February 16, 2016
Cathay Pacific New York to Hong Kong 900a – 205p 777-300 First Class
BA’s morning departure to London Heathrow was just taxiing away as I arrived at the gate. While I was sat in the Galleries Lounge I overheard a lady who was presumably onboard that flight comment on how much she dreaded those long trans-Atlantic flights.
I remember hearing that and thinking “Hah! Long flight! Pffft! I’ll show you a long flight!”
New York to London checks in at 3,440 miles. Flights heading eastbound across the Atlantic are often pushed along by some pretty impressive tailwinds resulting in flight times of just six and a half hours – give or take a half hour. My upcoming flight to Hong Kong checks in at 8,050 miles, with a projected flight time of sixteen hours and five minutes. Realistically this will usually be a lot closer to 15 hours –twice the time and distance between New York and London and then some.
It’s all a matter of perspective though. I remember when I used to think New York to Denver was a long flight. Of course, back then I was but a wee lad who’d logged only twenty-five flights or so. The amazing thing is how many people there are out there – we’re talking full grown adults now – who’ve only flown perhaps twenty-five times in their entire lives. Or less. Many of us here at FlyerTalk will log that many in a couple of months. Or less.
Truth be known, my preference would be to fly between New York and Hong Kong the way they used to do it in the old days. The airplanes didn’t have the range back then and so we’d likely have been looking at a routing more along the lines of New York to Seattle to Tokyo to Hong Kong.
I remember flying often between the U.S. and Australia back in the early 80s. A typical flight would route through Honolulu and Fiji or New Zealand enroute to Australia. I always looked forward to those enroute stops as an opportunity to get off the plane for a bit, stretch and/or take a walk, maybe enjoy a bite to eat and then get back on board – recharged and ready for the next leg.
Getting back to the present, waiting at the gate was B-KPI, the very same 777 which had delivered me from Vancouver last night. Boarding was just getting underway and I was pleased to see a clearly marked lane for First and Business Class passengers. I presented my boarding pass and strode unimpeded down the premium class jetway. Hong Kong here I come!
The usual reception crew was in place at the door – just two of them this time though – and it wasn’t long before I was kickin’ back in seat 2K, savoring a glass of ice water with lemon while looking forward to an announced flight time of fifteen hours and three minutes.
Now I know what some of you are thinking – What?! No Champagne? It’s Krug, Bro – what’re you thinking?!!
I’m thinking it’s 9:00am and an orange juice and a glass of ice water would taste a heck of a lot better to me right now. Yeah, yeah – I know … I’m a real stick in the mud but what can I say? I’m a morning person. It’s my favorite time of day and I really enjoy it best with a clear head. Alcohol of any type – even a Screwdriver, Bloody Mary or Mimosa – holds no real appeal for me this early in the day, and it never has. Even in my pot smoking daze I could never fire up that first bong hit until mid-afternoon at the earliest.
Speaking of clear-headedness, I’m working on about two and a half hours of fitful sleep at best. Truth be known, I actually feel pretty good right now but I know from past experience that I’m gonna crash hard here in the next couple of hours. I need at least four more hours of sleep.
The good news is that I’ve got a fifteen hour flight ahead of me – more than enough time to knock off a few zzzz’s
and then have a glass or two of that Krug. So here’s the plan:
As soon as we level off, I’m going to ask one of the crew to convert my suite to sleep mode. Then I’m going to sleep for however long my body feels like sleeping – I’m usually good for 6-7 hours per night so that means an additional 4-5 hours – and by the time I wake up I expect there’ll still be plenty of time left to enjoy this flight with more than enough energy left over to power me through my Hong Kong layover and the three and a half hour flight down to Singapore.
