Kiwi Flyer

Sorry - I was too busy contemplating what was so odd about visiting Bangkok or Hong Kong for a weekend to post a reply. Perhaps someone could enlighten me.

Nice to see you get the buggy service even on shorthaul TG F at BKK.

Moomba

The Photos

Sleep, perchance to dream was indeed the order of the day or night as it were. I was out to it by 22:30 and woke once during the night at around 03:30 but went straight back to sleep until my alarm beeped at me at 05:30.
I think perhaps exhaustion and copious amounts of Dom P did the trick on the sleep front.

Ablutions, check out, taxi to Kowloon station where I was checked in and given my BP and lounge invite for the Red Carpet lounge. I was waiting on the platform for 5 minutes until the 06:18 airport express train pulled in.

A little over 20 minutes later I made my way past the CX check in desks and entered the immigrations and security area at HKG. There was no queue at immigrations and a 3 minute wait for security. I caught the terminal train to get me to the 40’s gates and then went upstairs to the now familiar Red Carpet Lounge.
My invite was taken; I was invited inside and was eating my cereal by 07:00. They only had Corn Flakes, Coco Pops and Frosties on offer. Where are the healthy options of cereal?

I read for a while and checked the net before leaving the lounge early in order to purchase some duty free. After my purchase I made my way towards the gate. I was there about 10 minutes before the published boarding time. I decided to wander right down to the end of the pier. At the far end a Thai Orient all whY 747 was in the process of boarding and was heading out to BKK.

I walked back up the pier and as I approached my gate I heard the agent announce that there was a technical delay and we would now leave at 10:00 instead of the timetabled 08:45.

Back to the Red Carpet lounge for some more people watching and a couple of beers. Yes folks I do drink Beer occasionally. I perched myself in the same place as yesterday and watched the CX ground staff load a 330 that was bound for Kuala Lumpur.

I headed out to the gate again at around 09:20 and waited. At 09:35 the crew boarded the plane and then about 5 minutes later the flight crew boarded. Finally boarding started at 09:50.

I queued up in the J / elite queue and an agent came past checking people’s passports and stamping the BP. After the pre-boarding mobs had disappeared from sight the agents started to let the rest of us on board.

Flight NZ 039 HKG - LHR Seat 3A
Aircraft: B747-400
Departure time: 08:45 delayed to 10:00

Once on board I was greeted and once at my seat I got my stuff out I needed for the flight and stowed my bag in the over head.

A crew member passed by and offered NZ sparkling wine, water or OJ. I grabbed the bubbles of course. Another crew member came over and explained the seat functions to me after first ascertaining it was my first time with them.

My first impression of the seat is that it is narrow, a complaint I have heard about the new CX seat. I hope it is no narrower than this one. Also when in the non bed mode my feet were over the end of the foot stool. Apart from that it seemed comfy enough.

Now as to the angled configuration thing I am definitely not impressed. If I wanted to look out of the window I needed to employ my finely honed contortionist skills. Also I was not that keen on having to stare at 3 fellow passengers across the aisle all through the flight.

On boarding there was a bottle of water at each seat as well as the amenity kits and the menu and wine guide.
The wine guide lists all the NZ wines and has descriptions of the wine regions and wineries in New Zealand. A nice little keeps sake but no where did they actually list what wines were on board today.

We finished boarding and the captain came over the blower to explain the delay which was due to a vibration in one of the engines on the flight up from Auckland. The engineers had replaced a part and changed the oil etc which all took time. The captain also announced that due to air traffic restrictions we had to sit a while longer to wait for a slot.

We finally pushed back a little over 2 hours late at 10:47 and taxied to the terminal end of the runway and took off over the water. I think this was the first time I had ever taken off in that direction from HKG.

After the seat belts sign was switched off the crew came around with the beginnings of the brunch service.

Brunch:
Wake-up Drinks:
Start your day with a fruit smoothie, you choice or juice, freshly brewed or decaffeinated coffee, tea, jasmine tea, herbal tea or hot chocolate

Light Breakfast:
A bowl of muesli topped with yoghurt and fresh fruit is available as a lighter option.

Brunch:
Fruit and cereals will be offered followed by a hot bakery selection and you choice of hot meal or cold plate.

