Cathay First is overrated
 

Definitely my least favorite First Class experience - both lounges in HKG and in-flight (CX888) were very poor comparing to other airlines. Non-exciting airline with below average service. :td:

Would you mind elaborating a bit?

If you are going post a hit piece, at least add details and explain the service failures. Otherwise, you're just another crank to be ignored. :rolleyes:

Don`t even know where to begin with, everything was just below a decent F.

The lounges (I visited The Wing and The Pier) had non-existent service (girls stood in bunch of 4-5 minding their own business-no welcome, no help with carry-on, never asked me if I needed anything, just took my plate and glass-those The Peninsula folks are not trained somehow, and so on...) The Pier had a room which looked like a party just crashed into it and left a huge mess -leftovers were sitting under the lights melting and spoiling. A guy stood at the entrance to that room, so I suppose it was normal appearance (disgusting - if you ask me). The Noodle Bar (which served decent noodles in April) went down the hill - a canteen with awful noodles - couldn`t even eat it. Can`t think of anything positive or put it on the same scale with SIN Private Room or LH FCT.

Flight experience was bad on HKG-YVR leg - the worst service (unfriendly flight attendant - stiff and not welcoming despite she was from Canada with Shanghai-born mother, fake and indifferent manager who cared less about passengers). Food was bad on that leg as well, limited wine selection (1/2 of the wine list). Krug? Ok, but SIN has two Doms in addition to the same Krug, and JAL has the most amazing wine selection among all airlines.
The leg from YVR to JFK was pleasant-much better food and much better caring service (based in Vancouver as well, but one was Japanese and the other was born in HKG).

Other little things such as no toothbrush or other products in the bathrooms is so out of date-nowadays it is not acceptable for F and other Asian airlines have those items even for J. One PJ per person on two leg flight? Too cheap. Asking didn`t yield another one...

And that`s just a few things...

Sounds like a dreaded YVR crew....

I am sorry to hear your experience in CX F. My last time with CX888 was wonderful in two legs.

1. In Pier, did you ask the attendants in the restaurant what you wanted to eat/drink or whatever they could help...?

2. They must do a better job to clean up the mess. That's for sure.

3. I really cannot remember when there was service to help with carry-on. In 4/5-star hotels, yes, but in First class lounges? I know JAL, CX, BA, SQ, TK, LX, KL, AF. I don't think it's fair for you to even expect help with luggage.

3. How exactly the food was bad in HKG-YVR? What food was bad? Perhaps the food was not to your liking?

4. You knew where the attendants were from. Apparently you had a conversation with the FAs. In your opinion, how much more do they need to do? If you want a longer/more personal conversation with the FA, how about going to the galley and talk to them? CX888 is also an overnight flight, both legs. One really cannot expect to have an FA sitting next to their First class suite enjoying the wine while others are trying to sleep.

5. Why do you need two PJs when you are taking the same direct flight? I think they are very reasonable - Giving PJ to HKG-YVR flight, or even YVR-JFK flight. Some folks were just flying F for the second segment, and they still received a set of pajamas. I really can't consider that as cheap.

6. At the end, if you truly think some of their services are not up to your expectation, write to the customer relations. At the end of the flight, try to ask for an opinion/comments card, and write to express your concerns. Last time I wrote, I saw the ISM read it while I was going to the lavatory. Shortly after I went back to the seat, she came over and apologized for some deficiencies at the airport/in the flight, and promised they would do better. Next time I was in the HKG-US flight again, the new ISM recognized me, and immediately followed up with the concerns I gave them in previous flights. They mentioned they had records of my previous flights, so they knew how to reasonably improve their service.

Good luck to your next flight.

I don't know who's cheap here? CX not providing two PJs on the same flight or someone sitting in F wanting two PJs on the same flight (??)

No toothbrush? You have the amenity kit and in the bathroom they stock Aesop product. So I am not sure if your 'complaint' is even valid???

Sounds like the OP had a bad day to begin with, and was grumpy so everything that didn't right to him/her, just escalated into a bad experience. If things are not right , then make it right by being intereactive... smile, say thank you.. instead of sitting there thinking that you're the king / queen of the world. A simple gesture goes long way.

I think CX F has gone downhill in the last year or so, and I agree CX F may be overhyped. I prefer JL F.

However, CX is still excellent in the grand scheme of things, and I think some of the criticisms are somewhat unfair. There is a toothbrush in the amenity kit. Why do you need two pajamas? CX crews are reactive, unlike SQ crews, and you have to learn to push the call button. CX food has never been its high point, especially the western mains, but the Chinese options and snack menu are decent--so knowing what to order is key. Not having 1/2 of the wine list is indeed unacceptable, as well as the messy lounge.

Ultimately, is CX F perfect? No. Is it overhyped? Perhaps. Is it still a top notch F product? I think so.

I don't understand who is hyping it?

