one of the “priority” gates, the first stop was the First Class section of “The Wing”. For some reason, the lounge was extraordinarily busy, and it was a struggle to find two seats together. Being quite full from the inbound flight, just decided to order a drink and sit back on my laptop for a little bit. I didn’t request for a Cabana, as from past observation, the DXB flight usually departs from “The Pier” end of the airport.
Plenty has been written about The Wing before. It has a Library, a Restaurant, 7 Cabana suites to have showers, waiter service in the lounge amongst other features. The Wing is located on Level 7 of the airport and overlooks the departure area, so there is a lot of natural light coming in. It is a great place to relax before a long-haul flight.
After relaxing a bit in The Wing, I decided to go for a walk, and this involved a stop at the newly renovated Qantas Business Lounge near Gate Lounge 16.
Qantas Business Lounge
Being late afternoon HK time, and with no flights to Australia departing until QF128 back to Sydney, the lounge was very empty. Upon presenting my CX Boarding Pass and QFF Card to the lounge attendant, she was more than happy to welcome me into the lounge, even encouraging me to stay in the lounge until departure, and this is Qantas new lounge. She seemed very proud of it, and she was such a nice person to deal with (unlike the lady I encountered in Sydney!)
Now, the lounge was very empty – but the capacity seemed quite substantial, and at this time, there was no separate F Lounge in Hong Kong as it was being renovated. The style was not too dissimilar to other main Qantas Clubs in the network such as the Sydney and Singapore lounges. There are bathrooms with showers as well as a reasonable buffet selection that was just being laid out as I arrived. The best feature of the lounge was the area filled with Mac computers for internet access, which, dare I say it, was much more stable and quicker than what I was able to access at The Wing. Overall, I’d say the lounge is quite good for a Business Lounge and matches the Qantas standards. I still like The Wing and The Pier more, but it is a nice addition to the Qantas network.
Main Qantas Lounge Area
Apple Computers!!
Sitting down in the Qantas Lounge
Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Braised Beef (I think?)
After reviewing the Qantas lounge, I made my way back to The Wing. Soon after, myself and my Dad made the decision to leave The Wing and browse HK Duty Free (surely amongst the best, if not the best in the world), before catching the skytrain and heading to The Pier. However, obviously, on the course of my walking in true FTer style, I managed to take some shots in a very foggy HKIA.
Very difficult to take a clear shot....
Attempted shot of the SQ A380
Various CX and KA aircraft
Coming up next - The Pier!
Some of you may be questioning why I did not go into Hong Kong Island or Kowloon given that I had quite a long layover in Hong Kong before my flight to Dubai. First and foremost, as you can see from the photo below, the weather was not the greatest. Second, in true FTer style, some of the greatest lounges in the world are in HKIA and it is not everyday that I get to exploit someone else’s (in this case, my Dad’s) Frequent Flyer Status. So, off I went lounge-hopping around Hong Kong International Airport.
The Wing
Having arrived into one of the “priority” gates, the first stop was the First Class section of “The Wing”. For some reason, the lounge was extraordinarily busy, and it was a struggle to find two seats together. Being quite full from the inbound flight, just decided to order a drink and sit back on my laptop for a little bit. I didn’t request for a Cabana, as from past observation, the DXB flight usually departs from “The Pier” end of the airport.
Plenty has been written about The Wing before. It has a Library, a Restaurant, 7 Cabana suites to have showers, waiter service in the lounge amongst other features. The Wing is located on Level 7 of the airport and overlooks the departure area, so there is a lot of natural light coming in. It is a great place to relax before a long-haul flight.
After relaxing a bit in The Wing, I decided to go for a walk, and this involved a stop at the newly renovated Qantas Business Lounge near Gate Lounge 16.
Qantas Business Lounge
Being late afternoon HK time, and with no flights to Australia departing until QF128 back to Sydney, the lounge was very empty. Upon presenting my CX Boarding Pass and QFF Card to the lounge attendant, she was more than happy to welcome me into the lounge, even encouraging me to stay in the lounge until departure, and this is Qantas new lounge. She seemed very proud of it, and she was such a nice person to deal with (unlike the lady I encountered in Sydney!)
