Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Community > Trip Reports
Reload this Page >

Thanksgiving in Hong Kong with CX First and W Hong Kong (Lots of Pics)

Thanksgiving in Hong Kong with CX First and W Hong Kong (Lots of Pics)

Old Dec 12, 2011, 2:01 pm
  #1  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: DL DM/UA 1P/AA Plat/Starwood Plat/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 31
Thanksgiving in Hong Kong with CX First and W Hong Kong (Lots of Pics)

I travel for business nearly every week logging over 150K domestic flight miles annually. One would think that with all of this business travel, the last thing that I’d want to do for vacation is to take a long haul flight to somewhere far away from my home and office. Well, you'd be wrong, since I've loved to fly ever since I was a child of five flying on Delta DC-8’s back and forth to Florida for family vacations. Since that time, I've travelled the World with a definite preference for Asia. Last year I vacationed in New Zealand with Australia the year before, so not having been to Hong Kong since 2005, I decided that a trip back to my favorite Asian city was in order. Looking at my options from the West Coast, I decided to travel on Cathay Pacific, as they offer some of the best service in First and having flown them since the early 1980's, they are also one of my favorite carriers. With a quick call to the American Platinum desk, I was able to secure my preferred flights and dates that I wanted for 135K miles plus $62 in taxes (not a bad deal given the $17,000 RT price for a full fare FC ticket). Since Cathay is slowly replacing their 747's with 777-300’s, I decided to travel from San Francisco as they are one of the only remaining US gateways still flying the 747 on their late morning trip thereby allowing me to travel during the day to take better advantage of the service in FC. Since Oneworld awards allow for one stopover within the US, I booked LAX-SFO on American Airlines and SFO-HKG on Cathay the following day giving me a day to explore San Francisco. For the return, I chose the afternoon departure from HKG to LAX.


LAX-SFO
AA 1013
Departure: 12:50pm
Arrival: 2:05pm
B737-800
Seat 4F


I arrived at the Terminal Four American Airlines premium check in area for Business and First Class passengers. Check in was recently relocated from the West entrance to the East during the never-ending construction at LAX. There was no one in line for First Class check-in, so I was assisted immediately by an extremely friendly agent who quickly checked my bag and thanked me for my business and wished me a Happy Holiday. The best thing about the Premium check-in area is the dedicated Security line for premium customers that is in a totally different area from the regular lines (unlike in most airports, where there is one common security area with roped off line for Frequent Flyers that is oftentimes not enforced), so the lines are typically much shorter than the regular lines.


American Premium Terminal Check-in


Overview of Terminal


Private Security area

I proceeded up the guarded escalator to the relatively calm TSA area. I was fourth in line and was waiting patiently for the Nude-a-scope, when the agent asked if I had any “metal implants”??? Not sure what he meant, but I quickly nodded in the affirmative and was taken to the sole metal detector area thereby bypassing the dreaded x-ray machine and others in line. With a five minute process, I was at the gate only 10 minutes after check-in. Not bad for LAX. Since my short hop to SFO would not offer any fine dining opportunities, I decided to grab a bite to eat. After finishing my lunch, I headed to Gate 43 to catch up on some emails and such.


Aircraft to SFO

The aircraft was in-bound from Las Vegas and arrived on-time, so boarding was on schedule at 12:20pm. Boarding was completed at 12:45p with doors closed and push back a few minutes later. After a relatively short taxi to Runway 24L, we were wheels up at 1:10p and on our way up the coastline to San Francisco. After the heavy rain we’d had earlier in the week, today was the perfect Southern California chamber of commerce weather with clear skies and no smog providing a beautiful view of the Pacific and coastline. The one thing that I love about American's newer 737’s are the slim line seats in First that provide great comfort and most importantly good leg room. Wi-Fi was available today: I always find American's Wi-Fi sporadically available mostly on shorter flights where it’s not as useful as on the longer flights. Service today consisted of typical short haul beverage service and pretzel sticks. The two flight attendants were cordial and perfectly fine for such a short hop serving drinks from the beverage cart. After a quick one hour of flight time, we landed at 2:10p with a short taxi to the gate.

Just as I was ready to call the flight a success, I sat waiting for my bag to appear on the carousel. After a 15 min wait with all of the bags having been delivered, my bag was nowhere to be found. I’m so glad that American had the Priority tag attached since it obviously was so effective. Since I never check a bag when traveling for business, this was a rude awakening as to why I don't trust my bags to the airlines. So off to the dreaded Baggage Office I go to file a missing baggage claim. The agent typed frantically into his computer and discovered that my bag had been put on the next LAX to SFO flight. Gee, you'd think that LA baggage could figure out how to send a bag on the correct flight especially given that most of the bags on my flight were interline transfers from the SYD-LAX Qantas flight. I even double-checked the tag to insure that my bag was on the right flight. After a few minutes, the agent tells me that my bag will be delivered to my hotel by 7:00p. Four hours to deliver a bag to downtown San Francisco and that was with "priority rush delivery". Oh well, at least they were able to locate it.

With no luggage, I walked over to the AirTrain station that would take me from Terminal 2 to International Terminal G where I would catch the BART into the city. Eight stops and 20 minutes later, we arrived at the Powell station, and I made the short one block walk to my hotel. Gotta love good urban transit.


