my around the world trip in AA, BA, CX first class
Jul 24, 2004, 9:45 pm
#46
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: SNA; AA EXP
Programs: aa exp, spg plat, HH gold
Posts: 155
RTW4 and sftrvlr: Thanks for the kind words, I am enjoying writing about this!
newcx12345: I believe that CX had one flight per day to Jakarta that had first. I am not sure if this is year round or seasonal, but I am glad I made it.
newcx12345: I believe that CX had one flight per day to Jakarta that had first. I am not sure if this is year round or seasonal, but I am glad I made it.
Jul 24, 2004, 9:53 pm
#47
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: SNA; AA EXP
Programs: aa exp, spg plat, HH gold
Posts: 155
As I was just a couple of minutes walk to the check in counter, I was able to sleep a little later and still check in with ease. When I arrived at the Cathay Pacific check in area, three agents were standing at the entrance to the area ready to bring first class pax to the concierge style podiums . Again, my luggage was taken for me while I received my boarding pass. As the agent was checking me in, she asked me if I would prefer the non-stop to Singapore which left at the same time. I told her that I did not want that flight as it only had business class. She agreed that the first class service is wonderful and understood why I would not want to downgrade. 
Within a couple of minutes I had my boarding pass as well as my lounge invitation. The agent suggested that I might consider using the Pier as it is near gate 62 and I would be leaving out of gate 60. I appreciated her suggestion and wanted to give the other lounge a try.
At the Hong Kong airport, there is a train that departs every three minutes to the more remote area of the terminal. This journey is just a couple of minutes long.
After the quick train ride, I found the Pier lounge to be rather decorated rather tastefully. They also had a number of computers and refreshments. I did not try the food service and just checked my email. By the time I finished that, it was time to walk to the gate, avoiding the crowd gathering around a nearby gate for a UA flight that was about to begin boarding.
July 3, 2004
CX flight 713 Hong Kong – Singapore with a stop in BKK
Seat 2K on a 747
Scheduled departure: 8:55 a.m. Actual: 8:50 a.m.
Scheduled arrival: 3:05 p.m. Actual: 3:03 p.m.
This was the 747 that was painted with the “Hong Kong: Asia’s World City” exterior. The colors are attractive, although I prefer the traditional livery. Again, there were two check in areas and those in first or business boarded through door 1L while the others boarded through 2L. I was greeted by name and escorted to my seat by the flight attendant. This flight had one other pax in first class, seated in 2A. He had arrived on the JFK-YVR-HKG flight. He did not know about the non-stop flight that CX had started on July 1. The two of us looked through the newspaper and magazine display and took our selections. As soon as we had returned to our seats, the flight attendants set the counter up with a white cloth, an ice bucket with champagne, a pitcher of orange juice, a bottle of water and a tray with the ramekins of warm nuts to prepare our pre-departure drinks.
This is the flight which puts me over the Executive Platinum threshold on AA or Oneworld Emerald.
At that level I will receive unlimited domestic upgrades on any published fare as well as 8 one way system wide upgrades. To celebrate my first time at this top level, I ordered champagne in so that I could toast the special occasion. After the scented towel and champagne, we were given menus and our breakfast orders were taken.
Once airborne we were given more champagne and another hot towel to prepare for our meal. The breakfast menu consisted of:
Juice Selection: I chose Orange Juice
Fresh Seasonal Fruit: This was a large plate consisting of 6 types of fruit
Yoghurt Selection (natural or fruit flavored): I asked for Blueberry and the flight attendant said that she would see if it was on board as she did not have that flavor in first. Sure enough, I received my Blueberry yoghurt ^
Cereals: Muesli, Corn Flakes or Rice Crispies: I skipped this course.
Main Course: Omelet with Mushrooms or Mini Glutinous Rice Dumpling and Assorted Dim Sum
I selected the Omelet with Mushrooms and was impressed at the quality of this. I ordered ham and sausage to accompany the omelet and was offered additional meat part way through the meal.
