How can someone not love CX?
Dec 11, 2015, 9:02 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Oct 2012
Location: LCA/KUL/RGN
Programs: RJ Gold, AZ E+, Air Asia Platinum
Posts: 2,188
How can someone not love CX?
Hi everyone,
I see there is a lot of complaining going on about CX and most of it is fair. I just would like to share my experience in dealing with CX!
1)100% recognition on board as a OWE. The FA always comes with a bottle of Evian before take off and welcomes me onboard. The ISM then always comes during the meal service to check if I am okay.
There was a flight when there were no non-pork options left and I just asked for the tray without the hot meal ,the ISM came during the service and asked me why I don't have the hot meal on my tray and I explain this to her.5 minutes later she came back with J class meal and apologized for lack of non-pork options in Y. Cost to the company? None ,the food would have to be thrown away in any case after the flight. Satisfied customer? Extremely satisfied.
2)Lounge dining. Many here complain about The Wing. Personally, I love it. I like the buffet style in The Heaven. I disagree that The Wing dining quality is inferior to The Pier's quality, it’s just different. Food in The Pier is amazing as well.
3) Lounge crowding. I also see a lot of complaining about lounges overcrowding, I can't argue because I am not in the lounge 24/7,but apparently I have been very lucky. The Wing is usually deserted for most of the day, including the new atrium. The Heaven gets quiet busy during the mornings and evenings, but certainly not as busy as the Galleries First lounge in GF, where you sometimes have to share a table with a stranger.
I also got the Cabanas in The Wing with no, or minimum wait (max 20 min) and never had to wait for day rooms/showers in The Pier.
4) Service in the lounges. Always very attentive in the dining areas of The Wing/The Pier. I am always instantly offered a drink and the menu when entering. Portions are small, but I never had a problem ordering an extra portion, when I really liked a particular dish (haha try that in BA lounge).
Service in the main areas of the lounge is (by definition) less attentive, but I am asked if I would like a drink top up every 10-20 minutes or so.
The lounge hosts in all lounges at all stations (CX defines them as ports, as far as I understood from this forum?!) are always shocked when they see RJ boarding pass. The Wing/The Pier hosts are shocked, but quickly realise that RJ is part of OW and let me in, whereas KUL,LHR,BKK,Bridge and G16 staff ofthen refer to their manuals. I must say however that despite this, they never attempt to refuse entry before checking carefully and always apologies for the delay.
I was entering the LHR lounge a few years ago, at the time I was RJ Gold (OWS) (and only two flights away from OWE) and the host was looking surprised at my RJ BP, and we had the following conversation:
Me:I must be the only RJ pax who always uses this lounge
Host:I believe so,I have never seen RJ boarding pass before, do you like our lounge?
Me:Yes, absolutely,I think it's the best lounge in T3!
Host: Well thank you very much sir and by the way you are very welcome to enjoy the First Class section, just turn left!
Again, cost to the company? Minimal, but a very satisfied customer who now brings CX a lot of revenue from lounge usage charging.
5)Lounges...again. I like that CX always does something new and therefore even frequent flyers don't get bored. Opened the New Wing F->Closed the Old Pier F->Opened Pier F->Closed The Wing atrium->Opened a few months later.
Similarly, I see massive upgrades going on at "my" outstations:BKK,LHR,with hopefully more to follow (FRA?KUL?)
The Arrival is very useful as well and it's great that they allow OWEs in (and not so great they now allow J too). Okay, it’s often (very) crowded, but serves it’s purpose well in my opinion. A coffee, juice and a bottle of water before heading to town is always very appreciated.
6) IRROPS. I only had it once with CX. A 45 minutes delay on the BKK-HKG,which was not a problem for me at all,I would not even notice it much probably. Got a SMS about 9 hours before the flight. As I was connecting from domestic TG flight on a separate ticket I was in the CX lounge early. 10 minutes after entering I was approached by the lounge host and offered to take the earlier flight with an upgrade to PE(leaving in 50 minutes, with the original leaving in about 4 hours incl the delay),as my flight has been delayed. That was prior to the amazing new BKK lounge opening, so was greatly appreciated.
