pacificboot

Flight number: : CX885
Aircraft registration: HOX (B744)
Scheduled Departure: 1125
Actual Departure: 1320
Schedule Arrival: 1855
Actual Arrival: 2220
Seat number: 1A (then 4K)
Loading in First: 2/12
Loading in Business/Economy: 70%

First time: I held up the plane for about 5 minutes and my baggage were offloading (But was eventually placed back on) as I boarded due to an error of CX and LAX. Read on…

Pictures here:
http://good-times.webshots.com/album/561846054MRoswZ

One day before departure (Dec 19th)

As I checked seat map for this flight, I was shocked to see the change from 74A to B744. I was really looking forward to traveling in the new First Class cabin, and the flight was showing the new configurations for the longest time. It made me disappointed, but I still realized that aircraft configurations are subject to change at airline’s decision.

The day of departure
A CX agent called me at 6am and subsequently at 7:30am to inform me of a flight delay. Even though I appreciated the notification, I didn’t enjoy the time at which the phone call was placed at. It woke me up from sleep, and couldn’t go to sleep afterwards. I wish that CX would just do text messages instead, or just not place those phone calls. I am sure many people will probably check flight status before they head out to the airport.

I arrived at TBIT at around 10am and headed straight to the First Class check in counters. I was quickly issued boarding pass for seat 1A and lounge passes. Since I was in First, I didn’t have to carry my checked baggage to the security checkpoint, but headed straight to security.

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The Lounge
As you can see from my pictures (in the above link), the First Class lounge is quite big, let’s say about one half the size of Business Class lounge. I feel that the First Class lounge is too big. They should increase the size of the business class lounge, as it is nearly impossible to find a decent seat in Business Class lounge when there is two or more widebody departures. There was an assortment at food at the First Class lounge, such as croissant, muffins, salads, hot soup and many other delicious stuff. I had a potato and leek soup, followed by a glass of champagne (I think it was Moet and Chandon). Then, I headed out to the business class section for shower. A note about the showers in the business class lounge – the water temperature is not high enough and the water pressure is too low – not ideal for a comfortable shower.

Timeline of the following events
12:00pm I left the lounge and went to gate 101. The were people already lined up. However, no signs of boarding.

12:30pm A delay is posted on the departure board until 1:30pm. When I enquired at the gate, I was told that the pilot was not here yet. So I headed back to the lounge with my friend to relax until it was time for boarding. The lounge was completely empty this time, as the next flight was not until 3pm on LAN. I felt like I chartered the whole lounge by myself!

1:00pm Just when I was about to leave the lounge, a CX agent hurried over to me, and told me urgently that the plane is waiting for me! I was shocked, and I told her that the board posted at 1:30pm departure and that was verified by the gate agents. She told me that the board is incorrect and told me to head to the gate immediately.

1:10pm As you know, gate 101 is the furthest gate from the CX lounge, and it doesn’t help when the elevator from lounge to departure level is so slow. I rushed my way to the gate with my roller on. I worried that my bags were going to be offloaded. As I arrived at the gate, the agent asked me why I was late, and I said that the board behind her posted a 1:30pm departure, and she tells me the board is wrong. Well, I told her that it was no fault of mine as I just acted based on the departure time that I was informed. She just said that there is a chance my baggage will be offloaded. I said sure, and hurried to the plane. The ISM greeted me and asked, “So, you must be Mr. Chan! We have been waiting for you!”. I was quite embarrassed and tried to explain my side of the story as I huffed and puffed.

Later, I realized that as I left the gate to the lounge, they finally found the pilots and began boarding, but the departure boards never changed to reflect that. They paged for me and my friend throughout the airport and inside the plane, but I didn’t hear anything as there were no announcements in the lounge.

On the plane
I asked the cabin crew if they can verify that my bags are not offloaded, and she said it wasn’t. I was relived. Fiona, the very friendly and attentive cabin crew, asked me for my pre-take off beverage and I chose water. The ISM also came and greeted me. The loading of the flight was 2 out of 12, with around 70% load factors in Business and Economy. I was quite surprised by the low load factors as this was Christmas time and usually planes are booked to the grills.

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Menu

Caviar, Smoked Salmon and Champagne
Caviar and fine smokes salmon with cuvee William Deutz 1998

Starts
Cream of portabella mushroom soup

Nicoise salad with seared tuna, fingerling potatoes, beans, boiled egg and boston lettuce
With lemon vinaigrette

Main Courses
Kurabata pork chop with truffle oil infused potato gratin
Sautéed mushrooms and beans

Lamb cannelloni with asparagus

Chinese favorites
Double boiled pork with seas coconut soup

Cold plate – marinated king mushroom, cucumber and peppers,

Stir-fried Maine lobster with ginger and spring onion

(I had the lobster and it was delicious! I never had lobster on CX flights!)
Or

Steamed chicken yunnan ham and mushroom

Served with
Stir-fried pak choy and carrots
Steamed rice

Cheese and Dessert
Cambozola, goat cheese, port salut and Cheddar

Fresh Seasonal fruit

Vanilla ice cream with melba sauce
(Really good – it was really delicious with whipped cream and a chocolate waffle stick)

Pecan pie with whipped cream
(Absolutely loved the pecan pie – highly recommended)

Red beans soup with lotus seeds

Tea and Coffee

Pralines and cookies

Snacks

Dungeness crab cake with tartar sauce

Roasted duck in noodle soup

(Really good, but duck more on the fat side)
Hot pot rice with Chinese pork and liver sausage with cured meat
Served with daily soup

(Absolutely delicious – high recommended)

Ice Cream

Dinner

Starter

Fresh seasonal fruit

Main Courses

Grilled beef tenderloin with Madeire sauce
Pont Neuf potatoes and roasted vegetables

Pan fried Chilean sea bass with Beijing chilli sauce
Served with braised squash, black fungus and egg tofu
Steamed rice

Seafood congee
With spring onion pancake

Dessert
Tiramisu

(It was okay – a little too creamy)

Tea and Coffee

Pralines and cookies

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I felt like royalty on the plane – with only one other passengers (who simply had fruits and went straight to sleep) and with three crews serving me. They were just so attentively and so attention to detail. When I said I didn’t want my shirt to be hanged, they neatly placed it on seat 1K so it wouldn’t be crumbled. They were also so willing to chat to me every time they came to my seat, always asking me if there is anything I need. They also made recommendations on movies and LA attractions etc.

