Go Back  FlyerTalk Forums > Miles&Points > Airlines and Mileage Programs > Cathay Pacific | Cathay
Reload this Page >

New Business class service - from July 2018 - Experiences and Discussion

New Business class service - from July 2018 - Experiences and Discussion

Old Jun 22, 2019, 8:19 pm
  #421  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 853
Just flew HKG-JFK vv and didn't appreciate being woken up in the middle of my sleep to serve the 2nd meal. The whole meal timing is weird and the entire service is hurried and even then it took near to 2.5 hours to serve the entire cabin. I didn't get a refill of drinks too. The crew were too busy running up and down the aisle to remember that I have asked for another drink. The new service is a disaster. I very much prefer just a casserole and just get my meals served to me ASAP. I don't care about the presentation of my meals.
Carfield, jagmeets, Kacee and 2 others like this.
RA-wannabe is offline  
Old Jun 22, 2019, 8:26 pm
  #422  
sxc
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Accor Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: CX Green, QF Platinum, BAEC Silver, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 10,780
@ra-wannabe which flight number were you on, and did the menu say the second meal would be served mid flight, or did it say served prior to landing?

If it said prior to landing, but was served mid flight, please complain. Crew who take it upon themselves to change this timing to suit themselves should be reprimanded.
Carfield likes this.
sxc is offline  
Old Jun 23, 2019, 7:37 am
  #423  
 
Join Date: Feb 2005
Posts: 853
The menu did say that the meals are to be served mid flight. I was on CX 830 and CX 841. It was probably due to feedback from cabin crew that they could not finish the service on time if they serve the second meal prior to landing and as a result, management changed the timing of the second meal to mid flight. But still, serving the second meal mid flight makes no sense.
Carfield likes this.
RA-wannabe is offline  
Old Jun 23, 2019, 3:30 pm
  #424  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YYZ
Programs: CX GO, AC Aeroplan 25K, AMEX PLAT, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, IHG Spire Amb
Posts: 459
The mid-flight meal time on long haul J has long been a problem even with the old service. I hated it personally.

https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cath...e-cx-j-19.html
Carfield and ijgordon like this.
etkuo is offline  
Old Jun 30, 2019, 6:57 am
  #425  
 
Join Date: Jan 2015
Posts: 192
I discovered an unintended consequence of the new service on my latest flight. They asked what I wanted for dinner shortly after takeoff and I ordered. But it doesn't come straight away, there is quite a gap between ordering and dinner service. After a while I got sleepy, so I decided I'd just try and get some sleep. Then I had to summon an attendant just to cancel my order, which was a bit awkward.

I did appreciate the light breakfast option, as the attendant was ready to go with my coffee and pastries almost the minute I woke up. (She actually said she would get my breakfast ready while I used the bathroom, which I thought was a bit presumptuous! I did need to go, but...)
lionelhutz is offline  
Old Jun 30, 2019, 8:49 am
  #426  
 
Join Date: Jun 2007
Programs: SQ AA TK
Posts: 1,438
Originally Posted by RA-wannabe
The menu did say that the meals are to be served mid flight. I was on CX 830 and CX 841. It was probably due to feedback from cabin crew that they could not finish the service on time if they serve the second meal prior to landing and as a result, management changed the timing of the second meal to mid flight. But still, serving the second meal mid flight makes no sense.
Well I did 841 a month ago, and the meal was done prior to landing.
dfs24 is offline  
Old Jul 2, 2019, 8:17 am
  #427  
 
Join Date: Feb 2019
Location: Australia
Programs: QF, KF, CX, HH, SL
Posts: 26
Flew CX142 in June and CX257 two days ago.

Both flights were in J. New service results in noticeably more foot traffic as the crew go up and down the aisles taking the meals to each passenger.