Entrance to BART station at SFO


Inside BART to City


Short walk up Market street to Hotel

Hotel Palomar, a Kimpton Hotel
4th and Market Streets
San Francisco


The front desk clerk warmly welcomed me to the hotel and checked me into my 8th floor room. This was my first time saying at this property, and I was impressed with the service and small feel to the place. I usually don't like the typical Union Square hotels with hundreds of rooms/tourists, so this was a nice change of pace, close to all of the action, but a smaller boutique type property. I also selected this hotel given its location only one block from the BART to insure easy access to the airport.


Hotel Entrance


Front Desk


King Bed Deluxe Room






Bathroom


Funky Robes on offer

With nothing to unpack, I decided to walk around Union Square taking in all of the Christmas lights and checking out the ice skating rink set up in front of the St Francis hotel. I was now totally into the holiday spirit. After a couple of hours of walking and picture taking, I found a restaurant that I had eaten at several years ago and had a wonderful dinner.


Powell Street


Skating Rink in Union Square


Union Square


Colorful People with Holiday Lights


Union Square Tree


Requisite Cable Car Shot

I walked back to the hotel at 7:00p and inquired about my suitcase at the front desk. They kindly told me that it had not yet arrived. After two calls to American baggage service, they were able to track down the courier service, and my bag was finally delivered to the hotel at 9:30p. So much for expedited delivery, but at least I had my bag in time for the trip tomorrow.
jeffnin is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 2:29 pm
  #2  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: DL DM/UA 1P/AA Plat/Starwood Plat/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 31
SFO-HKG
CX 879
Departure: 11:50am
Arrival: 6:30pm + 1
B747-4 B-HUJ
Seat 2K
Flight time: 14h


After a speedy check out, I hopped on the BART for a quick 30 min trip to SFO. I love that the train terminates inside of the International terminal making the trip very convenient. I checked the monitors showing the check in areas being used by each airline, and walked to Aisle 8 that Cathay was using for check in today. There were some rather long lines for Economy given that both Cathay and LAN were using Aisle 8 today. I walked to the end of the aisle where the dedicated First and Business Class areas were located.


Economy Check In

As I approached the First Class line, the friendly agent walked from behind the desk and greeted me directing me to her podium (something like US carriers, yeah right). After tagging my bag, she handed me my boarding pass and lounge pass to the BA Terraces Lounge that is shared by Cathay and BA. I inquired about the status of the new CX lounge under construction, and the agent indicated that it was proceeding slower than expected with a planned Dec opening (since my trip, the new lounge was opened on 12/1/11).


First Class Check-in

After wishing me a pleasant trip, I proceeded to the Priority security line where there was no one ahead of me. I passed through all the TSA screenings and was in the lounge exactly one hour from leaving my hotel. While the BA lounge is not the best, it was perfectly adequate for the short one-hour wait. There was only one other couple in the First Class area with me, so I had lots of privacy. The lounge is really past its prime, so I can't wait for the new dedicated Cathay lounge to open. I grabbed a few snacks and some water and checked up on some emails and phone calls. About 10 minutes before boarding, a woman with a toddler came into the lounge area and the little one proceeded to run around between the couches and chairs. So much for the peace and quiet as it now resembled a day care center.


Entrance to BA Terraces Lounge

One of the best things about the Terraces lounge is that it is directly adjacent to Gate A6, allowing you to board the aircraft directly from the lounge making it very convenient. No need to leave the lounge area and walk into the terminal to the gate.


Terraces Lounge


Aircraft for today's flight


Boarding started at 11:20a with the lounge agent walking through the lounge indicating that the flight was ready for boarding. I was immediately welcomed at the aircraft door by Kit and was shown to my seat. Kit took my jacket and hung it in the closet and offered me a glass of champagne. Showing me the bottle, she poured a nice big glass of Krug and then offered me a hot towel. One other passenger boarded and was seated behind me in 3K, so I was hopeful for a nice quiet not full flight.


Glass of Krug


Seat View


Studio CX Entertainment System


Just like the toilet seats

But then my luck changed when the mother and toddler from the lounge proceeded to board and sit in 4A. Now, I have nothing against kids, but it's always my luck that on long haul flights I manage to get the babies in FC. My flight last year from SYD-SIN had one of the brattiest children I've ever experienced running up and down the aisles and constantly bumping into my seat while I was trying to sleep, and of course, her parents thought that "cute little Charlotte" could do no wrong. Just what I wanted was a 14 hour flight with another toddler. At least the load in FC was only 3 out of 9, or 3.5 if you count the little one.

As I was slowly stewing in my seat, the lovely Gigi came by and addressing me by name offered to top off my Krug. She immediately put me at ease with the hopes of a most pleasant experience to come. Maybe after a bottle of bubbly, the baby will be a non-issue. With favorable winds today our Australian Captain informed us of a 14 hour flight time. As we taxied out, the Captain indicated that there would be a bit of a delay today due to a last minute runway change, we were still looking at an on-time arrival. Gigi then presented me with today's menu and indicated that I could dine whenever I wanted. I think I'm in love.

