Cx889 jfk-yvr-hkg
 

Hi - I'm booked on this flight in F in a few weeks and wondered if I had to disembark the plane in YVR or if I would be able to stay on board?

Thanks,

GGL Flyer

Hi -

On the way over, you stay on board. On the way back, you clear US customs in Vancouver (so you get off).

I will fly this on March in J class, any comment of this route? Look like 5 hours longer than direct flight, is this flight has a extra meal?

You'd think so but in fact you do not clear customs until JFK... Passengers are typically forced off the plane and sequestered at the gate for about an hour.

Re: meals, I believe there is a full dinner service in either direction on JFK/YVR plus a full dinner then breakfast on the long leg (but I could be wrong).

On the way to HKG, you are required to remain onboard. The aircraft is refueled, cleaned and catered and there is a crew change as well right before passengers joining from YVR board.

As for meals, 3 meal services. One after departure from JFK and 2 from YVR. All a la carte since you'll be in F. So feel free to eat at anytime as you wish. Caviar is only served on the longer sector.

JFK-YVR-HKG: You remain on board at YVR and keep enjoying your movies. While you have to say good bye to the JFK-YVR crew, a fresh new crew will board for YVR-HKG leg.

HKG-YVR-JFK: Off the plane and remain airside usually 1 hour. No pre-clearence at YVR, same as your fellow passengers joining at YVR. You all clear US Customs upon arrival at JFK.

Just flew 889 and 888 recently.

As a 1cl pax, you can enjoy the pre-flight dinner service in the BA Galleries Lounge at JFK, which I enjoy more than the BA 1cl lounge.

One thing to keep in mind, on 889 you stay on the plane and the cabin will be cleaned, which can disturb sleep if you're seeking to sleep. JFK to YVR 1cl meal service has been cut back from years past; fewer menu choices, quality seems a bit lower and no caviar. Cabin staff however, is as good as ever and they admitted embarrassment at the food quality.

Full dinner with more and better choices is served out of YVR, but it is pretty late at that point.

Returning, I had strong tailwinds so we arrived YVR an hour early, which made the layover extra grinding. Once upon a time one could roam around a bit of the airport terminal; today, you're confined to the gate which is pretty bleak. They should set up a mini-premium class lounge within the gate area.

But, as a 1cl passenger you'll be the first in line for the security screening. Y passengers get to enjoy a long queue.

Those same strong tailwinds also resulted in a half hour early arrival at JFK. Hopes for a quick exit from the airport were dashed as customs/immigration staff do not report to work until 6:00, and I think it was the first day of some new ground staff who had difficulty docking the jetbridge--we could not alight until 6:15.

I'd rather the captain just fly a bit slower so that we can enjoy the 1cl cabin a bit more than the YVR lounge or the sitting on the JFK tarmac.

Follow up question re: JFK > YVR
 

Flying JFK > YVR in J... not continuing to HKG. Have 4-5 hours in YVR until connecting domestic flight on AC. Any idea if I'd be able to access CX Lounge in YVR after disembarking -- I'm figuring not, but hoping someone might say they've done it :p

thanks.

Unfortunately not possible to visit the lounge on arrival unless your connecting onwards to another international or US (late night dep) flight.

Besides...the lounge closes when the 889 YVR-HKG segment departs. Definitely won't be able to spend 4-5 hours there.

Is this still the current situation? Seatguru seems to suggest that you change planes and the YVR-HKG leg (on the date that I am looking at) is flown on a regional version with crap business class.

Does that ring true at all to the collective wisdom here?

It's an error on Seatguru. You stay on the plane.

^ Thanks for confirming. :)

Could also confirm. My flight was in July and I had the same experience as what collegeidol described for the JFK-YVR segment.

Side note - due to CX moving JFK operation from T7 to T8, you could no longer access the BA lounge at T7. Instead, if you have OW status or flying J or F, you should be able to get access to the AA Flagship Lounge (or Dinning if flying F) at T8.

Thanks! :)

It would be J, so shall have to miss the Dining part, which I have heard great things about. :o