Accompaniments: Grilled Ham Slices, Nurnberger Sausages, Fried Potatoes, Vine Ripened Tomatoes, Sautéed Fresh Mushrooms.
Bread Basket: Assorted Breads, Rolls and Danish: The individual bread basket had enough for three people. I ate a couple of Danish, but did not have any of the addition breads.
On the short haul flights CX offers the TV and audio on demand. I watched an Australian comedy that was excellent, something like, “Kim and Kathy” and then “Yes Minister” from the BBC.
Upon arrival in BKK, the other gentleman left and I asked if there would be anyone else coming on board in first. The flight attendant told me that coach was overbooked, and business was pretty full but I was the only one scheduled for first. She said there was a chance that some of the J class pax might be bumped up to first. As it turned out, there was a sufficient number of no-shows so that there were a couple of empty seats in business class and I ended up the only one in First. While they were getting ready to board, the FSD announced the number of pax and it was something like: First class: 1, business: 43, coach: 320.
I was fascinated watching the cleaning crew, the flight attendants and the security people at work prepping the plane. I was the only pax on board and was offered continuous drinks and snacks during this process. I stayed with water and juice along with some nuts. The cleaning crew was very thorough and the flight attendants had a fair deal of work. Once the cleaning crew was finished vacuuming, dusting, sanitizing, etc. the cleaning crew deplaned and the security check began. They checked every overhead compartment, the bathrooms, each seat and the areas/compartment around it, the shelves, galleys, etc. Once that was completed the boarding process began for the continuation of flight 713.
I was offered BKK newspapers in addition to those papers left from the first segment. Once airborne, it was time for lunch. I ordered a Gentleman Jack and Sprite to drink. The menu offered:
Appetizer: Gravlax Salmon with Honey Mustard Dressing (which I skipped as it seemed as thoug I had just eaten a large breakfast.)
Main Courses: Stir-fried Lobster with Black Bean and Chili or Veal Steak with Boletus Mushroom
Sauce.
I chose the veal which was very tender and came with Duchesse Potatoes and a selection of vegetables. The sauce was flavorful and I dipped some of the potato in it.
Bread Basket: 3 types of rolls and a whole loaf of warm garlic bread. I love the CX garlic bread and ended up eating three pieces on this flight.
Cheese Board: A selection of 4 cheeses with dried fruits, nuts and crackers (which I had with a couple of glasses of Port wine)
Fresh Fruits: A healthy dessert. I normally don’t eat this healthily and thought my body might go into shock eating all this fruit. Interestingly, this selection of fruit was different from the breakfast selection.
Pralines: To counteract the healthy food, I selected 4 of these with another glass of port.
I watched an episode of CSI during this meal and then went back to listening to my CD of Philip Glass’s “Kundun” and reading my book. Before long, we were descending into Singapore for our on time arrival at 3:05 p.m.
The Immigration process was very easy: No line and I was given a piece of candy in addition to my immigration card. ^ Again my bags were already waiting for me when I arrived at the carousel. At the airport, one can get a Mercedes Taxi to the city’s hotels for $22 U.S. so I took that to the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Previously I had stayed at the Raffles Hotel, which I enjoyed. However, reading about the views from the Ritz Carlton on Flyertalk convinced me to give this hotel a try. The hotel is nicely appointed with fantastic views. My room had a number of mechanical problems and I spent the better part of three hours waiting around while different engineers worked on the air conditioning and tv, with minimal success.
I was to the point of leaving the hotel to go back to Raffles or the Mandarin Oriental and asked a man in the lobby for walking directions to these hotels as I wanted to see what types of rooms both hotels had available. The guest relations person was very sincere, sorry about what I had experienced, and asked for a chance to rectify the difficulties. In less than five minutes he had proposed something that made me give the hotel a second chance. To be honest, I am not sure if I stayed more for the proposal offered or the sincerity of the guest relations person. The views from the hotel are very nice and I was impressed that this gentleman and a coworker continued to check on my throughout my stay at the hotel. ^ If it were not for his attitude I imagine my first and last stay at a Ritz Carlton would have been less than four hours. Now I look forward to returning to that hotel in the future. I wrote a letter of commendation to the Hotel and hope that they value this employee.
