I am planning to do a JFK-HKG and like the CX889 departure schedule. The only problem is that because of the stop at YVR, the flight becomes longer than necessary unless I can make use of the time at YVR.

I searched on the forum and it seems that passengers cannot deplane at YVR (westbound). Is that still true? If so, what can I do to kill the wait, as I assume AVOD is only on in the air and it is hard for me to sleep if the plane is not flying?

Also, is CX's F so good that one would prefer an indirect flight like CX889 to the other two direct flights, assuming the person is not in any hurry?

Correct - you cannot deplane on this flight.

However, the stop is not that long. Enough time to change the crew, give the cabin a quick clean and load on some new pax and catering. Maybe 50 minutes.

For premium classes who wants to sleep early (JFK-YVR) it's better to avoid this route. I flew this route in J and as soon as I felt asleep laying flat I only had 3-3.5 good hours, and then I was woke up by the FA because the plane is landing and it's a good 20 minutes before it did land and I had to sit up, and then wait one hour on the plane. And then I can't sleep flat again until 20 minutes into the flight. So it's almost a good 2 hours of interruption.

Now if you don't want to sleep it's a good route to maximize the F/J class atmosphere.

From other reports on this forum, if you get off the plane during the stop in YVR -- and it doesn't seem to be consistent whether people are booted off the planer or are allowed to remain on board -- you're stuck in the holding room by the gate and can't go elsewhere in the airport. Mind you, at that time of night, everything in the international departures area in YVR is shut down. They even turn off a lot of the lights!

I've only ever flown the YVR-HKG portion of CX889, but when I was boarding I remember seeing a bunch of tired looking people (sheep?) stuck in the holding room by the gate.

I think it is consistent (and has been for quite some time) that you get booted off going to JFK, but must stay on going to HKG.

When we get booted off on the east bound, are we able to use the CX lounge in YVR? (I'm booked in J.) And while we're at it, do we get pre-cleared in YVR, or cleared at JFK?

Im scheduled on this flight in late May....the YVR-HKG portion....cant wait...booked in business class and ordered a special meal...hope its really special and not cardboard

Nope. You are confined to the gate area. No lounge. My wfie did this flight last month (in F) and this is how it worked (and it how it worked when I last did the flight in 2003).

Customs clearance (for both pax originating in HKG and those originating in YVR) is at JFK, just like any other international arrival (Ireland and Canada excepted).

I'm taking this flight in a week and a half (JFK-HKG); from what I heard a couple months ago Y passengers were forced to get off so that cleaners could easily get in, while F and J passengers were allowed to stay aboard as they're not in the way. I've no idea if seats are able to recline or if there's power to anything including the AVOD.

Thanks for everyone's reply. I chose the direct flight CX841 instead at the end.

I took CX889 before, but only to YVR but not HKG. I remember the whole airport was pretty dark and empty. The immigration was there waiting. However I think there was another flight arriving around that time.

I disagree with you. While you can't get a good uninterrupted 7 hours of sleep on this flight (until after departing YVR, but that's like 6am NY time), I find it is significantly better for minimizing the impact of jetlag when traveling to HK -- and that's because the timing (and length) of the flights allows for more sleep than you'd get on the nonstop.

Specifically, I stay up for dinner ex-JFK (easier on the earlier winter departures), then just kick back, relax and fall asleep for a few hours. Yes, I'm a little groggy when we wake up for landing in YVR, and maybe I'll doze in and out some more. But then after we take off, I'm usually reasonably awake (and hungry enough by then) to partake in the next meal service -- which includes the caviar if you're in F!), watch a movie or two, and then kick back again -- with a sleeping pill this time -- to get as close to a full 7-8 hours of sleep as I can, so that I'll be fully refreshed when we arrive into HKG in the morning.

I also think it's a better schedule for maximizing business time, particularly when going from NY to HK. You work a full day on the day of departure, and arrive +2 days first thing in the morning, ready for a full day of work. You only miss one working day.
On the nonstop, you effectively lose both the departure day (maybe you can work a half day if you take the later flight from NY) and the arrival day. So even though 889 is 4 or so hours of extra travel time, it's a better use of time overall.

Im scheduled on this flight in late May....but I will be arriving in YVR from PDX.
I wonder if I can tell the counter reps at Alaska Airlines to check my baggage all the way to HKG....even though my flight from AS is PDX-YVR

I've done AS-CX transit at LAX before. It took a long time (almost an hour) but AS (well, QX in fact) was able to through check the bags.

If one takes CX889 F from JFK to HKG, will he/she get two sets of Pyjamas and amenity kits (one for JFK-YVR and one for YVR-HKG)?

Does AVOD work at all during the YVR stop? I'd really like to take a look at the CX YVR lounge but it sounds like this isn't possible while transitting on CX889...

Don't think you'd be able to access CX lounge at YVR. The only facility available at the gate is washroom (sorry:S). Restaurants and stores are closed but they are not even accessible to begin with. I fly CX889 every two months and luckily only between YVR and JFK. They usually allow those from HKG to board first (including all three classes) then the door is opened to the new YVR pax. The boarding is very unpleasant and chaotic.