might have just been the husband of the purser.

this is who gets the highest service level:

1) cockpit crew
2) unaccompanied minors
3) babies/toddlers
4) family of crew
5) hansome males
6) status members
7) first class

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Youve missed opdown i guess

My usual run is from SIN-PVG, and on a couple of occasions due to fare pricing I have decided to take CX. I have a Gold Status conferred, so it wasnt earned. I have to say that the consistency of the Gold treatment is well .... not consistent. Sometimes I get upgraded, sometimes they will come about to welcome. Sometimes nothing at all, not even an acknowledgement. These are issues I could bear with, as SQ which I have status Gold doesnt even offer any of the above.

However, the key killer for me is the consistency of their timings. Out of the dozen time I have taken them in the past 12 mths, I have had at least 4 times where either CX or KA was late in the connecting flight and I had to bolt/run like heck just to reach the gate on time. Just a couple of days ago, I got to the connecting KA flight to PVG fine, but the flight was delayed for 2 hrs, something which happened before too. They claimed it was a PVG air traffice control, but my friends who were travelling on SQ that departed SIN about 1hr later didnt have this issue. So I ended up arriving at 1.30am (departed SIN at 1630hrs, while my friends departed 1730 and arrived 2230).

The problem is that you are frequenting PVG. Generally CX has a good on-time performance but the issue is that ATC delays in China are very common so any airline that flies to China can be affected. Perhaps SQ is affected less as they have few flights whereas CX/KA have so many flights it might as well be a bus service, but your experience with constant delays and having to run around is because you fly to PVG and not because of the airline issue.

Because they prioritize international flight (used to include HK/Macau/Taiwan) and longer flights to take off/ land first. It's difficult to understand cause the calculation is cumbersome.

midlevels, koku,

I think you guys probably hit the nail in the spot. Its a pity as I think CX service is quite decent and the cabin gives a good run for the money for SQ. I would probably not take CX for the reasons:

1. My most frequent destination is PVG, and if that route results in delays due to it being semi-domestic rather than full international, then unfortunately through no fault of CX, its a no go.

2. The prices of CX to China are very competitive, but everywhere else it is almost the same price as SQ out from SIN. During peak seasons, the prices go astromically high (much much higher than SQ, like 40% more), and while my gold allows me a confirmed seat even at at lower fare class on CX, my colleagues and family have to take a different airline as this benefit is only for one pax.

Again, no real fault of CX, and this is a real pity, I was almost certain I wanted to part ways with Krisflyer due to its dismal elite recognition. However, price with punctuality is still the key distinction for me.

Thanks Guys

I hear you. If you're not a QPPS or TPPS on SQ, you're a nobody. Take it from someone who was KF Gold for 5 years before switching to CX.

blame china for turning this into a semi domestic run. they are utterly disgusting.

I'm taking this as a positive sign, I'm sure the other elite holders on Cathay would be happy this is one less person competing on the upgrades!! haha

Expensive ex-EU fares
 

Okay so everyone wants to fly CX ..

But why are CX fares about 20% more expensive than say, BA for FRA-HKG?

I guess I have to fly BA then.. :(

I like this thread! Random ranting without judgement of others.

I don't like the personal greeting that the purser offers to OW emeralds. Some may feel that it makes them "feel special" but I find it a bother as it oftentimes interrupts my meal while trying to watch a movie...

Random Cathay rants
 

I wholeheartedly object to the crew ganging up with my wife to get me drunk.

And, on a serious note, while my recent SQ flights haven't been anything spectacular (really run down 'new regional biz' seats on redeyes from India ), CX needs to up the catering. While I quite like the Chinese options on CX, the rest are quite bleh, while SQ does have decent wines and an acceptable single malt in J. (And don't even get me started on the good in coach on HKG-SIN..maybe it's improved in the 3yrs since I used to frequent that route)

My biggest pet peeve is that CX makes announcements in English, Cantonese, and Mandarin. The pilots takes about one minute to say "we're landing", followed by his rant about the weather, how much he's enjoyed flying us, and a long apology about turbulence and delay. This is followed by two more one minute interruptions while it's being translated in multiple languages. Meanwhile I'm afraid the IFE will be shut down before I get to see the ending, and these interruptions could be the difference between a cliff hanger and everything blowing up and the hero kissing the girl. Of course, I would have finished watching my movie a long time ago if the flight attendants didn't waste all those minutes making announcements about the duty free sales and promotions.

You need to start flying some long hauls and not just PEK-HKG :D

My rant would be about the quality of staff at the Philippines contact centre Marco Polo club - they are seriously like talking to robots who don't respond nor understand very much...