CX 879 SFO-HKG (November)

LUNCH

Caviar and fine smoked salmon

International Favourites
Corn chowder with crab meat

Mixed salad with yellow and red tomatoes, feta cheese and Kalamata olives, balsamic olive oil dressing

Pan-seared premium select petit lamb rack with jus, mushrooms cous cous and heirloom carrots
or
Spaghettini pasta with pomodoro sauce and sliced black truffle


Chinese Favourites
Double boiled ginseng with chicken soup

Cold plate - soya beans with preserved vegetable and tofu

Steamed lobster with ginger scallion and imperial soy sauce
or
Braised abalone and chicken

served with steamed jasmine rice, kailan with mushrooms and carrots


Cheese and Dessert
Port Salut, Manchego, Stilton, Goat Cheese

Seasonal fresh berries with sweet rose water

Chocolate cake with vanilla ice cream with raspberry coulis

Red bean soup with lotus seeds


Tea and Coffee

Pralines


SNACKS
Maryland crab cakes with citrus wasabi sauce

Smoked turkey with Brie, whole grain mustard and arugula on Laugen roll

Wontons in noodle soup
Hot pot rice with Chinese pork, liver sausage with cured meat, served with chicken broth

Ice cream



DINNER
Starters
Fresh seasonal fruit

Main Courses
Grilled kurobuta pork chop with red wine jus, roasted red bliss potatoes and baby vegetables

Steamed sea bass with preserved vegetables, steamed jasmine rice, kailan and carrots

Ricotta cheese agnolotti with roasted red pepper coulis, asparagus and vegetable julienne


DESSERT
Mango with white chocolate cake and vanilla sauce

Tea and Coffee

Pralines

After a 30 minute taxi and conga line due to departures on 10L today, we were wheels up at 12:45p and on our way to HKG. A hard right turn after takeoff had us heading west over the Pacific.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Um8myDrMYrs
Takeoff video

The seat belt sign was turned off 10 minutes after takeoff, and I headed to the "loo with a view". Cathay's First bathrooms on the 747's have two windows and are much larger than those of the 777's. Fortunately the little one was sound asleep in his suite; the mother had transformed the seat into a flying playpen with toys and such….. nothing like spoiling them with FC while they’re young. The good news is that it worked, and he slept for most of the flight, or was entertained by both the mother and Gigi or Kit when awake. Thank goodness that he didn’t scream or run around the entire flight.

Cheryl, the Inflight Services Manager came by to welcome me aboard and to assure me that anything I needed was there for the asking. She also provided me with a HK Immigration Form to complete at my leisure.

My lunch order was taken 20 minutes after takeoff, and I went with the caviar, corn chowder with crabmeat, and the lobster along with more Krug of course. Kit came and set up my table. The one difference that I'm constantly aware of on airlines like Cathay is the attention to the smallest details such as folding the napkin into a triangle before laying it on your lap. Also, the way that the flatware is aligned on both sides and how each dish is presented makes CX shine in comparison to the US carriers. Since I was the only one dining today (the other passengers elected to sleep after takeoff), I had two flight attendants at my disposal, and each course was individually presented by Gigi, always with a genuine smile.


Salmon and Caviar


Corn Chowder with Crabmeat


Steamed Lobster with Veggies

When the dessert was offered, Gigi indicated that it needed to be warmed up a bit and delivered the pralines and tea first so that I'd have something to nibble on while I waited. When the dessert finally arrived, Kit apologized when the cake tipped over on the plate exclaiming that she had poured out the sauce around the cake just so and now it was a mess. Not that I minded since it was excellent and a fine accompaniment with the green tea.


Up-righted Dessert

After gorging on my meal, my tray was promptly cleared, and I headed to the restroom to change into my sleep suit. Gigi was waiting for me outside the door with hangers for my shirt and trousers and insisted on taking them back to my seat to hang them in the closet. She told me to let her know when I wanted my bed made and presented me with another hot towel. With several hours to go and not wanting to sleep so to avoid jet lag, I decided to recline my seat and watch several episodes of Curb Your Enthusiasm and relax into my food coma. I also watched the movie, Friends with Benefits. which was average at best but it helped pass the time. Just as I was in need of a nap, Kit magically appeared and asked if I'd like my bed made up....she must be psychic. After a few minutes, everything was in its place including the mattress pad, duvet, and sheet with the seat belt arranged perfectly across the seat. I climbed into one of the best seat/beds in the sky. While some prefer the "closeted" feel of the Singapore and Emirates suites, somehow Cathay's seats are just perfect for me with the best combination of privacy and comfort.

I napped for about two hours and it was time to decide what to do/watch next. I really love long haul flights since it gives me the time to just relax and not have to worry about work, emails, phone calls, etc.....just 14 hours of “me” time.


Approaching Siberia


Flying over Siberia

With six hours to go, I decided it was time for a snack. Looking at the menu, I decided on the Wontons with Noodles. Gigi appeared with her ever-present smile (does this woman ever rest?) and informed me that she would need ten minutes to prepare my snack. My table was then set with linens, chopsticks and hot sauce. Ten minutes on the dot, my snack appeared. I also asked for Ginger Ale and some water. After enjoying my noodles, I asked for some Chocolate Haagen-Dazs, which was quickly finished. Now that my stomach was full yet again, it was time for some more Studio CX entertainment. So much to choose from and so little time remaining.


