I can't let this slide. Often maintenance and safety are completely ignored by pax in selecting an airline, and I have often praised CX for their systemic improvement in tech ops. However, I consider QF to be a safer airline today than CX, though both are far above average. It really isn't a differentiating factor.

I have never flown CX in Y and only flown QF in Y once or twice, so I have refrained from commenting upon this thread. In general flying from a captive hub is a good idea, so CX is the best choice for flights originating in HKG and QF is the best choice for flights from SYD and MEL. Otherwise I suspect their Y products are close enough to become a matter of taste. I mean, what movie is playing is the reason to pick an airline?