Another thing to consider is that CX's 77A's product is getting a bit old, and arguably the 359 offers a better passenger experience in all of JWY. On the CDG route CX has to compete with AF, who flies a 359, so CX probably also wanted to fly a nicer aircraft. CX's F product has essentially stayed the same for the past 10 years, so I guess without corporate travel it's hard to imagine people shelling out cold cash for the wow factor

Also, isn't CX's focus on pricey W and really pricey Y nowadays? In which case, front cabin doesn't matter because they are either op-ups from W or just those cheap ex-EU fares.