B-HXB

Beijing Bound
In October I noticed that Cathay Pacific were advertising a “Visit Beijing Now” promotion on their website to launch their new Beijing service. The deal looked pretty good just as it was, offering three nights’ accommodation at nice hotels (depending on class of travel) with the option to upgrade or extend the stay for a reasonable surcharge. The dates the offer was good for (travel from 2 December 2003 to 3 March 2004) fitted in nicely with the times we would be in Asia, so, having never been to Beijing, decided to take it up. For some reason unbeknownst to me, CX charged us what I can only describe as an absolute steal for my HKG-PEK return sector plus the three nights, tacked on to my SYD-HKG-AKL ticket. The only real downside was the schedules – CX arrives PEK late at night and leaves early morning, meaning three nights’ stay is the practical equivalent of two days sightseeing. In order to be able to take things easy, and enjoy Beijing without being constrained by time, we decided to extend for two nights to the next CX flight out.

******

Flight: CX318
Sector: HKG PEK
Aircraft: Airbus 330-300, B-HLO
Departure time: 1750
Departure gate: 3

We went with a taxi to the airport rather than the Airport Express, the reason being that many taxis now charge a flat rate in the range of HKD280, all costs included. Compared with two Airport Express tickets at HKD100 each plus the fare from where we were staying to Hong Kong Station which levels out at about HKD70, it’s really not that much more expensive and a little less hassle. The journey by road takes slightly longer than by train, but we weren’t in a hurry.

I had meticulously planned the journey such that our arrival at the airport would be 4:00, so hopefully we would arrive at the Wing just as all the North American passengers (whose flights always seem to park at CX’s preferred gates) would be clearing out. However, my timing was a little off and we pulled up at Zone 1 Departures at a quarter to four.

We loaded our luggage on to one of the free, plentiful and easy-to-control trolleys (I have a real gripe with trolleys a la Heathrow where all four wheels can turn on the bit attached to the trolley making it near impossible to control), hit the crossing button which immediately turned the traffic lights red, strolled over the crossing, into the terminal and down the ramp to the CX First Class check in.

The CX agents assigned to First check-in who weren’t processing passengers were standing in front of the podiums and in typical CX fashion, as soon as they saw us approaching, one of them detached themselves from the group and escorted us to a free podium where another agent quickly joined her. The baggage boys who operate from the counters adjacent to the check-in area took our bags for tagging. Meanwhile one agent got busy checking our tickets and documentation as the other began tapping away at the computer, after first passing over outbound Health Declaration forms for our completion together with pen.

After a few clicks the personalised information appeared on the screen facing us, changing from WELCOME to flight, gate, departure time and aircraft information for the flight plus current weather in Beijing.

The baggage boys returned shortly with the numbered stubs off the priority tags. The agent enters it into the system and the destination tags are then printed by the machine hidden behind the First Class sign standing between the counters and the podiums. All the baggage boys need to do is then match the destination tag number with the priority number, attach it and send the bag on its merry way. Easy, quick, and no need for the passenger to lift a finger.

One of the agents disappeared inside the staff area as the other began issuing boarding passes and lounge invitations. The agent did the obligatory circling of the gate number, handed us our lounge cards and explained to us that as our tickets were issued prior to some date, they needed to check if we had in fact paid short HKD40 as the departure tax had recently risen. She apologised for making us wait, although in reality it didn’t matter as companion was still painstakingly filling out the Health Declarations.

It turned out that we did indeed have to fork over the extra HKD80 and after some more stamping of tickets and receipts, we were free to go through to the delights of the Wing.

But! Not first having to go a round of twisty-turny before entering the Passport Control hall. First up were the Oversize Handcarry Inspectors, on the look-out for any passenger trying to lug on a 40 kg roll-on without the airline’s approval via tagging. After our orange tag had been pulled, we were then met by the Health Declaration Collectors, who quite literally had their hands full with, unsurprisingly, Health Declarations. And finally, after negotiating our way through what seemed suspiciously like a garden maze we once got lost in in England, the Boarding Pass Checkers loomed in front of us, guarding the entrance to the sacred Way of Thermal Cameras… ok, I’m getting off the point here.

