CX vs KA on HKG-PVG route
Apr 4, 2018, 10:49 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,278
CX vs KA on HKG-PVG route
I'm looking at a long haul flight into HKG on CX in F. I would connect on to PVG I guess in J since I don't think the regional would have F. My question is I can book either KA or CX flight as my connection for the regional leg. Other than looking at departure times is there any reason to select one over the other?
Apr 4, 2018, 11:34 pm
#3
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,712
I'm looking at a long haul flight into HKG on CX in F. I would connect on to PVG I guess in J since I don't think the regional would have F. My question is I can book either KA or CX flight as my connection for the regional leg. Other than looking at departure times is there any reason to select one over the other?
*In the past I think most regulars in J and F would've pointed you to KA. Its catering offerings were historically superior to CX (far superior, in the case of PEK and PVG just as recently as 2-3 years ago), and I found service better at handling the occasional weird issues that happen with China flights (extreme delays being # 1 ).
*But CX, with the "rebrand" of KA, has essentially killed KA catering so that it's almost down to CX's levels. KA still uses a separate caterer but I fail to discern much difference between the two anymore.
*All regional hard products are aligned now across CX and KA. However, some KA flights have an F cabin, which confusingly is the same as CX long-haul J hard product. Even more confusingly, sometimes KA will sell F to PVG, and other times that cabin is flying but is sold as J.
*Long story short, I'd be agnostic...and go scheduling first. But if I had a little flexibility, I'd narrow it down to CX or a KA widebody (eliminating the KA narrowbodies, see below).
*If you book KA, I'd *probably* recommend sticking with a widebody config (A330) because the narrowbodies, except for a blue-moon on the A321, go out of the "Dragon Island" which is just an extra pain in the butt because you gotta take a bus out. It's not too terrible but it adds about 5-10 minutes to the time to get to your gate and you have to ride a bus for a few minutes, sometimes crammed in pretty tight. "Dragon Island" is our name for the remote terminal which is currently only accessible by bus, and is where most of HKG's (very few) narrow-body flights are relegated to. Virtually all KA A320 and A321 flights go from there. KA has a ton of flights to PVG each day and some are A330s other are A320/A321 so check. Sometime in the next few years a bridge is being built between the main terminal and Dragon Island but until then the bus is the only way to access it. My guess is Dragon Island will become a lot better experience once the bus is eliminated, I hate the damn bus.
*CX offers a mix of regional and long-haul birds to PVG. Usually either 33E, 33K, 33P, but sometimes also 77H, 773Z and 772Z.
*You can find our fleet guide here with details (including what all the airplane codes above mean), comparing the KA and CX fleet types. Cathay Pacific / Cathay Dragon Fleet, Route and Configuration Guide
Apr 4, 2018, 11:44 pm
#4
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,278
There are a few threads on this, I recommend searching a bit because there's significantly more content here than a few posts will provide. That said:
*In the past I think most regulars in J and F would've pointed you to KA. Its catering offerings were historically superior to CX (far superior, in the case of PEK and PVG just as recently as 2-3 years ago), and I found service better at handling the occasional weird issues that happen with China flights (extreme delays being # 1 ).
*But CX, with the "rebrand" of KA, has essentially killed KA catering so that it's almost down to CX's levels. KA still uses a separate caterer but I fail to discern much difference between the two anymore.
*All regional hard products are aligned now across CX and KA. However, some KA flights have an F cabin, which confusingly is the same as CX long-haul J hard product. Even more confusingly, sometimes KA will sell F to PVG, and other times that cabin is flying but is sold as J.
*Long story short, I'd be agnostic...and go scheduling first. But if I had a little flexibility, I'd narrow it down to CX or a KA widebody (eliminating the KA narrowbodies, see below).
*If you book KA, I'd *probably* recommend sticking with a widebody config (A330) because the narrowbodies, except for a blue-moon on the A321, go out of the "Dragon Island" which is just an extra pain in the butt because you gotta take a bus out. It's not too terrible but it adds about 5-10 minutes to the time to get to your gate and you have to ride a bus for a few minutes, sometimes crammed in pretty tight. "Dragon Island" is our name for the remote terminal which is currently only accessible by bus, and is where most of HKG's (very few) narrow-body flights are relegated to. Virtually all KA A320 and A321 flights go from there. KA has a ton of flights to PVG each day and some are A330s other are A320/A321 so check. Sometime in the next few years a bridge is being built between the main terminal and Dragon Island but until then the bus is the only way to access it. My guess is Dragon Island will become a lot better experience once the bus is eliminated, I hate the damn bus.
*CX offers a mix of regional and long-haul birds to PVG. Usually either 33E, 33K, 33P, but sometimes also 77H, 773Z and 772Z.
*You can find our fleet guide here with details (including what all the airplane codes above mean), comparing the KA and CX fleet types. Cathay Pacific / Cathay Dragon Fleet, Route and Configuration Guide
*In the past I think most regulars in J and F would've pointed you to KA. Its catering offerings were historically superior to CX (far superior, in the case of PEK and PVG just as recently as 2-3 years ago), and I found service better at handling the occasional weird issues that happen with China flights (extreme delays being # 1 ).