Having said that, crew were great on both flights and food was of good quality and ample in quantity.
FlyPointyEnd likes this.
gobblercat is offline  
Old Jul 3, 2019, 5:19 pm
  #428  
A FlyerTalk Posting Legend
 
Join Date: Apr 2013
Location: PHX
Programs: AS 75K; UA 1MM; Hyatt Globalist; Marriott LTP; Hilton Diamond (Aspire)
Posts: 56,227
Just arrived from SFO on CX851 . . . they had the beef burger as both a dinner option and the mid-flight snack. Very solid crew, nice flight.
Kacee is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2019, 10:14 pm
  #429  
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Just flew CX811 BOS-HKG in J. Have they further improved the meal service in the past few months? Id previously experienced the new catering approach several times in J, but this flight had additional cost cutting.

1. Aside from PDB, no pre-meal drink service.
2. No warm nuts served.
3. No starter course at all and salad had to be requested (not offered automatically).
4. Much smaller dinner roll, of the frozen premade variety (absolute cheapest dinner roll money can buy)

On the plus side, there were a couple extra entree options. And service was much faster than when they first rolled out the new service. The meal service was concluded within 90 minutes of take off (or less). Granted, I was seated in 11A, so I was served first.

Also, the beef burger is still on the snack menu.
swingaling is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2019, 10:20 pm
  #430  
sxc
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Accor Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: CX Green, QF Platinum, BAEC Silver, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 10,780
@swingaling are you comparing to previous flights on the same flight number? CX811 departs at 1.50am, and it sounds like this is a supper service to try and get it done as soon as possible due to people wanting to sleep.
sxc is offline  
Old Jul 18, 2019, 11:54 pm
  #431  
 
Join Date: Apr 2017
Location: PVD, BOS
Programs: AA EXP
Posts: 1,664
Originally Posted by sxc
@swingaling are you comparing to previous flights on the same flight number? CX811 departs at 1.50am, and it sounds like this is a supper service to try and get it done as soon as possible due to people wanting to sleep.
You're right. Its a supper service, so no starter. For some reason, I do remember the food portions being larger in the past.
swingaling is offline  
Old Jul 19, 2019, 1:22 am
  #432  
 
Join Date: Dec 2016
Programs: CX MPC DM
Posts: 416
Originally Posted by sxc
@swingaling are you comparing to previous flights on the same flight number? CX811 departs at 1.50am, and it sounds like this is a supper service to try and get it done as soon as possible due to people wanting to sleep.
Similar thing happening on CX899 from EWR, which departs around the same time. Just flew that route last week for the first time since the new meal service deployed. I didn't grab the menu, but entree choices were limited. I ended up choosing the burger since nothing else looked appealing.
synthkeys is offline  
Old Aug 21, 2019, 11:09 am
  #433  
soy
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Location: DUB-BOS
Programs: various
Posts: 3,647
So I have not read back through this thread, but the use of ipads to take orders needs to be reconsidered. Flew back from HKG last month and it took 3x longer than necessary even for simple selections. Pencil and paper ala QR or TK (both of whom are known for elaborate catering) would be exponentially more efficient.

On the plus side - had the burger as a snack, very tasty
Eagle2000 likes this.
soy is offline  
Old Sep 3, 2019, 12:04 am
  #434  
sxc
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Accor Contributor Badge
 
Join Date: Dec 2004
Programs: CX Green, QF Platinum, BAEC Silver, Hyatt Glob
Posts: 10,780
Looks like the ipad ordering system has been rolled out, or at least is in the process. Seemed to be smooth for me, but ordering drinks has limited flexibility. When you ask for certain mixed drinks, they don't seem to be able to enter this into the ipad, and instead the individual components of the drink are delivered to you for self-mixing. I suspect this is because the ipad is "tick and flick" and they just have standard items on there, so any special requests can't be handled.
Carfield likes this.
sxc is offline  
Old Nov 8, 2019, 1:26 am
  #435  
 
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YYZ
Programs: CX GO, AC Aeroplan 25K, AMEX PLAT, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, IHG Spire Amb
Posts: 459
Had my second new J class experience the other day on CX829 YYZ-HKG. My first experience was over a year ago when they first launched it out of IAD.

Here are some observations. Photos/menu can be added later if people are interested.