In the meantime, our long taxi out to the bay runway brought back memories of similar terrestrial journeys aboard the likes of TWA 707s and United DC-8s back in the late sixties and early 70s. And, just like back in those days, we even got caught up in traffic as the captain came on over the PA in mid-taxi to advise us that we were number eleven for takeoff. This morning a profusion of JetBlue A320s had replaced the varied jetliners of yesteryear that – depending upon the time of day – could turn JFK into a veritable plane spotters’ bazaar. This was especially true at about 6:00pm when all the European flights were heading out. I remember well my excitement at seeing the likes of BOAC VC10s or Alitalia DC-8s and I practically peed my pants with excitement at the sight of an exotic Air India 707 or an Air Afrique DC-8. As a kid who grew up in Colorado, I also enjoyed checking out the many domestic jetliners never seen in the Mile High City. We’re talking aircraft like Northeast Yellowbirds (727s and DC-9s), National stretch 8s and Mohawk BAC-111s. Back then each of these airplanes seemed so unique and individual. You could be sure that the inside of a National DC-8 bore no resemblance to that of an American 707. These days, it seems like if you’ve seen one 737-800 you’ve seen ‘em all. This is especially true of the interiors which on most airliners are essentially the same – row after row of dark blue or grey seats.
Finally it was our turn for takeoff. As we turned into position at the head of the runway, you could sense the excitement. I mean, here we are sitting aboard a 242 foot long, 775,000lb flying machine poised to take to the air and deliver approximately 225 souls from one side of the planet to the other; from one distinct culture to another; from one climate to another… Fifty years ago the 8,050 mile nonstop distance between New York and Hong Kong would have required a minimum of three flights to accomplish. Today we are just 15 hours apart on a nonstop flight. Who wouldn’t be excited? Well okay, probably half of the economy class cabin but hey – let’s keep our focus on the front of the plane!
I sat up just a bit straighter as the twin GE90-115Bs powering our steed were throttled up to full power. 45 seconds later the Captain reached V1 and moments later the nose of the 777 pointed skyward and we took to the air. Hong Kong here I come!
Climbing away from New York
This is one of my favorite times of the flight. Here we’ve got the whole flight ahead of us and one of my favorite initial activities is reclining my seat into a more comfortable position. We’re not talkin’ simple recline here either. No – we’re talking full on recliner mode, complete with a touch of leg rest and pillows of which Cathay supplies three. Ahh…
Kickin’ back…
Note the menu in the bottom left quadrant of this picture. You can see the new presentation with the wooden base.
As much as I’d like to have stayed awake and enjoy the view as we sped north over upstate New York and on across the frozen landscapes of Quebec and Nunavut, sleep was paramount. Flight Attendant Nora stopped by to convert my suite while I stopped by the loo for a bit of flossing. A sign on the mirror indicated that the water was not potable, so I made sure to bring a bottle of water along for rinsing.
Like all good five star airlines, Cathay provides sleep suits to its First Class passengers. I wish I could get excited about these but the fact is I’m perfectly content sleeping in my cloths. Or better yet, underwear and a t-shirt.
Cathay’s suites may not have the sliding doors so popular on the newest suites out there, but with only six suites in the First Class cabin and the high walls surrounding each suite, there’s plenty of privacy. Add to that the fact that we had just three passengers up front – none of them across from me – so it was no problem to discreetly change into my preferred sleepwear of boxers and a t-shirt. Now I realize some of you may be aghast at such cheek but chill out – there’s hardly anyone up front anyway and what the hey – if someone does see me in my boxers, they could just as easily have seen me on the beach in my swim trunks.
In sleep mode, Cathay’s suites provide some of the widest beds in the industry. Certainly they are amongst the most comfortable. One of the best parts of Cathay’s beds is that with the addition of a mattress atop the seat I can’t feel any of the divide points between cushions. It is without question the most comfortable suite I have ever experienced. Mind you I’ve only experienced full length beds on perhaps nine or ten different airlines whereas most of you have vastly more experience, so take my comments with a large grain of salt.
As to be expected on such a nice bed, I slept really well over the next five and a half hours of the flight. We’re talking good quality, undisturbed sleep. When I awoke the cabin was dark and quiet. A quick peak out my window revealed a twilight world of purplish-grey skies above a hard frozen landscape below. The skymap showed that we were cruising along a northwest heading about 300 miles northwest of Greenland. There were about 9 hours left in the flight and after such a good sleep I felt totally refreshed and ready to enjoy each and every one of them.