We showed up as bluey-black blobs on the thermal camera screen, which didn’t trigger any alarms so presumably we weren’t running fevers or had recently taken a swim in any radioactive pool. Lines at the counters for HK ID card holders consisted of mainly one person, and we were through outbound immigration in absolutely no time at all. The security screening was similarly smooth with no hassle and polite staff making all the difference in the world to the last time I passed through an airport checkpoint, at Sydney.

Turn right, The Wing and agent-receptionist awaits to take our lounge invitations. Unfortunately the Toronto and LA services had yet to be called, meaning that the First Class section was pretty full. Walking past the decorated Christmas tree by the newspaper and magazine racks, we found a sofa tucked away in one corner and bagged it for the time being, waiting in anticipation for the CX828 to be called. Interestingly, the Toronto service that day was being operated by a 747-400 and tech-stopping in Taipei, rather than the A340-300 via Vancouver.

A waitress materialised and took our drink orders, I grabbed my roll-on and headed for the showers. An attendant took my boarding pass and showed me into one of the Cabanas, and soon returned with a pair of slippers I’d requested. The Cabanas, consisting of a shower, bathtub, lounge chair, a small thin mattress, a toilet and a mini-closet, are a great way to while away a half-hour or so, as well as catch up on that elusive shower. Towels and bathmats are already laid out, with more amenities “available from our shower room attendants”.

I returned to find B-HUF pushing back from gate 1 with all the previous lounge occupants on board, leaving the First Class section of the Wing pleasantly deserted and a lot less noisy. Companion was already into his second glass of iced tea and the latest thrilling installment of The Economist leaving me free to plane-gaze for a while. With the next flight due out from 1 being the CX107 to Auckland (2105), and 2 the 19:20 CX111 to Sydney, the public waiting area underneath the Wing was also rather empty, which helped to reduce the ambient noise considerably.

4 o’clock had seen a shift change so the lounge was now staffed by a different set of waiters, one of whom recognised me from previous visits. We had a brief chat for a while about the rapid drop in passenger numbers after the North American flights departed and also the various merits of the two CX lounges (although waiters are assigned to only one lounge). What I found most impressive was the way he kept an eye on the entrance for any new arrivals, and indeed when two walked in, he politely broke off our conversation to greet the new passengers.

With the CX318 being virtually the only Cathay flight departing in the 1640 – 1800 block, it seemed that everyone in the F class section of the Wing was travelling on the flight. Telltale signs here and there – a lady checking out Beijing on one of the Wing’s broadband PC’s, another guy talking (loudly) into his phone became evident as 5:20 pm rolled closer and the flight was announced for boarding down at gate 3, which is visible from the lounge.

I love boarding at Hong Kong International Airport. Two separate boarding queues are created, one for First and Business Class and one for Economy. Boarding passes were taken, chopped by the machine and it was down the sloping ramp and airbridge into HLO.

Inflight Service Manager Karina was doing door duty with another member of her crew, and gave us a cheery smile as she took our boarding stubs and showed us to our seats. A flight attendant quickly took our coats, and as more people boarded, a drinks service of orange juice, water and CX’s signature non-alcoholic drink Kiwifruit Delight were passed out. As a cost-cutting measure, CX have now dispensed with paper doilies in Business Class and are serving drinks with cocktail napkins.

HLO is fitted with the old Business Class seats although after hearing about the awful New Regional Business Class on the CX forum I certainly wasn’t complaining. A green pillow was on each seat and blankets were available in the overhead lockers. Business Class ended up full barring two seats and the latecomers ended up having to nudge other handcarries around to find space for their own, with the crew more often than not coming to their rescue through their own creative efforts. Interspersed with cautiously wedging bags of duty-free in between roll-ons, the cabin crew did regular drinks sweeps, a hot towel service, a headset distribution and finally, a newspaper run.