Fresh Fruit Salad

Yoghurt, natural or blueberry

Alpen muesli, Just Right Harvest Fruit cereal, Weetbix, Cornflakes

Bakery:
Croissants, white and wholemeal toast, apple cinnamon and carrot bran muffins

Hot Brunch:
Basil and brie omelette with wilted spinach, smoked salmon and vine ripened tomato

Glazed ham steaks with root vegetable hash cake, grilled tomato and mushroom ragout

Stir fried egg noodles with vegetables and dim sum selection

Cold Plate:
Selection of cured meats and cheese served with Dijon mustard and crusty bread roll

The CSD came around and introduced himself and handed out landing cards for the UK.

After my smoothie a crew member came over to set up my table. I had been trying to figure out how to get the thing to come out but was unsuccessful though. He also had trouble and ended up getting a knife from the galley to coax the table out of its hidey hole.

My table was set and the crew came along offering the cereal and fruit options. I asked for some muesli and plain yoghurt to start. The bread basket was then offered and I grabbed some toast and NZ marmite which I am told is different from the UK version. Neither of which are anywhere near as nice a Vegemite of course.

As the cereal plates were being collected the crew asked which hot dish the passengers would like. These then came out individually along with the pastry basket again.

I ordered the ham steaks which were OK but not brilliant. The root vegetable hash was very bland and tasteless but the mushroom ragout was lovely. My biggest gripe with the meal was that it was a very small portion.

I finished off with some coffee.

The IFE on board was excellent with plenty to offer and a very large screen ( for a J cabin ) to watch it all on. I whiled away the time watching a movie or two, reading and listening to music. I then discovered the games section and completed a number of sudoku puzzles.
The moving map on NZ is really cool with a 3D display that shows the planed projected route and distance and time projections as a little plane moves over the map. It then shows where you are now along with the usual other information.

At around 16:00 HKG time the crew came to life again offering afternoon tea.

Light Refreshment:
A selection of sandwiches, cakes, warm plain or fruit scones offered with strawberry conserve

I ate some sandwiches and scones with conserve and cream and washed them down with some coffee. The sandwiches were a little dry around the edges but the scone was nice and warm. I think the cream was beginning to turn though as it had a bit of an edge to it.

Sleep was the order of the day, although not too much as I didn’t want to mess up my body clock too much. I did not convert the seat to a bed but instead just reclined and listened to music and dozed for a while.

At around 2 hours and 45 minutes out of London the crew prepared the cabin for the main meal service.

Main Meal:
Starter:
Lemon scented king prawns with karengo potato salad, micro greens and balsamic dressing

Bakery:
Garlic bread, laugen rolls or sour dough bread

Main Course:
Thyme seasoned confit of chicken on saffron rice and green pea risotto with watercress

Seared kawakawa loin with pumpkin and parsnip hash cake, asparagus, caramelised shallots, garlic and minted butter

Fried cod with sweet and sour sauce, capsicum, pineapple, onion and steamed rice

Dessert:
Raspberry and white chocolate mousse timbale with fresh berries

Cheese and Fruit:
A selection of fine cheese and fresh seasonal fruit

Wine List:
The premium wine selection on board this flight has been chosen by our wine consultants: John Blesham of Foxes Island Wines, Kate Radburnd of CJ Pask Winery and Jim Harre, nationally recognised wine judge.

NZ Sparkling Wine

Champagne:
Laurent-Perrier L-P N.V. Brut

Hot towels were delivered prior to the meal service.

The tables were once again set for the meal and a tray with the starter was placed before me. The bread basket came around and I asked for some of the garlic bread.

Both were excellent although as usual for prawns on planes they were a little tough.
I was offered wine and I asked what reds they had. I was shown both bottles. A Gibbston Highgate Estate Soultaker Pinot Noir – 2006 and a Matariki Syrah 2005 were offered. I went with the Syrah – I was having the lamb after all. It was a very nice drop and I had a few refills during the meal.

The lamb main was small again and the hash cakes were the same bland offering that I had with the brunch service. A little salt did wonders to enhance the flavour of these though.

As noted above the crew were quite proactive with offering refills of the wine and more bread during the meal service.

Dessert and cheese were offered up next and I went for the sweet touch and scoffed down the nice and very light berry mousse. After this was taken away I was then asked if I would like some cheese and fruit as well. I said why not. Port also sir? Ok.

One of the cheeses was so nice I asked the crew member who cleared my plate if she knew what it was. She said she would see if she could find out. She never did get back to me though.

Once the meal was all done I was sated, despite the small portions.

The flight was nearly over and now and so too was my excursion into nuttiness part 1 for 2008.

Around 40 minutes out of London the captain came on the horn to let us know the weather and arrival time, and to ask us to do our business if we needed to before he switches on the seat belt sign.

The crew started to prepare for landing gathering up the remaining service items and opening the shades.