Wontons with Noodles


Ice Cream

With approximately two hours to go before arrival, Kit asked if I'd be having any dinner this evening, so after looking over the menu, I decided to repeat the caviar and salmon appetizer and also try the crab cakes, since I wasn't all that hungry. Kit, of course, said no problems but then returned to ask if it was all right to omit the potatoes as she had warmed them up at lunch and they could no longer be served. I think I can suffer without the potatoes. She then inquired as to when I'd like to be served and I told her 30 minutes would be fine. I then went to change out of the sleep suit to "dress" for dinner knowing that after my next visit to the chuck wagon, it would be best to squeeze back into my pants before dinner.

Dinner was served exactly 30 mins to the second with an extra helping of salmon and caviar, yum, along with some warm garlic bread and other rolls. When I was finished, Gigi came and cleared away my entire tray including linens. Not two minutes later, Kit came back with a new setting along with my crab cakes apologizing for the mix up. I made a few obligatory jokes that perhaps I was eating too much and this was their subtle way of telling me to stop before they run out of food. In any event, I was then offered some dessert and went with the Mango cake along with some chamomile tea to finish. After my table was cleared, I sat back and watched the sunset from my window. What a perfect ending to a perfect flight. Of further note, despite a few spots of moderate chop, the seat belt sign remained off the entire flight during cruise. Why does our litigious US society dictate that US carriers leave the sign on even when passing through calm air?


More Salmon and Caviar


Crab Cakes


Mango Cake

We touched down at 6:40p and had a rather long taxi to the gate, but the good news was that we pulled into Gate 1 which is the closest to Immigration and Baggage Claim. After bidding goodbye to Gigi and Kit again thanking them for an excellent flight, I was first off the plane and made the short walk to Immigration where there was a line of about 5 people. I made it through Immigration without issue and walked over to the baggage carrousel just as the belt started moving. Praying that I wouldn't have the baggage issues like those with American, I was pleasantly surprised to see my bag was the third one on the belt. There were no other passengers in the area yet, so the Priority tags with Cathay really do work. With bag in hand, I then proceeded to the Airport Express station located just outside of baggage claim where the train was already waiting. A quick 20 mins later and I had arrived at the Kowloon station. With a short walk through the Elements Mall that is connected to the station, I arrived at the W Hotel exactly one hour from landing. Now that's why I love traveling First Class with Cathay. I’ll bet that there were still passengers waiting in line at Immigration while I was safely ensconced in my hotel room. All in all, it was a tremendous flight (probably one of the best I’ve experienced) made even better by the constant attention by the flight crew along with the relatively empty FC cabin.
jeffnin is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 3:04 pm
  #3  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: DL DM/UA 1P/AA Plat/Starwood Plat/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 31
W Hotel Hong Kong

The W Hotel is accessed directly from within the Elements Mall as part of the Kowloon MTR station. The Ritz Carlton is also connected to the mall making it very easy to access both properties directly from the station/mall.


Airport Express Train to Kowloon


Kowloon Station


Escalator from Station to Elements Mall


W Hotel


W Hotel Lower Lobby

As I walked into the lower level of the hotel, a bellman approached me asking if I needed assistance with my luggage. Since I just had my rolling suitcase and a carryon, I declined. He directed me to the elevator and pushed the button for the 6th floor Lobby. I really do love the vibe at the W with its over the top elevators with glass floors to the funky art work throughout.


Funky Elevators

Exciting the elevator on the 6th floor, I walked through the seating areas to the reception desk. As I approached the reception desk, the clerk came from behind the desk and offered to assist me. After a pleasant greeting, she thanked me for being a Starwood Preferred member and informed me that I had been upgraded to a harbor view Fabulous room. Instead of simply directing me to the elevators, she instead led me to the elevator and pushed the button for the 23rd floor and wished me a good night.


Funky Artwork




Reception Desk

Upon entering my room, it took me a few minutes to figure out how to turn on the lights. After fumbling around looking for a wall switch, I noticed a card slot near the door where I inserted my room key and voila, the lights turned on.

As I took in the incredible view, I checked out the cool electronics in the room. All of the controls for lighting, draperies, and such are controlled via switches on the bedside table. There were three dedicated settings for Night, Day, and Dream, making instant changes to every light in the room. One of the coolest things was that in Dream mode, there were small LED lights under each nigh stands, desk area, and even within the toilet paper holder in the bathroom making a late night bathroom run quite simple without having to stumble into furniture and such or fumbling for a light switch. The bathroom had both a rain head shower along with a bathtub with a television built into the mirror on one end of the tub. As in the bedroom, there were dedicated switches with electronic dimmers to control both ambient lighting and the lights surrounding the mirrors. The bathroom had sliding walls on each side to allow for privacy if traveling with someone or to allow for it to be open to the bedroom to take in the harbor view. And what can I say about the bed with yards of creamy white fluff that seems to envelope you into the mattress. Why can't I get my bed at home to be more like this....maybe I need a laundry to press my sheets? Needless to say, I slept like a baby.