Supper: (0115 departure)
- Order taken after take-off by SP using iPad. There seems to be a few iPads now in use by multiple crew members.
- Having read some of the experiences here about people having difficulties flagging down cabin crew to make additional requests once the service have started, I took the suggestions to be more "assertive" and decided put in all my request at once (which the SP had no problems with and actually seems to encourage it)
- No appetizer at all (the old supper service had the savoury dip with breadsticks)
- No warm nuts with first drink (the old supper service had those under the drink carts and were served "on-request" for the supper service)
- I ordered champagne to start, the chinese main (and the SP proactively asked whether I wanted to switch my drinks for the main) with white wine
- The side salad is on request and I added it to the order as well
- There is now a proper dessert or ice cream, and fruits and cheese on offer for the supper service. The old service only had mixed berries as "dessert"
- I ordered dessert and coffee at the same time

- First drink was served around 15mins or so after take-off
- Tray (side salad, main and the second drink) was served around 25-30mins after take-off and I was seated at 21A on a 77K (i.e. second cabin)
- Main tasted ok, but the sauce wasn't presented really well.
- The rice was less dry than before. I am wondering whether they reheat the rice now in the container before placing the rice into the bowl. I don't know whether they used to reheat the rice in the bowl with the old service because the rice would always dry out at the edge of the bowl.
- Tray was collected and dessert was served within maybe 5mins
- As someone upthread mentioned, the new dessert (served in a cup) had way too much cream and I only ate a few bites of it.
- The whole service wrapped up within 1hr15mins to 1hr30mins max after take-off. (i.e. Same efficiencies as the old supper service)





Mid-Flight Snacks
- The popcorn tasted great (which I remembered from a year ago)
- Ran out of the chinese snack options (roasted duck noodle soup) when I asked whether it's still available at 5hr to landing. SP asked whether I wanted to try the burger and I said yes
- Can't believe I never tried the burger all these years despite the general consensus on FlyerTalk that the burger is one of the best food on CX J and that it almost never goes wrong
- FlyerTalk is right and the burger tasted delicious. I could have never realized it's airplane food if I am blindfolded




Breakfast
- Pre-ordered using the breakfast card
- Menu states breakfast would be served 2hrs prior to landing
- Lights were turned on 2:45 to landing, at 0230AM HKG time. Why... Cathay... Why? What's the point of switching to the pre-order system and serving the breakfast on one tray when you are still waking everyone up at 2:45 to go... For comparisons, Air Canada serves their pre-arrival meal with 90mins to go and they don't even use the pre-order system (on the transpacific flights)

- A tray of drinks (similar to Y class) were passed around 10mins after lights were turned on
- We then waited almost another 20mins before the breakfast tray is served (again... why... why are you waking everyone up that early then...)
- I like the presentation and taste of the breakfast, although some will definitely miss the yogurt and cereal and the bigger plates of fruits
- A croissant & scone were served with the western breakfast. The chinese breakfast does not come with any bakery items/pastries, although I assume if someone asks they would provide them
- Cabin crew walked through the cabin multiple times shortly after serving the breakfast to try to collect the trays, and at the end I had to politely tell them to come back later since I am still trying to finish my last bite
- Trays were collected by 1:45 prior to landing (despite me trying to slow it down lol), and lights remained on for rest of the flight



Still have mixed feelings with the new service. I guess I will just have to learn to live with it. Service is not particular "personalized" as what CX advertised, since the crews are always running around trying to finish the service. Will try to provide another feedback/updates after my CX826 (the full dinner service).

On the other hand I appreciate the final addition of slippers and especially the mattress pad and the new thicker pillow.

Last edited by etkuo; Nov 8, 2019 at 1:43 am
etkuo is offline  

Thread Tools
Search this Thread

Contact Us - Manage Preferences - Archive - Advertising - Cookie Policy - Privacy Statement - Terms of Service -

This site is owned, operated, and maintained by MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. Copyright © 2024 MH Sub I, LLC dba Internet Brands. All rights reserved. Designated trademarks are the property of their respective owners.