No, its fact. If you take this flight and want to adjust to Asian time, you should stay awake as long as possible. If you really wanted to do it properly, you'd stay awake for 6-7 hours and then sleep for the rest of the flight skipping breakfast.

Whether people choose to do that is their choice. But the proper approach to jet lag management can't really be disputed on this flight.

Most of us don't have the luxury to sleep through the day prior to our flight. This is the "business class" we're talking about, where many might be heading straight to the airport after a long day of work. A 2am departure + staying up for 6-7 more hours is not something everyone can do.

To adjust yourself to HKG time, there are many ways and combinations. Such as a shorter nap first, then wake up for a light meal before heading off to sleep again. How you choose to time sleeping pattern is one way. But there's no "fact" or "proper way" or 1 size fits all for every passenger.

If you think the lack of 'proper dinner service on this flight to be pathetic', then maybe you should stick to flying in First class. Where FA's will constantly top up your glass with bubbles...even if you're too shy to ask.

I can assure you that I don't sleep the day before a flight. And if you actually read my post, you'd see that I indicated that I can't make it more than a few hours into the flight before succumbing to sleep. Like most passengers in the cabin, I often work a hard day before the flight. I'm flying for business and thus like most passengers am not entitled to a first class ticket. But I also pay more than $10K for each TPAC r/t on CX. I'd be hard pressed to think of another flight anywhere near this long on any airline worth its salt (nevermind one as proud of itself as CX) where a J passenger isn't offered a drink until AFTER an appetizer is served - the point of this thread.

It was offered to you. CX didn't print out those menus for no reason. It was just that you were too shy to ask for a drink - the anecdote of this thread.

Not to minimize your preference in any way, there are very few at this hour who would want the full meal deal lapsing over 2-2.5 hours till 0400am. It's quite possible that CX has opted for an express meal service on a flight operating post midnight. However having said that, it seems peculiar that you weren't offered a glass of wine or alternate beverage of your choice at the time that your appetizer was presented - this doesn't seem very Cathay Pacific.

I do find it hard to think that the OP was not offered a drink before meal as its standard routine for all flights on long haul.

I have flown J on dozens of airlines around the world. I have NEVER not been offered a drink before, with, or at worst immediately (as in within 2 minutes) following the presentation of a meal tray. Period. Passengers expect that drinks will be offered and tend not to want to harass a crew while doing the service. Either this CX screwed up or CX service standards are not consistent with the (often lesser) competition.

The defend-CX-no-matter-what attitude on this forum is pretty funny. Its a good airline but my no means infallible.

I don't know if there is a "defend-CX-regardless" attitude here. Unfortunately, some people express their opinions rather dismissively of other people's experiences.

I think the bottom line is that CX tries to adapt the service to what they think the bulk of people want for time of day. For example, on day flights AUS-HKG, you will get a proper post take-off drink, appetiser with water, drinks trolley, main course with wine top up and so on. But the evening departures will be a more express service.

As you say JFK-HKG is a bit of a mixed bag, because while it is a looooong flight, the departure time could mean that either people want to sleep, and some will want a full service. So I think they take the approach of late evening departures and have a more compressed service so that people don't fall asleep with their faces in the dinner tray (yes I've seen this). But on CX you won't get scolded if you ask for something that isn't offered to you ie using the call bell. So at least CX is flexible.

I can confirm that it seems to be ISM preference when it comes to express or normal service. Of course you can request to differ from the standard if you wish.

I fly LHR<>HKG at least monthly but almost certainly on CX256 20:15 departure and CX251 23:55 return. 70% of time time, its full service on 256 whereas for 251 its around 50%.

I think it's ISM preference too.

I have the good fortune of scoring two long-haul U redemptions this month.

First was CX161 to SYD (9pm departure). Drinks and nuts before appetizer.

Second was CX233 to MXP (1am departure). No drink or nuts before appetizer.

Sorry but under no circumstances should an ISM get to decide not to serve drinks until the entree course. I can get over not having a pre-app round given the late departure of the flight (despite my preference for a full meal service to help stay awake to minimize jet lag) but serving it anything later than with the appetizer is just laughable, pathetic, and should be a reason for crew discipline - not the pervue of ISM preference.

I hope you are joking - crew discipline on a judgement call made in the service delivery is a little severe.

For one instance? No. But multiple instances of failing to following service standards without good reason? Absolutely. And they need to if they want to preserve the CX competitive advantage.

This is the big problem with U.S.-based carriers: the failure to institute consistent service standards (all the way from the structure of a food service to ensuring FAs are properly groomed/attired and treat passengers with at least a basic level of courtesy) because the carriers are too scared of the unions. Its the area where Arab and Asian carriers excel because they can impose stricter standards across the board (I've never seen a poorly groomed FA on CX or a FA who was too rotund to walk up the aisle with ease, up until this incident I've always been impressed with the consistent extent of service and level of professionalism on CX, and I have never been treated anything less than courtesy).

Frankly, most aspects of new AA J on the 77W (which will be flying to HKG next year; and a J product at least as good will soon be rolled out to the rest of the AA 777 fleet) are better than CX J: better entree quality/quantity, nice big and usually fresh salads, self-service bar/snack station, slippers, air show screens, air vents, not serving breakfast as a second meal on evening arrivals into the US from Asia, etc. CX only meaningful excels on lounges (airport-specific but CX HK lounges obviously exceed any AA lounge or any lounge an AA passenger has access to in a US airport), alcohol quality, and service consistency/professionalism. Kill the later and it tilts the balance away from me using CX as my preferred TPAC carrier. And I doubt I'd be alone in that analysis.

To be honest, I actually think on late night departures that it is standard procedure to omit the drinks trolley before serving the main course to economise on time. I know others here have posted that it is sometimes there, and sometimes not. But in my experience from what I remember, if a meal is listed as supper in the menu (which it usually is for midnight departures - including CX845), then there won't be a drinks trolley and they bring out the main faster to let people sleep earlier.

Normal dinner services will have a side salad with an appetizer. Supper services just have the side salad, which allows them to wheel out the main course trolley soon after distributing the trays, and then get a glass of wine on the tray too.

I'm pretty sure that you received the standard service for this flight. Sorry that you feel that it is sub-par, but if this is not a deal breaker and you fly CX again, remember to ask for a glass. The flight attendants won't scorn you for it.

AA will be flying to HKG next year?