KrazyTrain18

I'm very surprised CX aren't at least addressing why they have decided to stray from a flat bed design and also address the fact that nearly everybody hates the current regional J product. Whether it makes sense to or not is irrelevant when all your competitors are offering it. Like QRC pointed out, SQ is eating their lunch on J product offering between HKG-SIN let alone the regional market entirely.

sxc

I'm not. It's clear that you can fit in more seats if you don't have flat beds.

There are ways to do recliners where it's still comfortable. Such as this:

https://runwaygirlnetwork.com/2017/0...ness-recliner/

G-CIVC

I wish they would go for the B/E Diamond as a regional J product. I flew the QR version and it was very comfy and thoughtfully designed, perfect for a short haul flight. (It's also the AA 321T J product if that's easier to picture...)

I looked at the QR specs and somehow it isn't that space guzzling, at 45" pitch and 21" width.

KrazyTrain18

So in essence what long haul PEY could be ? I do like that design though if CX are indeed going the way of recliners. I wasn't aware that CX was looking to increase capacity in regional J.

percysmith

I don't think CX will increase capacity in regional J. For all we know, with the move from 33Z-->33P, they are cutting regional J capacity.

They don't seem to want to densify regional J tho. Given CX these days that's something.

peasant

SilkAir business class is also pretty pointless. I think SQ are just better at brand segmentation, vs Cathay/ Cathay Dragon.

- SilkAir narrowbody only, business class lounge seats
- Tiger/ Scoot. LCC, no business class
- SQ, widebody only, recliner or full flat business class

Compare to CX/KA. KA has narrowbodies with no business class, but isn't an LCC. Plus a semi long haul product, and a regional business class product. CX has long haul and regional product, and on the region, you are never sure what is going to turn up.

At least with the SQ group, I know what I am going to get - the brand consistency is much better.

QRC3288

Agree, although one small error. KA has reconfigured their whole fleet - the economy-only A320s are gone. Biz class on KA now guarantees you the (crappy) CX/KA group regional business class product. What this mean is, at least with KA you know what you're going to get. I have to say I at least appreciate the knowledge of product I'll have, even if it sucks. Because I can make more informed buying decisions that way.

With CX, it really is a merry-go-round and you never can know.

You can see the KA configs at our spreadsheet below...it's just called A320 (A320-200 v1). The previous A320s, called A320P and A320M I think (v2 and v3, one of them was an old recliner-seat variant, and the other was the all-economy variant) are gone.

Cathay Pacific / Cathay Dragon Fleet, Route and Configuration Guide

hl176

If going with a recliner, why not go with one that has the seat pan tilt upwards essentially like on a lay-z-boy recliner giving it that almost suspended, floating feel?

boybi

Didn't notice that KA have foregone the all economy A320s. But I am curious as to why they don't sell J tickets to/from CRK.

QRC3288

Explanation 1:

There might not be a market for it? It's a pretty low-yield market from my understanding.

And fyi, KA does similar actions to other places in mainland China with the A330s. For example, selling some J seats as Y, or some F seats as J.

If this explanation is accurate, then it's just the same as what KA does to some mainland China cities with the A330. There legitimately might just not be a market for J class from CRK, and CX is better off selling 8 more Y tickets than trying to sell 1 or 2 J tickets at a low yield.

Explanation 2

It's also possible that this is just the result of KA's final A320 w/o Y being retrofitted. Aka, KA just re-aligned all their A320s to one type. So maybe in time the schedule will sell J on that route again but you're just looking at it during a "transition" period.



My guess is, it's one of the two reasons above.

boybi

Can't they just try to sell J fares, then just upgrade some Ys during checkin if there's still J available?

peasant

Cheers - missed that. My flying decisions are now entirely on schedule unless there is a major price difference - so this past year has been SQ/CX/Brunei/Malindo/Lion Air/ Garuda/ Silkair/ EVA/ Korean/ Asiana/ Thai/ BA / Finnair. Completely sub optimal from a mileage or status view - but I just can't be arsed anymore. Just get me where I need to be when I need to be there.

brunos

Sorry to disagree. I flew to DAD last month and had the Y-only A320 on the return leg. KA was only selling Y (no J) and I got to sit in the first business row on the outbound (with Y service). But the inbound ac only had Y seats.
I am planning another flight to DAD in the Fall and KA/CX only sell Y.

The retrofit is not completed yet, or has been stopped.

bart simpson

I think eventually, all KA routes will be selling J-class fares as well.

J-class fares have recently been introduced to Okinawa. I'm expecting DAD, REP, CJU, DAD, etc. to follow

QRC3288

It happened literally in the last week or two.

As of last month, there was a single Y-only A320. You got unlucky to be stuck with it. A few posters have reported to us that the final bird - probably the one you flew - is now retrofitted (or in the process, aka it's not flying around anymore).