Just as I had finished my meal (I skipped on champagne as they will definitely fill out my stomach), I asked for all the lights to be turned off. However, they couldn’t seem to get the side panel lights off in row 1. They tried to turn on and off the flights, but the side panel lights still wouldn’t turn off (See picture in the link attached). They told me that the flight engineer in LAX told them that it was fixed already, but apparently the problem came back on. I requested a seat change (which is any seat except 4A where the other passenger was sitting). I choose 4K which was the side furthest away from the light. However, they told me that all K seats in First Class do not have working overhead reading lights. I said it was no problem as I could use the side reading light (Which I later found was not bright enough alone for reading). They also told me that the overhead reading light in 3K cannot be turned off, and they used towels and duck tape.

When I came back from the bathroom, I noticed that they placed a large thick blanket as a mattress pad before the duvet. I don’t know if this is an isolated thing, or a common thing. But if it is a new feature of First Class, then it is a marked improvement. The gap between areas of the seats can be uncomfortable and the blanket over it makes it more comfortable.

Since it was a day flight, I only slept for about three hours before waking up somewhere between Seattle and Anchorage. I usually take the overnight flight, and I usually sleep for at least five hours and wake up somewhere over Russia. So this day flight seemed pretty long with me drifting on and off every time.

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I had quite a interesting chat with one of the flight attendants about everything from ourselves to the industry to world economy. Here are most of the interesting topics that we touched on.

- Reasons for high turnaround rate for Economy Class flight attendants
- B-HOT as a problem airport, with things sometimes working and sometimes not
- Crew hotel in Los Angeles
- One huge reason for the termination of SVO/MAN flights other than flying/route rights was the safety of crew
- Her views on the medical co-payment thing that was going on
- What crew does during long layovers in LAX
- Passenger and crew view of the new seats (Crews have to reach over the TV and place the tray down in the new business class)
- Crew bases in other destinations
- The most popular destination for crew on layovers etc
- Recent mileage increases for award tickets
- Maximum Crew duty hours (19 hours) and crew pay over the years, etc
- Caviar distribution/allowance in First Class
- An explanation why the caviar changed from Russian Surva--- to the current one (due to environmental reasons)

I had a noodle with duck soup and hot Jasmine tea somewhere over Japan, as well as ordered four boxes of Godiva chocolates from the duty free. I also asked the crew to save me a pecan pie on the TPE-HKG sector as I didn’t know if they would offload the catering cart in TPE, as well as a hot pot rice served about 1 hour prior to arrival in TPE.

The hot pot rice was delicious, as always and the soup was really flavorful. I had a hot of Jasmine tea to go along with me. I asked the crew if there would be a crew change, and her answer was they don’t know until the doors open, but most likely yes. I then asked for some postcards, which I handwrote a note that basically said that I really appreciated their servicing, and providing me with the best in flight experience that I have every had, and wishing them a Merry Christmas. I signed off each postcard with the time and the location, which I wrote it at. I then attached each card to the chocolates that I brought and placed it at each bag. I just really wanted them to know how much I appreciated their service.

Shortly before seat belt signs are turned on, I walked back to the galley and gave it to the ISM and the three crews that served me. They were really surprised and initially refused to accept these gifts. I was even more surprised even they came back and joked that they were exchanging Christmas gifts. They gave me a bottle of the First Class champagne (as no one had it during the flight). That was actually the perfect Christmas gift as I really like Champagne and it is probably the only physical object besides cash, that I will find useful.

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The flight touched down in TPE at 8:05pm, while the aircraft refueled, and cleaners emptied out the trash. With a crew change in TPE, the pilots and the purple-color dressed senior pursuers scattered in the empty seats in First Class, and the others sat in the empty seats in Business and Economy Class. I feel bad for those crew who have to sit in Economy Class, as they have to sit so close to the passenger that they served earlier. It is kind of awkward for both the passengers and the crew.

The turnaround was surprisingly short (turnaround took one hour the last time) and we turned around in 30 minutes, and left TPE At 8:35pm and arrived Hong Kong at 10:20pm, a three and a half hour delay in total.

Overall, I enjoyed the flight very much. It was sad it came to an end. It was really too bad that a last equipment swap stopped me from experiencing the new First Class. I also sent out an email to Customer Relations and voiced my displeasure in calling the passengers regarding minor flight irregularity at a time where common sense dictates that passenger is in bed, and to ensure accuracy of the departure boards. But despite that and the minor lighting/entertainment system flaws, the one word that best describes the trip is “perfection”.

I look forward to hearing your comments.

RTW4

This is a wonderful report. What a shame that the champagne is DEUTZ on a flagship route for CX. Also the switching of the aircraft is really disappointing.. But a great trip I guess nevertheless...

daniellam

F/J tends to be not as full during Christmas and other school holidays. It is usually Y that is booked to the grills.

OPFlyer

Nice report.