Infant meals –
Bottled baby foods and juices for infants







Child meal
Lunch after takeoff – entrée is a breaded chicken nuggets with peas and carrots, and potatoes – my niece barely touched it, except the cute straw and the chocolate mousse and the bread too. The entrée was pretty nasty, as we all know, fried food is a bad idea on plane.



Dinner prior to arrival – pasta dish with the same fruit bowl and dessert as regular meals. Just an additional Vita Soya Milk and cute children cutlery and straw!






Entertainment:
Personal entertainment system is available and the PE cabin features the same extended library in first and business class (at least on the 77Hs). Power outlets, USB ports, and a multiple apple devices connector, which allows you to stream your own movies and television shows from your iPod, iPhone, and iPad to the personal TV, are all available, but the PTV is not touch screen. CX is changing it, but not on my flights. This is perhaps the best feature on the new CX aircraft, and it is trying to play catch-up with Emirates, and Singapore Airlines.

Personal TV used in the bulkhead rows, and they are not touchscreen – I flew B-KPB and KPJ.


Flight Attendants:
Both flights feature two different sets of F/As, and the crew from JFK to HKG was a delight, while I wish I could say the same to the rather disinterested group from HKG to JFK. However, both flights did not have a dedicated PE F/A, as advertised by CX. There was no additional F/A due to the introduction of PE, which was a serious problem. During all meal services, the curtain was not closed between PE and economy class. The F/A basically worked down the aisle from PE to EY, and the only difference is that PE passengers got a different tray and different entrée on the first meal. I feel that the F/As on our flight from JFK to HKG just work a bit harder, especially the Japanese F/A. She worked the last half of the flight, and basically came through with water on a hourly basis, and a bit friendlier. She also knew how to set up the bassinet correctly, and I should have taken a picture on how messed up the F/A set up the bassinet in the return flight. He basically placed the bassinet in the wrong direction and I could not imagine anyone think that to put the straps on top of the bassinet is a good idea. The infant can easily choke on the strap and I am glad that I notice how this F/A set up the bassinet on the flight from JFK to HKG, so I can do it in the return flight.

The F/As on the return are definitely disinterested except one F/A who worked in the mid galley. She was the only one, who made an effort to inquire about the child meals and to make sure she took our trays out prior to other passengers. All the other F/As were there with their fake smiles and PE passengers were just more work to them. Snack runs happened once at 10:20pm HK time and 4:30am, and water run happened once at 9:50pm. You are expected to use your call button but don’t expect regular water runs!

The sentiment is clear that most F/As feel that the introduction of PE is an annoyance and some of them will let you know. I don’t expect personable service like in first and business class, but the services needs to be better.

Conclusion:
My verdict for Cathay Pacific Premium Economy Class is that it is an enhanced economy class product that has a few business class elements, but mainly just an improvement from economy class. The main benefit is the seat with the much improved seat pitch from 31-32 to 37-38 especially CX really cramps its economy class cabin. The increased width is appreciated too. If the price is right, I will not hesitate to fly it again. I paid almost $2000 including tax for this ticket, and it is acceptable given the additional space. However, if the price is above $2500, I can’t justify it. I also warn to make sure that everyone understands that it is really an economy class product and please don’t expect too much! Keep your expectation reasonable and for those business class flyers, this PE product is nothing closed to even the worst J product out there.

Given the product is launched less than six months ago, Cathay Pacific needs to decide on how it wants to proceed. I really feel that the product is a bit underwhelming because Cathay Pacific’s promotion wants you to think its PE class is out of the world and a class above other carriers’ PE products. But since I keep my expectation reasonable, I am fine and my OW Emerald status makes certain areas of this trip better. The bottom line is that I can sit in PE for the longest CX flight in its network. I have a trip in January and the OW fare from LAX to HKG is $1000 in PE, which I think it is reasonable and may consider it.

In long term, CX’s PE can be more successful but it needs to increase the staffing level and at least one more F/A that is dedicated to the PE cabin. The Y F/As will have to help out but one more F/A will make the morale of the F/As in general better. They all hate it, and if you can feel the sentiment as a passenger, it is not a good thing. CX really needs to explain to the F/As what PE is and why CX introduces PE. As a J passenger, the ISM always greet me as an OW Emerald member but the ISM on both flights did not bid me any greeting. Catering is weak and the meal should really be different from regular economy class and the current pre-arrival meal situation is unacceptable. PE should feature its own china, even plastic ware and casserole dishes, even if they share the same starters or dishes. F and J share same kind of entree too, but the portion and the serving ware is different. This should apply to PE too. Add a piece of packaged cheese and a pack of crackers! There are still rooms to improve and CX definitely needs to tweak the service a bit more and the soft side of the premium economy product.

Thanks for reading,
Carfield