Now, the lounge was very empty – but the capacity seemed quite substantial, and at this time, there was no separate F Lounge in Hong Kong as it was being renovated. The style was not too dissimilar to other main Qantas Clubs in the network such as the Sydney and Singapore lounges. There are bathrooms with showers as well as a reasonable buffet selection that was just being laid out as I arrived. The best feature of the lounge was the area filled with Mac computers for internet access, which, dare I say it, was much more stable and quicker than what I was able to access at The Wing. Overall, I’d say the lounge is quite good for a Business Lounge and matches the Qantas standards. I still like The Wing and The Pier more, but it is a nice addition to the Qantas network.
Main Qantas Lounge Area
Apple Computers!!
Sitting down in the Qantas Lounge
Vietnamese Spring Rolls, Braised Beef (I think?)
After reviewing the Qantas lounge, I made my way back to The Wing. Soon after, myself and my Dad made the decision to leave The Wing and browse HK Duty Free (surely amongst the best, if not the best in the world), before catching the skytrain and heading to The Pier. However, obviously, on the course of my walking in true FTer style, I managed to take some shots in a very foggy HKIA.
Very difficult to take a clear shot....
Attempted shot of the SQ A380
Various CX and KA aircraft
Coming up next - The Pier!
Mar 27, 2010, 4:38 am
#19
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
Lounge-Hopping Part Two
The Pier
Once again, we were warmly welcomed into The Pier, and our bags were taken and placed in the luggage room. As we walked into the lounge, I did notice something quite peculiar – the lounge was EMPTY. Yes, I mean, there was not ONE other person in the lounge. I had to walk around the lounge as I was in disbelief. There was no one in the restaurant. No one in the main lounge area. However, I obviously did not check the showers or day rooms (hehe =P). I was going to savour this opportunity, one of the best lounges in the world to treat as my lounge room =D.
First stop was The Haven – as I was feeling a bit peckish (I always am!), and my Dad was too. Today, the Afternoon Tea buffet was laid out, that features some light yet quite substantial options, such as Smoked Salmon, Cold Soba, Beef Brochettes etc. However, upon request, I got a bowl of noodles delivered from the Noodle Bar in the J Lounge – but it was a HUGE bowl – not that I am complaining. The catering at The Haven really is quite good for an airport lounge, and I did manage to eat quite a lot, and take a few photos in the process.
Soba Noodles, Beef Brochette
Obligatory Photo Shot in The Haven
Noodles! Noodles! =D
Failed Photo Attempt
Photo Attempt - not so bad? =)
The next few hours in between, I basically just took the opportunity for what remained a predominantly empty lounge. The attendants kept asking if I wanted anything, and at one stage, after I commented that the “chocolates truffles at the restaurant tasted amazing”, one of the lounge attendants decided to bring an entire plate over. I guess they were bored with an empty lounge, but I was amazed by the level of service that was offered. Also at one stage, I ordered a Hong Kong Milk Tea, which I have to say, was pretty good – sure, it might be odd drinking such a standard Hong Kong drink in the luxury surrounds of The Pier, but I was in Hong Kong after all =P. Of course, when I got a bit bored of the lounge environment, I did decide to walk around HKIA – which I have to say, is one of my favourite airports in the world. I think the only airport which I hold in higher regard is the new Terminal 3 at Changi Airport in Singapore.
Sandwich + Hong Kong Milk Tea
Browsing Shops at HKIA
Before deciding to have Dinner, I decided to go have a shower. The shower suites have basically all of the facilities you can ask for – with anything from a toothbrush to hairspray available on request. However, the shower suites were not as nice as the Cabanas that are available at The Wing. The lack of Cabanas, are compensated by the fact that The Pier has dedicated Day Rooms for relaxing, which I will review a bit later.
Shower Room - sorry, no photos of me actually using the shower.....=P
At around 7pm Hong Kong time, I decided to go have Dinner – so the rest of the time I spend in the lounge could be spent on getting a quick nap in the day rooms and relaxing in general before the overnight flight to Dubai. The Haven, once again, was empty for the majority of my dinner experience – however towards the end, a Businessman came in and ordered some Shao Mai and a Beer – it seems you can basically order anything at the restaurant =D. I won’t fully describe the restaurant experience, but below are the photos I took – as you can see, the catering was of a superior quality, and I must say that the dessert was especially amazing.
