I traveled this week on BKK-HKG on a longhaul A330 configuration. It was my first trip on CX in several years. As an LAX-based flyer I've been avoiding CX and mostly flying AA or JL. That's a trend that will continue based on my flight this week.

First things: service was really nice and super friendly. That was definitely the high point of the flight. Meal service was quite bad. The prawn main course was...truly terrible. 6 tiny dry, spongy and overcooked prawns in what appeared to be black bean water, with a bowl of partially dehydrated rice. I understand it's not fair to judge an airline based on its regional food offerings, but my SIN-BKK flight earlier on SQ definitely outpaced CX.

What really surprised me was the shabby state of the A330 cabin. Dirty, worn surfaces everywhere. And when I sat down I noticed the fabric shell on my seat was falling off (see photo). The cushion on the stool was also very worn.

It's unfortunate to see how this airline continues to decline relative to its competition. I would not want to spend 8-10 hours or more with this product and most certainly will continue to prefer JL or AA on my APAC trips.