Within a couple of minutes I had my boarding pass as well as my lounge invitation. The agent suggested that I might consider using the Pier as it is near gate 62 and I would be leaving out of gate 60. I appreciated her suggestion and wanted to give the other lounge a try. At the Hong Kong airport, there is a train that departs every three minutes to the more remote area of the terminal. This journey is just a couple of minutes long.
After the quick train ride, I found the Pier lounge to be rather decorated rather tastefully. They also had a number of computers and refreshments. I did not try the food service and just checked my email. By the time I finished that, it was time to walk to the gate, avoiding the crowd gathering around a nearby gate for a UA flight that was about to begin boarding.
July 3, 2004
CX flight 713 Hong Kong – Singapore with a stop in BKK
Seat 2K on a 747
Scheduled departure: 8:55 a.m. Actual: 8:50 a.m.
Scheduled arrival: 3:05 p.m. Actual: 3:03 p.m.
This was the 747 that was painted with the “Hong Kong: Asia’s World City” exterior. The colors are attractive, although I prefer the traditional livery. Again, there were two check in areas and those in first or business boarded through door 1L while the others boarded through 2L. I was greeted by name and escorted to my seat by the flight attendant. This flight had one other pax in first class, seated in 2A. He had arrived on the JFK-YVR-HKG flight. He did not know about the non-stop flight that CX had started on July 1. The two of us looked through the newspaper and magazine display and took our selections. As soon as we had returned to our seats, the flight attendants set the counter up with a white cloth, an ice bucket with champagne, a pitcher of orange juice, a bottle of water and a tray with the ramekins of warm nuts to prepare our pre-departure drinks.
This is the flight which puts me over the Executive Platinum threshold on AA or Oneworld Emerald.
At that level I will receive unlimited domestic upgrades on any published fare as well as 8 one way system wide upgrades. To celebrate my first time at this top level, I ordered champagne in so that I could toast the special occasion. After the scented towel and champagne, we were given menus and our breakfast orders were taken.Once airborne we were given more champagne and another hot towel to prepare for our meal. The breakfast menu consisted of:
Juice Selection: I chose Orange Juice
Fresh Seasonal Fruit: This was a large plate consisting of 6 types of fruit
Yoghurt Selection (natural or fruit flavored): I asked for Blueberry and the flight attendant said that she would see if it was on board as she did not have that flavor in first. Sure enough, I received my Blueberry yoghurt ^
Cereals: Muesli, Corn Flakes or Rice Crispies: I skipped this course.
Main Course: Omelet with Mushrooms or Mini Glutinous Rice Dumpling and Assorted Dim Sum
I selected the Omelet with Mushrooms and was impressed at the quality of this. I ordered ham and sausage to accompany the omelet and was offered additional meat part way through the meal.
Accompaniments: Grilled Ham Slices, Nurnberger Sausages, Fried Potatoes, Vine Ripened Tomatoes, Sautéed Fresh Mushrooms.
Bread Basket: Assorted Breads, Rolls and Danish: The individual bread basket had enough for three people. I ate a couple of Danish, but did not have any of the addition breads.
On the short haul flights CX offers the TV and audio on demand. I watched an Australian comedy that was excellent, something like, “Kim and Kathy” and then “Yes Minister” from the BBC.
Upon arrival in BKK, the other gentleman left and I asked if there would be anyone else coming on board in first. The flight attendant told me that coach was overbooked, and business was pretty full but I was the only one scheduled for first. She said there was a chance that some of the J class pax might be bumped up to first. As it turned out, there was a sufficient number of no-shows so that there were a couple of empty seats in business class and I ended up the only one in First. While they were getting ready to board, the FSD announced the number of pax and it was something like: First class: 1, business: 43, coach: 320.
