Traveled to CMB recently on CX for the Easter Holidays and I figured it would be good to give folks an update on the basics. If you're impatient - the key takeaway is that check-in at CMB is painfully slow and may take over an hour, even in J lines.

Check-in at HHK airport express was smooth and efficient.

It's not a nonstop flight either way with stops in either SIN or BKK. En route we stopped in SIN for about 70 minutes where everyone had to deplane. Transit passes were given to passengers.

Checking in at CMB was a nightmare. It was simply painfully slow. The check-in agents are either painfully slow/poorly trained, their systems slow or both are. 2 dedicated J/MP check-in lines, 3 for Y, 1 for OLCI baggage drops. It would take 10-15 minutes per passenger/family to check in. Bags would just sit on the belt and the baggage tags would not be printed or if so would be slowly attached and the boarding pass slow to come.

To be fair it was a holiday period and there were many families checking in with lots of bags, many requests to be seated together etc. J lines were (looking back) predictably long.

I know for a fact that the systems had to be reset and check-in stopped for a solid 10 minutes. I asked one guy in front of me, a Sri Lankan national who often takes the flight, if this was the norm and he sort of sighed and nodded.

Flight back stopped in Bangkok for 70 minutes but passengers were told to remain on board and verify their hand luggage.

Hope this is helpful. Equipment used on both flights was the regional stuff for those who are curious.

While I found that the lines for economy check-in are often super long, the only time I have had issues was a Saturday night departure where the flight was oversold in Y.

My main observation is that things actually calm down a bit once you get into the check-in hall. The scrum outside the entrance in combination with the (ONLY) two baggage scanners will eat into your schedule.

Just remember that the CX check-in is at the left end of the desks so you avoid the masses using Air Lanka and Emirates.

Arrivals is pleasant compared to 6 or 7 years ago.

Happy wandering

Fred

I flew CMB to HKG (via BKK) last week and what is worth noting is I was not entitled to take a guest into the lounge (Araliya lounge) as I had expected.

I was tired and had had some drinks so rather than argue walked 10 meters to the lotus lounge and my priority pass saved the day

Wirelessly posted (iPhone 4: Mozilla/5.0 (iPad; CPU OS 5_1 like Mac OS X) AppleWebKit/534.46 (KHTML, like Gecko) Version/5.1 Mobile/9B176 Safari/7534.48.3)

Arrival lounge is always no guest allowed



http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_INTL/atairport/lounge_admittance#M

FRSI must have meant at CMB...
but yea, contract lounges (non-OW) has always been no guest allowed. and some OW lounges, when "contracted-out" also acts as "contract lounges" which is a bit weird (eg, if JL rented their lounge out to CX when JL dont have a flight running... ie not running on JL rules)

I do not think contract lounge is an exception for GOs and DMs to bring guests in. One probably need to tell the check-in agent to add "+1" or "+2" on the lounge invitation, though.

As an EXP CX check-in agent in CMB did add the +2 at one time. I think the last trip it was omitted. Ask if needed and you qualify. I'll be a lowly PLT on my next trip through.

Happy wandering

Fred

CX went the extra step for you then. Whether you are AA EXP (OW EMD) or AA PLT (OW SPH), only 1 guest is allowed. Only CX DMs get 2 guests.

Mrs Beano and me are planning a get away in Maldives in late November, and doing the first leg ex HKG on CX in J, stopping over in CMB for the night.

Now given the flight times, we were hoping for some kip both ways, but seemingly there is a stop! add to this the OP's comment about regional equipment used, and I'm getting a little concerned.

Does anyone know the equipment used on this route, and can I expect a lie flat bed?

Thanks in advance.....

Beano HK

IIRC all CMB flights are operated by the 773 with regional (cradle) seats in J. As always, there may be last minute equipment swaps.

I've flown this route in J and the plane had the regional business class seats. The FA did tell me occasionally they have the coffin style business class seats on this flight, I hate those seats and much prefer the regional business class seats. I do not know if CX is flying planes with the new business class seats to CMB.

In MLE, I recommend the Four Seasons, either one, KHuura is closer. Don't rush to clear customs, the hotel transfer boat/plane will wait for all passengers to come out and then depart.

That being said, I'm 6'4" and the J seats (never ever have I had the lie flats out of 10 times, ten regional) are awful. Especially if it's packed, 95% of the time it has been, full of honeymooners. From CMB the same seats.

Small sidenote, arrive into CMB early in the day if you can (before noon) - its quite a ride into town and traffic is awful. Other than that, the Sri Lankan/Maldivians hate being called "Indian" and actually are more connected with the people of Indonesia (add a mixture of Arab and African influence, beautiful people!)...Sri Lanka, Maldives, Seychelles, Mauritius, Madagascar, Zanzibar...seem to be in the same "family" moreso than their close border cousins...IMHO

Safe travels!