I just had the opportunity to try out the first class trans-Pacific services of CX and AA. My routing was as follows:

SFO-HKG CX
NRT-SJC AA

CX wins hands down!

1. Seats - CX wins unquestionably! The fully reclining CX seats actually felt like a bed whereas the AA felt like an airline seat that reclines 180 degrees, i.e. you could feel the bumps on the seats. The CX seats were wider also. I also like the 1-2-1 configuration of CX. I had one of the window seats and I tell you, not having a stranger next to you while sleeping just enhances the slumber experience. Of course, AA has the privacy wall but it ain't the same.

2. Food - CX wins again on quality, portion size, taste and overall presentation. After the superb CX dinner, I did not need to supplement with the mid-flight snacks whereas on AA I felt like the portion on the "bento box" was kind of meager.

3. Personal TV - CX has got to have the biggest TV of any airline. I think it's about 14-15 inches whereas AA had those tiny videos you find in the CX economy class seatbacks. However, AA had the movies on tapes with a pretty good and recent selections but the video and specially sound quality of these tapes are rather poor having deteriorated from repeated viewing by other passengers. Obvious solution would be a DVD player.


4. Onboard Facilities - AA wins this one. Only 1 or 2 phones in the entire first class cabin on CX. AA - phone on every seat. CX - no power ports for laptop power supply!!! AA - power port on every seat.

5. Overall flying experience - I have to give this to CX. The flight attendants were two notches friendlier, warmer, more accommodating and, dare I say, prettier!

My only regret with the CX flight is that I was asleep practically the whole flight. How ironic!