I was fascinated watching the cleaning crew, the flight attendants and the security people at work prepping the plane. I was the only pax on board and was offered continuous drinks and snacks during this process. I stayed with water and juice along with some nuts. The cleaning crew was very thorough and the flight attendants had a fair deal of work. Once the cleaning crew was finished vacuuming, dusting, sanitizing, etc. the cleaning crew deplaned and the security check began. They checked every overhead compartment, the bathrooms, each seat and the areas/compartment around it, the shelves, galleys, etc. Once that was completed the boarding process began for the continuation of flight 713.
I was offered BKK newspapers in addition to those papers left from the first segment. Once airborne, it was time for lunch. I ordered a Gentleman Jack and Sprite to drink. The menu offered:
Appetizer: Gravlax Salmon with Honey Mustard Dressing (which I skipped as it seemed as thoug I had just eaten a large breakfast.)
Main Courses: Stir-fried Lobster with Black Bean and Chili or Veal Steak with Boletus Mushroom
Sauce.
I chose the veal which was very tender and came with Duchesse Potatoes and a selection of vegetables. The sauce was flavorful and I dipped some of the potato in it.
Bread Basket: 3 types of rolls and a whole loaf of warm garlic bread. I love the CX garlic bread and ended up eating three pieces on this flight.
Cheese Board: A selection of 4 cheeses with dried fruits, nuts and crackers (which I had with a couple of glasses of Port wine)
Fresh Fruits: A healthy dessert. I normally don’t eat this healthily and thought my body might go into shock eating all this fruit. Interestingly, this selection of fruit was different from the breakfast selection.
Pralines: To counteract the healthy food, I selected 4 of these with another glass of port.
I watched an episode of CSI during this meal and then went back to listening to my CD of Philip Glass’s “Kundun” and reading my book. Before long, we were descending into Singapore for our on time arrival at 3:05 p.m.
The Immigration process was very easy: No line and I was given a piece of candy in addition to my immigration card. ^ Again my bags were already waiting for me when I arrived at the carousel. At the airport, one can get a Mercedes Taxi to the city’s hotels for $22 U.S. so I took that to the Ritz Carlton Hotel. Previously I had stayed at the Raffles Hotel, which I enjoyed. However, reading about the views from the Ritz Carlton on Flyertalk convinced me to give this hotel a try. The hotel is nicely appointed with fantastic views. My room had a number of mechanical problems and I spent the better part of three hours waiting around while different engineers worked on the air conditioning and tv, with minimal success.
I was to the point of leaving the hotel to go back to Raffles or the Mandarin Oriental and asked a man in the lobby for walking directions to these hotels as I wanted to see what types of rooms both hotels had available. The guest relations person was very sincere, sorry about what I had experienced, and asked for a chance to rectify the difficulties. In less than five minutes he had proposed something that made me give the hotel a second chance. To be honest, I am not sure if I stayed more for the proposal offered or the sincerity of the guest relations person. The views from the hotel are very nice and I was impressed that this gentleman and a coworker continued to check on my throughout my stay at the hotel. ^ If it were not for his attitude I imagine my first and last stay at a Ritz Carlton would have been less than four hours. Now I look forward to returning to that hotel in the future. I wrote a letter of commendation to the Hotel and hope that they value this employee.
Jul 25, 2004, 5:53 pm
#48
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: BRS
Programs: BA GLD
Posts: 1,927
You've made me fire up the computer on a Sunday, which I'm loath to do!
So ... alone in first ... again ...
I should start travelling with you! But wait, then you wouldn't be alone in first!
I'll be in SIN soon ... staying almost next door at the Conrad. Can't wait.
Keep up the good work ...
So ... alone in first ... again ...
I should start travelling with you! But wait, then you wouldn't be alone in first!
I'll be in SIN soon ... staying almost next door at the Conrad. Can't wait.
Keep up the good work ...
