A350-1000 - General Discussion
#31
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: CX Green, QF Platinum, BAEC Silver, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 10,780
Well that’s obviously a deliberate design feature so you are in the most efficient location for both taking food in and getting rid of it.
i shall ask but first, is there sufficient room on the A350-900 to have those seats relocated to a better position - or are you suggesting that both seats should simply have been dropped from the config?
#32
Original Poster
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,708
Ha!
Take Qatar, for example, the other carrier whose A350 I've flown. Completely different interior despite also having a reverse herringbone deaign. Differences vs CX include no door 2 galley, bathrooms near the door 2 position not door 1, etc. It is definitely better designed.
CX deserves some serious criticism here. It seems like a small point but it is either ignorance or arrogance that led them to make the same mistake twice.
You can kinda see what they're doing...they've got a somewhat standardized layout across 77G, 33K, 33E, 35G and now 35J. These are all their longhaul configs which don't have F. It goes forward galley has two lavs, forward J section, then rear galley between J cabins, one bathroom near rear galley area, followed by J minicabin.
There are two key differences for the 77G, and A350, both which lead to seat problems. In 77G, that awful seat is 20G. That's because, like the A350, the lavatory isn't actually situated in the galley but rather it opens to the aisle. 20G is a do not sit seat (and is usually held for ID pax on the 77G as well), because of the lav traffic, and the lav is still situated in FRONT of the seat slightly. The biggest issue here is the lav has an outward swinging door which comes awfully close (but doesn't actually impede) the 20G seat area.
But the A350 "upps" this game. That's because not only is one lav in the cabin and opens to the aisle like 77G, but BOTH forward lavs are. And the A350 aircraft body is narower. AND....the dumb part....the forward lavs are situated nearly flush with the seats 11D and G. No offset like 77G. CX "rectified" this with the curtain. I guess this helps a little, but it's bad. Without extreme care from the lav pax, passengers in 11D/G will have their space intruded upon by folks entering/exiting the lav over and over. Or they'll have the curtain pushed into their seat. Not to mention, upon exiting the lav you are starting right at that passenger. It's weird.
I hope this helps explain. It's really a terrible design. Might seem like a small thing but it's quite a disgrace for an airline that considers itself a world leader.
There was also a rumor outstanding....I heard it both from the airframer and a few pilots....that CX insisted on quite a customized and expensive interior design for J, which is the design we have today. I don't know this to be fact. But it would sure be ironic if CX's inferior J design is indeed a more customized / expensive version than just choosing a more off the shelf layout.
IlI' also add crews seem to have extreme animosity for the CX A350 galley, although I don't understand their argument fully. Worth looking into. Crew proactively have told me on board, on numerous occasions, how the plane is the least desirable for them to fly. CX management might take the view "what the hell are crew doing saying this to passengers". But I run a business too. It's worth investigating the source of the problem instead of just blaming the front lines. All together, it seems to me CX really didn't do a great job designing this one. And then doubled down with A351.
Last edited by QRC3288; Jun 6, 2018 at 5:26 pm
#33
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: CX Life Time,TG,
Posts: 265
According to CX's latest Financial Briefing 350 deliveries are:
359 2019 2, 2020 4
35K 2018 8, 2019 4, 2020 3, 2021 5.
This could be updated at the next briefing scheduled for 22 June.
Additional routes are Madrid 4 weekly effective 28/10, Amsterdam daily effective 1/12, Manchester daily effective 1/12 to 28/02, and Zurich daily effective 31/03.
359 2019 2, 2020 4
35K 2018 8, 2019 4, 2020 3, 2021 5.
This could be updated at the next briefing scheduled for 22 June.
Additional routes are Madrid 4 weekly effective 28/10, Amsterdam daily effective 1/12, Manchester daily effective 1/12 to 28/02, and Zurich daily effective 31/03.
#35
Join Date: Aug 2016
Programs: CX Life Time,TG,
Posts: 265
Sir Flynn: It appears that LXC is the next to take to the skies having left LXB on a parking stand. Could you ask why? Is there an issue with LXB? When will LXC be delivered, and how many more will be delivered and when this year?
#37
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Red Bull Arena
Programs: Mosaic, AsiaMiles, Mabuhay, Alaska
Posts: 54
It looks like we're back on the 333 for our HKG>MNL flights. CX seems to juggle a lot with their rosters. This has been the 5th change since I booked these flights a year ago.
#38
Join Date: Apr 2017
Programs: Marco Polo Club, KF
Posts: 208
Yes, during the past few months MNL has seen a lot of rotations taken back over again by 333s as the 359s slot into their intended long haul schedules. Despite the woes with the 359 cabin fit outs you sure do notice being back on the old HL series 333s!! Looking forward to seeing these birds retired soon hopefully! My guess is that the 77Ws replaced by 35Ks will take over Middle East and South Asia routes freeing up some of the newer 333 fleet for regional routes like MNL.
#40
Join Date: Feb 2011
Posts: 5,797
#41
Join Date: Oct 2017
Location: Red Bull Arena
Programs: Mosaic, AsiaMiles, Mabuhay, Alaska
Posts: 54
Yes, during the past few months MNL has seen a lot of rotations taken back over again by 333s as the 359s slot into their intended long haul schedules. Despite the woes with the 359 cabin fit outs you sure do notice being back on the old HL series 333s!! Looking forward to seeing these birds retired soon hopefully! My guess is that the 77Ws replaced by 35Ks will take over Middle East and South Asia routes freeing up some of the newer 333 fleet for regional routes like MNL.
#42
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: HKG/YVR/CGO
Programs: CX DM
Posts: 55
#43
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 1,849
has been improved and cited the addition of curtains, there was also a hint that the seats may have been pushed back a little - but I will reserve judgement on this until we set foot on the new jet later this morning (TLS time).
In the meanwhile, does anybody here have photos from these seats in the -900 which they could post here, so that I can use for comparison against the same seats on the -1000?
#45
Join Date: Aug 2007
Location: Sydney, Australia
Posts: 1,849