What to expect in J class from Toronto
 

I am a 15 year old student from Toronto, and will fly to Hong Kong on CX in J class in December. I fly to Hong Kong twice a year on CX by myself, but every time in Y class. I can't complain, but Y class is just too hard to sit in for 20 hours, I get no sleep, and the seats are cramped. I used the 70,000 miles to upgrade to J class, what can I expect, is it worth it?

Yes it's worth it.

But please do a search on this topic in this forum. This topic has been discussed far far too many times to be repeated time and time again.

Welcome to Flyertalk...

Myself and many of the people I know have been in your boat. We studied overseas and flew between canada/hkg three times a year every year. We started flying around your age (14, 15), but I would recommend to you, don't get spoiled with J-class so early in your life. I don't mean to give you lectures, but i would suggest you should try to appreciate the fact you can fly, instead of complaining the seat size and lack of sleep. Everyone goes through same experience... For your info, I'm now a young professional, but still fly Y between Sydney and Vancouver on a yearly basis, and I've got no complaint...

To put into prospective, you used 70,000 miles to upgrade, but did you know you can use 60,000 for J AWARD ticket HKG-AUS, or even Y-AWARD between HKG-YVR? You can save another 30,000 and even score J-award HKG-Vancouver. I really advise you to broaden your prospective and see what you could have done else with that 70k miles. Sitting in J for 20 hours is a treat, but you could have used the same miles to go travelling in SouthEast Asia. As a young man/woman, I think these might be far more valuable experience.

I'm only saying this because I've gone through the same thing. Now I hope you won't get addicted to J-class cuz the next time you fly on Y (which you will), you will reallllllyyy miss it :D

congrats are in order ! upgrades are difficult to score the rest of the year, getting them during peak season is fantastic :-: :-: :-:

i do somewhat agree with fakecd, but then again, from his logic, the only time you should let yourself upgrade is when you have accumulated enough miles / money to fund all future travel in J. that's crap -- there is definitely pleasure to be had being a young passenger in an elite cabin :D

since you're travelling during peak season, i'd go to seatguru.com and call cathay asap to reserve a good J seat if u haven't done so already.

i'd stay away from any that face a jump seat though, i dont think FAs think much of school kids flying in J, and they'll know from the manifest u upgraded using miles.

um, read from the archives or cx website how the seat controls work (the seat ready light is behind on top of the center armrest) ... how the avod controls work (you want to pause a movie effortlessly each time the FA comes around - to distribute food / drinks / biotherm amenity packs -- i dunno ur gender but get the pack for women, ALWAYS :)) ...

speaking of which, i'd bring a face mask (or two, it's a long flight ...) and apply it nonchalantly during the flight, just to rub it in to the other pax in case they haven't already noticed that u're young and for all they know, rich and famous too ... hehe

don't finish your meals, instead, save space for the wonderful midnite mushroom wonton noodles.

um, what else ?? wear something loose, change into shorts and socks (nb. the socks in the women's pack are pink) to help u sleep better, and drench your face with the evian mineral water spray from the WC before u tuck in.

sorry if i'm offering unsolicited advice, but i'd just too excited for u, i definitely remember my first time :p pray for an ATC strike somewhere so the plane has to be detoured and flight time increased by 2 hrs. (see, aren't u glad u brought along that second face mask ? slip it on, and relax some more, while the gob****es in Y are slitting their wrists ... :D )

sigh, just enjoy the dam flights and good luck with ur studies as u save up for an F upgrade !

oh, almost forgot, have u been to the lounges yet ? (2 annual HKG/YYZ RTs probably isn't enough for silver .. oh wait, u're 15 !, cant be in MPO yet) the one in Pearson is blah, but definitely save time to enjoy the lounges ex HKG -- go to both of them if u have time !

ps, with a CX J boarding pass, u can also visit the BA lounge as well.

Hello and Welcome.

Unfortunately the YYZ-HKG route is operated by the dreaded 34D aircraft and the J Class on this routes has received many ordinary reviews (catering is average, crew is average). But sure it will be better than Y Class.
However IMO I don't think it is Value for points as fakecd suggested.

But You have made the decision already (and I presume you claimed the award already?) Then you might as well enjoy it.

If this is your first time in J then it will be a real treat for you and you will NOT notice the deficiecies as much. (I remember my first time in J (when I was 12 years old), back when CX call it the Marco Polo Business Class - it was an Op-Up. It was a memorable experience

Please let the kid enjoy his first J class experience... 34D, 34C will not make any difference to him as it has the flat beds, and Studio CX.

I've taken J class on SIA 3 years ago for a flight from Singapore to Taipei, It was with my parents, I didn't enjoy it too much, the meal wasn't very good, the service was just about average, and the seat wasn't very comfortable. I don't find much problem flying J class, its just for once. With previous posts, I might disagree, I have taken the route many times in the past 4 years, for a total of 8 dreaded flights, it hasn't been bad, I mean I sleep, but since I have miles, its nice to try it out. Yes, I know about the 34D and 34C, I know how 34D has the F class removed and so on, but at least the NBC is good enough. I am pleased with Cathay's crew, I really haven't had a bad experience. The catering out of Toronto isn't the best, but heck, its airline food, also one more thing, about exploring Asia..........., I have been to many destinations, with Hong Kong tour groups, I've kept options open, but we didn't think the YVR-HKG Y class route was very effective, as I would need a connecting ticket that was already like 60% of the cost of what we paid for YYZ-HKG ticket. I also have plenty of UA miles, enough for full YYZ-ORD-HKG return, but I do not want to clear US Customs because of previous problems.

(accidental Repitition)

Not worth it
 

Well I agree that once you are in J, you are stuck in there...

However, back to the question, I highly don't recommend you wasting your miles on a YYZ-HKG flight on J. Service is very bad on this route... meals are minimal... two full meals for a eighteen hours flight with a stop at Vancouver are a joke. I will actually save up the miles for a J ticket from YVR to HKG, which has better service, or better... a F ticket from HKG to Europe in the future. European flights are always better... Save the miles...

Carfield

I am on the flight to San Francisco
Here I go, on my way, and I think I’ll be Okay
Los Angeles, Anchorage, Montreal, Toronto
And here I go, I think everything will be okay
Los Angeles, Anchorage, Montreal, and then who knows
I’ll take my chances from San Francisco – “CL 411”

I disagree.

This will be the OP's first trip on CX in J. If he has the miles, let him have the fun. WE all have had the opportunity to travel in J whenever we want, so we are jaded for service levels and food.

As a 15 yr old guy, he will be duly impressed with the level of service he will be receiving on this route. He won't be listening to a bunch on whiny old guys telling him what to do.

Of course if he has a longer ticket route ie YYZ-HKG-...onwards-HKG-YYZ, he could redeem 80K for an upgrade over that. I did LHR-HKG-SYD-HKG-LHR for 85K I think. So the longer the destination, the better it is.

In any case, have a good flight.

Woaw, what a friendly post.
Keep it up :)

Ugh, I realized I made a huge mistake in age. I'm 17, not 15. I only have had the chance now to read the replies clearly.

You've burnt the miles, so have fun with it :) Any way you look at it, J's gotta be better than Y.

Still not quite old enough officially to get a drink on CX, but you might get away with it :)

Good advice!

I also may not be too old yet, but I am whiny :D