Good Morning over the Arctic
A quick visit to the lav alerted the crew that I was back amongst the conscious. We exchanged good mornings during which I requested a cup of coffee and mentioned that I’d likely be ordering something off the menu. When I returned to my suite it had already been returned to its daytime configuration with the menu kindly placed at my seat. The menu included a full breakfast, a snack menu and a full luncheon/dinner service. Let’s check it out:
BREAKFAST
STARTERS
Orange or Apple Juice
Strawberry or Banana Smoothie
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Natural or Fruit Yogurt
Assorted Cereals
MAIN COURSES
Free Range Eggs
Freshly scrambled, fried or boiled
Pork sausage, slab bacon, spinach, mushrooms and potatoes
Dim Sum
Chicken glutinous rice, chive dumpling, sui mai, har gaw
Lobster Congee
Steamed mushroom rice roll with imperial soy sauce
BREAD BASKET
Assorted breakfast bread and fresh toast,
Preserves, honey and butter
Freshly Brewed Coffee
Also available are espresso, cappuccino, caffe latte
And a selection of teas
Every time I see that term “Free Range” as applied to chicken or eggs, I get this mental image of chickens loping towards each other in slow motion across a vast expanse of prairie – eyes wide, beaks agape, happy as can be with not a care in the world. I have learned however that the reality of “Free Range” as applied to industrial chicken farming means the chickens get to strut around an open area with a few thousand other chickens as opposed to being confined in cages. Regardless, when it comes to eggs my palate is not refined enough to discern between “free range”, “cage free” and/or “organically raised” anyway so I don’t spend too much time pondering the implications. Still, that term always catches my attention. Even up here, high over the Arctic…
As much as I like to take advantage of all aspects of the meal service on long flights in International First Class, I really wasn’t feeling hungry enough to partake of a full breakfast. Indeed, local time in New York was about 3:30pm and so I turned my attention to the Snacks menu.
By now Nora had arrived with my coffee service, so I paused briefly to photograph it so that you fans of photo reports - along with those who are less than proficient at reading anything more than text messages - can take a moment to appreciate the simple elegance of Cathay’s coffee presentation as opposed to that of say, American or United Airlines. It’s the little things like this – done well and done consistently – that make Cathay Pacific such a delight to fly.
Cathay Pacific’s coffee service
SNACKS
Braised Pork and Preserved Vegetable
In noodle soup
Grilled US Prime Beef Burger
Onion confit, Kaiser roll and tomato ketchup
Smoked Salmon Open Faced Sandwich
Horseradish cream cheese, Brie, fig chutney and mesclun salad
Hamburgers are not an item typically associated with international First Class catering. While I’d likely be more than a bit disappointed to see a hamburger offered as a main course on a flight such as this, as a mid-flight snack item I think they’re a brilliant addition. Hot meat, cheese and bread – a hamburger represents comfort food that for routes to or from the United States anyone can relate to. Even me.
Nora assured me that Cathay’s burgers weren’t all that large, so I elected to start with one of those followed by a bowl of the Braised Pork and Preserved Vegetable soup. And yes, I’ll take a refill on that coffee too, please.
Snack service notwithstanding, crisp white linens and silverware were still laid out in preparation for my humble hamburger. When it was presented it was done so atop a standard Cathay dinner plate accompanied by a delicious onion confit on the side along with a separate personal sized bottle of Heinz ketchup.
Hamburger over the Arctic
This is my 27th flight aboard Cathay Pacific and thankfully I’ve had the good fortune to have flown all of those flights in First Class. Over the years Cathay Pacific has earned a stellar reputation for fine dining aloft and one of the real highlight of its meal offerings are its soups. Over the years I’ve enjoyed them in many different styles and they’ve all been delicious and filling.
Braised Pork and Preserved Vegetable Soup
Occasionally, I like a little more heat than Cathay’s chefs have seen fit to include in their recipes. For these times Cathay provides a small dish of hot paste known as Lee Kum Kee sauce. Early on I learned that this sauce is not to be trifled with. Some years ago I blithely added a generous portion to my soup only to subsequently be wracked by paroxysms of hyperventilation as I tried to cool off my burning mouth.