Jul 26, 2004, 5:18 am
#49
Join Date: Jan 2001
Location: Boston, MA
Programs: AA Lifetime Platinum (3MM), QF Lifetime Gold, Bonvoy Lifetime Platinum, Ex-Hyatt Diamond
Posts: 7,541
... just browsing through this report in the CX F lounge here in Taipeh. I'm on a trip somewhat similar to yours, and will also post a trip report later on.
For now, let's say that I share your impressions of CX First, and was somewhat disappointed with the Wing as well. It wasn't exclusively negative though, as I liked the Dim Sum breakfast offers they had in the Haven. But no "a la carte" menu as someone had suggested.
Keep the reports coming!
For now, let's say that I share your impressions of CX First, and was somewhat disappointed with the Wing as well. It wasn't exclusively negative though, as I liked the Dim Sum breakfast offers they had in the Haven. But no "a la carte" menu as someone had suggested.
Keep the reports coming!
Jul 27, 2004, 5:07 pm
#51
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: SNA; AA EXP
Programs: aa exp, spg plat, HH gold
Posts: 155
Singapore - Hong Kong
Sorry I took so long in getting this up on the board. Thanks for your kind words and encouragement!
After an enjoyable visit in Singapore, visiting the museum, China Town, the Indian District, as well as enjoying the hotel, I was headed back to Hong Kong to prepare for the new Hong Kong – New York flight the following day.
July 6, 2004
CX flight 716 Singapore – Hong Kong
747 seat 2K
Scheduled departure: 5:55 p.m., actual: 5:55 p.m.
Scheduled arrival: 9:40 p.m., actual: 9:30 p.m.
As I approached the CX ticketing area, I saw security officials next to a large X ray machine. All checked luggage had to be X-rayed before presenting oneself at the ticket counter. CX had separate desks for each of the three classes and another for Marco Polo members. In the first class section there was no one in line, so I went right up to the agent. I was given my boarding pass, an invitation to the lounge and directions to find the lounge. Passing through the immigration area, I noticed there was no line and again found bowls of candy at each station. After completing the formalities, the immigration agent expressed his hope that I would visit Singapore again, which I will gladly do again on my next AONE trip.
The Cathay Pacific lounge is rather large with seating on either side of the entrance. In the center area was a bar area with a wide selection of liquor, sodas, juices, snacks, hot appetizers, noodles and soup. The food was very good and I ended up hitting the buffet twice. There were TVs on each side of the lounge, two internet equipped computers and two additional work stations. At one point the agent quietly went to each person to confirm that their boarding pass had the correct gate information as one of the flights had been moved to a new gate. ^ I thought this was much classier than announcing it over and over on the loudspeaker as I hear other airlines do.
Boarding was through doors 1 and 2 L. On this flight there were seven pax in first, with five empty seats. Before departure I had a glass of champagne and some warm almonds. I was offered additional almonds and champagne, but wanted to save my appetite for dinner. We were also presented a large variety of newspapers and magazines. Over the course of these flights I have noticed that CX is always getting the newest issue of each magazine to present to their passengers. After the newspapers we were offered menus.
Once airborne, our drink orders were taken. I had a Gentleman Jack and Sprite. After the drink order we were given our second hot towel of the flight. I do not know what they use to scent these towels, but it sure is refreshing. Our drinks were served with a beef and chicken satay from the cart. I opted for only one of each which were accompanied by a flavorful peanut sauce. Truthfully, I could have had an entire meal from the satay as it was so good.
The flight attendants were willing to do that for me, but I did not want to miss the other treats that were in store. These meal services are exercises in delayed gratification. After the satay service I ordered dinner. As usual one could have dinner at whatever time one preferred, and a couple chose later dinner service. For dinner we were offered:
Soup: Hot and Sour Soup Szechuan Style (I am not one for this type of soup as sometimes it is too spicy for me, but this was delicious, it had a kick to it but did not burn my tongue or make me break out into a sweat).
Salad with Italian or Blue Cheese Dressing: This was a large salad comprised of a variety of greens, tomatoes, carrots and a few other vegetables, tossed with the Blue Cheese Dressing. I also chose the garlic bread (I held myself to only two pieces this time.)
