Advice for enjoying the CX F experience
 

I am very thankful to be able to fly Cathay from LAX to HKG in F on an upcoming business trip, and was wondering if people have any advice on the best way to make the most of this 7,000 mile trip. This is for the 1:20 pm departure so it looks like the entire trip will be during the day. From what I understand we'll be getting lunch and breakfast (?). Are there any things I should ask for in particular, like the chocolates on BA or stationery? Also, are there any arrival lounges to use if I'm terminating in HKG or will I be able to stop by the Wing? Thanks so much for your kind advice. I'll write a trip report and take lots of pictures!

When travelling in F you can have whatever combination of food you like at whatever time. CX does, bizarrely, default to breakfast just before evening arrivals on some of its flights, but in F you just tell them you don't want to do that and they will provide whatever you want, subject only to them having sufficient stock on board. Feel free to mix and match. Personally if I was taking that flight I would try to sleep as little as possible the night before, sleep immediately after takeoff, ask the crew to wake me in, say, 5 hours, and serve breakfast (at about 10am HK time, with eggs cooked to order), then to serve late lunch / early dinner before arrival into HK at, say 5pm HK time. There are, of course, snacks (or anything else from the menu) available in between if you get peckish.

As with the first time for other things in life, the bast advice is to relax, not get yourself over-hyped (so that it would be almost impossible to meet your expectations), and don't try too hard to enjoy it.

How do they keep the food fresh for a 14 hour flight? On AA they use dry ice packs, but I imagine they'd evaporate. Also, to what degree does CX overstock F catering? Would they let me sample everything on the menu ;)?

Just don't say "no". When they ask: "Mr. Charles, would you like....." Just start shaking your head "yes" and smile. Sit back and just take it all in. Don't worry, they have it covered.

It depends on the load. If you are the only person in F, then, yes, they will have one of everything. If there are only two then I believe they will have 2 of everything. Above that it it's going to depend a little on what others take.

Above all, don't appear demanding - if you ping the call buton five times before they have even shut the door then you aren't going to make any friends. But if you smile, ask politely, and avoid asking for things that could wait when the crew is at times of "peak load" then you can have (almost) anything you desire.

Well this is Cathay and they can do amazing things.On my flights last month . I ate when I feltl like it and find no problem getting anything that is on the aircraft.
A flight attendent named Angel made me ham and cheese sandwiches when I asked for it. I really just want light food when I fly so they are pretty happy to please you.

The day flight is new, not sure if anyone has reported taking it LAX-HKG. You can search for lots of past threads covering your precise question (maximizing the CX F experience) and they are generally still valid. CX does stock catering more generously than any other airline that I have seen (more than SQ F, for example). There is going to be more food than you can eat no matter how hard you try. Some of the food highlights: caviar and balik salmon (from caviar house). Both are exceptional (this is not smoked salmon as you know it, but an order of magnitude better and quite expensive; you can buy it at many airports if you get addicted). The caviar isn't quite as good as it used to be, but that is understandable given the world supply situation. The "chinese chicken soup" kept as a snack and only served on request (generally not on the menu); simple peasant food, but amazingly good as a snack. The chinese teas, served chinese style (you have to ask or they will serve it English style). Excellent (and selling for USD 100 per pound in San Francisco). Good wines and cognac (Hennessy XO). And the list goes on. I like the CX playing cards but I don't like the ST pyjamas compared to what they had before (less stylish but more comfortable). Really too many good things in the CX service to enumerate, you'll just have to relax and enjoy.
Absolutely agree with Christep's advice on sleeping at the start of the flight; doing this is essential to adjusting to HKG time. I usually eat the caviar, go to sleep for 6 hours, wake up and then eat dinner and stay awake the rest of the flight (but my flights leave at midnight not noon).

I also think that the meal service will be like the afternoon flights from YVR...that is L and D and NOT lunch and breakfast....for the afternoon departure to HKG from LAX

I believe that the day time flights from LAX begin on July 1. In July, they will be flying 3x/week, going to a once daily schedule in August. Thus, none of us have experience with the day time departures. I will be flying the route in July.

As for lounges, expect little. There are extensive threads on the weakness of any lounge in Tom Bradley International Terminal, Cathay included. If your flight ends in Hong Kong, you will not have access to the Wing or the Pier. If you are connecting onward, you will.

There have been a number of stellar trip reports written on Cathay first class. Head over to the trip report forum and do a search. I am expecting the afternoon departure service to be much like the evening service, simply at a time when I will enjoy it far more.

Several times I have had the pleasure of being the only one in First Class. It's an amazing experience. One time a flight attendant suggested a wine tasting! 38000ft is the WORST place to enjoy a glass of wine. Your taste buds are all messed up.

In any case, the wine tasting proceeded and it was lots of fun! Lynch Bages 83 won that time! She even brought little crackers!

If the flight is not full, ask to taste another wine if you don't like the one served. I've done this on my airlines. The FAs are also very good at making suggestions. They see what goes back to the galley untouched!

I'd also suggest that when you board and get settled, mention to the FA or the Purser when they come around that this is your first CX FC flight and and don't want to miss out on ANYTHING. Tell them that you've heard such lovely things about the service and food and you look forward to experiencing it all.

I guarantee that CX will treat you right!

I wouldn't get your hopes up too high. My GF and I were looking forward to CX FC exactly this time last year (YVR-HKG-JNB & back) and we were both disappointed with the food (caviar and salmon aside - and she doesn't like caviar). The best meal was actually the fried rice served as supper departing YVR in the wee hours. CX spends a lot of money (reportedly somewhere in the region of USD 50 / FC pax) but it doesn't necessarily come off well as food that reheats well andtastes good in the air. I found BA FC food (back in 2001 at any rate) more exciting and tasty. BA also served Rosemount Balmoral shiraz/syrah which I prefer over Chateau Lynch Bages. Service varied between good and merely acceptable - the latter even though we were the only pax in FC for JNB-HKG.

How security conscious is CX? Will the FAs mind me taking pictures of the seat, my food, etc...

Taking pictures of the food, seats and cabin crew has nothing to do with 'security issues'.

CX is not as paranoid as US carriers. In fact, I heard the Captain sort of sigh once when he made his announcement when welcoming us aboard the flight that CX 'would appreciate' if no one congregates at the galley or cockpit area as 'we are entering US airspace'.... you don't hear this sort of announcement anywhere else they fly. None of this 'our flight attendants are here primarily for your safety issues... etc etc'.

It's more like :"Our Inflight Service Manager, Catherine, is here with her team to ensure you have a comfortable and enjoyable flight"

Be sure to register for the Cathay Pacific "Sunshine Offer" of double AA miles at www.aa.com/offers. Use Promo code CXDMT.

(You must be flying between June 1 and Aug 31 for fares booked in F, A, J, C and D. Flights need to be booked under the CX flight number. Registration prior to travel is required.)

CX likes to term their FA's as being there to "take care" of the passengers.

As for the CX F experience, I find the transpac flights to be staffed with the FA's I least enjoy flying with. A lot of them are based in the US or Canada and thus have a different attitude. Still better than coach, but for really great service the 3-class intra-Asia flights are my favorite.