All the above is only my opinion and my experience, I might have been extremely lucky to be dealing with the "right staff" and at the "right times in right places" and appreciate that others who fly out of HKG/with CX more than me have more chance to be upset by anything ( I fly out of HKG twice a month on RJ and do a round trip every 1 or 2 months with CX).
Regards
Rami
I see there is a lot of complaining going on about CX and most of it is fair. I just would like to share my experience in dealing with CX!
1)100% recognition on board as a OWE. The FA always comes with a bottle of Evian before take off and welcomes me onboard. The ISM then always comes during the meal service to check if I am okay.
There was a flight when there were no non-pork options left and I just asked for the tray without the hot meal ,the ISM came during the service and asked me why I don't have the hot meal on my tray and I explain this to her.5 minutes later she came back with J class meal and apologized for lack of non-pork options in Y. Cost to the company? None ,the food would have to be thrown away in any case after the flight. Satisfied customer? Extremely satisfied.
2)Lounge dining. Many here complain about The Wing. Personally, I love it. I like the buffet style in The Heaven. I disagree that The Wing dining quality is inferior to The Pier's quality, it’s just different. Food in The Pier is amazing as well.
3) Lounge crowding. I also see a lot of complaining about lounges overcrowding, I can't argue because I am not in the lounge 24/7,but apparently I have been very lucky. The Wing is usually deserted for most of the day, including the new atrium. The Heaven gets quiet busy during the mornings and evenings, but certainly not as busy as the Galleries First lounge in GF, where you sometimes have to share a table with a stranger.
I also got the Cabanas in The Wing with no, or minimum wait (max 20 min) and never had to wait for day rooms/showers in The Pier.
4) Service in the lounges. Always very attentive in the dining areas of The Wing/The Pier. I am always instantly offered a drink and the menu when entering. Portions are small, but I never had a problem ordering an extra portion, when I really liked a particular dish (haha try that in BA lounge).
Service in the main areas of the lounge is (by definition) less attentive, but I am asked if I would like a drink top up every 10-20 minutes or so.
The lounge hosts in all lounges at all stations (CX defines them as ports, as far as I understood from this forum?!) are always shocked when they see RJ boarding pass. The Wing/The Pier hosts are shocked, but quickly realise that RJ is part of OW and let me in, whereas KUL,LHR,BKK,Bridge and G16 staff ofthen refer to their manuals. I must say however that despite this, they never attempt to refuse entry before checking carefully and always apologies for the delay.
I was entering the LHR lounge a few years ago, at the time I was RJ Gold (OWS) (and only two flights away from OWE) and the host was looking surprised at my RJ BP, and we had the following conversation:
Me:I must be the only RJ pax who always uses this lounge
Host:I believe so,I have never seen RJ boarding pass before, do you like our lounge?
Me:Yes, absolutely,I think it's the best lounge in T3!
Host: Well thank you very much sir and by the way you are very welcome to enjoy the First Class section, just turn left!
Again, cost to the company? Minimal, but a very satisfied customer who now brings CX a lot of revenue from lounge usage charging.
5)Lounges...again. I like that CX always does something new and therefore even frequent flyers don't get bored. Opened the New Wing F->Closed the Old Pier F->Opened Pier F->Closed The Wing atrium->Opened a few months later.
Similarly, I see massive upgrades going on at "my" outstations:BKK,LHR,with hopefully more to follow (FRA?KUL?)
The Arrival is very useful as well and it's great that they allow OWEs in (and not so great they now allow J too). Okay, it’s often (very) crowded, but serves it’s purpose well in my opinion. A coffee, juice and a bottle of water before heading to town is always very appreciated.
6) IRROPS. I only had it once with CX. A 45 minutes delay on the BKK-HKG,which was not a problem for me at all,I would not even notice it much probably. Got a SMS about 9 hours before the flight. As I was connecting from domestic TG flight on a separate ticket I was in the CX lounge early. 10 minutes after entering I was approached by the lounge host and offered to take the earlier flight with an upgrade to PE(leaving in 50 minutes, with the original leaving in about 4 hours incl the delay),as my flight has been delayed. That was prior to the amazing new BKK lounge opening, so was greatly appreciated.
