HKG-AKL, F Service This Winter?
 

Last winter CX ran a 74A with F service HKG-AKL. (I seem to remember it was 3 or 4 x week).

I was trying to book an F seat for December but the schedule is only showing the 340 with J and Y. Is F likely gone for good on this route (like HKG-SYD) or is the 2010 schedule just not released yet?

Last year there was a 74A service for CX107/8 daily, and you're right - schedules for Winter are released around June/July!

Hmm... I'm really hoping for the 74A like last year but the timetable is currently showing the 343 for both the 107/108 and 117/118 for the Winter timetable.

Given that the loads in F when we travelled at the beginning of the year were very low (5/9 from HKG-AKL, 2/9 from AKL-HKG) I would suspect that demand isn't exactly high. Just the two of us on Valentine's Day was rather good though (double helping of caviar each!)

BC

Just a quick update on this: according to CX in HKG the 343 is here to stay, so no more F on the AKL route. Which is sad, as it means our next trip to NZ will be on QF not CX. :(

BC

Very sad news indeed, but not entirely unexpected.

The annoying thing for us is that it reduces the number of F flights to NZ down just to SQ (direct) or EK (via Australia). I find SQ pricing to be ridiculous (surcharges for both the 777 and 380 -- sheesh!) and the EK FF scheme is not that good, so QF via SYD/MEL is the only realistic option for us now, with a short-ish trans-Tasman hop in business class. Could be worse, but at least careful scheduling should give us the 380 both ways.

BC

Is CX business so bad? I've got a LHR-HKG-AKL and MEL-SIN-LHR all F except that sector. Moving HKG-ALK to SIN just to get F drastically affects the fare, so I'm "compromising" on C on CX. Do I need to rethink? I hate to change to fly via SYD and add yet another flight ...

The basics of the seat are decent enough (aisle access, easy transition from sitting to sleeping) but they are very narrow compared with the VS/NZ seats. In general they get the worst feedback of any herringbone design.

We're actually going to WLG next time, so 3 flights whether we go via HKG/AKL or SIN/SYD or MEL. And QF/BA F is a better product than CX C, particularly if you're a fairly large/tall/broad person.

BC

The 74A - hence, F - may return to the HKG-AKL-HKG sector. It has not been confirmed by CX yet. Usually the Northern Winter schedules are finalised by the end of June, maybe early July.

thanks, fingers crossed!

According to reputable scheduler on a local HK forum (his info is correct ~90% of the time), the 744 is returning on this route.

http://26.discuss.com.hk/viewthread....extra=page%3D1

Fantastic news if this is the case (glad we haven't booked QF as yet).

BC

I've booked to travel LHR - AKL return in November / December this year. Booked in 1st (A) for the LHR / HKG sectors and in business (I) for HKG / AKL as no 1st available for the HKG / AKL when booked. Quote contained the statement that 'This segment is available in business class only. The fare quote is in the original cabin class requested'. This was 1st.

If a 3 class configuration is reintroduced by the time that we fly does anyone have a view whether the booking for HKG /AKL will be moved to 1st?

Even if it isn't, you may have sufficient flexibility in your ticket (likely on CX as opposed to other Kangaroo route carriers) to cancel and rebook. I'd hope that the UK customer services people would take pity on you if the pricing is more or less the same.

No sign of F appearing on HKG-AKL, but if you price on the UK website you get First Class (A) and First Class (I) as the two booking segments.

BC

Just a slight update on this: CX has just published some of the changes outlined in the link given by toyotaboy95 above, but the 744 is not showing as back on the CX107/108.

I'm ever hopeful, but as the other changes have been made and it's now the second half of July, I would guess that they may stick with 343s for the winter. :(

BC