Over the years however, I suspect I’ve begun to develop a tolerance to this sauce. Either that or its been replaced by something less spicy. Today I managed to scrape the entire amount into my soup and found it to be just fine. If anything I could have used a bit more heat.
Plates were cleared, water and coffee were delivered and I turned my focus to the flight map. What a cool part of the world to fly over. Literally. I raised my window shade and gazed out upon a world of snow, ice and high clouds - all bathed under the blueish-grey light of a mid-winter arctic morning.
Enroute to Hong Kong
With a little over eight hours left in the flight, now seemed like an excellent time to take a walk to the back of the plane. First and foremost I do this for exercise benefits but at the same time I feel it’s good to keep in mind that there are a couple hundred other people also onboard today, most of them traveling in decidedly less comfortable accommodations than I am.
The 777-300 sports a cabin that’s194 feet long. That’s longer than an entire DC-10 or 767-300. On my journey to the back of the plane I passed through zones of progressively less comfortable seating with more and more passengers packed into smaller and smaller seats.
I stopped briefly to check out the comfort of an empty Business Class suite. Wow. It was actually pretty comfortable and much nicer than the narrow old Business Class seats in service aboard the last Cathay 777 I flew upon back in November of 2013. Still, compared to my First Class suite this seat was so much smaller and the cabin ambience so much darker that I can’t imagine ever sitting back here on anything longer than a local intra-Asia flight.
Delving ever deeper into the nether regions of the airplane, I passed through a small premium economy cabin – another new addition since 2013. Seating was 2-4-2 and looked pretty good as economy class seating goes.
Finally, I parted the heavy taupe curtains and entered the Dickensian world of Economy Class as experienced on a 15 hour flight. It is in no way similar to Economy Class on a shorter – say, two hour daytime flight from Hong Kong to Bangkok or Denver to Los Angeles - where the mood often tends to be much lighter with an air of anticipation tinged with excitement knowing that you’ll soon be arriving at your destination where loved ones await and/or adventure beckons.
Compared to that of the more spacious cabins behind me, the atmosphere in the back of the plane on this long, dark polar flight was at once dark and heavy, steeped in the sense of dread that comes with the knowledge that you’re not even at the halfway point of this flight and that you’ll be stuck in this dark tube for another eight hours and change. Even so, it was surprisingly noisy back here with people coughing, talking, snoring, etc., all against a backdrop of engine roar much more noticeable than that experienced forward of the wing. Many people stared listlessly at their seatback screens while others were contorted into a variety of uncomfortable looking positions as they attempted to sleep in their narrow blue seats. An elderly Asian woman snored softly with her head tilted back and her mouth opened in an oblong “O” reminiscent of Edvard Munch’s “The Scream”. I shuffled on to the very rear of the plane and said a quick hello to the gaggle of flight attendants gathered there before turning around and commencing the long journey back to welcoming space and comfort of my First Class suite.
The next few hours passed quickly as I plugged in my laptop and put in some work on this trip report. At this point I was just getting started and so had to deal with what is for me one of the hardest parts of writing these reports – the introduction and preamble. Someday I’ll get smart and just start submitting photo reports like most everyone else. Then I could be done with all this with a lot less effort. Until that day comes however – if it ever does – I will continue to do things the old fashioned way. Assisting me in this effort were two good sized glasses of Johnny Walker Blue accompanied by a small plate of deliciously salty cashews and almonds.
The proper setting for writing trip reports
There were just three hours left in the flight when Nora stopped by to ask if I was ready for dinner yet. We’d spoken earlier in the flight about meal planning and agreed that three hours out would be a good time to start the dinner service. Or lunch, given the time of day locally. Let’s have a look at that menu again, shall we?