*But CX, with the "rebrand" of KA, has essentially killed KA catering so that it's almost down to CX's levels. KA still uses a separate caterer but I fail to discern much difference between the two anymore.
*All regional hard products are aligned now across CX and KA. However, some KA flights have an F cabin, which confusingly is the same as CX long-haul J hard product. Even more confusingly, sometimes KA will sell F to PVG, and other times that cabin is flying but is sold as J.
*Long story short, I'd be agnostic...and go scheduling first. But if I had a little flexibility, I'd narrow it down to CX or a KA widebody (eliminating the KA narrowbodies, see below).
*If you book KA, I'd *probably* recommend sticking with a widebody config (A330) because the narrowbodies, except for a blue-moon on the A321, go out of the "Dragon Island" which is just an extra pain in the butt because you gotta take a bus out. It's not too terrible but it adds about 5-10 minutes to the time to get to your gate and you have to ride a bus for a few minutes, sometimes crammed in pretty tight. "Dragon Island" is our name for the remote terminal which is currently only accessible by bus, and is where most of HKG's (very few) narrow-body flights are relegated to. Virtually all KA A320 and A321 flights go from there. KA has a ton of flights to PVG each day and some are A330s other are A320/A321 so check. Sometime in the next few years a bridge is being built between the main terminal and Dragon Island but until then the bus is the only way to access it. My guess is Dragon Island will become a lot better experience once the bus is eliminated, I hate the damn bus.
*CX offers a mix of regional and long-haul birds to PVG. Usually either 33E, 33K, 33P, but sometimes also 77H, 773Z and 772Z.
*You can find our fleet guide here with details (including what all the airplane codes above mean), comparing the KA and CX fleet types. Cathay Pacific / Cathay Dragon Fleet, Route and Configuration Guide
Apr 4, 2018, 11:48 pm
#5
Join Date: Oct 2009
Location: ORD [formerly] + HKG
Programs: CX Diamond, AA exExPlat, BAEC exGold, HH Diamond, Hyatt Globalist, Starriott Titanium, GE
Posts: 2,967
KA operates on two airways while CX only operates on one between HKG-PVG, this could be a huge advantage for flying KA during flow control days.
Apr 5, 2018, 9:35 am
#6
Join Date: Sep 2005
Location: TPE / HSZ
Programs: CX GO (=SPH), IHG Diamond Amb, Hertz 5*, Accor, Hilton, National
Posts: 6,439
I'm looking at a long haul flight into HKG on CX in F. I would connect on to PVG I guess in J since I don't think the regional would have F. My question is I can book either KA or CX flight as my connection for the regional leg. Other than looking at departure times is there any reason to select one over the other?
Apr 5, 2018, 12:15 pm
#7
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2013
Location: NYC
Programs: Marriott Plat, Hilton Gold, UA Silver
Posts: 2,278
Its an award flight so point earning on the flight isn't a factor this flight but good to know for future.
Apr 6, 2018, 2:37 am
#11
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: CX DM, BA Gold
Posts: 135
I fly HKG-PVG/SHA a lot in a mix of J/Y. Just a few thoughts:
1) For CX, this route, as most of its regional routes gets equipment swapped a lot, sometimes very close to departure. The morning CX flight (looks like what you are on) is the mostly likely to be on the LH product.
2) Depending on your destination in Shanghai, KA does give you two choices. SHA is a lot less affected by ATC for this route although it seems they have downgraded the daily flight to A321 now (it has been A333 for years).
3) J catering on KA is very similar to CX although KA does offer some monthly special menus (but not for breakfast). You'd be better offer just eat at the lounge. For future reference, Y catering, KA is way better than CX.
4) It is a short flight (plus the likely-than-not long taxi at PVG) so even a regional J product is not end of the world. (try to avoid those A320s and sometimes even the morning A333s can leave from a bus gate).
5) For breakfast, Pier F offers a lot more choices than Wing F.
1) For CX, this route, as most of its regional routes gets equipment swapped a lot, sometimes very close to departure. The morning CX flight (looks like what you are on) is the mostly likely to be on the LH product.
2) Depending on your destination in Shanghai, KA does give you two choices. SHA is a lot less affected by ATC for this route although it seems they have downgraded the daily flight to A321 now (it has been A333 for years).
3) J catering on KA is very similar to CX although KA does offer some monthly special menus (but not for breakfast). You'd be better offer just eat at the lounge. For future reference, Y catering, KA is way better than CX.
4) It is a short flight (plus the likely-than-not long taxi at PVG) so even a regional J product is not end of the world. (try to avoid those A320s and sometimes even the morning A333s can leave from a bus gate).
5) For breakfast, Pier F offers a lot more choices than Wing F.
Apr 6, 2018, 3:24 am
#12
Join Date: Oct 2014
Location: HKG
Posts: 1,053
Apr 6, 2018, 6:32 pm
#13
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,964
Apr 6, 2018, 8:16 pm
#14
Suspended
Join Date: May 2006
Location: HKG
Programs: A3, TK *G; JL JGC; SPG,Hilton Gold
Posts: 9,952