If memory serves, there are also some slight differences between the Aria Suites in the first few rows, as those had to be made with the curvature of the fuselage in mind..? Can't recall 100% but definitely was mentioned by the seat peeps during Aria walk-through...

Planning to book an LHR for departure in a few days... toying between what looks to be a very empty CX257 (A350) or CX255 on the new Aria Suite. Is it worth it to specifically choose the Aria Suites?

An empty A350 is definitely better in every way.

IMHO, the only reason to choose the 777 flight would be to sample the Aria Suites, which is a decent-enough reason if that's your thing - otherwise an A350 would absolutely be the way to. Much quieter cabin, greater seance of space, less impact of jetlag, and Cathay's A350's business class is still a great product, arguably one of the better non-doored seats.

Anyone know why they're only showing that they're flying the 777 until the end of March on the LHR route? Have they just not updated the system or is it not coming to london after March? Thinking about booking CX250 in April but its showing as being operated by the A350.

Is CX still removing some of their 777s?, could be sent to xiamen for that reason too.

If Wifi is a factor, generally speaking CX's 77W wifi is better than the A350 wifi (esp the A359 early deliveries). I am not a technical expert but I'm certain as a regular user, that CXs 777 wifi is the best in the fleet. And the A359s can be the worst in the fleet. I'm not exactly sure what is the reason behind it, but I'm certain there is a difference, especially some of the early A359 deliveries.

I've seen some people write about the technical differences here, which is not my cup of tea.

I'm also not sure what if anything is being done about this, and maybe it is being rectified.

It is possible to get on one of the "bad wifi" A359s with a full load (I think it was B-LRD? Or maybe LRF or LRA?), and have borderline unusable internet for the entire flight. Pretty much useless. I had this happen from SFO a few months ago.

I really hope that CX could upgrade their wifi
:(
A359's wifi is bad but they're the only ones that can function in Russia Area. CX831 is always an internet detox for me:(

They still haven't posted their summer schedule. (They're always the last one to do so) The flights with the new product would be posted soon

The crew told me that the doors are supposed to be locked during TTL (taxi, take-off, landing) as per their safety policy, thus they have to do it (lock and unlock) for all 45 suites at each phase. This can be very time consuming and not really efficent for cabin crews. Most probably the crew may have forgotten to unlock the doors as they sprung into service action after seatbelt signs are off.

To be honest, that's pretty much the standard for almost all operators with the business class suites equipped with a door.
JetBlue literally locked the doors on their new suites on some of their Airbus A321N with smaller Mint cabin because the US government even requires an additional F/A to make sure that all doors are locked during takeoff, taxiing and landing.
Other than Taipei flights, I don't see how locking and unlocking the doors really affect CX service. Ultimately if JetBlue F/As can handle the task, I don't see why folks in CX have such issues. In some ways, the purser can handle this task when they do their greetings to each business class passengers. If you don't use the doors, it is pointless to introduce these business class suites with doors. I think the Aria suites are still new to most cabin crews and they don't really have training with the actual products. CX possibly only makes them watch a video on these new suites.

Carfield

I was at the European launch event today (4-Feb) and got to try the mockup which I was told is a 1:1 scale of the actual product.

Things I did not get to try:
- Remote control
- TV features (e.g. Bluetooth, bathroom availability)
- Charging. I didn't bring a plug to test it.

The pros:
- The ambient lighting. The 5 different forms is a slam dunk improvement.
- The seat adjustment. With a press of a button, you can turn the seat into bed mode. It is marginally better than the 350 controls.
- The tray table. The adjustable table is another impressive part. It is easier to exit your seat without having to fully close the table. Now you simply push it forward.

The cons:
- The entrance towards the seat is extremely narrow. In the past, you could easily stand in that gap. However, I had to crab-walk my way in.
- The TV is too big and too close! It is at an uncomfortably close distance.
- The reduced size of the storage container.
- The footwell is tiny as reported. The seat also feels short. I am shorter than average and my feet were hitting the end of the seat.
- It is very hard to locate the wireless charging panel. Darker colours being used would be an instant QOL increase.

Things I am impartial to:
- The door. Not impressed or disappointed. I understand it is 2025 and it is industry standard.
- The armrest. It does the job. I wouldn't say this is good/bad compared to existing products.
- The sliding storage compartment. I am unsure if putting your wallet and passport there is a good idea. I also haven't tried opening and closing it with glasses of liquid on top.
- The new materials. The colour looks alright to me. The interior part of the shell now has a velvet-ish material.

Dealbreakers:
- The whole seat feels very confined and restrictive. Instead of the airy feeling you get with the old seats, you are almost locked into a tiny cubicle. This seat fits the theme of HK's lack of space.
- The TV is too big and too close!

Verdict:
- The product is good for Instagram pictures. Many flaws were left out in influencers' posts.
- I agree with QRC3288 that there's too much marketing hype. It will inevitably lead to disappointment.
- I would give long-haul a go before deciding whether it should be avoided.
- For now, I am happy to stick with the A350s. I wouldn't go out of my way to fly 250/255.

Note:
- (Disclaimer: unverified information) Aria could just be a stopgap for Halo. My understanding is that Aria extracted ideas from the new F product. The 777x J class could have an updated or even evolved design.

Wonderful first-hand observations!

Actually the doors on these kind of "suites" are locked in open position when you enter the airplane. What the FAs have to do is unlock them after takeoff and lock them before takeoff. Then the doors remain locked for the next flight. The process of locking/unlocking all doors might take a couple of minutes during the flight. During service, sliding the door open (when unlocked) just take a second or two. That is my experience with QRsuites, AF and BA suites.

A350 can also adjust in one button, only A330 and old 77W you have to press and hold hold hold hold hold LOL