DINNER
CAVIAR AND CHAMPAGNE
Served with traditional garnishes of blinis, chive crème fraiche, chopped egg and onions
INTERNATIONAL FAVORITES
Soup
Wild Mushroom Consommé
Salad
Smoked duck, dried cranberries, rock chive lettuce and raspberry vinaigrette
Braised Veal Cheek
Slow cooked langostino, caramelized baby carrots and celeriac puree
Spiced Black Cod
Coconut lentils, lemon new potatoes and slow roasted cherry tomato sauce
CHINESE FAVORITES
Soup
Kelp, mussel and spiny melon soup
Cold Plate
Pickled turnip
Hong Kong Style Chicken Curry
Stir-fried broccoli and steamed jasmine rice
CHEESE AND DESSERT
International Cheese Service
Stilton Blue, Manchego, Camembert, Taleggio
Fresh Seasonal Berries
and crème fraiche
Orange Sweet Curd Souffle
Dolce de Leche ice cream
Black Sesame Sweet Soup
Freshly Brewed Coffee
Also available are espresso, cappuccino, caffe latte
And a selection of teas
Pralines
This being my first caviar service flight with Cathay since November of 2013, I immediately noticed the absence of Balik Salmon from the caviar presentation. Nora explained that the salmon had been dropped a little over a year ago but that Cathay was now offering a new brand of caviar that been received very favorably by most passengers.
Salmon or no salmon, I don’t believe I’ve ever passed up an opportunity to enjoy the decadence of caviar when flying aboard international First Class. With no real desire to abandon this tasty tradition, I informed Nora that I’d look forward to trying out the new caviar after which I’d like to try both the soup and the salad.
Now then, for the main course… man oh man, that Hong Kong Style Chicken Curry sure sounded good! Still, I don’t believe I’ve ever eaten veal cheek. Indeed, veal of any type has always been a very rare inclusion to my diet. As such I decided to go with the Braised Veal Cheek with all the trimmings.
Twenty minutes later my caviar was presented. Unlike past presentations, this caviar was presented in its jar complete with an attractive mother of pearl caviar spoon. Chive crème fraiche, chopped egg and onions and blinis completed the presentation. I am not a big fan of blinis with caviar, so I asked for and received an extra slice of garlic bread upon which I slathered generous portions of the pearly black eggs with all of the accoutrements. I paired all of this with a glass of the Château Bouscaut 2012, a delicious blend of Sauvignon Blanc and Sémillon grapes that paired quite nicely with the soup and salad as well.
Cathay Pacific’s new caviar presentation
Wild Mushroom Consommé
Salad
Smoked duck, dried cranberries, rock chive lettuce and raspberry vinaigrette
Of the three courses pictured above, the salad was most memorable. It had a nice mix of greens and vegetables highlighted by generous portions of flavorful smoked duck and a zesty raspberry vinaigrette. The mushroom consommé, while decently flavored, reaffirmed my love of cream based soups when it comes to mushrooms.
Moving on to the main course, I must admit to a bit of disappointment with this dish. Be it portion size or overall presentation, this meal left me wanting. The flavor was alright but as you can see, the veal portion was tiny – no more than 2-3 ounces, almost hidden atop the splot of celeriac puree. The langostino was the equivalent of a couple of popcorn shrimp sized pieces. As presented, this dish would have made a better appetizer than a main course.
Braised Veal Cheek
Slow cooked langostino, caramelized baby carrots and celeriac puree
I should add here that the wine list was exactly the same as the one offered on the flight between Vancouver and New York. Simply scroll back up to review it. To accompany my veal cheek I took the wine list’s recommendation and requested a glass of tasty Akarua Pinot Noir. It was a good choice.
Now then, after all that, do I really want dessert? To be honest, no. I rarely ever eat or order dessert at home but then – sitting here in seat 2K while speeding across the frozen landscape of northern China, I’m a long way from home. Indeed, it’s amazing to look back and consider that just 48 hours ago this trip was still only a possibility as I was busy putting the pieces together that would ultimately culminate in my sitting here today.
In any event, here I am sat in the lap of luxury while engaged in one of my favorite pastimes – winging around the globe in International First Class aboard one of the world’s finest airlines. Why not have dessert?
Consulting the menu once again, I decided upon a plate of the Orange Sweet Curd Soufflé accompanied by a scoop of Dolce de Leche ice cream. And coffee!