Main Courses: Roast Lamb Loin with Red Wine Sauce and Tomato Confit
Stir-fried Lobster and Scallop in Black Bean Sauce
Green Chicken Curry Thai Style.
I selected the lamb with some hesitation as many times it tastes to strong for my tastes. I ended up eating all three large pieces. The sauce was flavorful and the meat was very tender. The Duchesse Potatoes were perfectly cooked, not to hard or too soggy. We also had the choice of rice and a variety of Eastern and Western vegetables.
Cheese Board: There were four cheeses on the board tonight and I tried three of them with some water crackers and port wine.
Dessert: Cassata Napolitain with Raspberry Coulis—once again I debated about eating a second one even through I felt as though my stomach might explode. I decided not to attempt this as the image from the Monty Python film of the man at the end of the banquet eats just one “wafer thin after dinner mint” leading to a rather unhappy end.
I did have two pralines since the flight attendant told me which were her favorites, so I had to comply
During the dinner service, I watched Mr. Bean, Absolutely Fabulous, and The Jaime Kennedy Experiment. The Experiment was pretty good; I had not seen it before but will watch it in the future.
We arrived in Hong Kong at 9:30 p.m.—10 minutes early. I tried to race the luggage to the carousel and so raced through the terminal, jumped on the train just as it was leaving and ran up the escalator to immigration. There was no line in immigration but sure enough, the luggage was there a mere 8 minutes after deplaning!! ^ ^ ^ By 9:45 I was at the Regal Airport Hotel again for a good night’s rest before my long flight the following day. Again, the Regal is a typical airport hotel…decent service and a decent room good for a night’s rest.
After an enjoyable visit in Singapore, visiting the museum, China Town, the Indian District, as well as enjoying the hotel, I was headed back to Hong Kong to prepare for the new Hong Kong – New York flight the following day.
July 6, 2004
CX flight 716 Singapore – Hong Kong
747 seat 2K
Scheduled departure: 5:55 p.m., actual: 5:55 p.m.
Scheduled arrival: 9:40 p.m., actual: 9:30 p.m.
As I approached the CX ticketing area, I saw security officials next to a large X ray machine. All checked luggage had to be X-rayed before presenting oneself at the ticket counter. CX had separate desks for each of the three classes and another for Marco Polo members. In the first class section there was no one in line, so I went right up to the agent. I was given my boarding pass, an invitation to the lounge and directions to find the lounge. Passing through the immigration area, I noticed there was no line and again found bowls of candy at each station. After completing the formalities, the immigration agent expressed his hope that I would visit Singapore again, which I will gladly do again on my next AONE trip.
The Cathay Pacific lounge is rather large with seating on either side of the entrance. In the center area was a bar area with a wide selection of liquor, sodas, juices, snacks, hot appetizers, noodles and soup. The food was very good and I ended up hitting the buffet twice.
There were TVs on each side of the lounge, two internet equipped computers and two additional work stations. At one point the agent quietly went to each person to confirm that their boarding pass had the correct gate information as one of the flights had been moved to a new gate. ^ I thought this was much classier than announcing it over and over on the loudspeaker as I hear other airlines do. Boarding was through doors 1 and 2 L. On this flight there were seven pax in first, with five empty seats. Before departure I had a glass of champagne and some warm almonds. I was offered additional almonds and champagne, but wanted to save my appetite for dinner. We were also presented a large variety of newspapers and magazines. Over the course of these flights I have noticed that CX is always getting the newest issue of each magazine to present to their passengers. After the newspapers we were offered menus.
Once airborne, our drink orders were taken. I had a Gentleman Jack and Sprite. After the drink order we were given our second hot towel of the flight. I do not know what they use to scent these towels, but it sure is refreshing. Our drinks were served with a beef and chicken satay from the cart. I opted for only one of each which were accompanied by a flavorful peanut sauce. Truthfully, I could have had an entire meal from the satay as it was so good.
