Disappointed aircraft changed from lie flat bed to angle seat!
May 31, 2018, 10:13 am
#76
Join Date: Jul 2006
Location: NYC
Programs: pleb
Posts: 563
Does anyone know if HKG -> TPE has frequent equipment swaps? I specifically avoided the recliners and booked a nice afternoon flight on a 33K with LH config but reading this thread, I'm a bit scared on an equipment swap. Any info regarding this route would be helpful, thanks.
May 31, 2018, 10:47 am
#77
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: YVR, KUL
Programs: AC, MH, BA, AF-KL
Posts: 2,904
Does anyone know if HKG -> TPE has frequent equipment swaps? I specifically avoided the recliners and booked a nice afternoon flight on a 33K with LH config but reading this thread, I'm a bit scared on an equipment swap. Any info regarding this route would be helpful, thanks.
May 31, 2018, 6:21 pm
#79
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
TPE is worse, if only because there are ~3x more frequencies daily. It's a merry go round.
To YVRTraveler, the fellow we're responding to most recently, I wouldn't count anything in the bag. The *best* odds of guaranteeing the flat bed are on one of the morning frequencies, usually CX474. It's usually flown by a long-haul aircraft that landed in the early morning and is utilized during the daytime. If everything goes as planned the plane you booked will stay....but TPE is the first thing to get swapped when something elsewhere in the system doesn't go as planned, which is obviously quite frequently given the size of the CX network. Just prepare yourself for disappointment.
Likewise, the inverse could happen. On my flight to TPE ~10 days ago I was scheduled for 773, but a last minute (~2 hours before departure) swap brought 77H instead.
To YVRTraveler, the fellow we're responding to most recently, I wouldn't count anything in the bag. The *best* odds of guaranteeing the flat bed are on one of the morning frequencies, usually CX474. It's usually flown by a long-haul aircraft that landed in the early morning and is utilized during the daytime. If everything goes as planned the plane you booked will stay....but TPE is the first thing to get swapped when something elsewhere in the system doesn't go as planned, which is obviously quite frequently given the size of the CX network. Just prepare yourself for disappointment.
Likewise, the inverse could happen. On my flight to TPE ~10 days ago I was scheduled for 773, but a last minute (~2 hours before departure) swap brought 77H instead.
May 31, 2018, 6:25 pm
#80
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: MNL
Programs: CX MPO DM, Le Club Accor Platinum, World of Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 2,284
Does anyone know if HKG -> TPE has frequent equipment swaps? I specifically avoided the recliners and booked a nice afternoon flight on a 33K with LH config but reading this thread, I'm a bit scared on an equipment swap. Any info regarding this route would be helpful, thanks.
I hate the regional config, I call it World Best Premium Economy (although some PEYs seem to be catching up) I do however want to point out that HKG-TPE could be as short as 1hr 13 mins, so it doesn't make much difference whether is regional or long haul config to me as long as it fits my schedule.
Last edited by FlyPointyEnd; May 31, 2018 at 11:42 pm
May 31, 2018, 6:41 pm
#81
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: CGK
Posts: 2,375
As many people have mentioned, yet they do get swapped often, but it also depends on the flight. Like it used to be 77H most often for 474/475. I think this has been changed to 35Gs lately, but most of my flight on 474/475 were always long haul configuration.
I hate the regional config, I call it World Best Premium Economy (although some PEYs seem to be catching up) I do however want to point out that HKG-TPE could be as short as 1hr 13 mins, so it doesn't make much difference whether is regional or long haul config to me as long as it fits my schedule.
I hate the regional config, I call it World Best Premium Economy (although some PEYs seem to be catching up) I do however want to point out that HKG-TPE could be as short as 1hr 13 mins, so it doesn't make much difference whether is regional or long haul config to me as long as it fits my schedule.
May 31, 2018, 11:32 pm
#82
Join Date: Mar 2018
Posts: 38
As many people have mentioned, yet they do get swapped often, but it also depends on the flight. Like it used to be 77H most often for 474/475. I think this has been changed to 35Gs lately, but most of my flight on 474/475 were always long haul configuration.