CX F is, IMO, the best bed in the sky. It improved - not declined - following the cosmetic F refresh a year or two ago. Other carriers offer nice products, but I haven't flown another F product on offer with a hard F product that beats CX. (Fwiw, I haven't flown that new etihad F with the bedrooms or whatever on the a380, but have flown most others).

CX F F & B are behind competitors. No doubt about it.

The Pier F is, IMO, now one of if not the best F lounge globally. On this gripe, it sounds like the OP had a bad experience but I cannot disagree more with his conclusion. One trip doesn't spell reality. At least in the nearly 10x times I've been in there so far, I havent had such a problem.

CX ground services do not offer all the bells, whistles, hand holding and bling as competitors. Some of this argument is fair - I think buggies for deplaning F pax would be a nice gesture from far gates. But some of these complaints are nonsense, IMO. HKG offers what is perhaps the most efficient all around ground experience of any major global airport. For CX to offer the amount of extras like LG at FRA or TG at BKK, IMO, is unnecessary. FRA and BKK can be horrific airport experiences without fast tracks and premium services. HKG just never has that issue.

I would share some opinions with the OP.
- Food and wines are clearly inferior.
- HKG lounges do not match the service and F&B of the lounges dedicated to F-pax only at LHR, FRA/MUC or SIN.
- On any airline, one can always get a FA team that has a bad day.
- I would add that no buggy at HKIA is a shame

But CX hard product is wonderful and the overall experience is excellent.

The funny part of the post is the request for 2 PJs on a one-stop flight.

+2. It was upon reading that part that I had to conclude the OP was having a bad day.

+1

Or expecting toothbrushes throughout the aircraft.

I last flew on CX888 (YVR-JFK) in F a few months ago, and I find this claim hard to swallow. The CX888 YVR-JFK menu was extremely limited. Not that I wanted to each much anyway - boarding in YVR, I just wanted to sleep - but just noticing. IIRC there were 2 appetizers (a small but lovely seafood appetizer, and soup), 1 western main and 1 Chinese offering, and a few desserts. At least CX888 HKG-YVR has a more broad menu; 3 course Chinese offering, caviar, more mains, etc. I suppose it could come down to the options but I hadn't flown the YVR-JFK leg in F before, and was shocked at how limited the menu was. I've flown most CX routes in F; the previous winner for limited options was CX F to TPE and MNL. Yet even that has an equal or larger menu than YVR-JFK on 888 (to be fair, the seafood appetizer from YVR was of high quality. Just menu was limited). If I had been flying through from HKG en route to JFK, and my time clock was off, I would've been bummed given the limited selection.

Some of airlines, say SQ, keep the toothbrushes in the F bathroom. I will give the benefit of the doubt to the OP and assume he didn't realize CX's toothbrush is contained within the amenity kit. Maybe he couldn't find it?

As far as catering YVR-JFK is concerned, it bears mentioning that YVR originating pax will likely have eaten and want nothing more than to sleep as much as possible. Those who originated in HKG may well be more alert during the flight, but are still on a 5 hour overnight leg that arrives at 7 am local.

The thing that is really missing from this service is breakfast. Boarding in YVR I don't want dinner, or supper. I want four hours kip followed by a decent breakfast.

Ha, yea just shows they can't plese everyone. I booked the flight so I could head straight to a breakfast meeting in NY. I wanted to sleep until the absolute last possible moment allowable before landing. Similar to what I do ex-DXB. I guess provided they kept the lights off I wouldn't have an issue, although inevitably the clanging of plates is a possible way to get woken up.


...but yea, thinking on it I don't really want supper either. I just want to sleep the whole damn time. Breakfast makes more sense for the ex-YVR crowd than dinner.

Kat007: Please fly your preferred carrier next time so that we can enjoy CX F peacefully next time.

+1

IMO you can't give real feedback on a flight until you've done 10x on the same sector/cabin within 12 months. Everyone has their off day - even passengers.

I get help with carry-on almost all the time-personnel asks for assistance, or just grab it - especially if they see I have a few items. The Pier has a very thick carpet, and it is extremely hard to drag something over it, but a girl I asked about foot massage (they were booked for the next five hours, so I didn`t get it either-and so no cabanas at The Wings-they said no chance) just took off, and I followed her with my few carry ons. This is NOT acceptable for First Class service no matter if you personally ever received such help.

[QUOTE=Paulakers2010;25787286]
3. How exactly the food was bad in HKG-YVR? What food was bad? Perhaps the food was not to your liking?

Maybe those who never had good HK (or Western) food find that good, but I lived in HK and Europe for some time, so no, I don`t like awful food, which was on the first leg HKG-YVR.

I wish that was the case here, but I guess you judge for yourself and present such behavior yourself.

I had a great day, but CX surely spoiled it for me.

P.S. Your comment about "king sitting there" is just too silly. I fly in F very frequent, so that newbie attitude you describe is opposite from my behavior.

Sounds like what you need, is a nanny instead.