As is the norm at HKIA, bridge 2 withdrew before bridge 1 but soon both had pulled back, the doors were closed and HLO was ready to operate the 15th CX318 service. The ISM gave a short welcoming speech, making use of the yellow post-it note stuck to the bottom of the cabin control panel with all essential details scribbled on it, followed by a greeting from the flight deck. The safety video was set into motion, along with HLO as we were pushed back from the gate.

Karina came round to greet each individual Business Class passenger in either Cantonese, Mandarin or English depending on which passenger she was speaking to. She told us that she was very excited as this was her first time on the Beijing run which gave this particular crew a three-night layover in the capital city. We chatted for a bit about the Great Wall and freezing temperatures before she moved on, but not first reminding us to contact her if we should require anything.

Cabin crew came round with gift boxes for each passenger in Business Class as HLO taxied to the far end of the airport for takeoff. The pattern was a nice CX Chinese green style, with a calligraphy picture of the Great Wall on the top. Inside were two round metal tins, one orange and one green, with the same sort of pattern and picture. Each tin contained one Chinese pastry, made by a relatively well-known bakery in Hong Kong. Wedged in the middle was a packet of Eight Treasures Tea, and a small message celebrating Cathay’s return to the Chinese Mainland. The set itself was quite elegant, and I’m sure that I could find a lot of useful roles for the box and tins to play back home.

I’d been flagged to complete one of the ubiquitous passenger surveys loaded on each and every CX flight, and the ISM handed it to me with a slightly apologetic air after takeoff as she headed back to Economy Class to check everything was well. While I was merrily ticking away with the Cathay Pacific pen provided, the rest of the crew got cracking and passed out arrival documentation for China, followed by orders for pre-dinner drinks and the distribution of menus. The covers are still sporting the ‘Close-up of Vegetables’ scheme that’s graced the front of J class menus since the design change in 2001:

DINNER

Seasonal Salad
Served with Creamy Italian Dressing

Roast Beef with Plum Sauce and Mushroom Salad

Deep-fried Fish Fillet with Pinenuts in Sweet and Sour Sauce
Steamed Rice with Mushrooms and Vegetables

or

Lamb Chop with Herb Crust, Tomato and Red Onion Stew
Garlic flavoured Mashed Potatoes
Fresh Seasonal Vegetables

or

Braised Vermicelli with Pork and Preserved Vegetables

Cheese Board

Fresh Seasonal Fruits

Chocolate Mascarpone Cream Cake
Served with Mango Coulis

Haagen-Dazs Ice Cream

Assorted Bread and Rolls

Tea and Coffee

Pralines

The crew did their best, but with a shortened flying time, a full dinner service and an almost-full Business Class cabin, the odds were against them. There were four attendants assigned to the cabin (a Senior Purser, a Flight Purser and two Flight Attendants) and service was inevitably slow. Still, everything that I expected to happen did, from the warmed bread basket to the pre-plated main served hot.

We were in 15AC and service started from the back at row 19. No complaints about the main dish except that I was offered and accepted the exact same main last year on HKG-CTS. More variety on the menu would be appreciated!

By the time the dessert cart rolled out, we were getting dangerously close to descent point, and time eventually proved the victor, with the Captain announcing our ‘twenty-minute from landing mark’ as the Senior Purser was cream-caking her passengers in row 12. The Inflight Service Manager pitched in to do the ice cream service, the movies were cut off with still a ways to go and the rest of the crew got cracking with tidying up the cabin for arrival.

