daniellam

USD 8600 for an Oneworld Explorer 3 Continent First Class if you start your trip in the U.S.

(Less if you buy your ticket and start you trip in some other countries)

TimF10

I was in the First Class section twice on this trip; I did not go into the business class section of the Wing. In my mind BA's lounges were far, far superior to the Wing. In the BA lounges there were people around to assist me, they were polite and helpful. The sense I had in the Wing was that I was a burden or interuption as the employees were there primarily to talk to one another and I found the staff to be rude, cold or indifferent. Once in the plane, CX was fantastic but the terrible Wing experiences have made me think about using Singapore Air or Thai Air if I am not on a RTW trip (even through I am a Oneworld person.) As you will read, once in the plane CX was fantastic, but it took me a while to calm down from being in the Wing.

TimF10

Thanks for all the positive comments! Reading my notes and writing this report helps me to relive the great experiences I had.

Carbonchaser: I will check out Trader Joe's this week; thanks for the tip.

romcarlos: I turned 40 last fall and shortly thereafter the idea came to me, so be ready to pack your bags.

TimF10

After a long night's sleep, I walked a couple of miles and then got ready to go to the airport. This time the Hoppa bus was very convenient as I was departing out of T3.

June 29, 2004
Cathay Pacific (CX) flight 250
747 seat 2A
Scheduled dep: 6:25 p.m. actual: 6:25 p.m.
Scheduled arrival: 1:20 p.m. (June 30) Actual: 1:43 p.m.

Arriving at the airport, I saw that CX had a separate check in desk for first, another for business, another for their Marco Polo members and then another area for the economy class pax. There was no one in the first class line, one for business, a couple for M.P. but the economy class line snaked clear out of the CX ticketing area. Within a couple of minutes I had my boarding pass, my fast track security sticker and my Flagship Lounge invitation. I headed upstairs and found no line for the fast track security, whereas the regular section had a quite a line. After security I strolled through some of the duty free shops and then went to the Flagship Lounge.

CX uses the AA Flagship Lounge in London, however CX is supposed to open their own lounge soon. The Flagship Lounge has a shower area, two internet connected computers, a couple of work stations, a tv area, a number of comfortable chairs with coffee and/or end tables, a dining area and a self-serve food and beverage bar. To eat, the lounge offered a couple types of quiche, cheeses, nuts, finger sandwiches, rice crackers, brownies, cookies, etc. I only ate a little as I was saving my appetite for the flight. I did drink a lot of water so that I would be well hydrated before the 12 hour flight.

As the boarding time approached, I started walking toward the gate. They had just opened up the departure area a minute or so before I arrived. CX had two lines for passport/boarding pass inspection: First/business and econ. There was no one in line in the first area so I breezed right through. Once seated near the gate, a lady from the airport asked if I would be willing to take a survey. Given that I was asked on every BA flight and now at the airport, I began to think that I have an opinionated look on my face. We finished the survey on telecommunications options in flight (would I like to be able to use my cell phone while in flight?, etc.) and then they began pre-boarding first class. This flight was completely full, but first and business boarded thru 1 L while the rest used 2L. It was nice to be able to turn left again. I was welcomed by name and escorted to my seat. The first impression of the cabin was that it was more spacious that BA's.

CX only has 12 seats while BA has 14. So, in the CX cabin there are four suites on each side and two rows of 2 in the center. The cabin uses a lot of greenish fabric, black trim and wood paneling around the TV sets. In the front is a black and white picture (each plane has a different picture). In the back behind the last two seats in the center section is the CX logo of the bird in flight. Each suite has a large TV that can be moved 12-18 inches toward the pax and can be angled up or down depending upon the height of the person. The seat is a little larger than BA's and makes into a fully flat bed. Additionally, the armrest may be lowered to create more space while sleeping. In front of the center seats is a large black marble table that had a display of 12 newspapers and an equal number of magazines. Most of the papers were in English or Chinese, but there were a few other languages available as well.

The CX audio/video on demand (avod) is fantastic. In addition to the regular programming, I was able to choose from 28 movies, 40 or 50 TV programs and 99 audio CD's that could be played on demand. The choice was varied and in case that was not enough, the system offers a choice of 8 games to play. The noise canceling headsets are already in the side compartment.