We landed at 16:20 and were at the gate at 16:30. The CSD ( or whatever NZ call them ) asked everyone to remain seated whilst they got some connecting passengers off first, given we were two hours late.

After they had deplaned we were given the go ahead to exit the aircraft.

We had parked at the very end of the T section of T3 which meant the longest possible walk to immigrations you can have. I power walked my way there and straight up to the vacant Iris machine.
Down the stairs, through immigrations (damn it is nice travelling without checked baggage) and down to the HEX. The train was about to close doors just as I stepped on board.
HEX and two tube later I broke my own record and walk putting the key in the front door 58 minutes after pulling up to the gate.

Here endeth the trilogy of the weekend in HKG and BKK. Was it a passionate weekend or an addictive one?

One thing I do know is I now have some sort of empathy for the great NZ flightless bird that lurks this forum.
The weekend consisted of 3 hours on trains or waiting for trains, 11 hours and 55 minutes in airports and airport lounges, 9 hours and 20 minutes in a hotel and 31 hours and 10 minutes on aircraft.

All up 14087 miles in 55 hours.

The Photos

Kiwi Flyer

On the upper deck at least, the CX seat is narrower, as it is at a sharper angle to fit in an extra row forward of the emergency exit! The CX seat walls also seem more enclosing than the NZ (and VS) seat.

If you don't want to stare across at passengers on the other side go for 7A or K (on 747 these have a cupboard in front of you), or at least rows 5 & 6 (greater distance across the cabin).

Annoying. I now take to having a pen out and making notes in the wine guide as to which are loaded on the particular flight. Usually it is one of each style (ie about 6 in total).

Most likely it was a Kapiti Cheese.

NZ always gets a gate at the very end of the T. I used to hate it (long walk even to FCC and generally big queues at FCC on arrival (particularly when taking LAX-LHR). However, in more recent times I enjoy it for I find a good fast walk is just the thing to pep me up and stretch out after a long day's flying.

Gatwick Alan

I agree with you about the food portions being small, i felt the same when i flew NZ.

The seats are perfect for night flights, i slept well on them, but for daytime flights, i'm with you, i like to be able to look out of the window too.

Welcome back to sunny England.

Moomba

Thanks. It has been a long time since someone has been able to say that to me.

27R

Love it - great trip, Moomba. Bonkers, but great.

Kevincm

I think Moomba is just passionatly addicted... great work

from his 3rd Fan

chris78cpr

Great addition to the report there moomba! Really enjoyed reading it.

It seems like you've had some good flights recently. I know what you mean about the NZ seat being rather slim, however i find it pretty comfortable for sleeping. The VS seat seems more comfortable than the NZ seat for some reason. I always find that it helps to stick an extra pillow if there is one free at the end where the seat meets the back edge and to put the duvet beneath you aswell.

One thing, you said that when you went out to HKG you were without OW Emerald status, you then went to mention that you entered the CX F lounge and said that they can bill BA under your BA Gold card? Isn't that a OW Emerald card/status?

Cheers, Chris

Moomba

It is indeed OW Emerald but this is the first year for several now where I have not been AA Emerald. As I always put my CX flights to my AA account it had been a long time since I had been given a Business Lounge invite. Also for the two years prior to this I have been OW Emerald with both AA and BA. Letting the AA program slip to Sapphire was a conscious decision but it only really hit home when I got that pass.

Thanks for the feedback everyone.

chris78cpr

Ahhhh ok, makes sense now. I didn't mean to question you, i was just like "hang on, huh?".

Are you aiming for EXP again this year? What with a RTW with a lot of travel in NA and with the Double EQM promo it must help?

Chris

chris78cpr

Moomba, another question, you said your returning to HKG on the second May bank holiday. Is that the 24th May? I'm flying out on AA that morning so if your about maybe i'll see you in the CX lounge for a glass of champagne or two!

Chris

Moomba

Yes I am planning on reaching EXP again this year. I don't quite have everything in place but will do sometime soon. I am not sure if the EQM promo will help me much. I usually make status using EQP on AA.


We are out of luck there I am afraid. It is the return portion of my NZ ticket and I leave the night before.

Cheers
Moomba

chris78cpr

That is a shame. Well i hope you enjoy the trip back anyway and i look forward to reading your report on it.

Chris

Leemajors

Tell me u write these detailed reports for other than us at FT?

kchika

Judging from the plate of your breakfast on CX252, it seems to me that you were given something from F!

A very thoroughly enjoyable read, Moomba ^