I hate the regional config, I call it World Best Premium Economy (although some PEYs seem to be catching up) I do however want to point out that HKG-TPE could be as short as 1hr 13 mins, so it doesn't make much difference whether is regional or long haul config to me as long as it fits my schedule.
I hate the regional config, I call it World Best Premium Economy (although some PEYs seem to be catching up) I do however want to point out that HKG-TPE could be as short as 1hr 13 mins, so it doesn't make much difference whether is regional or long haul config to me as long as it fits my schedule.
May 31, 2018, 11:41 pm
#83
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: CX Green, QF Platinum, BAEC Silver, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 10,780
Jun 1, 2018, 4:31 am
#85
Join Date: Jul 2017
Location: CGK
Posts: 2,375
Oct 3, 2018, 5:06 am
#87
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH, YYC
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 753
This just happened to me. Traveling BKK-HKG. I chose an A350 flight deliberately. Now I went to check in and it’s now a 777 with regional business class.
There re were several A350 options for that day at the time of booking and now all are either 777 or A330. Unfortunately I discovered this thread too late or I wouldn’t have booked CX at all.
There re were several A350 options for that day at the time of booking and now all are either 777 or A330. Unfortunately I discovered this thread too late or I wouldn’t have booked CX at all.
Oct 3, 2018, 10:12 am
#88
Join Date: Nov 2016
Posts: 121
This just happened to me. Traveling BKK-HKG. I chose an A350 flight deliberately. Now I went to check in and it’s now a 777 with regional business class.
There re were several A350 options for that day at the time of booking and now all are either 777 or A330. Unfortunately I discovered this thread too late or I wouldn’t have booked CX at all.
There re were several A350 options for that day at the time of booking and now all are either 777 or A330. Unfortunately I discovered this thread too late or I wouldn’t have booked CX at all.
And it’s called Regional business class for a reason and for a 2 or even 3 hour BKK/SIN for example it’s perfectly fine and you do not need a lie flat bed. In some ways CX should keep long haul aircraft on long haul routes and use regional business class exclusively around Asia to prevent disappointment like this - but then J passengers wouldn’t get the unexpected delight of a flat bed to TPE. 😑
Oct 3, 2018, 10:39 am
#89
Join Date: Jul 2008
Location: IAH, YYC
Programs: UA 1K
Posts: 753
i understand people’s frustration that the aircraft cabin has been switched but there’s no need to get upset or even vow to never fly with cx anymore. You’re still onboard CX with the ancillary service/lounge/baggage that it brings.
And it’s called Regional business class for a reason and for a 2 or even 3 hour BKK/SIN for example it’s perfectly fine and you do not need a lie flat bed. In some ways CX should keep long haul aircraft on long haul routes and use regional business class exclusively around Asia to prevent disappointment like this - but then J passengers wouldn’t get the unexpected delight of a flat bed to TPE. 😑
the disappointment is that I had multiple options for this flight, and chose CX for the A350 business class product. Being based in North America, I’m pretty used to crap hard product, so this was supposed to be a rare treat. I’m not saying I won’t travel Cathay Pacific again, but I will only choose them if they win on price and schedule, because I won’t trust that the product I book is what I’ll get.
Oct 3, 2018, 10:52 am
#90
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
Sorry, but I disagree. The point isn’t whether or not I need a flat bed for a two hour flight. Nobody “needs” to travel in business class at all, let alone in a bed. The point is that CX loaded their schedule months in advance with multiple A350 flights advertising a certain standard of product (lie flat beds, brand new plane). Now, precisely zero of those flights will be with the advertised product. If they aren’t prepared to deliver on that promise, they should load their schedules with 777 and A330 regional business class instead. This seemingly goes way beyond a swap from time to time for operational reasons, there are six pages of comments on this thread!
the disappointment is that I had multiple options for this flight, and chose CX for the A350 business class product. Being based in North America, I’m pretty used to crap hard product, so this was supposed to be a rare treat. I’m not saying I won’t travel Cathay Pacific again, but I will only choose them if they win on price and schedule, because I won’t trust that the product I book is what I’ll get.