All the above is only my opinion and my experience, I might have been extremely lucky to be dealing with the "right staff" and at the "right times in right places" and appreciate that others who fly out of HKG/with CX more than me have more chance to be upset by anything ( I fly out of HKG twice a month on RJ and do a round trip every 1 or 2 months with CX).
Regards
Rami
Dec 11, 2015, 9:55 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Oct 2011
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-C catering decline
-stingy earn/burn ratio
-no SWU
-difficult to get U/Z class availability, from time to time (and, even more difficult now, when I need it most!)
Everything else about them, though, I am fine with.
(and, admittedly, except for the first point, these are more complaints about marco polo/asia miles, than CX itself.)
-stingy earn/burn ratio
-no SWU
-difficult to get U/Z class availability, from time to time (and, even more difficult now, when I need it most!)
Everything else about them, though, I am fine with.
(and, admittedly, except for the first point, these are more complaints about marco polo/asia miles, than CX itself.)
Dec 12, 2015, 12:48 am
#3
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ORD [formerly] + HKG
Programs: CX Diamond, AA exExPlat, BAEC exGold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Starriott Titanium, GE
Posts: 2,966
C catering is just horrible and if I ever had to pay the full fare of 6-digits HKD I would feel scammed with not getting my 2nd let alone 1st choice entree and having to endure the mini portions and winelist where the actual available wines are like half of what it says. Also, notoriously poor IT and hotline...but well you can't 'not love' CX...ex-US the alternative is usually UA which is still leagues behind CX
Dec 12, 2015, 6:22 am
#4
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
I really think it's a matter of comparing to others, CX is great. Seriously, as Americans what options do we have? CX vs. AA? CX vs. DL? CX vs. UA? Don't make me laugh.
Dec 12, 2015, 8:14 am
#5
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C catering is just horrible and if I ever had to pay the full fare of 6-digits HKD I would feel scammed with not getting my 2nd let alone 1st choice entree and having to endure the mini portions and winelist where the actual available wines are like half of what it says. Also, notoriously poor IT and hotline...but well you can't 'not love' CX...ex-US the alternative is usually UA which is still leagues behind CX
(admittedly, not useful for onwards destinations, unlike CX, and all of the US carrier F products, though cheaper, are worse than CX.)
Dec 12, 2015, 12:18 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2000
Location: Vancouver, British Columbia
Programs: BA GGL, FPC Plat, HH Diamond, IHG Amb
Posts: 3,372
The other point I'd throw in is that CX does reward waitlisting--unlike the majority of carriers (also instant upgrades at the airport). I availed myself of both of these before I made the switch to BA.
Dec 12, 2015, 12:33 pm
#7
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2001
Location: NYC
Posts: 27,222
Well....I actually used to prefer Continental over CX, particularly when both had angled-flat in J (e.g., the A346) and only 1 nonstop daily on NYC-HKG. Catering was much better! I guess some things change and other things don't!
Dec 12, 2015, 9:07 pm
#8
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
There are always things to complain about with any large company but taken as an overall package, lounges, seats, route, disruption handling etc, there's a reason CX is always up at the top end of any airline rankings. They tick 99% of boxes, but you will always get people who moan incessantly about the 1%, or sometimes those who expect ridiculous things like not getting 2 pairs of PJs in F.
Dec 12, 2015, 9:30 pm
#9
Join Date: Sep 2014
Location: DTW - Rochester Hills, MI
Programs: Cathay MPC, IHG Diamond Ambassador, Domestic Airline Nobody
Posts: 715
You cannot tick the CX box for beer selection! :-) Notice they are absent from this important list: http://roadwarriorvoices.com/2015/12...-u-s-airlines/ :-)
Dec 13, 2015, 12:14 am
#10
Join Date: May 2009
Posts: 6,978
Yes, Continental was the only legit airline in America, until they were bought....
Dec 14, 2015, 12:23 pm
#11
Join Date: Jun 1999
Location: NYC/LA
Programs: DL Plat, AA Plat Pro, Marriott Titanium, IHG Diamond Amb
Posts: 7,482
My general experience is that, onboard, J service is almost always top notch, but Y service can vary from very good to almost as bad as on a US airline.
Intra-Asia Y seems pretty good, but on the long hauls I take JFK-HKG, as of late it seems the general rule is that the Y crews will barely smile or acknowledge the passengers, and PEY gets ignored. In fact, I find PEY service almost always better on BA transatlantic vs. CX transpac.