Although the carpets and seats had not been refreshed on HLO, the toilets had, sporting the tiled design scheme that was introduced with the long-haul New Business Class. My first impression on seeing it in 2001 was that it was hideous, but that’s mellowed somewhat and now, at least, I find that it does make the washroom look a little brighter. As I disappeared inside a man who I recognised earlier from being in the Wing was literally storming forward, accosting the ISM and informing her, in a rather upset manner, that the “service tonight in Economy is truly Economy”. He proceeded to rant for the entire time while I was inside the bathroom (you never realise just how thin those washroom doors are until you get someone outside complaining about every little injustice).

I walked back to my seat, wondering what Economy was exactly supposed to be, if not Economy.

HLO touched down at Beijing Capital International Airport half an hour early, but we spent five minutes stopped just after we vacated the runway. During that time a smoky odour permeated the cabin which I attributed to be from the thick smog I could see swirling outside the window. Crew took advantage of the delay to hand back our coats.

Once everyone in the Business Class cabin had managed to squeeze into the aisle complete with coat and roll-on, disembarking was a fairly easy process through 1L. Bidding our farewells to the crew and the ISM, we walked through the airbridge, up the ramp and into a mini-sterile section glassed off from the departures waiting area. Following the overhead signs led us to an up escalator and an awfully long walk to Passport Control via the Temperature Check and Health Declaration Collection point. Only Immigration officials were present at Passport Control when we arrived so we walked straight up to the official and passed over our documents. At which point all the computers promptly crashed.

There was a brief exchange between all the officials as they shouted up and down the hall to see if anybody’s machine was working and upon discovering there was not, sat back and waited for IT to do a reboot. Meanwhile, as more passengers from the CX318 arrived, we were all left standing there and looking stupidly at one another.

Mercifully the wait was brief; no more than 5 minutes and the extremely efficient immigration official processed us in under 60 seconds. The machine-readable visa was checked and scanned, an entry permit stamped and our passports handed back – very easy. Beijing wins the prize for quickest processing of non-resident passports – I was impressed!

Baggage was just being spewed out on to the reclaim belt when we reached the claim area, and as is consistent with Cathay’s priority handling, our bags were among the first off. Customs consisted of a bored young lady sitting at her station with her head buried in a novel, and other inspectors having a social session by one of the counters. We were completely ignored as we walked through into the very smoky meet-and-greet hall to be met by the hotel representative.

Time from plane to exit: a very respectable 15 minutes.


The Peninsula Palace
As we were soon to discover, CX really pulled out all the stops on the Peninsula accommodation package. The room was on one of the hotel’s Club Floors and we were accorded the normal benefits of their Club – complimentary breakfast, afternoon tea and evening cocktails; exclusive check-in; free local telephone calls and internet access in their Club Lounge. Throughout our stay, the service was attentive and I grew to think of the Peninsula among hotels as being the equivalent of Cathay among airlines – excellence in almost every aspect. We wore ourselves out over the four full days we had in Beijing, visiting the Forbidden City, Great Wall and other historic landmarks but all too soon the stay was over and it was time to leave.


The Return

Flight: CX317
Sector: PEK HKG
Aircraft: Airbus 330-300, B-HLK
Departure time: 0755
Departure gate: 17

We’d checked out the night before so it was a quick transit from lift through the lobby to our waiting transfer to the airport. A twenty-minute ride later we pulled up at the bustling departures drop-off, and were met by the hotel’s representatives who helped us with our luggage. We were informed that we needed to purchase departure tax coupons and so we did, for a pre-requisite to gain entry to the check-in area was to show the same.

There was a short wait at the Business Class counters, but time we put to good use as we filled out the tissue-thin departure Health Declaration forms. Check-in was completed without incident and we were given directions to the lounge. Fascinatingly (to me at least) Beijing uses CX boarding stock similar to the HK style, with the gate number and seat printed in a larger font on the stub – so far the only outport I’ve seen which uses this type of boarding pass stock.

From that point on it was nothing but queues. Health Check and declaration collection, Passport Control, ANOTHER check of departure tax coupons (which seemed to me to be nothing more than a revenue-grabbing exercise as those whom had thrown their stubs away after entering the check-in area were made to go back to buy them again) and then the security screening.