"Books" Showing Room Information


Room Interior


Sitting Area and Desk


Bathroom


Bathtub and Television in Mirror


View from Room


View from Room

Service throughout the week was prompt with a smile from everyone that I interacted with. The facilities were first rate including a spectacular negative edge pool located on the 76th floor; a fitness center on 74 and a Bliss Spa on the 73rd. Since I only dined once at the hotel bar, I can’t really comment on the overall food service. While the hotel is located directly above the Kowloon MTR station that makes it convenient to access trains to Central (a quick 5 min trip), there is no easy way to walk outside of the hotel/mall complex to simply walk around the city. Since I made use of the MTR throughout my stay, it was very convenient given its location and took a taxi if I needed to go someplace where the MTR did not. All in all, a great property.


Pool on 76th Floor


Pool


Pool Area


Hot Tub with a View
jeffnin is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 3:13 pm
  #4  
 
Join Date: Dec 2011
Location: WI
Programs: A bunch
Posts: 488
Im new to all this... so paying cash for this first class flight round trip would have cost $17,000?! 135,000 points is worth $17,000 in this case? Please enlighten me!!

BTW great shots so far! Looks great!
pointspinnacle is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 3:23 pm
  #5  
 
Join Date: Oct 2004
Location: SZG/MUC
Posts: 348
What a fantastic TR! This is what I call the perfect itinerary! CX First AND W Hong Kong! The food in CX First looks divine and I've always wanted to try out a W Hotel. Über cool without being (or maybe just a little) pretentious. And that pool! Better start working on increasing those OW miles!

Excellent photos as well BTW! ;-)
QFBoy is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 3:23 pm
  #6  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: DL DM/UA 1P/AA Plat/Starwood Plat/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 31
Some random pictures of Hong Kong and Kowloon

I really love the architecture and overall feel of the city with its crowded streets to its beautiful parks seemingly just around the corner from each other. The views from Kowloon looking over the water to Hong Kong are beautiful both day and night. Just a wonderful city in my opinion.







































jeffnin is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 4:01 pm
  #7  
 
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: Kent, UK
Programs: BA Gold, SPG Platinum, Marriott Platinum, Hilton Diamond
Posts: 3,809
Wow jeffnin, what a fantastic report! Your photos are amazing. What camera do you have? You clearly have a skill there!

I can imagine your dismay when the child boarded with her mother, but I'm pleased to hear that the cabin was very quiet and that you were able to get the full CX F experience (it's on my list).

Did you manage to have to Xiao Long Bao at the dumpling restaurant? I love those!

The W looks like a stunning hotel. What a view from the bar!

Will you be following up with a report on the return trip? I hope so.
matthandy is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 4:09 pm
  #8  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: DL DM/UA 1P/AA Plat/Starwood Plat/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 31
HKG-LAX
CX 882
Departure: 4:25pm
Arrival: 12:55pm (actual 12:33p)
B777-300 B-KPN
Seat 1K
Flight time: 12h


So after a glorious week in Hong Kong, it was back to the States. I used express checkout, so my bill was placed under my door in the morning. After a quick breakfast and some emails, I walked through the Elements Mall for the three minute walk to the Airport Express station. Trains depart every few minutes to the airport, so there's no need to check a timetable for a specific train. While both the Hong Kong and Kowloon stations provide in-town flight check-in and baggage drop, I decided to just check-in at the airport given that I had over three hours before my flight (I also didn't want to chance any baggage snafus after my experience in San Fran). I also wanted to grab some lunch in the lounge and do some last minute Christmas shopping before boarding my flight.


Kowloon Station


Train to Airport

A quick 20 minutes after departing Kowloon, I arrived in the terminal. I do so love the efficiency of the trains in Hong Kong. Instead of rushing around through traffic and other unexpected delays, you simply relax on board the train and seamlessly move from Point A to Point B with no stress. Since I'm typically rushing to the airport by car or having to find the rental drop off location, it's so nice to just sit back and not have to worry.

I walked directly from the train into Terminal One, and made my way to the B aisle where Cathay's First Class check in area is located. Upon approaching the area, two agents approached me and directed me to a check in desk. What's great about Cathay's First area is that there are no counters per se, but rather open podiums where all check in is conducted. As the agent was looking up my reservation, a man approached from the right and quickly tagged my bag and whisked it away. Two minutes later, I was handed my boarding pass and lounge invitation and wished a pleasant flight.


Arrival at HKG Airport


First Class Check-in Area

Then it was another twenty steps or so for Security. No lines today, so I approached an open station and placed my items on the belt. As I walked through the metal detector, the alarm sounded, and I was asked to step to the side where an agent quickly wanded me and allowed me to proceed. No groping or twenty inane questions like in the States, but rather a simple search and out. I then proceeded to the Immigration area where after another short line, I approached the desk. The officer scanned my passport and then proceeded to madly type away while gesturing to his partner nearby. It turned out I was not on the Terrorist Watch-list, but rather his computer suddenly stopped working. He motioned me to an adjacent desk where he finished his mad stamping of my passport and nodded good day…not very friendly, but efficient nonetheless.

It was then about ten more steps through the Immigration doorway and I turned to my left and entered the Cathay Wing lounge. Total time from departing hotel to Cathay lounge was 35 minutes....talk about stress free. We would be boarding from Gate 3 today, so it would be another quick walk downstairs to the gate. I don't believe that I've ever seen the rest of Terminal One given that all my flights seems to depart from Gates 1-3.....no complaints here though.