Once seated, I was offered champagne, orange juice or water. After reading the comments on flytertalk about the Krug champagne offered by CX, I knew that would be my choice. Unfortunately, they were out of Krug, but the champagne they poured was very good. The champagne came with a large scallop appetizer plate. Then I received my Shanghai Tang pajama kit which included matching slippers and eye mask. These are black with a green trim and look quite stylish. After the p.j's, we were give a menu and wine list and offered more champagne, which many accepted but I refused.

By this time we were ready to depart and so the plates and glasses were cleared.

TimF10

After takeoff, we were offered another round of drinks and I decided to stick with the champagne. This time it came with warm almonds. Our dinner orders were taken and then the flight services director gave us our immigration and health forms that we would be presenting in Hong Kong. This was followed by another hot towel.

As it was time to order, I will give you the transcript of the menu along with my comments:

Dinner:

Caviar and Balik Salmon Delight. Oscietra Caviar and Balik Salmos “Tsar Nicolaj” served with Warm New Potatoes and Crème Fraiche.
This was served from the cart but I skipped this as I have not been able to acquire this taste. Others were taking a lot of it.

Soup: Asparagus and Pancetta soup.
Although I am not a big fan of asparagus, I found this to be very good.

Salad: Mixed salad with Cherry tomato and shaved Parmesan with balsamic dressing.
The salad was large and had a variety of greens and a good number of tomatoes.

Bread Basket: Assorted Breads and Rolls.
I chose the sourdough roll, which was warm without being dried out.

Mains:
--Beef Tenderloin with Red Wine Sauce, Garlic Mashed Potatoes and Oven Roasted Root Vegetables.
--Stir-fried Prawns with Chili Sauce, Steamed Rice and Baby Pak Choy
--Salmon Fillet with Herb Lemon Crust, Celeriac, Potato, Kenya Beans and Baby Corn
--Gnocci with Gorgonzola and Sun Blushed Tomato Sauce.
I chose the Gnocci and it was much better than many good Italian restaurants I have visited. The sauce was not overpowering and had a nice flavor

Cheese Board
The cheese board had a selection of 4 cheeses that were plated with dried fruit, celery, carrots, and nuts. I only chose 2 types of cheese as I was getting full. The Ramos Pinto Quinta de Ervamoira 10 Year Old Tawney Port was delicious.

Dessert:
--Summer Pudding with Cassis Coulis
--Lemon Posset with Short Bread Biscuits
--Vanilla Ice Cream with Butterscotch Sauce and Mini-Marshmallows
As I felt as though I might explode, I decided to go light for dessert and had the butterscotch sundae which just hit the spot.

Pralines
When the pralines were served, I limited myself to two in a feeble attempt of self discipline. We were given yet another hot towel after this meal service.

During the meal I watched the movie, "The Girl Next Door" and then "3rd Rock from the Sun" followed by "Bewitched".

When I went to the lav to change into my Shaghi Tang p.j.'s the flight attendants put a duvet and pillow on my seat for me and was waiting with a clothes hanger to hang my clothes for me. As soon as that was accomplished, I was given a water bottle (which I would have refilled or replaced two more times on the flight.) I had read that it seems that the lav is cleaned after every use on CX and I must agree. Never did I find so much as a drop of water on the sink or the floor. These f/a's are amazing! ^

I did not take advantage of the refreshment service that was available throughout the flight which offered:

--Noodles in Soup with Wantons, Black Mushrooms and Pak Choy
--Grilled Ciabatta with Chicken and Bacon
--Ice Cream

To prepare for sleep, I listened to "Kundun" by Phillip Glass. Although I never saw the movie, I really enjoy the soundtrack and it is a good way to transition into Asia. After a nice long sleep, I woke up and went to change clothes. The f/a waited outside to take my hangar and then came to my seat with a warm scented towel. Now it was time for my breakfast order. After ordering, I was asked what time would I like to have it served.

Breakfast consisted of:

Juice selection

Appetizer: Large variety of fresh fruits

Yogurt: Natural, Fruit or Low Fat Fruit flavored

Cereals: Corn Flakes, Muesli or Rice Crispies

Mains:
--Eggs: Freshly Scrambled, Fried or Boiled
--Stir Fried Noodles
--Poached Smoked Haddock

These came with:
Bacon, Sausage, Biarritz Potatoes, Boiled Tomato, Mushrooms,

Bread Basket: Breads, Rolls, Danish Pastries, etc.