Buffet Shot
The Haven Restaurant
Buffet Shot
Entree
Cathay Delight
Main Course selections
Chocolate Espresso Cake =D
After Dinner, I enquired with the lounge attendant if I could use one of the day rooms. He replied that “I can pick whichever one I like, as they are all unused at the moment”. He then showed me three of them, and asked me which one I would like. I decided upon the second one, no reason as to why. He then asked for my flight time so he could wake me up, but I said I had my alarm, and will wake myself up. Seriously, I haven’t experienced such amazing service in a lounge in all my travelling experience.
The Day Rooms, in my opinion, are a cute little addition to the lounge and definitely serve their purpose of being a place to chill out. There is a comfortable leather lounge with an ottoman, as well as an LCD Screen mounted against the wall. Everything in the room, from lighting, to room temperature, to working the TV, is controlled through an LCD Panel on the wall. You can also order drinks to the room should you choose (I did not take advantage of this feature). It was definitely a great place to spend a couple of hours relaxing and snoozing. Below are some photos in the Day Room =).
Ottoman + TV
Very Comfortable way to spend time
LCD Control Display
Striped Socks + Bloomberg - Wall St about to open!!! =D
Attempted self-timed shot
Continued in next post
Once again, we were warmly welcomed into The Pier, and our bags were taken and placed in the luggage room. As we walked into the lounge, I did notice something quite peculiar – the lounge was EMPTY. Yes, I mean, there was not ONE other person in the lounge. I had to walk around the lounge as I was in disbelief. There was no one in the restaurant. No one in the main lounge area. However, I obviously did not check the showers or day rooms (hehe =P). I was going to savour this opportunity, one of the best lounges in the world to treat as my lounge room =D.
First stop was The Haven – as I was feeling a bit peckish (I always am!), and my Dad was too. Today, the Afternoon Tea buffet was laid out, that features some light yet quite substantial options, such as Smoked Salmon, Cold Soba, Beef Brochettes etc. However, upon request, I got a bowl of noodles delivered from the Noodle Bar in the J Lounge – but it was a HUGE bowl – not that I am complaining. The catering at The Haven really is quite good for an airport lounge, and I did manage to eat quite a lot, and take a few photos in the process.
Soba Noodles, Beef Brochette
Obligatory Photo Shot in The Haven
Noodles! Noodles! =D
Failed Photo Attempt
Photo Attempt - not so bad? =)
The next few hours in between, I basically just took the opportunity for what remained a predominantly empty lounge. The attendants kept asking if I wanted anything, and at one stage, after I commented that the “chocolates truffles at the restaurant tasted amazing”, one of the lounge attendants decided to bring an entire plate over. I guess they were bored with an empty lounge, but I was amazed by the level of service that was offered. Also at one stage, I ordered a Hong Kong Milk Tea, which I have to say, was pretty good – sure, it might be odd drinking such a standard Hong Kong drink in the luxury surrounds of The Pier, but I was in Hong Kong after all =P. Of course, when I got a bit bored of the lounge environment, I did decide to walk around HKIA – which I have to say, is one of my favourite airports in the world. I think the only airport which I hold in higher regard is the new Terminal 3 at Changi Airport in Singapore.
Sandwich + Hong Kong Milk Tea
Browsing Shops at HKIA
Before deciding to have Dinner, I decided to go have a shower. The shower suites have basically all of the facilities you can ask for – with anything from a toothbrush to hairspray available on request. However, the shower suites were not as nice as the Cabanas that are available at The Wing. The lack of Cabanas, are compensated by the fact that The Pier has dedicated Day Rooms for relaxing, which I will review a bit later.
Shower Room - sorry, no photos of me actually using the shower.....=P
At around 7pm Hong Kong time, I decided to go have Dinner – so the rest of the time I spend in the lounge could be spent on getting a quick nap in the day rooms and relaxing in general before the overnight flight to Dubai. The Haven, once again, was empty for the majority of my dinner experience – however towards the end, a Businessman came in and ordered some Shao Mai and a Beer – it seems you can basically order anything at the restaurant =D. I won’t fully describe the restaurant experience, but below are the photos I took – as you can see, the catering was of a superior quality, and I must say that the dessert was especially amazing.