Intra-Asia Y seems pretty good, but on the long hauls I take JFK-HKG, as of late it seems the general rule is that the Y crews will barely smile or acknowledge the passengers, and PEY gets ignored. In fact, I find PEY service almost always better on BA transatlantic vs. CX transpac.
Dec 14, 2015, 3:50 pm
#12
Join Date: Feb 2011
Location: EWR
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Posts: 813
When it comes to CX the airline, generally speaking the 'complain' is relative - relative to how CX was or relative to other airlines where CX lead may now be narrower/disappear (or even falling behind).
As for CX the FFP, how CX treats its own OWE vs. other OWE is precisely the issue. On benefits that mattered to me, I think CX, generally speaking, treats all OWEs to be the same/similar ... and there lies the problem. It would've been nice if CX were to follow the practice of some airlines that treat its own members as first among equal so to speak. Of course this becomes a problem if one belongs to another OW FFP (which I now do).
I think CX the FFP is slowly dragging itself in that direction though ... so I guess that's an improvement (somewhat).
As for CX the FFP, how CX treats its own OWE vs. other OWE is precisely the issue. On benefits that mattered to me, I think CX, generally speaking, treats all OWEs to be the same/similar ... and there lies the problem. It would've been nice if CX were to follow the practice of some airlines that treat its own members as first among equal so to speak. Of course this becomes a problem if one belongs to another OW FFP (which I now do).
I think CX the FFP is slowly dragging itself in that direction though ... so I guess that's an improvement (somewhat).
Dec 14, 2015, 3:58 pm
#13
Join Date: Feb 2011
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Posts: 813
You cannot tick the CX box for beer selection! :-) Notice they are absent from this important list: http://roadwarriorvoices.com/2015/12...-u-s-airlines/ :-)
That was the only time I actually drank beer on board. CX is ... somewhere at the back I guess. Then again, I think most airlines focus on wine and not beer.
Dec 14, 2015, 6:47 pm
#14
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not really-AC focuses on neither (the red wine there is barely drinkable, and their champagne is Drappier. I still prefer it, though, I guess, to the beers (i.e. Canadian/Heineken.))
Dec 20, 2015, 10:40 am
#15
Join Date: Aug 2006
Location: Switzerland
Posts: 1,575
I'm just back from my first long-haul flight on CX in over 15 years. I usually fly BA, but got a great price on CX so took it. All in economy, so we're not talking luxury here but even so.
I'm BA Silver (OW Sapphire) which really made a difference too.
First, some basics: I paid the equivalent in CHF of £340 return ZRH-HKG-BKK, SGN-HKG,ZRH. My OW status allowed me to get emergency exit seats on the long haul both ways and I picked bulkheads on the Asia hops. It also gets me lounge access and business class check-in/boarding.
Zurich - all smooth. Contract lounge is nothing special but does the job. Flight was great. Unlike even on BA, I was welcomed by name once I'd taken my seat. Maybe it won't happen on any future flight with CX but I liked the gesture. Having the emergency exit seat meant some compromise (fold-out dinner tray, pop-up TV screen, no storage) but the seat next to me was empty (not sure why, flight was pretty full) and I used a stuffed carry-on as a lovely foot-rest so slept well. Food was ok. Service was excellent and not as robotic as I was expecting.
3 hour layover in HKG and I bounced around the lounges eating dandan noodles and having a shower. I've used the CX lounges before and each time I think how wonderful the showers are. I'd give them a hotel 5-star rating compared to the LHR T5 BA lounges which I'd rate as 2-star (plus would slag them off on tripadvisor for being dirty ...)
Flight from HKG to BKK was short but as good as the first.
On the way back, after 3 weeks cycling through Asia and having forgotten all about the seats I booked I was met with an apology at SGN saying the aircraft had changed and I'd lost my front-row economy bulkhead seat. Big apology and an offer of the seat next to me being kept empty or being upgraded to Premium Economy for that leg. Of course I took the upgrade. Seat next to me was empty anyway Not sure why they were so nice to me just because my seat had changed but I'm not complaining. Lounge (contracted) had great food and was comfy.