Entrance to Wing Lounge

The lounge agent welcomed me to the lounge and collected my lounge invitation and gestured towards the entrance. Since I was hungry, I proceeded to the dining area where the buffet had been setup with various lunch items including Dim Sum, sushi, several hot dishes, cheeses, fresh fruit, noodles, and a selection of pastries. The waiter inquired as to what I would like to drink and I ordered a Watermelon Juice and some still water. Food was not bad, perfect for a little snack before boarding. Plates were quickly cleared away and I headed out to the terminal to do some last minute shopping. Of course, the one store that I wanted to visit turned out to be land-side, so I wasn't able to purchase what I had intended. While the Wing lounge is rather outdated and not up to some of the other Asian lounges, I must say that it was a nice oasis away from the hordes in the main terminal area. They are still working on the Business Class side as evidenced by the ever present tenting over the one side of the lounge. It will certainly be nice once construction is finished on the First Class side hopefully next year.


Reception Desk


Sitting Area


The Library


Upon returning to the lounge, I sat down in a rather quiet area (there weren't too many pax in the lounge today) and a waiter approached and took my beverage order. Worked on some emails and just relaxed before the flight. I took a quick look around the lounge to see if there were any babies, since given my typical luck, they would be sitting behind me on the flight. Since the flight today was showing full up front with 6 out of 6 and operated by a 777, I wouldn't have the luxury of spacing between the romper room section and myself.

At 30 minutes prior to departure, I headed to the throng that was Gate 3. With extra security screenings for flights to the US, there were literally hundreds of people in line for security screening. As soon as the agent spotted my First Class boarding pass, I was ushered to the next security agent who did a check of my carry on bags. As I approached the gate, there were three other lines of passengers (aka gate lice) milling around the boarding door. First and Business were called with the whole plane approaching the door. Another very observant agent saw my boarding pass and walked me to the front of the Economy line and handed my boarding pass to the agent scanning passes. After a quick scan and a thank you for traveling with them today in First, I was heading down the jetway to the plane.


Aircraft to LAX


Gate Lice

Christine, the Inflight Services Manager, warmly greeted me at the door and escorted me to my seat informing me that Lucy or Alex would be round shortly to bring me a beverage and to take good care of me. There was some commotion in the aisles as an older couple traveling together were insisting they sit "face to face". Don't know quite how they could accomplish such a feat given the staggered layout of the First cabin, but they were quite insistent. A nice gentlemen in 2K offered to switch to 1A so that the couple could sit across the aisle from one another in 2K and 2J. This new arrangement seemed to satisfy the couple.

What a difference between the 777 and the 747 with the latter being so much quieter without the constant throng moving up and down the aisle and the constant chatter from the galley. Soon enough, Alex approached my seat and welcomed me to First informing me that today's flight would be a short 11h 44m and the asked if I'd like anything to drink. I ordered a glass of still water as I was not feeling too well and wanted to save my energy for some Krug later in the flight. After quickly delivering my water, Alex then brought me a sleep suit and a wash bag and said to let him know if there was anything else that I needed.


Pre-Departure Water, Shanghai Tang Sleep Suit, and Amenity Bag

The captain made his welcome onboard and informed us of the shorter flight time and that due to two no-show pax, we would be a bit late departing while they off loaded their bags. No worries with today’s relatively short flight. As everything finally settled down in the cabin with Mr and Mrs Face to Face, I sat back and stared out the windows taking in my last views of Hong Kong. Alex delivered a welcomed hot towel and I sat back and waited for departure. Finally, no babies up front today, although with the carryings on of the couple behind me, babies are sometimes quieter. Lucy came by and offered to top off my glass and asked if I'd like any newspapers or magazines, which I declined. As I set my watch back 16 hours to LA time, we started our pushback.

After a very short taxi just around the corner from the gate, we were number three for departure off runway 25L. With a long takeoff roll given all of the fuel and pax on board, we lifted off at 4:50pm. One item of note is that the engines are so far back on the 777-300, you barely hear them despite their tremendous power.

http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=.../0/8ObRyLnNv0Q
Takeoff Video


The seat belt sign was turned off 10 minutes after departure and the flight attendants could be heard clinking and clanking dishes and glasses in the galley preparing for today's service. This is another reason I prefer the 747 as you never hear any galley noises sitting so far away from them. I happily reclined my seat and set in for the food orgy to begin.

With 20 minutes into the flight, Lucy approached and offered me today's menu and wine list telling me that I could dine whenever I wanted and to just let her know. After a few minutes, Alex stopped by asking what I'd like to drink along with taking my dinner order. As I was debating about what to order, he told me that they were out of the Prawns as Mr and Mrs Face to Face had snagged the only two orders. At least the crying baby didn't steal my dinner choice :-) I decided on the caviar, the soup, and the veal.

