FlyPointyEnd

Seems like they are bringing back Port Wines starting in May.

QRC3288

Although the devil's in the details, bummer if true. Of course many port wines are lovely...such as those served on Emirates, I believe they had a 30 year Tawny on a recent flight. And vintage port. But fat chance seeing either in CX. CX serves LVB or Ruby, essentially the bottom of the port heap. For those more tuned into the price, there are the absolute cheapest port wines you can find.

I did notice CX was frequently stocking half bottles of Sauternes for an entire flight (!!!!!), which would quickly run out if even 2-3 people enjoyed it. So hey, maybe if CX actually stocks a few full bottles or three of cheapo port - which probably costs the same as the half a bottle of Sauternes - some people are coming out ahead at least???

To me the whole thing goes to show just how damn cheap they've been with f& b in premium classes, and those of us who buy tickets have absolutely noticed. Wines are just a disgrace on CX. It's a real shame for many reasons, one of them being HK is now one of the preeminent fine wine cities in the world, in terms of auction volume, storage capacity etc. all thanks to abolishing duties on wine and other low alcohol beverages 10 years ago. But their wine situation is just hopeless. No, adding Krug 2004 doesn't count to me. I think it will turn out to be a gimmick like these things always are.

(My presumtion in this paragraph is port will be slotted in to replace Sauternes)

07L 25R

I'd much rather they improve on food full stop. Not much of an alcohol guy while flying

FlyPointyEnd

Will be on rotation...

24left

Since you mentioned AC.....yes, they just launched these along with new menu, new champagne, new amenity kits. Had them for the first time last week.






Had similar on AA's brand new B789 a few months back. It comes in sealed plastic, along with the pillow and duvet.






BR has a variation, which also comes in a sealed plastic bag. I've had excellent food and champagne on my BR flights, plus they have very decent pyjamas. However, they just announced they are eliminating their famous Rimowa amenity kits from routes other than ex-TPE IIRC.

Imagine if airlines could offer choices for front cabin pax: would you like a better meal or a fluffy mattress pad.

FlyPointyEnd

Why can't it be both? I already did the dry run of the mattress pads during DoD.

24left

Of course it could be both. It could be better food, fluffy pyjamas, slippers, mattress pads, champagne etc
However, we all know the airlines seem to want to give less than more.
Some posters here mentioned they would rather have better food, for eg., as they are not big drinkers. Others may prefer the mattress pad. What I'm suggesting is that it would be great if we could make our own choices. It would be interesting if the airlines could get their logistics to the point where Premium cabin pax could pre-order their preferences from among a list of items. I might want the mattress pad, but don't care about the amenity kit or champagne. Others may prefer the champagne and food, but don't care about the mattress pad.

In an ideal world of flying experiences, we would want it all. But with so many airlines cutting so many things, it would be interesting if we could make our choices from a list of options. I don't know of a single airline that could do this nor do I know of any that would want to, but since one can pre-order meals on some airlines, I wonder ho hard it would be to pre-order your preferred amenities.

Frayed_Yak

Regarding bedding and mattress, one can't help but to think the contributing reason CX is not providing them is theft (beyond the cost to make and replace). On today's FT front page, there's an article talking about UA and AA's theft problem. I think the semi-permanent installation of headphone in J is also designed this way for this reason.

QRC3288

I don't understand the obsession with mattress pads, particularly in light of zero discussion on the blanket / duvets. Let me give you an example. I FAR prefer CX's J class bedding "combo" (duvet + pillow + lack of mattress pad) to JLs (lame blanket + pillow + mattress pad thing, which doesn't even go to your feet if you're tall).

I could be speaking for the minority here, but I am after the best sleeping "experience" in J class, not just some box to tick because the blogosphere and FT makes something popular in name. Would I prefer a nice mattress pad? Absolutely. But everything comes with tradeoffs. Like I said above, I prefer the CX J class sleeping experience to JLs, despite JL having one of these much beloved mattress "pads" (mattress "sheet" is a more appropriate description for most, IMO). If CX cuts down on their J class duvet to the lower standard J class blanket of JL or QR, in order to fund a mattress pad, I'll take the current duvet thank you very much! I think it is extremely disingenuous to discuss mattress pads alone, without talking about the blanket and pillow. While noboby has a great pillow in J that I'm aware of, I still find CXs duvet to be one of the best in the sky of major J classes I fly.

As for wine and food, points above well taken. I will just add that usually, IME good f&b go together in F and J. So usually it's two sides of the same coin.

Cambo

I personally would be happy to pay EUR 5.00 more for my flight and have the current duvet, a little more substantial pillow and the pictured mattress pad

I agree about the W&F should reflect the F&J class, though on the other hand, it would save a lot of money on my ticket costs, when there would be zero alcohol and I still not miss anything.

G-CIVC

CX will serve the following as part of reintroducing Port:
Warre's Otima Colheita 2006 Cask-aged dated Tawny (FCL)
Graham's Late Bottled Vintage Port 2012 (JCL)

These will be on a rotational basis together with Sauternes.

As for the mattress, I will reiterate that it was the thing I loved the most in the DoD trial last year. If anyone has tried the Casper bedding on the AA 77W J - to me the best J product in the sky when it comes to sleeping, it was as good as that. (Yeah the AA J bedding got me scrolling on Casper's website right after the flight. I really almost took the pillow away from the plane.)

QRC3288

For the port, ugh what a joke. I understand some folks don't care but the LBV in J class is really not good stuff. In F, as usual CX is behind the competition.

Yes your point on bedding makes sense here. I'll also add, I specifically avoid the big 3 US carriers at virtually any cost. It's the only time I will go out of my way on flights....to avoid them. My main issue with the focus on mattress pads isn't that they're worthwhile (I would love them). Rather, it's that the debate seems to have been hijacked by the argument which implies ANY mattress pad is better than none, and each piece of the ensemble is just a box to tick. Aka, it doesn't matter the quality. I'm saying blanket and pillow are both vital parts of the whole sleeping experience to me (what the hell use is a mattress pad if you're given a flimsy blanket and pillow to accompany it?). It's more of a practical argument against what I read online.

To conclude this point, I could totally see CX rolling out a cheaper version of the mattress pad than the DoD trial. Why? Because they'll get heaps of praise from bloggers and FTers who might fly it once or twice a year. Utility be damned. That's what I DON'T want. I don't want a mattress pad just so the brigade of semi frequent flyer can tick the box. I want actual utility. So if they roll it out, a) I want it to be plush, not just a sheet to get them brownie points with the bloggers, and b) I hope they keep the current duvet (or even upgrade it with the pillow), aka introduction of a mattress pad doesn't create a corresponding cut elsewhere to the whole sleeping "experience".

FlyPointyEnd

or at least a more substantial pillow for sleeping on long haul flights...those current pillows are really small IMO.

synthkeys

Agree with that. I'm one of those obnoxious passengers that grabs pillows off the empty seats. I need at least 3 to get comfortable for sleeping on a long haul.

In line with @QRC3288 -- Please don't give me a thin, quilted blanket and tell me it's a mattress pad and have the travel bloggers rave about $5 piece of cloth. For a $7500 ticket the experience should be a little better. Yeah the seat is pretty comfortable but it could be much better. If I had to choose between better food or a better sleep experience, I'd take the latter.

FlyPointyEnd

I don't do a lot of long haul the last one was last February and it was on QR. They provided a relatively thin mattress pad for their long haul flights, although it was just a quilted blanket, it was sufficient IMO. As for CX, I think you could ask for an extra duvet folded in half and use it as a "mattress pad"...I just hope they have enough loaded on board.