Pushback was right on time and, after a lengthy taxi, we took off to the east using up only 33 seconds for the take off roll. It was a beautiful view flying out of JFK as we climbed out over Jamaica Bay and turned back towards the coast. All of the lights and in particular the bridges out towards Manhattan looked stunningly spectacular! What a view!
Service started within about fifteen minutes of take off. I’d requested a glass of the
Lynch Bages to start the evening off and once again, the wine wasn’t just brought to my table, it was presented. After nodding my approval, it was then carefully poured. Accompanying the wine was a small plate of de-shelled pistachio nuts. Does any other airline serve pistachio nuts?
One of the highlights of any long flight aboard Cathay Pacific is their caviar and salmon presentation. Very few airlines still serve caviar these days, either due to economics or the drastically reduced availability of good caviar due to environmental contamination and over harvesting of sturgeon in the Caspian Sea and other regional fishing holes.
The caviar and salmon presentation was done in the grand old tradition via the trolley and I watched with considerable anticipation as my plate was very artistically put together with generous spoonfuls of caviar, sliced salmon, chopped red onion and eggs along with crème fraiche sprinkled with finely chopped shallots and toast points. I was also offered vodka, which I accepted a very small glass of.
Cathay serves Oscietra Caviar which I understand to be of a lesser quality than the Beluga or Sevruga varieties. Interestingly, the only times I’ve ever had caviar have been while flying First Class and once at the gala celebrating Braniff International’s inauguration of Concorde service between Washington DC and Dallas. I always remembered it being of fairly salty and robust flavor so I was surprised at how mild Cathay’s Oscietra caviar tasted by comparison. I tried to compliment it a couple of times with a sip of vodka but did not particularly enjoy the flavor combination. Perhaps if the caviar were saltier and more robust of flavor…
Meanwhile, the salmon was just heavenly and I gave serious consideration to asking the flight attendant for seconds before remembering that I’m always quite full after these big First Class feeds so I really ought to save some room for the rest of the meal.
Both the soup and the salad were distinguished by the addition of freshly ground pepper and my bread plate was constantly looked after. I’d selected that old Cathay favorite Garlic Bread and was quite pleased to go through two or three pieces on my way to the main course.
Ah – the main course. The lamb sure sounded tempting but then this was Cathay Pacific I was flying upon and so I decided to go with one of the Hong Kong favorites, the Stir-fried Pork with Black Bean Sauce. This dish was served with a side bowl of steamed rice and kailan which to me tasted very similar to pak choy. In any event, the pork was nice and tender while the sauce was subtly spiced and very flavorful. Over all, a good choice for this, the first of many meals yet to come aboard Cathay Pacific.
Next up was the cheese course. The menu didn’t indicate the names of any of the cheeses offered so I asked Michelle, another Flight Attendant who assisted in tending to my slightest whims and needs during the flight. Not only did she know right away which cheeses were being offered on tonight’s flight but she was only too happy to describe the flavorful nuances of each of the four or five varieties available. Very impressive.
Ultimately, I went with a slice of blue cheese which was nicely plated with all the usual accoutrements of a proper cheese service. Of course, I also had to try out a glass of Cathay’s port, the Ramos Pinto Quinta de Ervamoira 10 Year Old Tawny. How would it stand up to what for me is the standard bearer, BA’s Warre’s 1986 Reserve Tawny Port.
Hmm…
I still give the nod to BA’s 18 year old classic, although the Ramos Pinto is a very close second. I suspect that the extra aging probably gives the Warre’s its somewhat warmer and nuttier flavor and thus a slight edge.
And finally, it was time for the Piece de Resistance! New York Style Strawberry Cheesecake, elegantly presented atop a rich strawberry coulis. This was a robust cheesecake if ever there were one and it was all I could do the finish off that last bite. I felt so full that I briefly considered requesting wheelchair assistance off the aircraft but decided that might make the wrong impression on Canadian Customs.
