mmxbreaks

Hi all,

New here, so hope this has ended up in the right place (please move it if not; I'll slowly find my way around)...

I'm on a business trip in a couple of months that's outside of my usual remit and looking to get a personal flight between Hong Kong and Shanghai.

I fly a lot, just never in this territory. I've been doing some cash/Avios crunching and can fly business return on Cathay for £27 (plus the airmiles; economy is the same price, albeit costs fewer miles). Dragonair is another option (same price, presumably different/smaller planes as there's no "premium ec" available unlike with Cathay proper).

Worth it, or is it glorified economy seats with extra legroom and some food? I'm BA Exec Club Gold so I get full lounge access on any oneworld route if I buy the flight with cash - which is about £290 for economy (couldn't afford a business seat this way - however, I'm trying to save my miles for a London to Sydney biz/first trip next year).

I will have to fly 13-hours after this flight on the return leg, so want to be rested.

Anyone with experience of what the planes will be, their layout, and the difference in experience between carriers and classes - your advice much appreciated.

Thanks,

Mike

moondog

For HKG-SHA, the number one objective should be minimizing the inevitable delay, which often means switching flights after you get to the airport. I suppose it's a good idea to start out by booking a flight on an airplane that you like, but apart from switching flights, a/c substitutions are common. The KA 330s are the most common on the Shanghai routes, but there are also a smattering of 320s, and CX flights (mostly regionally configured, but sometimes a 77W shows up). I also use BA points for a solid chunk of my HK flights, and find that J usually isn't worth the 2x premium, but I'm always happy when I get opupped, of course.

lhgreengrd1

About 6-7 yesrs ago, I flew Dragonair to from Hangzou to Hong Kong, which is a similar length flight as Shanghai to HKK. It was a perfectly pleasant flight - on an Airbus A320. Totally uneventful, really. I'd have no qualms about flying them again if the schedule and the fare was right. they are a 4* Skytrax airline, so basically a slightly above average competent carrier. Here's the seat configuration:

http://www.airlinequality.com/Experience/KA_A320.htm

I like Cathay, and they are my preferred long haul carrier between the U.S. and Asia, but for a relatively short flight as this, the Dragonair product is fine, and really just about as good as Cathay's.

moondog

Ka has better food than CX regional IMO, but like I said in my previous post, I choose whichever flight is the least delayed as a matter of policy. SHA-hkg is a brutal route for delays in the summer months.

beckoa

Welcome to Flyertalk mmxbreaks!

As this is specific to KA/CX we're relocating this thread.

~beckoa, co-moderator Information Desk

midlevels

Avoid the KA A320 but other than this, any aircraft from either airline is fine in both Business and Economy. To be clear, only the A320 is an issue. The A321 and others are all fine.

Duke787

Two things. First KA A330 is installing the same regional J seat as CX has while refurbished KA A330 has the same F as CX international J.

As for lounge access - that part you can get with Avios regardless. Using Finnair trick I was able to add my AA EXP to recent Avios bookings on JL and I received OWE benefits the whole trip

moondog

This is news to me... and I fly on those things often enough that I feel like I cycle through the entire fleet 2x/year.

brunos

You mean same seats as CX International J.

Anyway, the major decision of the OP is whether he flies into SHA (Hangqio) or PVG (Pudong). It depends where you go, but SHA tends to be closer and a smaller airport. Y would be fine for such a short flight and KA food/wine in J is not noticeably better than in Y. Frankly it is not worth the 2x.

As mentioned above, a big problem is delays. If you have a 13 hour flight from HKG, I would be quite worried about misconnect. And on an award, that is quite risky as you not likely to be able to change flights on a BAEC award.

In all cases (award or paid), you will have access to the F lounge in HKG, but KA flights usually depart from a remote satellite far away from the Wing F lounge.

hkskyline

Dragonair has upgraded part of its A320 fleet to include PTVs even in Economy Class and using the same new CX seat.

There are regular fanfares for Shanghai, which are published every Tuesday. If the dates are right, even Avios redemption is not worthwhile :
http://www.dragonair.com/ka/en_HK/la...res/index.html

KACommuter

All the wide bodied CX and KA aircraft have proper regional business class seats i.e. 6 across in 2-2-2 on the A330 aircraft and 7 across on CX 777 in 2-3-2. And they recline into a cradle - not lie flat, but definitely much better than economy. So they are not glorified economy seats.

The narrow bodied KA aircraft have business class seats in proper 2-2 configuration (not the 3-3 in Europe with middle seats blocked). Legroom is ample, but these seats are basically wider economy seats with a little more recline.

KACommuter

It's brutal all year round! Expect delays of 1 - 2 hours as a matter of routine.

brunos

I am not sure that the situation is that bad.
If you look at EF, delays have been somewhat better in the past two months. Many flights had an average delay of an hour of less in the past two months. And SHA is a bit better than PVG. But if some military exercise takes place or the weather does not cooperate, then....

alphaod

For a two hour or so flight, it's not worth paying for J in my opinion miles or not.

CXFlyerBoy

For a flight of this duration, the first concern should be timing. CX and KA have about 14 to 16 flights each direction a day combined and in the day, flights can be 30 - 60 minutes apart.

KA tends to have better catering both in J and Y though.

YMMV