Orange Sweet Curd Soufflé
Once again, this course sounded a lot better than it ultimately looked. Granted, a small soufflé and a scoop of ice cream can only present just so well but on appearances alone I wasn’t overly impressed with what I was served. As for flavor, I’d rate it as just okay. This dessert might have looked and tasted a lot better had it been presented atop a raspberry coulis and been served with ice cream that wasn’t half melted.
Plates were cleared while I savored another couple cups of coffee. Out my window the snow covered terrain of northern China had by now given way to a greenish grey landscape of low rolling tundra dotted with the occasional lake or patch of forest.
Clouds gathered as we commenced our long descent into Hong Kong. Once again it appeared my unfortunate record of never having enjoyed a sunny day in Hong Kong would be extended. Oh well. I’m only here for a brief connection today. If and when I someday do return – hopefully as part of positioning myself for a ride aboard the Trans-Siberian railway – I’ll be able to stay for a couple of days and take in a nice sunny view of Hong Kong Island, Victoria Harbor and Kowloon from atop Victoria Peak.
Following a flight of fifteen hours and three minutes, we returned to earth on a rainy afternoon at Hong Kong International Airport. Interestingly, I never actually felt the tug of either reverse thrust or the brakes. It was as if our inertia just naturally diminished to a manageable taxi speed. Very nice…
For fans of Asian jetliners, Hong Kong is a plane spotter’s paradise. I spotted a good number of Chinese airliners as well as regional Asian airliners. The highlights for me were a colorful Cebu Pacific A320 and a Thai A380. Although Hong Kong is Cathay’s hub, there appeared to be more Cathay aircraft parked around the airport perimeter than there were parked at gates.
We parked at gate 25 and I said a silent prayer that my connecting flight to Singapore would be parked nearby. In this regard I’ve been uncannily fortunate on past trips through Hong Kong where I was connecting to Johannesburg bound flights. On three previous occasions my inbound flight from LA or SFO has parked within a gate or two at most, with The Pier Lounge always conveniently located next door.
Alas, my luck ran out today. As I emerged from the jetway I saw two uniformed Cathay representatives ostensibly positioned to meet and provide connecting information to connecting passengers. However, my query as to the location of the Singapore departure was met with a reply in broken English and a pointed finger indicating that I should head up the terminal to the Transit Desk.
So, off I went until I reached the top of the “Y” – or bottom as the case might be – where a departures board indicated that my Singapore flight was departing from Gate 47, located all the way back down the concourse I’d just walked up, past gate 25 where I’d arrived and on to the “Y” joint, then left down to the very end. It was the farthest possible distance one could walk from the main terminal down to the tip of the “Y”. Under normal circumstances I wouldn’t mind the walk but the extra amount of time involved was cutting into my lounge time and I was looking forward to a shower. That wasn’t going to happen now. By the time I’d walked all the way back down to the Y joint and cleared Transit security, I had just enough time to pop in for a quick visit to The Bridge, a relatively new lounge opened in late 2013.
For me the best thing about the Bridge was its location, right at the joint of the “Y”. An attractive pillar style entrance announced “The Bridge” in large electric lettering overhead. Proceeding down the escalator, I presented my boarding pass to the receptionist who informed me that The Bridge was a Business Class lounge, but that The Pier was just a five minute walk away. That’s alright, I said. At this point any old lounge will do. My flight was due to begin boarding in ten minutes and the gate was still a 6-7 minute walk from the lounge. The Bridge would be just fine, thanks.
The Bridge may be a Business Class lounge but by most other airlines’ standards it would qualify as a First Class lounge. Attractive wall mounted lettering indicated directions to a bistro, a coffee bar, a business area, a bakery, a TV lounge, the Long Bar and the showers. Attractive seating areas were bathed in an abundance of natural light courtesy of large floor to ceiling windows overlooking the tarmac. A restaurant offered an enviable variety of salads and hot dishes.
I grabbed a bottle of cold water and a copy of the latest Business Traveller magazine before taking a seat over near the windows. A good internet connection allowed me to quickly book a hotel in Singapore for this evening and the Tried & Tested portion of Business Traveller provided insight into Prestige Class travel aboard Korean Air’s 747-800.