Pgoodall

The _Banking_Scot

Hi,

I have not been from Zurich but FRA is ok.

You have a combined F/J Cathay lounge and a JAL lounge ( the JAL First section only opens at around 4pm for the 7pm JAL flight and will be closed for the CX flight ( around noon is it?)

The lounge is quite large and ok ( hot food is brought out about 10am) but is not as good as the LHR T3 lounges or the MAD lounge ( IB lounge)

Security is done before going to the gate.

There is a hilton and hilton garden inn by the long distance train station by FRA T1 ( there is a shuttle train to T2 for the CX check in ( also BA checkin)

I think given the relative lengths of FRA/HKG and HKG/Hanoi you should get F lounge access at HKG ( keep your boarding passes) ( more expert posters may be able to advise)

I also flew Cathay from MAD to HKG and the IB lounge was very good

Regards

TBS

timol

I have done CX F from/to ZRH last November and from/to FRA quite a bit earlier. I would rate ZRH higher because:

• less people, less hassle and shorter distances (eg from/to the trains)
• security already before lounge
• nice tarmac views from the Terminal E Aspire lounge
• possibly better chances for a non-full F cabin

As the Aspire lounge is one shared by airlines other than Swiss+Emirates, and is for both J and F pax, I had low expectations. However, not many other flights seemed to be departing around CX's departure, so the lounge was very quiet and the service unexpectedly attentive. Food offerings etc are obviously not in the same category as what CX F pax enjoy at the HKG end.
The whole terminal E does get crowded around noon, because most LX long haul flights depart between noon and 2pm. But even then, I have not seen passport control queues quite as long as occasionally at FRA.

Summary: FRA is not bad, but ZRH has an edge and you should try it.

Pgoodall

Thanks both for the information. I really want a LHR departure but availability seems far harder to find.