Dear members: this is my first post on this forum and would like to get some useful tips when flying on Cathay Pacific. This will be my first flight with them from Vancouver to Hong Kong in first class. Any suggestions?

Relax and enjoy the flight. It's still not a luxury hotel or a five-star restaurant, but the staff is almost always great, Cathay gives them good stuff to work with, and the seating and bedding are very nice. You'll be very glad you picked them.

"Expect nothing then you will receive every thing you have deserved", ancient Chinese secret.

Thanks for your words of wisdom but can you please elaborate more on what I should be expecting in terms of meals, PJs, amenity kit and other goodies.

At YVR you will receive access to either Plaza or CX lounge depending on your date and the renovation of the CX lounge. Both are okay lounges with average food and drink but nothing compared to the CX lounges in HKG. They are a completely different league. You will get to access those if you are departing from HKG in CX first class or OW Emerald status.

Are you taking the 320am or 340pm? In either case the seat will be a full flat bed. You have AVOD with tons of choices. There are noise reducing headsets in the seat. They will offer you an average amenity kit but a nice sleeper suit from Shanghai Tang as well as a duvet and nice wool blanket. The sleeper suit has black pants and a sort of mandarin collar style shirt. They have slippers in there too.

Drinks and canapes such as a little piece of salmon or scallop served prior to takeoff followed by more drinks and almonds after takeoff. If you take the 320am flight, you will miss the caviar and smoked salmon. Otherwise the menu is pretty much a-la-carte order on demand with lots of choices from snacks to both full asian and western meals.

The flight attendants will provide an excellent service. If you get bored with the AVOD system, they have plenty of magazines and newspapers.

Very few airlines offer the level of service as CX first class. I'm sure you will be pleased.

Thanks Chuck1 for the very informative update on Cathay's first class product. I am looking forward to it. Your description of the product makes it sound very luxury when compared with that of America or Air Canada.

Even after a CX Business Class flight, you'll never want to ever step aboard AA or AC ever again. There is simply no comparison... and CX's F experience will simply blow your mind away! And your wallet eventually when all you'll ever want is to fly CX first all the time!

I would dare say even after a CX regional Business class flight, I never wanted to step aboard AA/UA or the like again! Long Haul F or J is definately worth the connecting in LAX for me!

Unfortunately There are NO Options in USA other than those Substandard airlines!
I cannot believe I have to worry now about whether being FED on AA in F Class!! I know if I am on CX, even in Y on HKG-TPE I don't have to worry about these trivial items!
But on AA you can have to check:

1) Lounge Access
2) Meals
3) Baggage
4) Bad Attitude from FAs!

So much to worry it just makes me think that the extra 8000miles I gain from flying is USA on AA is just not worth it (I can actually avoid them by flying on CX and QF)

AA sucks the FA's are the worst biased b*****'s. I used to be an AA advantage Gold but I would build up mileage by flying CX. Excellent crew and the service was remarkable, just memorable........................

The best way to learn about Cathay first class is to read some of the memorable trip reports that have been written. Check out this thread for some of the classics.

Yep, Chuck1 has it exactly right. In case you care and it's not obvious, the pj's are yours to haul home, and although they don't have zillions of extras, if you really want another pair for a soul-mate and ask nicely you can probably have one. The amenity kit no longer has a razor, but they have them on board if you want one. The lavs are big enough to change in. People change whenever they feel like it. On night flights almost everyone jumps into pj's; during the day I suppose not everyone does, but I'm not counting because on a 10 or 12 hour flight they *always* feel good to me. In any case (unless you get carried away with drinks) get a nap and you'll arrive in Hong Kong feeling surprisingly refreshed and alive, and relatively free of jet lag.

Chuck1, you left out MARCO POLO DIAMOND for HK lounge access. Please do not make it sound like you can bring the duvet home. The wool blanket is only if you ask for it. The sleeper suit doesn't just have "black pants and a sort of mandarin collar style shirt". It's a typical Shanghai Tang product with neon green rims and full black attire. OK, I just wanted to clarify some things because obviously Chuck1's travels is not as extensive as mine, and his flights with CX FIRST CLASS less than mine.

Skye, we all know you are DIAMOND MPO and you claimed you travel in F MANY TIMES! No need to Show Off!

Here's another detailed trip report on CX F Class SFO-HKG-JNB-HKG-YVR-JFK.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showt...eferrerid=6611