Hi all,

Here is a summary of Carfield’s early summer trip around the Pacific Ocean. I had two segments left on my Star Alliance RTW trip left from last year and it was expiring on June 9, 2004, so I needed to finish it off. What not matter than adding a CX “D” RT between LAX and TPE via HKG and an award CX J ticket RT AKL to HKG, and a relatively cheap “J” trip on TG from TPE to ICN. I will expand on the more interesting segments to spare you from the mundane details. But menu transcripts will all be provided. About Cathay Pacific, I am convinced that CX puts more efforts on the higher yield premium routes between Australia/New Zealand and Hong Kong, rather than its transpacific flights. The quantity of the entrées served in business class was way too small and I saw a number of passengers asking for a second entrée. Air New Zealand and Thai are fine, but the TG’s eight abreast business class Boeing 777-200 cabin is to be avoided at best. Here are the details!

Here are also the links to the picture album through ofoto.com... you will need to be an ofoto member (it is free join) in order to view it.
Album One
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=v4o8ged...&x=0&y=-5apjjs
Album Two
http://www.ofoto.com/I.jsp?c=v4o8ged...&x=0&y=-3ni12y

June 1, 2004
CX 881 LAX-HKG Lv2355 Arr0620+2 Boeing 747-400 B-HUG (74J)
Arriving at LAX way ahead of time from an American flight from JFK! I headed to the extremely crowded Tom Bradley International Terminal. I checked in at the first class desk, since I am an Oneworld Emerald. I noticed that my seat assignment was changed from 14G to 15H, but I did not think much. Then I headed to the food court for a noodle dinner and looked at the planes. Soon I saw a CX’s Boeing 747-400 landed at R/W24R and realized that there was an aircraft change from Airbus A340-600 to Boeing 747-400. I was disappointed, but did not think much about change seats, since I think Row 15 is still on the first section of the main cabin. How wrong I was! 15H was indeed one of the worst seats in J class, and it was located in the extended J class section of these few Boeing 747-400s owned by CX – it was the aisle seat of the bulkhead row and was next to a crew closet and galley, and activities were nonstop throughout the evening. I was a bit upset that the agent did not notify me of an aircraft change and I would have asked for a seat change to upper deck. J class was almost all full and Y class looked pretty full as well. I went to the CX lounge, which was better than BR and MH for sure, but pretty boring at best. I really think that LAX should just demolish all the present lounges, and set up a Star Alliance, Oneworld, and Sky Alliance lounge complex. I went to the lounge and had a beverage and had a few phone calls.

TBIT was pretty busy at night and parked next to us were Korean Air’s Boeing 747 HL7465, Eva Air’s Boeing 747 B-16402, and SQ’s Boeing 777ER 9V-SVI. Boarding soon began at 11:15pm with a separate first/business and economy line. Once onboard, pre-takeoff beverages were offered with Biotherm amenity kits, choices of newspapers and hot towels. Champagne, please! Due to some late passengers, we were delayed slightly and doors were closed at 12:15am. With little activities at midnight, we took off from R/W25R at 12:37am for our thirteen hours and fifty-three minutes. I admit that this set of F/As was only average and was the “worst” set out of all my CX travels within the next two weeks. They were really average, as they all looked tired. They did not do much water runs and smiles were rather rare. But they got their jobs done.

Our routing took us to 28,000feet after passing Santa Barbara, San Jose, San Francisco and Santa Rosa, before reaching 30,000feet over Ukiah and left the US coast at cape Mendocino, and climbed to 32,000feet before hitting the Alaskan coast. We passed by Seward and Kenai, before climbing to 35,000feet and leaving the Alaskan city of Nome. Our routing was really northward and headed towards Anadyri, Siberian coast of Russia, and Nadnodka, and climbing to 37,000feet before reaching South Korean cities of Pusan and Cheju. We temporarily descended to 35,000feet before reaching to 39,000feet into Taiwan and headed to Hong Kong.

About twenty-three minutes after takeoff, the beverage trolley was rolled out with a bowl of almonds. Then linen was passed out as well as the salad tray. Here is the wine list and supper transcript! The wine list is applied to the return HKG-LAX flight a few days later as well.
Cathay Pacific Transpacific Wine List
Champagne
Champagne Deutz, Brut Classic

White Wines
Louis Max Saint Veran 2001
Wente Vineyards Reserve Riva Ranch Chardonnay 2001

Red Wines
Geyser Peak Sonoma County Shiraz 2000
Louis Max Mercurey Domaine La Marche 1999

Port
Dow’s Late Bottled Vintage Port 1997

Supper
Salad
Marinated Portabello mushroom with bocconcini served with balsamic and olive oil dressing
It was a light salad served in a transparent bowl – I like mushroom, so I am fine with it.
Bread choices include sesame twist rolls and garlic bread

Entrée
Pan-fried lamb chops with Chinese style honey pepper sauce, egg fried rice and stir-fried kailan
Pan-fried seabass with herb butter, mushroom risotto with natural jus and selected baby vegetables
Light Selection
Noodles in soup with wonton and shui gaw
Sun-dried tomato and Proscuitto pizza
I had the lamb chops, which were nicer than I thought. It was perfectly cooked at medium rare and there were two thick pieces of lamb chops, and the entrée s were rolled out in a trolley – you see and pick your choice.

Cheese and Dessert
Cheese Plate
Fresh Seasonal Fruits
Marble cheesecake with raspberry coulis
Desserts were served as two separate courses – cheese was pre-plated, but the fruits were served in trolley with a choice of sliced watermelon, melon, pineapple, and cantaloupe. The cheesecake was really nice as well and served with tea and coffee.

Assorted bread
Tea and coffee
Praline

To give Cathay Pacific credits, this supper service is better than the one I had a couple years ago. The sliced fruit trolley was appreciated, and the entrées were filling. Most passengers took part with the supper, as the lounge offerings were rather poor at Los Angeles. After supper, Crystal Geyser bottled water was passed out and the lights were turned off. I watched a few short subjects before tugging in. I personally find CX’s business class seats to be less comfortable than SQ’s Raffle-beds on Boeing 777ER, ANA’s new style Club ANA, and Northwest, new WBC seats. I find that the lack of the second legrest extension at the end of the legrest rather uncomfortable and kept on sliding down the seat. For those munchies lover, the bar was set up with M&Ms, Carlbury ZIPS chocolate bars, Cookies, sandwiches, and peanuts. If you want, noodles and pizzas are available.

Snack
Noodles in soup with wonton and shui gaw
Sun-dried tomato and Proscuitto pizza
Haagen-dazs ice cream