Local bus seats seem unbearably tiny, yeah...

I don't know whether this is accurate, but aren't AA, AC, UA, and CX the only airlines offering direct flights between North America and HKG, with the exception of a fifth-freedom SQ flight to SFO?

AA and AC transitioned to 10-abreast years ago, and CX is doing so at a similar timeline with UA. There isn't much that disgruntled Y pax can do except to pony up for Y+ or J...there's no competitor offering 9-abreast anymore.

If CX could strap pax to the wings in a pressurized suit with water hose, diaper and IV drip, they would.