Buffet Shot
The Haven Restaurant
Buffet Shot
Entree
Cathay Delight
Main Course selections
Chocolate Espresso Cake =D
After Dinner, I enquired with the lounge attendant if I could use one of the day rooms. He replied that “I can pick whichever one I like, as they are all unused at the moment”. He then showed me three of them, and asked me which one I would like. I decided upon the second one, no reason as to why. He then asked for my flight time so he could wake me up, but I said I had my alarm, and will wake myself up. Seriously, I haven’t experienced such amazing service in a lounge in all my travelling experience.
The Day Rooms, in my opinion, are a cute little addition to the lounge and definitely serve their purpose of being a place to chill out. There is a comfortable leather lounge with an ottoman, as well as an LCD Screen mounted against the wall. Everything in the room, from lighting, to room temperature, to working the TV, is controlled through an LCD Panel on the wall. You can also order drinks to the room should you choose (I did not take advantage of this feature). It was definitely a great place to spend a couple of hours relaxing and snoozing. Below are some photos in the Day Room =).
Ottoman + TV
Very Comfortable way to spend time
LCD Control Display
Striped Socks + Bloomberg - Wall St about to open!!! =D
Attempted self-timed shot
Continued in next post
Last edited by Platinum A332; Mar 27, 2010 at 4:42 am Reason: formatting error
Mar 27, 2010, 4:40 am
#20
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
Lounge-Hopping Part Two (continued)
At a bit after 1030pm, I made my way back out to the lounge feeling a bit more refreshed. While the lounge did have some people now, I would estimate the capacity to have reached 30% at the absolute peak. It seems that a lot of people have lost their frequent flyer status, First Class demand has died off a lot, or, I was just having a really awesome experience! =D. I rounded off my experience at The Wing with a tub of Haagen Dazs, that was promptly delivered to me – no need to get out of my seat and get it as per the Business Class lounge – gosh, life is tough!
Chocolate Haagen Dazs
Using laptop in the Lounge Area
Enjoying the surrounds of a still quite empty lounge
Empty as you can see - despite the midnight 744 Rush to Europe!
That was by far the quickest 9 hours of my life – it would be quite easy to live at HKIA – but soon enough my flight to Dubai was called for boarding. So, I dragged myself out of my seat and made my way to the Gate for my 2nd ever flight in Cathay Pacific Business Class.
Chocolate Haagen Dazs
Using laptop in the Lounge Area
Enjoying the surrounds of a still quite empty lounge
Empty as you can see - despite the midnight 744 Rush to Europe!
That was by far the quickest 9 hours of my life – it would be quite easy to live at HKIA – but soon enough my flight to Dubai was called for boarding. So, I dragged myself out of my seat and made my way to the Gate for my 2nd ever flight in Cathay Pacific Business Class.
Last edited by Platinum A332; Mar 27, 2010 at 4:42 am Reason: forgot a photo! =P
Apr 3, 2010, 10:53 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
My second CX-J flight!
Cathay Pacific Business Class Take Two
Firstly, I would like to warn that this portion is slightly shorter in length, as it is an overnight flight and I wanted to get some rest.
As I mentioned previously, one of my favourite things of premium class/elite travel is the ability to get on the plane as quickly as possible. Judging by the queues, it seemed that the flight looks packed in the back and would be quite empty in Business Class. On approaching the boarding gate, the staff were only boarding Economy Class passengers. However, on my Dad and I walking up in the designated premium line (we missed the priority boarding call), the staff member at the gate quickly took our boarding passes and stopped the process for Economy passengers boarding. Naturally, I was appreciative of this =). However, the Filipino lady who was about to board the plane, was not so happy. She started cursing something (in Pinoy I assume?), and gave me one of the most evil glares I have ever witnessed. Such is life…..
Upon boarding the plane, we were warmly greeted by ISM Jen-Jen and the rest of her crew. I quickly settled down into my seat, 14A for the flight to Hong Kong. The Business Class cabin looked only about half-full for the flight. The passengers (in Business Class atleast) seemed to be mainly of Japanese, Hong Kong and Middle Eastern origin on this flight. Based on my observations at the gate, economy seemed to be primarily filled with passengers of Filipino origin.
This was my first time on a CX Airbus 340-300, and it was the first time I had flown in one since my trip to China in July 2009, when I flew on a CA 343 PVG-PEK. Naturally, this time, my experience would be far more comfortable than on a mainland Chinese airline in economy class! =P.