CX 882 HKG-LAX (November)

DINNER

Caviar and Balik salmon "Tsar Nicolaj"

International Favourites
Cannellini velouté with extra virgin olive oil, toasted fennel and lobster medallion (Sureno Restaurant)

Traditional Caesar salad

Slow simmered veal shoulder and parsnips, herb vinaigrette (Cafe Gray Deluxe Restaurant)
or
Eggplant and toasted garlic agnolotti with saffron tomatoes cream sauce, asparagus and peppers

Chinese Favourites
Double boiled chicken with American ginseng soup

Cold plate - Szechuen style jelly fish and cucumber salad

Braised duck with taro in preserved red beans sauce
or
Deep-fried prawn with sweet vinegar sauce

served with steamed jasmine rice sautéed pea sprout

Cheese and Dessert
Stilton, Pecornino, St. Paulin, Camembert

Fresh berries with cream

Warm hazelnut cake with chocolate ice cream and vanilla sauce

Lotus seed paste sweet soup


Tea and Coffee

Pralines


SNACKS
Hong Kong style egg tart
Assorted sandwiches
Shrimp with lemon cream cheese, mango cheddar cheese chutney, Parma ham with sun-dried tomato and cornichon

Shui gaw with choy sum in noodle soup

Braised beef and tendon with chui hou sauce in ho fun noodle soup

From our series of classic Signature dishes
Hot pot rice with preserved meat, served with sliced chicken soup with ceylon spinach

Ice cream



BRUNCH
Starters
Orange, apple or grapefruit juice

Mango & passion fruit smoothie

Fresh seasonal fruit

Natural or fruit yoghurt from La Ferme du Mančge

Assorted cereals

Main Courses
Organic free range eggs - freshly scrambled, fried or boiled served with your choice of pan-fried potato cake with cheese and spring onion, broiled back bacon, pan-fried pork sausages, roasted vine ripened tomato and parsley, sautéed mixed fresh mushrooms

Dim sum served with chili sauce
Pork siu mai with scallop, seafood dumpling, chicken and ham in bean curd skin, conpoy vegetable dumpling, beef meatball

Abalone and chicken congee, stir-fried rice roll with dried shrimp and spring onion in X.O. sauce

Bread Basket
Assorted breakfast bread with fresh toast served with Mrs Bridges Scottish preserves, Tasmanian meadow honey and butter

Tea and Coffee

Pralines

Lucy soon arrived with my Krug and some warm almonds. As she was pouring the glass, we encountered some light chop causing her to exclaim that the shaking only happens whenever she is pouring champagne. Service started on the A side with 1A and 2A, and then proceeded to the K side but from 2K. Very strange way to serve but I couldn't complain since there were only six of us up front. I guess I was spoiled with the inbound flight with only three pax, three and a half if you count the little one who didn't bother with the wine list.


Krug and Warm Almonds

My table was set by Alex who then brought my caviar and salmon along with the sorriest bread basket I've ever seen. There were only three pieces of rock-hard, lukewarm bread.


Sorry looking bread


I also noticed that there was no lemon on the tray, so after a five minute wait, I was able to flag Alex who apologized and brought it to me right away. Lucy brought out my soup next and offered me some freshly ground pepper, which I gladly accepted. The soup was much better than the chowder that was served on the outbound with great flavor and two large chunks of lobster meat. My champagne glass also went empty though the soup course, but I had planned to switch to the Shiraz with the veal course, so no harm done. It's just the little things like this that really set a crew apart.


Salmon and Caviar


Soup with Lobster Medallions

The soup was cleared away and Lucy then brought out the veal, which was nicely presented. She asked if I'd like a glass of Lynch Bages to accompany my dinner, but I declined preferring to sample the Shiraz instead. When she returned with a fresh glass and the Shiraz, as if on cue, the slight chop started again and we joked that it must be whenever she pours at my seat that the shaking commences. The veal was quite good and served with carrots, parsnips, and potatoes with the Shiraz a nice accompaniment. For the month of November and December, Cathay is partnering with several Hong Kong area restaurants for select First class meals with the veal and the soup as one of their selections, so I was eager to sample them both and was not disappointed.



Veal

Mr and Mrs Face to Face behind me were providing a play by play of their travels, the nuances of time change between continents, and the quality of the food on board, etc. Mr Face to Face must have been hard of hearing given his constant bellowing that I'm certain the entire Economy cabin could hear. Hopefully, he'll take his nap soon.

As if I hadn't stuffed myself completely, dessert was on the order, so after Lucy cleared my plates, she inquired if I wanted dessert. Who am I to turn down chocolate, so I requested the cake with some chamomile tea. She informed me that it would take two minutes to heat up the cake. After 10 minutes, Alex brought the cake with soupy melted ice cream and without the vanilla sauce apologizing for the delay saying that he had been serving the cockpit crew. Ten more minutes passed and still no tea. How long does it take to boil water? I'm not a complainer, but it was the little things that this crew neglected. Another example, there was no thank you card that is always signed by the crew and placed on your tray. They were extremely friendly but appeared to be disorganized and stressed with six passengers to serve.


Sorry looking dessert


Tea and Pralines

After clearing away the dinner items, Christine came by to ask if I'd like my bed made up. I agreed and visited the restroom to change into my sleep suit. Decided to watch an episode of Modern Family and then laid down to try and get some sleep. I managed to sleep on and off for 5 hours despite a persistent cough (I was coming down with a virus that lasted for two weeks) and some moderate chop that would wake me up periodically. Alex noticed that I was awake and offered to bring me a beverage and also asked what time I'd like some breakfast. We agreed on an hour and with that, I headed to the restroom to change back into my regular clothes and brush my teeth with an attempt to eliminate the bed head.