Flight landed a biut late and I only had 50 minutes to get my next flight. Power-walked through transfer security (the one at gate 27 - no queue at all) and straight to the bridge for a shower. Was told I was third in the queue after I said I had a tight connection. I think they let me jump the queue (I got "paged" without seeing anyone else go into the shower area) so had a quick but very welcome shower and had the same great service and comfy sleep on the flight back. Again, welcomed by name. Downside maybe of Zurich baggage handlers or, more likely, the short connection meant by bag came out close to last despite the priority tag but it didn't really bother me as the delay wasn't great.
All for £340, as I said above. I'll be flying CX again for sure.
As an aside, when getting off I got to walk right through the business class cabin. I've flown BA J a couple of times to Asia and the CX offering looked miles better to me for two main reasons: (1) can watch TV during takeoff and landing whereas on BA they make everyone fold the TV screens flat into the perpendicular divider and (2) storage. Oh, should make that three things: (3) no bloody up-and-down divider. God I hate those. Thumbs up to CX. And, oddly, thumbs up to BA for allowing me to rack up tier points so easily that I got to BA silver from nothing via one (crazily routed) £1500 business class return to Asia a year ago.
Sorry for the waffle, but I can't help it. It's why I don't post much
I'm BA Silver (OW Sapphire) which really made a difference too.
First, some basics: I paid the equivalent in CHF of £340 return ZRH-HKG-BKK, SGN-HKG,ZRH. My OW status allowed me to get emergency exit seats on the long haul both ways and I picked bulkheads on the Asia hops. It also gets me lounge access and business class check-in/boarding.
Zurich - all smooth. Contract lounge is nothing special but does the job. Flight was great. Unlike even on BA, I was welcomed by name once I'd taken my seat. Maybe it won't happen on any future flight with CX but I liked the gesture. Having the emergency exit seat meant some compromise (fold-out dinner tray, pop-up TV screen, no storage) but the seat next to me was empty (not sure why, flight was pretty full) and I used a stuffed carry-on as a lovely foot-rest so slept well. Food was ok. Service was excellent and not as robotic as I was expecting.
3 hour layover in HKG and I bounced around the lounges eating dandan noodles and having a shower. I've used the CX lounges before and each time I think how wonderful the showers are. I'd give them a hotel 5-star rating compared to the LHR T5 BA lounges which I'd rate as 2-star (plus would slag them off on tripadvisor for being dirty ...)
Flight from HKG to BKK was short but as good as the first.
On the way back, after 3 weeks cycling through Asia and having forgotten all about the seats I booked I was met with an apology at SGN saying the aircraft had changed and I'd lost my front-row economy bulkhead seat. Big apology and an offer of the seat next to me being kept empty or being upgraded to Premium Economy for that leg. Of course I took the upgrade. Seat next to me was empty anyway
Not sure why they were so nice to me just because my seat had changed but I'm not complaining. Lounge (contracted) had great food and was comfy.Flight landed a biut late and I only had 50 minutes to get my next flight. Power-walked through transfer security (the one at gate 27 - no queue at all) and straight to the bridge for a shower. Was told I was third in the queue after I said I had a tight connection. I think they let me jump the queue (I got "paged" without seeing anyone else go into the shower area) so had a quick but very welcome shower and had the same great service and comfy sleep on the flight back. Again, welcomed by name. Downside maybe of Zurich baggage handlers or, more likely, the short connection meant by bag came out close to last despite the priority tag but it didn't really bother me as the delay wasn't great.
All for £340, as I said above. I'll be flying CX again for sure.
As an aside, when getting off I got to walk right through the business class cabin. I've flown BA J a couple of times to Asia and the CX offering looked miles better to me for two main reasons: (1) can watch TV during takeoff and landing whereas on BA they make everyone fold the TV screens flat into the perpendicular divider and (2) storage. Oh, should make that three things: (3) no bloody up-and-down divider. God I hate those. Thumbs up to CX. And, oddly, thumbs up to BA for allowing me to rack up tier points so easily that I got to BA silver from nothing via one (crazily routed) £1500 business class return to Asia a year ago.
Sorry for the waffle, but I can't help it. It's why I don't post much
Last edited by adrianlondon; Dec 20, 2015 at 10:45 am