Prior to take-off, one of the male crew (who also spoke fluent Arabic – much better than mine!!!) offered drinks before take-off where I decided to choose the Oriental Breeze. Surprisingly, upon finishing it, he very kindly insisted on getting me another Oriental Breeze, a request which reluctantly accepted =P. He was very charming, however, after the pre take-off drink service; I did not see him for the rest of the flight. One of the female crew distributed newspapers, including those of Dubai-origin. Naturally, these newspapers were all adorned with headlines highlighting the fantastic economic achievement of Burj Khalifa, naturally without any mention of the severe debt problems which Dubai is facing….
Oriental Breeze
Dubai Newspapers - 828 reasons to smile BEFORE you get the invoice?
Take-off was on time, and call me crazy, but I always love the feel of take-off on a four-engined plane as opposed to a two-engined one. However, I always find the take-off of the 343 to be much slower than comparable aircraft such as the Boeing 777.
Soon after-take off, an abbreviated Supper service was offered – naturally to maximize passengers sleep on this relatively short overnight flight between two of the worlds preeminent aviation hubs. Of course, in true CX style, despite the abbreviated nature of the meal service, the quality was still superb. Prior to the Supper Menu, a drinks service was offered with Roasted Nuts, but no Marinated Olives this time. Jen-Jen also specially welcomed by Dad being a OWE, and also warmly welcomed me onboard bringing round the Anges B/Dermalogica Amentity Kits.The Supper Menu is as follows;
Supper
Starter
Mixed salad with cherry tomato, celery, carrot and citrus vinaigrette
Main Courses
Braised lamb shoulder rack, roasted kipfler potatoes with parsley and roasted mixed vegetables
Prawns in turmeric sauce, coconut rice with shallot and stir-fried kalian
Stir-fried chicken with black bean sauce, steamed jasmine rice and Chinese mixed vegetables
Cheese and Dessert
Cheese selection
Fresh seasonal fruit
Mississippi mud cake
Tea and Coffee
Pralines
Roasted Nuts
For my main course option, I decided to go for the Prawns, which I must say, would rank amongst the best seafood dishes I have ever consumed onboard an aircraft. The prawns were tasty, firm and numerous (somehow, 12 decent-sized prawns fitted into that dish!), the rice was not dry and even the kalian was flavourful. Thumbs up to CX Catering again! However, the starter salad for me seemed a bit economy-esque and was nothing special.
Starter
Prawns Main Course
The way desserts were presented was different from my first CX flight. The cake, cheese and fruits were already pre-plated, most likely to save service time. I was encouraged to take all three options (yet again!), however, given how much I had eaten today, and the fact that I wanted to get some rest, I elected for the Mississippi Mud Cake. I think the picture speaks for itself – it was amazing! Then again, I am a self-confessed chocoholic (the crew also force fed me pralines =P).
Mississippi Mud Cake
Straight after dessert, I chose to recline my seat and managed to get about four hours of solid sleep. Contrary to some persons opinions, I found the CX seats, combined with the duvet offered in Business Class to allow for a relaxed and comfortable sleeping experience onboard. Yes, it may be a bit narrow when compared to First Class or your bed at home, but then again, it is Business Class, on an airplane after all. Therefore, I had nothing to fault about the CX seats in terms of sleeping comfort.
Soon after waking up, Jen-Jen came to greet me and asked if I wanted anything to eat or drink.
Bed after sleeping....
“We still have some of the main meal options left some dinner, or perhaps you would like some Fruit or Cheese. Your dad mentioned you do love your chocolate, so we could always get you another dessert………”
So, naturally, I went for a second slice of Mississippi Mud Cake. =D. While I was served the Mud Cake, I was offered an inflight survey form to fill out – naturally, all with glowing comments about my CX experience. I hope Jen-Jen in particular was rewarded for her excellent service on this flight!
My second mud cake!
After finishing my cake and orange juice, I *deliberately* took the plate and cup back to the galley – as I wanted to have a chat with the crew before they started preparing for the pre-arrival Breakfast service. I went to the bathroom, and upon coming out the crew go "Now Now, what were you doing with the camera in the bathroom?" I told them the truth "Well, I actually wanted to take photos with all of you - not in the bathroom ofcourse!"
