A350 general discussion
 

As I would like to take the inaugural A350 CX flight, does any one know whether the HKG-LGW route on 2-SEP would be the first ever long haul a350 flight by CX? I just afraid that CX may use a350 for existing long haul routes prior to that date.

thanks.

1.) CX will be running months' of A350 commercial operations around Asia before commencing long-haul. Some short-haul route will be CX's A350 "inaugural" flight.

2.) The first long-haul route is scheduled to be AKL, not LGW. Tentatively in May. Given the delivery schedule, it seems possible LGW won't even be the 2nd long-haul destination....it's possible an existing longhaul destination swaps from 77W or gets an additional frequency using A350 between the AKL launch and September's LGW launch. Although regardless, I don't think the first A350 long-haul flight will be treated as an "inaugural" flight. CX has already telegraphed its first commercial A350 flights will be regional.

3.) Both Airbus and Rolls have been alluding to potential delays to CX's first aircraft lately, due to a business class seat issue. Deliveries were scheduled to start Feb but Airbus recently implied the initial date could slip to March or later.

There seems to be some delays with Cathay Pacific A350.

Since I was on the first commercial Boeing 777-300ER flight many years ago (HKG to ICN), I just want to warn you that CX does not really do much for these inaugural flight events. They might make an exception since it is a completely new aircraft type, but don't expect much. About the inaugural dates, it will come last minute. Join the hkadb (Hong Kong Aviation Discussion Board) facebook group page, you might get more accurate and up to date information there.

If I am going to do an A350 inaugural flight, Singapore Airlines might be the better choice. SQ treats these inaugural flights as a high profile PR event. While CX might do an event, it might be limited to a press con and media. IF you want to stay with CX, you might have a better inaugural experience if you fly inaugural London Gatwick to Hong Kong flight. I know Gatwick airport has been trying to get more major full service airlines to return, so even if CX does not care much about it, Gatwick airport might makes it a bigger PR event.

Carfield

Carfield is right... done a number of inaugurals on CX before.. New destinations, new planes, new hard products, etc.. none of them usually have much happening on them.. the pilot or ISM might say something about it over the intercom, and a few times I've gotten a small souvenir... but it's nothing special really and there's really nothing special with the flight itself... Unless you really want to be the first to be on it for your own reasons, don't expect too much...

All 350 down with Food Poisoning ;) I will avoid CX 350 380 787 800000 watever...

Thanks all for your replies. Judging by your comments it isn't a good idea to secure a seat now just to be the first to fly.

I enjoy flying so to me it's something good for my memories. Now on second though it might not be so as even CX doesn't treat it so.

Thanks!

Thankfully CX has chosen a 3-3-3 configuration in economy. Hopefully this means they won't go to 3-4-3 for the 777:

http://www.ausbt.com.au/inside-catha...ew-airbus-a350

They were always going to go 3-3-3 for the A350. The fuselage width I would say is in between an A330/A340 and a 777. Think of it that way. 3-4-3 on the A350 would most likely be for ULCC's. IIRC, AirAsiaX will be the first 3-4-3 operator for the A350.

As for 3-4-3 on the 777, it wouldn't surprise me if they do go that way. 3-4-3 will be standard on the 777X.

Rumoured Seats on the A350??
 

The new seats to be installed on the A350?

http://bbs.feeyo.com/posts/574/topic...2.html#5740585

The finishes on PEY certainly look much improved and there seems to be more room for your knees in J.

new economy looks like a downgrade...

the little pocket near the TV for electronics is gone...
and the colours are hideous

no shoe locker anymore

and otherwise not much change for J , not really a change at all...

I thought with the new Pier etc the current management was better...

bring back Alan Joyce

Yes...I was expecting much more in terms of design and upgrade...especially that the seats were supposedly designed by porsche design and what others are offering

Is there now under ottoman storage like on first?

Also gone is the flip open door which is now replaced by a sliding door on J...does that mean no more mirror? The flip open screen also acted as a privacy screen when travelling alone in the middle seats

They also need to fix the folding mechanism on the tray tables...the current ones open more than flat, like an inverted v-shape so trays and computers always wobble

I wonder if the seats in those photos really are CX's new cabin products. The Y and Y+ seats certainly don't look "very CX" at all. But if those seats are in fact CX's new generation of cabin products, I must say that those Y seats do look like a downgrade from the current one. I hope it's just my illusion, but the width of those Y seats also look narrower than the current seat too. We will know for sure once the official dimensions are released. If the new Y seats are indeed narrower than the current one, I think our speculation of the 77W economy config going to a 3-4-3 layout is answered. I don't know why the cushion structure has been significantly simplified, the cushioning on the current Y seat is great! My first impression when I initially saw the photos was that the seats really looked like those "concept economy class seats" we see in magazine articles. The new Y seat also looks no where as appealing as the current one. It's also shocking to see the storage shelf for loose items below the PTV being replaced by a flimsy plastic tray that folds out.

J thankfully has marginal changes only, when I first heard that CX would roll out yet another J seat design, I was finding it hard to understand why they would want to change the current design given the positive flak it has gained ever since its launch.

I have updated the wiki with a better seat map. This one suggests that there is indeed a mini cabin at the back of J similar to the 77G. It also shows which seats are reserved for elites (the ones with "P").

(The blue 'X' seats are blocked, presumably because those are the bassinets)

seeing the seat map has rows 20-21 separated, does it mean they are the mini cabin section?

Yes. The grey blocks at the side of the seat map are the wing. So door 2 must be just in front of the wing, in between rows 19 and 20.