After clearing off my dishes, Vanessa reappeared to offer me an after dinner coffee. Oh, sure… Decaf, please. Drip or cappuccino? Huh?! A choice? On decaf? Uh, drip would be fine, thanks. Imagine that! A choice of decafs! Not only that, but my coffee was presented on a red tray complete with a pot of the coffee, three packaged sugar tubes, thick rich cream in a small pitcher, a small plate of pralines and a Kit Kat bar. Now that is just downright decadent!
Therein lies the difference between flying Cathay Pacific’s First Class as opposed to that of most any other airline. Attention to detail coupled with the training and discipline to follow through on the more detailed aspects of the service both properly and consistently. As much as I enjoyed my flights and the overall service provided by British Airways, Vanessa and Michelle did several little things that made tonight’s flight not just exceptionally good but truly special. The coffee presentation is a good example of this. Whereas the many cups of coffee I’ve requested aboard British Airways have always been delivered promptly, I always received just the cup and saucer with sugar on the side. I have no complaints with this whatsoever. It certainly wasn’t necessary for Cathay to pot the coffee or serve it on a special tray with pralines and candy but it did serve to elevate the overall experience from that of drinking a simple cup of coffee to making it a coffee service worthy of consideration as a separate course in the meal.
Later, I wandered back to the galley and chatted for a bit with the FAs. I told them how much I’d appreciated their fine service, especially the little things that just weren’t seen anymore aboard U.S. carriers. Everybody was curious about the comparative level of service on the big U.S. airlines and I told them there really was no comparison. Sure United and American offer comfortable First Class suites and after dinner chocolate chip cookies from Otis Spunkmeyer. Still, it’s not just the space or the food. It’s the training and pride reflected in flight attendants who anticipate your needs, not just come when they’re called. It’s consistently and graciously meeting the expectations and needs of an often sophisticated and seasoned clientele, many of whom have expectations commensurate with their lot in life, a lot that rarely if ever includes Economy or Business Class travel. It’s training and pride that reflect in a meal being presented, not just served. It’s a commitment by the airline to provide only the finest in food and amenities and to maintain a high standard of service that allows only the best and most dedicated flight attendants, not just the most senior to work the First Class cabin. It’s class. First Class. It all adds up to the very best service one can expect in the air. Cathay Pacific meets all of these standards.
We also chatted about the many places they’d traveled to and I was surprised to hear that Michelle had visited Alaska twice, most recently just last summer. Far from the robotic stereotype applied to Flight Attendants on some of the Asian airlines, Vanessa and Michelle impressed me as intelligent, worldly, outgoing and friendly people who took pride in their work and truly enjoyed working for Cathay Pacific.
Suddenly, it was announced that we’d be commencing our descent into Vancouver shortly. Where did the time go to? I’d chatted with the crew for what seemed the better part of an hour, something likely made possible because everybody in First Class was asleep.
In closing out my comments on this, my first flight in seventeen years with Cathay Pacific, I’d just like to say congratulations and thanks to the girls of CX 889 for providing a First Class service truly worthy of being called The Best In The World.
** ***** **
I love landing aboard 747s. With carbon fiber brakes slowing us down as opposed to reverse thrust, the whole experience is quieter and smoother than most any other aircraft. We parked between two A340s – one a –300 model from Cathay’s Toronto – Hong Kong service, the other a stretched –600 from Lufthansa. Very few passengers disembarked in Vancouver so customs and immigration formalities were just that and I was free to find a deserted corner of the airport to sleep for the night.
Had I arrived in Vancouver prior to 9:00pm, I wouldn’t have hesitated to see what kind of a deal I could have gotten through Priceline at one of the many airport area hotels. By the time I’d cleared customs however, it was past 2:00am and it just didn’t seem worthwhile to spend money on a room I’d only have time to sleep in, then immediately check out of. I travel complete with a
Thermarest brand mattress and a sleeping bag which I keep unzipped and just throw over me like a quilt. I sleep almost as comfortably on the airport floor as I would in a bed and, as those of you who’ve read my earlier Trip Reports know, I am completely shameless in this practice. I found a secluded spot behind a bank of TV monitors and didn’t wake up until 9:ish.