Naturally, we discussed all things aviation (however, no rumours were unearthed on this occasion!). The crew however said that there is a girl who seemed quite young in the cabin, and seemed to hint that since we were both attractive.....a relationship might be in order. I think the above scenario highlight how CX crew while professional, still try to be personable and have a good sense of humour!
Failed photo attempt!
However, what was especially pleasing, is that Jen-Jen got the second officer and first officer on the flight to have a chat to me (and naturally, I too photos). The second officer, Jeremy McDonald, was an Aussie! He commented that he likes flying the 340/330 as you get to fly to such a range of destinations including London, Vancouver, Dubai and, ofcourse, several times a year back home to Australia! The first officer was Rebecca Chew, who was of Hong Kong origin. Her favourite destination of travel if I recall correctly was London. Jen-Jen’s favourite destinations are Los Angeles and Dubai, because of family ties in both cities. What I found especially interesting is that Jeremy would be returning 6.50pm that same night to Hong Kong! The other crew either A) get one night or B) stay two nights, but will spend one-day doing a day-trip to Jeddah and back.
Me with the first officer
Photo with the second officer
About one hour prior to arrival, Continental Breakfast was served. I only got the initial fruit tray and didn’t really partake in any of the other options, as I am never a big eater in the morning. The menu is as follows. To be honest, Continental Breakfast is always the least favourite of my meals onboard of an aircraft.
Continental Breakfast
Starters
Juice selection
Fresh seasonal fruit
Fruit yoghurt
Assorted cereals
Bread Basket
Assorted breakfast bread
served with preserves, honey and butter
Tea and Coffee
Continental Breakfast
Before landing, I asked if I could have some playing cards. Jen-Jen came back with three decks commenting “just incase you lose one!”
Soon enough, the A340 began descending into Dubai, arriving 25 minutes early at 0435! I couldn’t get any clear shots of the new Burj unfortunately so my descent into Dubai was spent mainly playing inflight Poker – once again, I obtained a pretty impressive score! I was only interrupted by Jen-Jen thanking me for flying Cathay, wishing me a smooth connection to Royal Jordanian and all the best for my Grandad. Despite the infinite amount of empty gates – the plane was parked at a remote stand, and we were bussed to the terminal. I didn’t mind as it was quite a mild morning, and I could get some shots of the aircraft that would be impossible had we disembarked at the terminal.
My decent poker score!
Airplane shot one - on the tarmac
The 343 really is a nice looking airplane!
Taken from inside the bus - four engines!
Excuse the reflection from inside the bus
On the bus to the terminal, the young girl whom the crew seemed to be hinting about was sitting next to me, and we started chatting. She was trying to take a photo of herself, so I offered to take one for her =). She graduated a few years ago from an Australian University and was now working in Marketing in HK and was travelling to DXB for two weeks. This was also her first time on CX J Class, so we both were discussing how great the beds were, how good the service was, Uni life etc. I always like taking to new people when I travel. Actually, some of my best friends have been made through the course of my travels!
The service on this flight truly was “straight from the heart”. There was nothing I could fault at all. No wonder Cathay still was able to make a US$600million profit in 2010 while other full-service airlines were going downhill. It is because they offer a product which people are willing to pay for (but, out of most countries, CX is never the most expensive option!).
Coming Up Next – Dubai Airport Services – as woeful as Dubai’s credit rating!
Firstly, I would like to warn that this portion is slightly shorter in length, as it is an overnight flight and I wanted to get some rest.
As I mentioned previously, one of my favourite things of premium class/elite travel is the ability to get on the plane as quickly as possible. Judging by the queues, it seemed that the flight looks packed in the back and would be quite empty in Business Class. On approaching the boarding gate, the staff were only boarding Economy Class passengers. However, on my Dad and I walking up in the designated premium line (we missed the priority boarding call), the staff member at the gate quickly took our boarding passes and stopped the process for Economy passengers boarding. Naturally, I was appreciative of this =). However, the Filipino lady who was about to board the plane, was not so happy. She started cursing something (in Pinoy I assume?), and gave me one of the most evil glares I have ever witnessed. Such is life…..
