jamienbaker

All - continuing to agonize over upcoming F availability between the Northeast U.S. and HKG.

Currently debating between 0130 departure from YYZ or more civilized 1010 departure from JFK. Benefit to YYZ is I can get the entire clan in F whereas we'll be split between F & J from JFK. Leisure trip so arrrival condition not relevant (I'm not trying to roll straight to a client meeting, for example).

I'm not capable of sleeping for 16 hours. Is the F service as lavish on CX829 or is it truncated given the departure hour? Caviar? Am I a fool to consider giving up practically 15 hours awake in F for perhaps as few as 8 hours?

NYCbustravelguy

IMHO yes, you are a fool for considering a 1.30 am departure. Part of the fun of flying in F is to truly enjoy the F service, food and atmposphere (sp?). Since it is first, you can have whatever food you want, but all the lights will be off and if you are with your family, you will not be able to make any noise if the rest of the folks are sleep. The service will be rushed and hushed, and sorry caviar and a nice meal are never the same at 3 am, thant at a more normal time. I like the the 10 am or 3 pm from JFK, b/c you have 2 nice meals, snacks, you are no worried about disturbing others, or required to dine under the single bright light at your seat, (or both lights and the overhead), and you can nap between meals.

For me the joy of flying first is the food and cabin ambience, I have a nice bed at home and can sleep well in it. Once I arrive in HKG, I stay in nice hotels and can sleep there. I don't take planes to sleep, but to enjoy the service and food, and to otherwise relax.

While it is likely that most people will sleep for the full flight even at 10 am, I think you and your family will have a much better time on the day flight.

It also looks like CX is being very very stingy with releasing seats starting on Aug 1. Strange, cause many flights are wide open.

jamienbaker

I'm mostly with you. And if this was merely a local flight, I'd be in 100% agreement. Thing is we are pushing all the way on to Chiang Mai (so 2 more segments after arriving HKG) and traveling with 2 younger guests...so the overnight component has some (limited) appeal. But hushed and rushed is no way to fly.

Agree CX being stingy. Virtually the entire week of my departure is F4A4 for the am departure, but nothing available yet. I'm pulling my hair out.

mkjr

i found it hard to eat on CX829 at 2 am in J....pretty much the whole flight and also did not sleep...my own fault really....that said, did not feel hushed or rushed in the mini cabin...although we wanted our 3 year old out cold for most of the flight...turns out she was for about 9 hours...

FewMiles

Would these happen to be award flights? In my extremely limited experience, CX seems to be more generous with award inventory on the ungodly-hour-departure flights than the daytime-departure flights.

NYCbustravelguy

I think with 4 of you in F (that only leaves 2 other seats) you can do what you want to do, but taking a 1:30 am flight with young children is not the way to fly. you not only screw up your entire day waiting to take the flight, but you will be exhausted when you ultimately arrive in Chang Mai. I think the 10 am is the best one for you and the family IMHO.

jamienbaker

Yes, you are probably right (and yes, these are awards). Adding an out-of-alliance, out-of-PNR RJ segment to YYZ also introduces all sorts of risk, as well. I guess I'll settle for 2F & 2J seats on the 10a departure and pray, pray, pray that 4 of the currently-available revenue F seats open to the award bucket.

Boy, are we going to be wiped when we get to Chiang Mai, regardless. My kids refused to sleep JFKNRT last summer and I could barely get them off the NEX when we got to Tokyo, they were so tired.

OK, back to monitoring CX award inventory, which is about the only thing I manage to get done these days...

Thanks again - Jamie

NYCbustravelguy

Good luck. I see CX released a bunch of seats tonight into the first week in August, but not much out of JFK

SMILY

does anyone know what the serving times for cx829 are on J? is it a full meal right after take off and a breakfast right before landing? i'd like to know how to time my sleeping since most of the time the flight lands really early at HKG and it will be hard to adjust