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Originally Posted by djsflynn
(Post 36909825)
I was definitely referring more to as you say “the tech and ambience”, because I definitely agree that Cathay’s open suite design remains a delight. And as I mentioned, many people who fly F are less concerned with the hard product than they are with the sense of exclusivity in that smaller more private cabin space, and maybe service and F&B are part of that experience too.
I remember speaking with one of the design firms once about open versus closed suites in First - this was back before doors became a thing in business class - and he spoke of the clubby nature of First, the fact that many people who fly in first class on particular routes will often see their fellow travellers again and again, so even though the suites are not private a la Emirates and SQ (at the time, and maybe also Etihad), they can still provide privacy by design - which the CX ones do - without the passenger feeling hemmed in, and more importantly, they feel a sense of belonging in that cabin, it’s like it’s a little private club, so they don’t necessarily want to be shut off from everybody else, as long as they don’t have to mix it with the hoi polloi behind the curtain in business! I recall him saying that there was almost a sense of wanting to be seen in the first cabin, if only by others in that cabin, or at the very least not wanting to be hidden - so there was almost a sense of “theatre”. It’s a fascinating psychological take! It's not theater though! I think the folks (including designers) pitching that aren't really the customer. F is bigger and more comfortable and easier and better. If you can pay for it (or find a way to get it for free), you do it over J. That's really all there is to it. And CX F deserves maximum respect - not really for any clubby aspect or F&B or other posh / show off type reasons (CX F&B is often quite nice, but overall I'd say "on average" of 15 years, behind the competition in F&B, treatment before/after the flight, etc), but rather because the seat is just brilliantly designed and better than most others. I've flown with associates of mine a lot of times in F. It's just more of a living room or private plane vibe than J class. J class has gotten so good the last 10 years, but it is still a brilliantly designed seat in a fairly small amount of real estate. F usually doubles the real estate it gets and it's that space where you really feel the premium and where CX utterly nailed it with the F "bones" they designed that are still going strong today. I write this post sitting cross-legged in a CX F seat now actually;). EK F, I can't really sit cross-legged. That's one of the many comfort things the pictures can't really give a sense of, but if you're in these seats enough you really come to appreciate. |
CX F is indeed a magnificent product offering Space and privacy. One of its kind.
Too bad the TV screen is so small. Otherwise, it is a great hard product that cannot be compared to Aria. The F&B is not so great. I recently had it on QR and thoroughly enjoyed it. |
I sat in the F seat earlier this week, its comfortability reminded me how much of a treat it is.
The space in F is night and day compared to J. The seat is so wide 2 people could sit comfortably side by side and you could probably squeeze in 3 people. When turned into a bed, there is enough room for a couple to cuddle or even sleep together. Of course it is not a double bed, but it is significantly more comfortable than the J seat. Also, you get a mattress topper, not the glorified sheet of paper you get in J. (OT but that seriously needs improvement) The dining table is huge, even comparing it to the 77P recliners. You can place your laptop at the back of the table whilst you dine. Of course, there’s the buddy dining feature. One downside is the old TV screen but I only use it for flight information. Overall, the hard product is excellent, and like QRC3288 said, timeless. The level of attention you get in F is unmatched. The crew-passengers ratio is much higher than J. The Krug and Caviar is always welcoming. However, sometimes you get the same dish as J but in fancier plates. |
I second this - as far as the comfort of the bed CX F is still unbeatable after all these years. The only "complaint" I have vs AF or EK new 777 F is possible light disturbance from other passengers or if you want to sleep asap after takeoff while dinner/supper is being served, but all flights with F these days are long enough for this not to be a huge issue.
Of course, if CX new F would have full floor to ceiling walls / doors that would be a plus in my book, but the current product doesn't feel out of place at all and is a big step over J. The seat also works great as a workspace as mentioned above. F&B and IFE don't really matter to me, IMO F is mostly about peace and quiet and the ability to get uninterrupted sleep. |
Originally Posted by QRC3288
(Post 36909904)
It's not theater though! I think the folks (including designers) pitching that aren't really the customer.
I've flown once only in CX F and the sense of personal space, of 'my' space, knocked me out. A shame it was a late-night from London and I spend most of the journey sleeping! |
After my HKG > London F return. Agree, the hard product itself might be somewhat old but it's a top notch experince especially in bed mode and has a clear gap to J offering
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Absolutely agree on CX F seat. Most comfortable with the best sleep. I prefer it over EK, SQ. I also dislike the confined space many airlines are going for nowadays.
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Originally Posted by QRC3288
(Post 36909904)
Ha! I've run into associates/friends in F (esp CX549/548) and had an unexpectedly fun ride on more than one occasion as a result with far too many drinks consumed.
It's not theater though! I think the folks (including designers) pitching that aren't really the customer. F is bigger and more comfortable and easier and better. If you can pay for it (or find a way to get it for free), you do it over J. That's really all there is to it. And CX F deserves maximum respect - not really for any clubby aspect or F&B or other posh / show off type reasons (CX F&B is often quite nice, but overall I'd say "on average" of 15 years, behind the competition in F&B, treatment before/after the flight, etc), but rather because the seat is just brilliantly designed and better than most others. I've flown with associates of mine a lot of times in F. It's just more of a living room or private plane vibe than J class. J class has gotten so good the last 10 years, but it is still a brilliantly designed seat in a fairly small amount of real estate. F usually doubles the real estate it gets and it's that space where you really feel the premium and where CX utterly nailed it with the F "bones" they designed that are still going strong today. I write this post sitting cross-legged in a CX F seat now actually;). EK F, I can't really sit cross-legged. That's one of the many comfort things the pictures can't really give a sense of, but if you're in these seats enough you really come to appreciate. 17 years old now.... Passengers on Air NZ and QR also prefer it to their much newer J seats. |
I remember one time in F we were discussing the pros and cons of belonging to which club. It ended up with invitation given and received for lunch and addition to the business network.
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Originally Posted by cxwaterboy
(Post 36909484)
I’ve been told that 10 77A will be kept to operate the 5 F routes.
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Originally Posted by mmm676
(Post 36923935)
Thank you for this very helpful information. We are looking at a potential booking to LHR in F around March 2026 when they come online, however, as others note it currently seems to show all daily flights operated by an A350 for Jan/Feb 2026. Do you expect one of these will be swapped to a 4 class 777 on the LHR route in the coming months once the schedule is cleaned up?
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Originally Posted by cxwaterboy
(Post 36923939)
The 251/252 pair will always have F. Depending on the schedule and retro-fits, 253/254 will also have F.
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