Upon boarding the plane, we were warmly greeted by ISM Jen-Jen and the rest of her crew. I quickly settled down into my seat, 14A for the flight to Hong Kong. The Business Class cabin looked only about half-full for the flight. The passengers (in Business Class atleast) seemed to be mainly of Japanese, Hong Kong and Middle Eastern origin on this flight. Based on my observations at the gate, economy seemed to be primarily filled with passengers of Filipino origin.
This was my first time on a CX Airbus 340-300, and it was the first time I had flown in one since my trip to China in July 2009, when I flew on a CA 343 PVG-PEK. Naturally, this time, my experience would be far more comfortable than on a mainland Chinese airline in economy class! =P.
Prior to take-off, one of the male crew (who also spoke fluent Arabic – much better than mine!!!) offered drinks before take-off where I decided to choose the Oriental Breeze. Surprisingly, upon finishing it, he very kindly insisted on getting me another Oriental Breeze, a request which reluctantly accepted =P. He was very charming, however, after the pre take-off drink service; I did not see him for the rest of the flight. One of the female crew distributed newspapers, including those of Dubai-origin. Naturally, these newspapers were all adorned with headlines highlighting the fantastic economic achievement of Burj Khalifa, naturally without any mention of the severe debt problems which Dubai is facing….
Oriental Breeze
Dubai Newspapers - 828 reasons to smile BEFORE you get the invoice?
Take-off was on time, and call me crazy, but I always love the feel of take-off on a four-engined plane as opposed to a two-engined one. However, I always find the take-off of the 343 to be much slower than comparable aircraft such as the Boeing 777.
Soon after-take off, an abbreviated Supper service was offered – naturally to maximize passengers sleep on this relatively short overnight flight between two of the worlds preeminent aviation hubs. Of course, in true CX style, despite the abbreviated nature of the meal service, the quality was still superb. Prior to the Supper Menu, a drinks service was offered with Roasted Nuts, but no Marinated Olives this time. Jen-Jen also specially welcomed by Dad being a OWE, and also warmly welcomed me onboard bringing round the Anges B/Dermalogica Amentity Kits.The Supper Menu is as follows;
Supper
Starter
Mixed salad with cherry tomato, celery, carrot and citrus vinaigrette
Main Courses
Braised lamb shoulder rack, roasted kipfler potatoes with parsley and roasted mixed vegetables
Prawns in turmeric sauce, coconut rice with shallot and stir-fried kalian
Stir-fried chicken with black bean sauce, steamed jasmine rice and Chinese mixed vegetables
Cheese and Dessert
Cheese selection
Fresh seasonal fruit
Mississippi mud cake
Tea and Coffee
Pralines
Roasted Nuts
For my main course option, I decided to go for the Prawns, which I must say, would rank amongst the best seafood dishes I have ever consumed onboard an aircraft. The prawns were tasty, firm and numerous (somehow, 12 decent-sized prawns fitted into that dish!), the rice was not dry and even the kalian was flavourful. Thumbs up to CX Catering again! However, the starter salad for me seemed a bit economy-esque and was nothing special.
Starter
Prawns Main Course
The way desserts were presented was different from my first CX flight. The cake, cheese and fruits were already pre-plated, most likely to save service time. I was encouraged to take all three options (yet again!), however, given how much I had eaten today, and the fact that I wanted to get some rest, I elected for the Mississippi Mud Cake. I think the picture speaks for itself – it was amazing! Then again, I am a self-confessed chocoholic (the crew also force fed me pralines =P).
Mississippi Mud Cake
Straight after dessert, I chose to recline my seat and managed to get about four hours of solid sleep. Contrary to some persons opinions, I found the CX seats, combined with the duvet offered in Business Class to allow for a relaxed and comfortable sleeping experience onboard. Yes, it may be a bit narrow when compared to First Class or your bed at home, but then again, it is Business Class, on an airplane after all. Therefore, I had nothing to fault about the CX seats in terms of sleeping comfort.
Soon after waking up, Jen-Jen came to greet me and asked if I wanted anything to eat or drink.
Bed after sleeping....
“We still have some of the main meal options left some dinner, or perhaps you would like some Fruit or Cheese. Your dad mentioned you do love your chocolate, so we could always get you another dessert………”
So, naturally, I went for a second slice of Mississippi Mud Cake. =D. While I was served the Mud Cake, I was offered an inflight survey form to fill out – naturally, all with glowing comments about my CX experience. I hope Jen-Jen in particular was rewarded for her excellent service on this flight!