I had orange juice (tasted freshly squeezed), the large fruit plate, corn flakes, scrambled eggs (I was asked if I liked them a little runny or completely dry), bacon, sausage and Danish. They also have a toaster on board and were offering hot toast, which I declined. Every time that any beverage glass was less than 3/4 full, the flight attendants were there refilling it.

During breakfast I listened to the CD a friend loaned to me entitled "Symphony of Butterflies" (I think) by a Chinese composer. We were delayed by air traffic control as there had been a thunderstorm earlier in Hong Kong so the airport was experiencing some delays. Before long (20 minutes) we were beginning our descent into Hong Kong after a flight that proves that Cathay Pacific has the best first class in the skies.

After landing, I went through immigration (again no line) and my luggage was waiting for me on the carousel. In fact, the only luggage I saw at that point was that tagged with the first class label. I had reserved a car through the Peninsula Hotel to pick me up and the representative was outside the arrivals hall with a sign ready to take me to the car.

newcx12345

"I was in the First Class section twice on this trip; I did not go into the business class section of the Wing. In my mind BA's lounges were far, far superior to the Wing. In the BA lounges there were people around to assist me, they were polite and helpful. The sense I had in the Wing was that I was a burden or interuption as the employees were there primarily to talk to one another and I found the staff to be rude, cold or indifferent. Once in the plane, CX was fantastic but the terrible Wing experiences have made me think about using Singapore Air or Thai Air if I am not on a RTW trip (even through I am a Oneworld person.) As you will read, once in the plane CX was fantastic, but it took me a while to calm down from being in the Wing. "

TimF10, I am still surprised at your treatment in the Wing. I must say don't even try TG! It is like 10 times worst than CX. The Wing and the Pier is actually 10 times better than the BA lounges I have being to, I guess it must've being a bad day ( is it due to the recent typhoon?).

Definitely try CX again and you won't be disappointed.

alect

I have to agree. I have found the facilities in the Wing/Pier outstanding, and the staff cannot do enough for you. Whereas BA lounges are good, but crowded, and the staff are just doing their job. That includes the Concorde Room at LHR.

Doppy

I just bought my first bottle of Woodford Reserve this weekend. I have to say, I was a little disappointed. While Woodford is much more expensive, I found it to be a bit on the bland side, not quite as tasty as Knob Creek.

Great trip report, however.

romcarlos

Thank you daniellam for your information... I told my wife already, and she seems ok with it.....the only weird thing is that she called 411 asking for family lawyers.... But anyways, this report is as good as Spiderman 2

TimF10

Newcx12345 and Alect: I am glad to hear that my time in the Wing seems to be an anomaly. One day I did try the Pier and although I did not eat there, the staff were much friendlier and seemed interested in their job.

Doppy: Having not tried Woodford Reserve by itself, I did enjoy the flavor; whether it is worth the cost will be another question. I hope to pick some up this week.

Romcarlos: I hope you are able to do this trip. One thing I am considering for next time is to use ff miles one way to Bangkok and then start it there as it is a couple thousand dollars less there. If you do a seach in the Oneworld forum, you will find a list of all the countries and the price if you ticket and start there. Maybe that will disuade your wife from calling the lawyers.

I am glad that you are enjoying the report!

TimF10

The stay in Hong Kong was great! I decided to spoil myself and stay again at the Peninsula Hotel. This hotel continues to amaze me although some do not like the fact that it is on Kowloon rather than in Central. Every member of the staff there was outstanding and there are technological innovations that I do not remember being in place when I stayed there two years ago. Dinner in Gaddi' s restaurant continues to be one of the standards by which I measure other meals. Although I did not try Felix this time, I heard that it continues to be one of the places to have a drink or dinner. Two years ago I dined at both Gaddi’s and Felix and just enjoyed the formality of Gaddis better. Felix is a great restaurant and wine bar in its own right. This stay was an experience where all expectations would be consistently exceeded. However, after a few days, it was time to collect more mileage so the hotel's car took me to the airport at 7:00 a.m. for my mileage run to Jakarta. Once we arrived at the airport, the driver wanted to take my luggage to the check in counter for me. However, I was storing my luggage so I had to explain that I was not checking the luggage and that I would take care of it. The driver seemed disappointed but let me take my baggage cart and roll away from the CX desk.

July 2, 2004
Cathay Pacific flight 777 Hong Kong-Jakarta
747 seat 2A
Scheduled departure: 9:30 a.m. actual: 9:30 a.m.
Scheduled arrival: 1:10 p.m. actual: 1:00 p.m.