From what I saw there seems to be only two premium lounges in the terminal – one operated by Air China and one operated by BGS. Cathay used the BGS lounge, which was another bit of a walk. Notwithstanding that, the lounge was actually quite nice, split up into a First and Business Class section and having its own washroom facilities. Maybe due to the early hour and a lack of other flights, we were shown into the First Class section with the other CX passengers.

There were a selection of bakery items, instant noodles and beverages laid out, plus a view of two or three gates. Overall, the lounge boasted a very relaxing atmosphere and was probably much more spacious than anything CX would be prepared to furnish themselves at an outport.

We noticed on the monitors that the flight was boarding around 0730, and walked the remaining distance to gate 17. Beijing also has double-gates in operation but unlike Hong Kong where the separation is made right at the boarding station, the split doesn’t occur until after you’ve walked down the link bridge. This means that, like at KLIA, a poor ground agent is forced to stand at the divisor to check people’s boarding passes.

On hand at 1L, standing well back from the open door letting in frigid blasts of cold air was ISM Christina to welcome her passengers aboard. Having worked my SYD-HKG flight not two weeks earlier, she recognised and greeted me enthusiastically as we took our seats right at the front of the cabin, in 12AC.

Our coats were taken and hung up, and a tray of drinks passed around as the cabin began to fill up with passengers. Everything was almost exactly the same as it had been on HLO – old regional J class seats, pillow, blankets up overhead. Business Class ended up 100% full on this sector, including a couple of people who’d been on my inbound flight (and, back in Economy, Mr “Economy is truly Economy”).

Once boarding was in its final throes, the senior purser did a newspaper trolley run, and shortly after she finished, the airbridges disengaged and we seemed all set to go when one of them abruptly reversed direction and began moving back our way. A last minute passenger – an engineer – hopped on board and was taken back to the economy cabin by a flight attendant as the ISM closed the door for the second time and HLK began its pushback thirty minutes late.

An utterly boring and long taxi followed the safety demonstration and announcements by the Captain and ISM, including a rather lengthy wait at the end of the runway for takeoff clearance. During this time, I checked out what was on the inflight entertainment system, received another souvenir box from the crew containing exactly the same items as on the inbound, filled out the arrival health declaration, leafed through the shop catalogue and listened to three repetitive cycles of the music played over the cabin speakers.

By the time we eventually lifted off into a dawning Beijing sky, about 25% of the J cabin had already fallen asleep. Whether due to the early hour or sheer boredom (or a combination of both), I don’t know.

Since we were fighting the winds this time there wasn’t so much pressure on the crew to complete the meal run, plus the Breakfast service seemed less elaborate than other main meals. Menus were given out (my cover had a big red onion on it this time) and orders for drinks taken, while the ISM came round to introduce herself and have a brief chat with those passengers who were still awake.

BREAKFAST

Juice Selection

Fresh Seasonal Fruits

Fruit Yoghurt, Corn Flakes or All Bran Flakes

Omelette with Creamed Vegetables
Chicken Sausage, Sable Potatoes
Broiled Tomato with Herbs and Button Mushrooms

or

Chinese Dim Sum
served with Chilli Sauce

or

Roast Duck with Fried Homemade Noodles
served with Chilli Sauce

Assorted Bread and Rolls
Served with Preserves, Honey and Butter

Tea and Coffee


HLK had been fitted with the new style remote controls although for some reason 12A launched with the StudioCX navigator while 12C did not. Although admittedly without the AVOD option, the navigator isn’t really that useful anyway, as all it does is seem to provide a menu interface and 12A’s system turned out to be very patchy. The senior purser tried her best to unfreeze the navigator by resetting and resetting when I informed her, but after working normally for a bit, the movie would suddenly jump and kick me back to the navigator, freezing it again. Following thirty minutes of this stop-start movement I was ready to wage all-out war on the set using the adage “if force doesn’t work, use more” only – perhaps mercifully for my sanity and the PTV’s continued existence – for the entertainment unit to decide it had toyed with me long enough and to operate normally from then on.