My second mud cake!
After finishing my cake and orange juice, I *deliberately* took the plate and cup back to the galley – as I wanted to have a chat with the crew before they started preparing for the pre-arrival Breakfast service. I went to the bathroom, and upon coming out the crew go "Now Now, what were you doing with the camera in the bathroom?" I told them the truth "Well, I actually wanted to take photos with all of you - not in the bathroom ofcourse!"
Naturally, we discussed all things aviation (however, no rumours were unearthed on this occasion!). The crew however said that there is a girl who seemed quite young in the cabin, and seemed to hint that since we were both attractive.....a relationship might be in order. I think the above scenario highlight how CX crew while professional, still try to be personable and have a good sense of humour!
Failed photo attempt!
However, what was especially pleasing, is that Jen-Jen got the second officer and first officer on the flight to have a chat to me (and naturally, I too photos). The second officer, Jeremy McDonald, was an Aussie! He commented that he likes flying the 340/330 as you get to fly to such a range of destinations including London, Vancouver, Dubai and, ofcourse, several times a year back home to Australia! The first officer was Rebecca Chew, who was of Hong Kong origin. Her favourite destination of travel if I recall correctly was London. Jen-Jen’s favourite destinations are Los Angeles and Dubai, because of family ties in both cities. What I found especially interesting is that Jeremy would be returning 6.50pm that same night to Hong Kong! The other crew either A) get one night or B) stay two nights, but will spend one-day doing a day-trip to Jeddah and back.
Me with the first officer
Photo with the second officer
About one hour prior to arrival, Continental Breakfast was served. I only got the initial fruit tray and didn’t really partake in any of the other options, as I am never a big eater in the morning. The menu is as follows. To be honest, Continental Breakfast is always the least favourite of my meals onboard of an aircraft.
Continental Breakfast
Starters
Juice selection
Fresh seasonal fruit
Fruit yoghurt
Assorted cereals
Bread Basket
Assorted breakfast bread
served with preserves, honey and butter
Tea and Coffee
Continental Breakfast
Before landing, I asked if I could have some playing cards. Jen-Jen came back with three decks commenting “just incase you lose one!”
Soon enough, the A340 began descending into Dubai, arriving 25 minutes early at 0435! I couldn’t get any clear shots of the new Burj unfortunately so my descent into Dubai was spent mainly playing inflight Poker – once again, I obtained a pretty impressive score! I was only interrupted by Jen-Jen thanking me for flying Cathay, wishing me a smooth connection to Royal Jordanian and all the best for my Grandad. Despite the infinite amount of empty gates – the plane was parked at a remote stand, and we were bussed to the terminal. I didn’t mind as it was quite a mild morning, and I could get some shots of the aircraft that would be impossible had we disembarked at the terminal.
My decent poker score!
Airplane shot one - on the tarmac
The 343 really is a nice looking airplane!
Taken from inside the bus - four engines!
Excuse the reflection from inside the bus
On the bus to the terminal, the young girl whom the crew seemed to be hinting about was sitting next to me, and we started chatting. She was trying to take a photo of herself, so I offered to take one for her =). She graduated a few years ago from an Australian University and was now working in Marketing in HK and was travelling to DXB for two weeks. This was also her first time on CX J Class, so we both were discussing how great the beds were, how good the service was, Uni life etc. I always like taking to new people when I travel. Actually, some of my best friends have been made through the course of my travels!
The service on this flight truly was “straight from the heart”. There was nothing I could fault at all. No wonder Cathay still was able to make a US$600million profit in 2010 while other full-service airlines were going downhill. It is because they offer a product which people are willing to pay for (but, out of most countries, CX is never the most expensive option!).
Coming Up Next – Dubai Airport Services – as woeful as Dubai’s credit rating!
Last edited by Platinum A332; Apr 3, 2010 at 10:54 pm Reason: I spelt Cathay without a y....oh dear....
Apr 15, 2010, 9:41 pm
#24
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2003
Location: Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Posts: 949
Apr 19, 2010, 6:25 pm
#27
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX SL, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton HHonors Diamond
Posts: 316
The prawns were tasty, firm and numerous (somehow, 12 decent-sized prawns fitted into that dish!)