After leaving my luggage at the airport I went back to the CX desk and was greeted by a first class check in representative who took me to the concierge style check in area. There were three representatives just waiting at the entrance to the check in area to escort pax to the check in consoles. I was given my boarding pass, told how the transfer will work in Jakarta and then given my invitation to the first class lounges. This morning I went to the Wing. The Wing has a restaurant, shower cabanas (which I did not use), a fair number of internet connected computers, a tv area and a large library of world newspapers/magazines. When I arrived at the lounge, the agent was talking on the phone and so I just left my invitation on the counter after waiting 30 seconds. I went to the restaurant and had fruit flavored yogurt, and a pastry, o.j., and tea. I was disappointed in the food selection and the fact that after bringing me my tea, the server disappeared. Another person stood by the entrance, but was involved in some book or manual. After breakfast I checked my email and asked for a glass of water. Five minutes later, I was given some water and a hot towel. Soon enough it was time to walk over to gate 1 for boarding.

Cathay has a separate boarding desk for first and business class pax at all gates in Hong Kong. Then there is a separate ramp that takes one to the first/business class jet way which boards through door 1 L. The economy class people board through door 2 L. As I boarded I was greeted by name and taken into the first class cabin. The flight attendant told me that I was the only one in first, so I could sit wherever I wanted. She said that I would be well taken care of, which I was. Even though I was the only pax, everything was done, for example the whole spread of papers was laid out. I was offered a drink but only took water and was served warm almonds with a hot towel. Then I met the other flight attendants that would be attending me. I had three f/a's for this flight. They were surprised when I told them that I was flying round trip to Jakarta just for the miles. Within a couple of minutes the FSD was up front talking to me as well about the mileage run! We talked about routes, future CX plans, load factors, FF programs, etc. the FSD excused herself in order to check on the other cabins. I was given a menu and an immigration card, just in case I would need it.

After take off, I was offered another drink. This time I took a glass of fresh orange juice. As soon as I turned on the tv, the flight attendant asked if I would like all the window shades closed in the cabin. I told her not until after breakfast, at which point she took my order and asked when I would like to dine. I decided to try some Dim Sum and the f/a convinced me to also have the noodles breakfast as I was the only one up front. The brunch menu was:

Juice

Appetizer: Fresh Fruit

Main Courses:
--Pancake Filled with Smoked Salmon, Egg and Sour Cream Sauce
--Chinese Dim Sum
--Stir Fried Noodles with Shredded Chicken and Vegetables

Accompaniments:
--Grilled Breakfast Steak and Chicken Sausages, Fried Potatoes, Vine Ripened Tomato, Sautéed Fresh Mushrooms.

Dessert:
Baked Ricotta Cheesecake with Raspberry Sauce

Assorted pastries, breads, rolls, toast.

The fruit plate had 6 types of fruit and could have been a meal in itself. The Dim Sum comprised 4 large pieces that were each very good. The plate of Stir Fry was large and had a nice flavor to it. I also received my own bread basket with rolls and pastries. By the end of that, there was no way I could eat the cheesecake.

I was asked by the FSD if I would be willing to complete a survey, which I gladly filled out with excellent ratings of the in flight experience.

While dining, I enjoyed Absolutely Fabulous (a new episode I have not seen), Friends and I Love Lucy. By the end of Lucy, I was ready for a nap. Once my chair started reclining, the flight attendant appeared with a blanket and pillow. ^ I don't know how they do it! By the time I got the seat into the full bed position all the window shades were closed and the cabin lights were dimmed.

After a nice nap, I woke up and was asked if I would like a drink and/or cheesecake. I simply had some water and was brought a hot towel as all the window shades were opened. Soon enough we were arriving in Jakarta, where I was amazed to see houses just a few hundred feet away from the runway. I can only imagine the noise of the 747's for those poor people. Once at the gate, I was greeted by an agent who took me to the first class lounge, took my passport and ticket and said she would go off to get my next boarding pass. I was a little nervous about my passport being out of site, but the agent was back within a few minutes with all my documents.