While I was battling with the PTV the crew had commenced their breakfast service with the offering of fruit juice and tray delivery. The bread basket contained croissants, muffins and rye bread, and the crew had enough on supply plus the time to offer seconds to anyone who wanted it.

The main meal service on this flight was done slightly differently to that on the inbound, in that while the Senior Purser was working the left aisle with the main dishes on her open-topped trolley, one of the flight attendants in the galley took orders from a selected few in the cabin. Presumably the basis for selection was Marco Polo Club membership. Irrespective of that, it was certainly appreciated for it meant I got my main much earlier than I would have if I’d been served by the senior purser making her way back up from row 19.

The creamed vegetables weren’t quite to my taste but the omelette itself was quite good – certainly not rubbery or overcooked. 12C decided to go for the noodles and pronounced them satisfactory, but slightly on the greasy side.

During the wait in between courses the ISM finished her circuit of the Economy cabin and came forward again to greet those passengers who had been dozing on her first walk-through. She stopped by my seat again and we had a brief talk about the places we’d visited while in China – her crew had also had a three-night layover in Beijing.

I kept one idle eye on my PTV since I wanted to finish watching the end of Runaway Jury which I’d missed on the inbound due to the shortened flying time. This is where I began to miss the AVOD feature of being able to fast-forward through the bits I’d already watched!

The crew completed the meal service with one hour to spare, and came around with glasses of water after all the trays and linen had been collected. Even with 44 passengers, there was no considerable wait for the bathrooms, maybe because most of the cabin moved forward only when the green ‘vacant’ signal flashed up. The result was no congregation of suspicious persons around the loos, although whenever a flight deck member opened the cockpit door, the cabin staff had to pull the curtain separating the galley and cabin shut.

To my disappointment Airshow wasn’t working so I wasn’t able to keep exact track of our progress, but it wasn’t long before the First Officer came on to advise of our descent into Hong Kong and our arrival information, and soon HLK was flaring for a touchdown on 07L.

The flight attendants began returning coats as we taxied across to our assigned parking bay 61, rolling to a stop next to a United 747-400. We exchanged the usual post-flight chitchat with the crew as we waited for the bridge to attach and the ISM to give the all-clear to open the door.

A people-mover ride was necessary to reach Immigration and we arrived at the baggage reclaim belt to find that our bags had not arrived yet! I’ve grown so accustomed to having my bags beat me to the belt whenever I draw a far gate that it was a bit of a shock to me and also a measure of how spoiled by HKIA’s efficiency I have become. I didn’t have a lot of time to get over this appalling state of affairs though, as even without First Class priority tags our luggage came out reasonably quickly.

The Customs check had been revamped since my arrival from Sydney a couple of weeks ago, with the effect that the bays are now walled off. Passengers need only walk through a clear passageway to the exit unless directed otherwise by the Customs officer on duty, which does improve flow and also cuts back on having to post Customs officers on sentry duty.

Time from plane to exit: 18 minutes.

All in All
Cathay Pacific Regional Business Class: the seats were fine, although maybe lacking a little in back support – I kept finding myself slipping down the seat while it was in an upright position. Maybe the HKG-PEK meal service should be simplified to avoid giving it that rushed feeling, and perhaps some more variety in changing the menus (covers and contents!) might be in order. The food and service were good, but the high number of passengers meant that there could be rather protracted pauses between courses during the meal service. Overall, it’s a decent regional class product but that magic sparkle one so often finds on long-haul routes isn’t so evident.