The flight attendants were willing to do that for me, but I did not want to miss the other treats that were in store. These meal services are exercises in delayed gratification. After the satay service I ordered dinner. As usual one could have dinner at whatever time one preferred, and a couple chose later dinner service. For dinner we were offered:Soup: Hot and Sour Soup Szechuan Style (I am not one for this type of soup as sometimes it is too spicy for me, but this was delicious, it had a kick to it but did not burn my tongue or make me break out into a sweat).
Salad with Italian or Blue Cheese Dressing: This was a large salad comprised of a variety of greens, tomatoes, carrots and a few other vegetables, tossed with the Blue Cheese Dressing. I also chose the garlic bread (I held myself to only two pieces this time.)
Main Courses: Roast Lamb Loin with Red Wine Sauce and Tomato Confit
Stir-fried Lobster and Scallop in Black Bean Sauce
Green Chicken Curry Thai Style.
I selected the lamb with some hesitation as many times it tastes to strong for my tastes. I ended up eating all three large pieces. The sauce was flavorful and the meat was very tender. The Duchesse Potatoes were perfectly cooked, not to hard or too soggy. We also had the choice of rice and a variety of Eastern and Western vegetables.
Cheese Board: There were four cheeses on the board tonight and I tried three of them with some water crackers and port wine.
Dessert: Cassata Napolitain with Raspberry Coulis—once again I debated about eating a second one even through I felt as though my stomach might explode. I decided not to attempt this as the image from the Monty Python film of the man at the end of the banquet eats just one “wafer thin after dinner mint” leading to a rather unhappy end.
I did have two pralines since the flight attendant told me which were her favorites, so I had to comply
During the dinner service, I watched Mr. Bean, Absolutely Fabulous, and The Jaime Kennedy Experiment. The Experiment was pretty good; I had not seen it before but will watch it in the future.
We arrived in Hong Kong at 9:30 p.m.—10 minutes early. I tried to race the luggage to the carousel and so raced through the terminal, jumped on the train just as it was leaving and ran up the escalator to immigration. There was no line in immigration but sure enough, the luggage was there a mere 8 minutes after deplaning!! ^ ^ ^ By 9:45 I was at the Regal Airport Hotel again for a good night’s rest before my long flight the following day. Again, the Regal is a typical airport hotel…decent service and a decent room good for a night’s rest.
Jul 27, 2004, 8:02 pm
#52
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 1,845
Originally Posted by 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)
(Less if you buy your ticket and start you trip in some other countries)
---------------------------------------
TimF10, AWESOME TRIP REPORT!
Jul 27, 2004, 8:35 pm
#53
Suspended
Join Date: Jul 2004
Programs: CX Gold MPO
Posts: 1,677
TimF10
Really enjoy reading your F Class TR.
Sorry about the confusion about CGK, They do offer the 744, but I think sometime during this month for a few days, they will only offer 2 class.
Anway!! Hope to read you remainder TR!
So given you tried the Oneworld carriers, do you agree CX has the best F Class???
hahahaha!
Really enjoy reading your F Class TR.
Sorry about the confusion about CGK, They do offer the 744, but I think sometime during this month for a few days, they will only offer 2 class.
Anway!! Hope to read you remainder TR!
So given you tried the Oneworld carriers, do you agree CX has the best F Class???
hahahaha!
Jul 28, 2004, 5:18 am
#54
Join Date: Jul 2004
Location: SIN
Programs: SQ PPS, LH SEN, Amex something, nothing everywhere else
Posts: 994
TimF10, fantastic trip report... makes me want to do my RTW soon!
For those interested in the intricacies of RTWs, there's a lot of discussion of these in the oneworld and Star Alliance forums.
A few links:
oneworld RTW FAQ
oneworld prices or here
Star Alliance prices
Originally Posted by dspringer28
What about in J and Y?
A few links:
oneworld RTW FAQ
oneworld prices or here
Star Alliance prices
Jul 28, 2004, 6:15 am
#55
Guest
Posts: n/a
All of the following were posted by the original poster.