TimF10

As far as I could tell, there were two lounges in Jakarta, both shared by a number of airlines. The lounge that Cathay Pacific uses had a smoking room in one corner, a couple of TV areas, a few restrooms and a large buffet area in the middle of the lounge. At the bar, I got a couple of bottles of water and continued reading my Dominick Dunne book. After a while I looked at the buffet table. I was very impressed with the variety of foods offered, and thought it was much better than the Wing in Hong Kong. The buffet had a soup or two, salads, a number of Asian and Western Hot foods, a variety of desserts and other snacks. ^ Consistently everything was restocked. I ended up grabbing a number of Asian style shrimp flavored puffy chips, a couple of finger sandwiches and a mini éclair.

After reading for a while it was time to head back to the plane. At the gate there were 2 security counters where my passport was reviewed again and when boarding began there were two lines: One for first and business and the other for coach.

Once on board, I was told by the same flight crew that I was again the only pax in first class for:

Flight 776 Jakarta-Hong Kong
July 2, 2004
747 assigned seat 2K, but I sat in 1K in order to get a better view of what was in front of the plane.

Before departure, the f/a's put out the entire newspaper and magazine supply in case I had decided to look at another periodical...Amazing! I was offered a drink and continued with water, which came with warm almonds. After a couple of minutes, I was given my menu and wine list.

After takeoff I had a glass of the Cuvee William Deutz 1996 champagne. Twice I was offered refills but only accepted once. For dinner I was offered:

Appetizer: Beef Skewer and Shrimp Cake
The beef skewer had been marinated in a flavorful sauce. I thought about asking for an additional skewer but decided to wait for my main course. The shrimp cake was o.k., but I left half of it.

Antipasti Buffet: Marinated Peppers, Tomato Parmigiano, Italian Style Sea Prawn Salad, Tomato and Mozzarella Salad, Char Grilled Octopus, Smoked Lamb Loin and Vine Leaves Stuffed with Rice.
For antipasti I was offered a platter with all 6 items, but only chose the prawn salad, the tomato parmigiano, and the mozzarella salad. This could have been a dinner in itself! To drink with this, I chose the Vincent Girardin Meursault, Vieilles Bignes 2001 from the French Gold Coast which was a nice complement to the salads

Mains:
--Grilled Marinated Lamb Chops with Natural Jus and Roasted Garlic
--Sauteed Scallop with Medlars and Steamed Shrimp Mousse in Marrow
--Garganelli with Olive, Caper and Tomato Sauce
I was offered a tasting menu that would include all three entrees but could not imagine eating so much, so I stuck with the pasta that was amazingly not the least bit soggy. Twice I have had pasta on this trip and both times they timed it just right. ^

Accompaniments:
--Roasted New Potato Wedges, Steamed Rice, Selection of Western and Oriental Vegetables.

Assorted Breads and Rolls: I chose hot garlic bread to go with the pasta.

Cheese Board
The cheeseboard offered a selection of four cheeses, but I only chose two which came with Carr's water crackers and a glass of the port wine.

Valrhona Chocolate Tart with Raspberry Coulis
The chocolate Tart was out of this world!!! I regretted eating so much pasta as I would have loved to eat another slice and have another glass of port, but was afraid it would be too much

Pralines

Throughout the flight, I talked with the f/a's and the FSD about Hong Kong, Singapore and the U.S. During these flights, there was never a moment that a glass was not refilled or a need anticipated. After dinner I asked about the reaction of the pax regarding the new business class seats. With that we were back in the business cabin getting a tour and trying out the seat. The other passengers must have thought I was crazy, a thought that would be echoed by a number of my friends who don't understand the thrill of flying or of frequent flyer programs. I had a great time with this crew but unfortunately, they will not be on my other flights. However, one suggested I change my Singapore flight and fly the next day to China on her flight. As tempting as China sounded, I was looking forward to revisiting Singapore.

Once we landed, again on time, I noticed that the flight attendants closed the curtain between business and first class until I had deplaned and walked to the end of the jet way. I had no line for immigration and was quickly checking into my room. The Regal Airport is probably a 3 star airport hotel. The rooms are functional and clean, but there is nothing memorable about the hotel other than it provides a good night's rest at the airport.

RTW4

This has to be a report against which all others are measured. It is fabulous. Congradulations..and what a trip it is too!

newcx12345

TimF10,

I am surprised that they offered F Class to CGK on CX. I thought they only offer J Class on that route. Also the menu they offered you sound like J Class
"Cuvee William Deutz 1996 champagne"

sftrvlr

I always look forward to my afternoon read! Excellent report. I don't think I've ever been the only person in first class on any airline ... ever.