Beijing: We lucked out with beautiful crisp weather – none of the sandstorms or snowstorms the capital is sometimes known for. I personally thought it was a destination well worth visiting and I’d love to go back in a few years time… maybe when CX ply the route more regularly and have alternatives to a late-night arrival and crack-of-dawn departure.

Peninsula Palace Hotel: No question, this is the unquestionably the best hotel I’ve ever stayed in. Wonderfully competent and helpful staff, terrific facilities – I could wax lyrical about this place all day long.

Beijing Capital Airport: The ‘plane to exit’ time was top-class. Departures was a little less impressive, but for the most part the airport impressed with its cleanliness, bright lighting, good signage and nice premium lounges. The way the split-level flow was set up was slightly weird, with arriving passengers having to go up and then down, but if it means not having to negotiate my way through a mass of people walking the other way, anything goes.

Hong Kong International Airport: Another problem-free transit through the world’s finest airport – if only everywhere else could try to attain this level of competency, travelling would be a much more pleasant experience.


Author’s Note
The ‘plane-to-exit’ time is a little statistic I’ve created to compare the efficiency of airports worldwide when it comes to processing arriving passenger flows. It came into creation during a particularly long, arduous wait at Auckland where I needed something to amuse myself.

The PTE time measures the time from once the plane comes to a standstill – either at the gate or the holding area if there is no gate available – to when I clear all formalities and am in the airport public arrivals hall. It does include having to collect checked luggage.

The only significant bias I can really observe in recording the PTE time this way is that in Hong Kong and New Zealand I can use the Residents lane for passport control, which often is a lot quicker than if I’m a foreign national using a Visitors lane.

Keeping this in mind, the current best PTE time is held by Hong Kong International Airport at 13 minutes; and the worst PTE time held by London Heathrow (T4) at 1 hour, 16 minutes (55 minute wait for a gate). Beijing scoops the prize for best PTE time when not entering on a resident’s travel document; and not far behind Heathrow in the worst stakes, and certainly deserving dishonourable mention, is Auckland International Airport, clocking in at 1 hour, 7 minutes (28 minute gate wait).

[This message has been edited by B-HXB (edited Feb 13, 2004).]

daniellam

CX also uses this type of boarding pass stock in YVR (Vancouver).

I guess the main reason is because this type of stock has the Chinese characters of "gate" and "seat number" etc. printed on it.

bp888

Fantastic report! Really like the "reads-like-I-was-there" reportorial style.

Carfield

Thanks for an interesting report. I am curious about how CX's BJS flights are going. Business class is full, which is a positive thing for the airline (of course, it excludes op up). If I am correct, CX's HKG-BJS service is shorter than HKG-ICN, that may explain why a full dinner service takes much time. I think CX needs to serve a full dinner because of competitions at KA... CX may want to add a fifth helper or ask Y cabin crews to help out with J service after their services in the back. Or a simplified dinner should be served instead... instead of the cheese and fruit board... maybe a pre-plated one...

Anyway, I feel like I am sitting on your flight.

Thanks,
Carfield

MrSydney

B-HXB

We all just love your reports!!!!! The 'PTE' was excellant and I shall be using it forthwith with you getting the credit!!!

I am not being rude but do you ever fly Y???????

mad_atta

I'm with MrSydney - your trips reports are a class act, and this one was no exception.

Out of curiosity, and if it's not a rude question, just how much did your trip set you back? You mentioned that it was a 'steal' but I have no idea what such packages might normally cost ex-HKG.

YYZC2

I too am a fan of your reports. Your keen observations of societal minutae are very entertaining. Please keep them coming.

B-HXB

I'm flattered that you think it worth copying!

Yup, within NZ it's an all-economy fleet and perfectly adequate for the short hops down to Wellington and Christchurch.

Seat 2A

Now waiting for the movie!

QF WP

mad_atta, you need to click here to find some more info about the CX Beijing deal.

nologic

Tnanks for the great report.

Would you still have a copy of the wine list, or do you remember the choices?

Nanook

Fantastic report. Thank you.