After returning to my seat, Alex brought me a hot towel before starting the breakfast service. Given that I still wasn't feeling all that well, I ordered some toast and the bread basket along with some tea. Lucy arrived at my seat with the tableware and proceeded to set up my table with various preserves, honey, and butter. As I started eating, I noticed she had forgotten to bring me napkin, so I flagged her down and reminded her. Upon finishing my light breakfast, my table was cleared. Approximately one hour out of LA, the turbulence started again, and of course, I was in the restroom trying to hold onto the faucet as the plane bucked every which way. Making it slowly back to my seat, I enjoyed the belly camera view on the monitor and the California coastline as we flew over Monterrey and Santa Barbara.


Light Breakfast Today


Flying over Santa Barbara

We touched down on Runway 24R at 12:45pm and had a relatively short taxi to Gate 105 in the Bradley Terminal. Since these gates are close to Immigration, it took me about 5 minutes to reach Immigration where my Global Entry pass (the one thing that the Feds can get right) allowed me to bypass any lines and make it through to baggage claim within 3 minutes. The Emirates flight from Dubai had just landed, so there were quite a few people in the area. I waited about 5 minutes for the baggage carousel to start, and was pleasantly surprised to again see my bag as the sixth one off the line. Global Entry also allowed me to bypass the long lines for Exit, so I was able to quickly proceed through Customs as well. From deplaning to Immigration and baggage claim, I made it to the parking lot and my car within 30 mins from exiting the aircraft.

Overall, the flight was great just not as exceptional as the outbound, but I'm probably being over critical. It's just that the return crew was not as spot on as the outbound. It's just the little things that separate the superb flights from the good ones. Cathay is still one of the best carriers out there in my opinion and was a wonderful part of my trip. I’m off to New York next week and will probably sorely miss the Cathay service instead of Delta’s typically meager First Class offerings.

Thanks for reading!
jeffnin is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 4:22 pm
  #9  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: DL DM/UA 1P/AA Plat/Starwood Plat/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 31
Originally Posted by matthandy
Wow jeffnin, what a fantastic report! Your photos are amazing. What camera do you have? You clearly have a skill there!

I can imagine your dismay when the child boarded with her mother, but I'm pleased to hear that the cabin was very quiet and that you were able to get the full CX F experience (it's on my list).

Did you manage to have to Xiao Long Bao at the dumpling restaurant? I love those!

The W looks like a stunning hotel. What a view from the bar!

Will you be following up with a report on the return trip? I hope so.
Thanks, matthandy. I also thoroughly enjoyed your recent reports; gave me the inspiration for doing a report Yes, I did try Xiao Long Bao; since I love Dim Sum, I ate it four times over the week. Hong Kong seems to have the best.

As for camera, I use a Nikon D7000, and have just resumed my photography after a twenty year absence (not counting my years in between of so-so point and shoot work). Appreciate the positive feedback.

Just posted the return trip HKG-LAX as well.
jeffnin is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 4:25 pm
  #10  
Original Poster
 
Join Date: Jun 2008
Location: Phoenix, AZ
Programs: DL DM/UA 1P/AA Plat/Starwood Plat/Hilton Diamond
Posts: 31
Originally Posted by Stoutman11
Im new to all this... so paying cash for this first class flight round trip would have cost $17,000?! 135,000 points is worth $17,000 in this case? Please enlighten me!!

BTW great shots so far! Looks great!
Someone needs to spend more time on Flyertalk mileage forums . One could look at 135K miles as "free", however, given that those are "butt in seat" flight miles on paid tickets, they were hardly free. In any event, I find that using American Miles on Oneworld First Class tickets is one of the better bargains out there, especially on Cathay Pacific.
jeffnin is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 5:27 pm
  #11  
 
Join Date: Mar 2010
Posts: 628
I enjoyed your report. Your photos were wonderful. Too bad you were feeling ill on the return.
halfcape is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 5:57 pm
  #12  
 
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: SFO
Programs: UA1k3.00mm;AAex-EXP;Hy Glob;Acc Plt;HH Dia;Onyx Plt;Mar LT Tit;IHG DiAm;RR P;RRA G;BW D;Hcom G
Posts: 2,759
Great trip report. Entertaining and helpful. Thank you! ^^
kevino is offline  
Old Dec 12, 2011, 6:42 pm
  #13  
 
Join Date: Dec 2009
Location: Toronto
Programs: SPG Gold, HH Silver
Posts: 855
A perfect trip report. Gorgeous pictures. Bravo!
blueline7 is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2011, 5:11 am
  #14  
 
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX MarcoPolo (SL), BA Executive Club (GO)
Posts: 1,851
Great TR, glad you enjoyed CX. CX F is trully a great way to fly.
CX828 is offline  
Old Dec 13, 2011, 6:04 am
  #15  
FlyerTalk Evangelist
 
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: UK
Posts: 10,709
I really enjoyed this tr thanks. I am glad you had a nice stay in HKG.
origin is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.