What does this have to do with anything??

Out of date??? What were you expecting? A Japanese electronic toilet?

You can't be serious right? Did you s* in your pants throughout the 12 hour flight, that you needed a second pair?? :rolleyes:

Yeah, seems like you do fly in F quite regularly.

Perhaps you should continue churning all those credit cards of yours and try United First next?

On several TPAC F flights on CX, I asked for more than one PJ, and has never been denied. Guess smiles and "thank you" do get a long way!

I am a captive of CX IFE, JL is no comparison at all!!

Ditto. I don't often ask for extra pairs, but when I do I have never been denied. On an F flight JFK-HKG last month, I had a FA aggressively trying to give me another. She was quite aggressive in trying to ensure I got a second...I mentioned my significant other, which is what spurred her trying to give me another to take home. My significant other has plenty anyway, and I declined. But she returned to my seat 2-3x including right before landing making sure I didn't want another pair.

The amenity kits seem to be much tighter inventory. On return flights I frequently ask to swap mine for a female version, which I gift to family members (I am a male)...because I can just reuse the amenity kits from the outbound sector I got a few days before. Often, the FAs mistakenly think I'm asking for a second amenity kit. I've been "denied" multiple amenity kits on many occasions.

I have had 15+ sectors on CX F this year. In my opinion, the soft product is at times uneven but I don't really think there is any product in the air now that can match the hard product.
There's always going to be cutbacks, and CX is no different. For now though, their alternatives still outpace the competition, imo.

I prefer The Pier, as it is a much quieter lounge but everytime I've been through The Pier or The Wing, I find very little to complain about. Usually, the only complaint I do find is that the waitstaff is not topping off my champagne as much as I would like :D

I chuckled but also :rolleyes:

With in excess of forty long haul F sectors under my belt so far this year (and twenty odd of them on CX) I can happily say that IMHO it is the best F product in the sky all things considered. The bed is divine, the food generally excellent and the staff are remarkably attuned to pax needs. Yes occasionally something goes wrong but then nobody and no one is perfect!

Wow...

Just off Our 3 rd F trip with CX still one of the better F experiences. (TK,TG,LX,LH,BA,JAL,OZ) enjoyed 'the Wing' Use of cabana, In flight services +dinning only 'Huge negative 'was the boarding at gate4 no escort no FirstClass line ! Writing to Cathay with Review

I started to use CX as an alternative to LH during the recurring strike periods. Started to really like the product (hard and soft), I feel they are very consistent. On board food is other story , especially the main dishes, also the lounges from europe DUS, ZRH are a mess and not really F lounges. Nothing to complain about the lounges in HKG. I think the overall product is great and I'm already looking forward to fly it again.

Feel sorry the OP had a bad experience. So far from my side, it never went that wrong.

So your personnel department usually book assistance for you? Are you saying it was booked and you no one turned up or the person that did turn up refused to pull your carry ons?

I have to say I am struggling to understand exactly what you requested and who from. Who exactly did you follow with your carry ons?

Less wow...more occasionally soul destroying! ;-)

Thank you. No airline is perfect, but CX was just a mess all the way (with exception of the short leg YVR-JFK).
If my experience is not typical for in-flight part, then I guess I should write to CX instead of here.

better than most J :)

To the OP; If you ever fly UA in F, be sure to take high blood pressure with you. You could not survive a UA F lounge or flight.

At least UA is not overrated and is what it is. CX is hugely overrated. I guess by those who only compare it to the worst, and not, such as myself, to the best.

I think this is a very fair summary.

I also believe the OP is making the mistake of judging one or two segments as an entire airline F experience for all F routes for that airline. That's a fallacy that is commonly made. I don't doubt that the crew might have been less than stellar on one segment. I don't doubt the food/wine selection might have been less than stellar on one segment. I also don't doubt that these are not necessarily reflective of the overall service and food/beverage available on most CX F flights.

I had a stupendous UA GF LAX-LHR flight in Dec 2014--which was far better in terms of service, food, and IFE than a return flight on EK F CPT-DXB in Jan 2015. That being said, I can't and won't declare broadly that UA GF is better than EK F or that EK F is overrated. Especially since our EK F DXB-LAX flight was perhaps the best flight I've yet enjoyed. I just had one very disappointing EK F experience and one very impressive UA GF experience...and another amazing EK F experience.

I also agree that our OP is being a bit nit-picky and unfairly demanding when it comes to luggage service in a lounge and a toothbrush in an airline F bathroom.

OTOH, I will enjoy not competing with our OP for any future award F seats on CX. So fret away, OP! :D

It`s all yours now, I`ll stick to the superior ones :D

I`ve never was denied an extra PJ by any airline - ever, but CX rejected my request.

JL has the best in-flight F service overall among all airlines - you can`t deny that. It`s lounges are not great, the food is so-so, but they excel in in-flight service! And for that reason, it is above CX.