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.
Hmm, that's odd. They should be asking you what you want to drink, not
offering you choices.
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.
Actually, sometimes they don't serve it from the cart if there are only 2 out of 8 in the cabin (out of 12 for the 747).
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.
I've always favored the Wing over the Pier for obvious reasons. The Pier is much too gloomy, and I love the cabanas. I might it a point to soak myself before every flight. I also find the Wing staff to be friendlier than the Pier's! Maybe because I'm kind of familiar with them, haha.
All in all, great report!
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.
Hmm, that's odd. They should be asking you what you want to drink, not
offering you choices.
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.
Actually, sometimes they don't serve it from the cart if there are only 2 out of 8 in the cabin (out of 12 for the 747).
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.
I've always favored the Wing over the Pier for obvious reasons. The Pier is much too gloomy, and I love the cabanas. I might it a point to soak myself before every flight. I also find the Wing staff to be friendlier than the Pier's! Maybe because I'm kind of familiar with them, haha.
All in all, great report!
Jul 28, 2004, 4:10 pm
#56
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2003
Location: Somwhere on the highways and byways of the United States
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Posts: 16,737
It seems like many times you are like royalty, being up front, all alone, waited on hand and foot. I'll bet it is nice to be part of the elite for once.
Enjoying the report. ^
Enjoying the report. ^
Jul 28, 2004, 11:11 pm
#58
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: SNA; AA EXP
Programs: aa exp, spg plat, HH gold
Posts: 155
Originally Posted by newcx12345
TimF10
Really enjoy reading your F Class TR.
Sorry about the confusion about CGK, They do offer the 744, but I think sometime during this month for a few days, they will only offer 2 class.
Anway!! Hope to read you remainder TR!
So given you tried the Oneworld carriers, do you agree CX has the best F Class???
hahahaha!
Really enjoy reading your F Class TR.
Sorry about the confusion about CGK, They do offer the 744, but I think sometime during this month for a few days, they will only offer 2 class.
Anway!! Hope to read you remainder TR!
So given you tried the Oneworld carriers, do you agree CX has the best F Class???
hahahaha!
Jul 28, 2004, 11:15 pm
#59
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: SNA; AA EXP
Programs: aa exp, spg plat, HH gold
Posts: 155
Originally Posted by skye
All of the following were posted by the original poster.
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.
Hmm, that's odd. They should be asking you what you want to drink, not
offering you choices.
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.
Actually, sometimes they don't serve it from the cart if there are only 2 out of 8 in the cabin (out of 12 for the 747).
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.
I've always favored the Wing over the Pier for obvious reasons. The Pier is much too gloomy, and I love the cabanas. I might it a point to soak myself before every flight. I also find the Wing staff to be friendlier than the Pier's! Maybe because I'm kind of familiar with them, haha.
All in all, great report!
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.
Hmm, that's odd. They should be asking you what you want to drink, not
offering you choices.
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.
Actually, sometimes they don't serve it from the cart if there are only 2 out of 8 in the cabin (out of 12 for the 747).
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.
I've always favored the Wing over the Pier for obvious reasons. The Pier is much too gloomy, and I love the cabanas. I might it a point to soak myself before every flight. I also find the Wing staff to be friendlier than the Pier's! Maybe because I'm kind of familiar with them, haha.
All in all, great report!
With regard to the Caviar on the cart, I was surprised at this but thought that it was a nice touch. I wish airlines would use the cart more often as I like to look at my choices before selecting.
I hope that my experiences at the Wing were the exception as I found the Pier staff much more invested in their job than those at the Wing.
Thanks for the compliment!
Jul 28, 2004, 11:16 pm
#60
Original Poster
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: SNA; AA EXP
Programs: aa exp, spg plat, HH gold
Posts: 155
Originally Posted by myefre
It seems like many times you are like royalty, being up front, all alone, waited on hand and foot. I'll bet it is nice to be part of the elite for once.
Enjoying the report. ^
Enjoying the report. ^