Cathay Pacific Ends Regional First Class Service
Joe Cortez June 21, 2019
Another Asian carrier is reducing first class service to most regional points. Cathay Pacific is the latest airline to cut the premium cabin out of their intra-Asia service, except for flights to and from Beijing and Tokyo Haneda Airport.
The downgrades to intra-Asian service continue, as another airline will end first class service on regional flights. First reported on the FlyerTalk forums by G-CIVC, Cathay Pacific will immediately end the premium-cabin option on all regional flights.
According to FlyerTalker G-CIVC, the announcement was made to Cathay Pacific employees through an internal memo. The plan calls for the end of first class service to “all regional ports,” with the exception of Beijing Capital Airport (PEK) and Tokyo Haneda Airport (HND). As a result, the individuals sitting in the designated first class cabin will not have two dedicated crew members working for them but will receive business class services instead with a shared cabin crew.
FlyerTalkers have mixed emotions about the changes in cabin service. FlyerTalker Mwenenzi is disappointed about the business changes among international carriers. “Many airlines all over the world are (have) reduced first class flights,” they wrote. “For some airlines current long haul business class is not a lot different to what first class was about a decade ago.”
“One the one hand, this makes things more ‘disciplined’…I guess most regional F bookings would only be a part of a long haul journey, so any rebookings wouldn’t bring much by way of compensation- expect at least a few disappointed,” jagmeets writes on the forum. “On the the other [sic], never good to have a smaller F footprint.”
FlyerTalk Cathay Pacific moderator SXC is looking on the bright side: “For short haul flights I’m happier to be paying J with a chance to sit in F,” they wrote. “This is also going to solve the problem of buying F but getting an aircraft swap.”
The reduction of regional first class service is a growing trend among Asian carriers. In May 2019, Korean Air announced they would drop the premium cabin option on 27 targeted routes, effectively isolating first class to international routes.
[Featured Image: Cathay Pacific]
How extensive is Cathay's take on 'regional' one asks?
A not entirely unexpected economic move undoubtedly applauded by the new owners (since 1997) of this once unusual and sparkling 'gateway to the East' (Hong Kong). Will fit nicely as a first step in increasing equality amongst the masses ... excepting, of course, equality for those who dictate the virtues of equality for all. 'All economy with Asian centric seat pitch' next week, maybe. I sometimes wonder if perhaps, one day, after Hong Kong has inevitably become 'just another piece of mainland China', if someone in Beijing might sit back and ponder 'maybe we should have refused to take it back from the Brit's' (British). And yes, I do understand that Cathay is, as they have been obliquely demonstrating for some time, in between a financial rock and a hard place as they try to remain viable at the pointy end of public evaluation whilst competing with those who enjoy public subsidisation via Government. Get your last rides on this once brilliant Oriental jewel before the sparkle dies completely.