Radiation Station

Hello all,

I would appreciate some advice as a first time traveller on CX. My girlfriend and I have used Avios to book two CX F redemption seats from HKG to PEK in November 2020 (this was booked before COVID-19 had any real impact). It has been our dream for some time to fly in Cathay F, especially if we can visit the Wing and the Pier.

However, I am concerned that CX has recently starting culling routes and closing its lounges. We would not be keen to fly CX F if the experience was significantly diluted by COVID-19 e.g. lounges closed, food and beverage service reduced etc. I appreciate this is crystal ball territory but can anyone hazard a guess as to whether this flight is likely to be cancelled or tainted?

Thank you for your time!

(We are both UK citizens and will be visiting as tourists - this may present some issues too, I anticipate. We booked our trip to Asia in early January, taking advantage of very keenly priced Swiss J companion fares out of London. Unfortunately COVID-19 has swiftly escalated since then.)

QRC3288

Nobody has any idea, I don't think.

percysmith

PEK?

Step 1 - they have to let in foreign residents again.
Step 2 - they have to let in foreign visitors.
Step 3 - you better hope they don't downgauge due to low demand

Sorry for being such a downer. But you're presenting a worse set of circumstances than my niece end of HSC (if that one gets called off I am reinstating the trip for end of her uni year 1)

36902BRF

Personally I consider any travel bookings (and I am making some) in the next 18 or so months purely speculative. There it literally no way to predict how this is going to go. At least in the US they are already talking about the potential for a second, worse wave this fall and winter.

littlevoices

I'd also suggest that Cathay First on the short route to PEK isn't really going to give you the full service, except on the ground anyway. At this point better to just relax for another few months and then check back in October. If you're unhappy you can cancel with the generous Avios policy.

cmiller11101

CX or KA?

moondog

Only CX offered F on that route ~2x/day, and equipment swaps (to planes without F) were common. Personally, I'm fine with J, and even Y. There are much better food options at HKIA than onboard in any class.

ernestnywang

Huh? Both CX and KA have F on the PEK route, although the KA F seat is basically the same as the CX J seat for long-haul. In fact, I believe KA F can only be found on the PEK route, at least on a more or less consistent basis.

moondog

Oh, yes. I forgot about that wrinkle. In either case, it's still not an especially compelling product imo.

LondonElite

I would treat that trip as having a moderate chance of happening in any way. You'd need to be let into both countries, you'd need to have the FCO remove the travel advisory for you to have any hope of insurance while you are away, you'd have to hope there is no quarantine, and you'd have to hope that CX (if still around) serves the route, and with a F product on the ground and in the air, and that there are no aircraft swaps. Those are plenty of 'ifs'.

eponymous_coward

So, I saw your post in the SQ forum:

SQ Suites redemption in late 2020 - will the experience be affected by COVID-19?

You are literally picking a TERRIBLE time to ask for certainty in plans like this. Nobody knows the future very well right now. You need to let go of any assumptions that by any date in 2020 things will be “normal”. Surely you and your partner as medical professionals would understand this?

This trip shouldn’t be anything you spend time being concerned about or planning right now. Any effort is very likely to be wasted. Airline schedules and equipment flying a route months out is merely notional; close in we might have a better idea of the landscape.

I would assume that the next year or two is a TERRIBLE time to do the FlyerTalk “I want to be in premium cabins to sample them like all those trip reports” sort of traveling and should that NOT prove to be the case close in, make plans then and be pleasantly surprised. You will likely be lucky to use to original Swiss J tickets on the original routing. If you wanted to add something to Hong Kong, do it with a destination in mind, not whether they will serve you Krug in a suite.

Radiation Station

I appreciate the replies - I come to Flyertalk for a reality check and informed insight. I can see that our plans may very well go awry, and I'm glad we booked redemption flights for the intra-Asia travelling, given their flexibility.

Regarding the flights to and from Hong Kong, I think I should be covered should the worst happen, as my travel insurance is very comprehensive and covers events related to coronavirus ( we also booked before any advisory against travel).

Radiation Station

I agree - there is too much uncertainty, and too many moving parts. After reading the replies on this board and reviewing the news regarding the relevant countries, I think we will be lucky if the trip goes ahead as planned. Hopefully we can at least visit HKG for the first time.

Radiation Station

I appreciate the reply - all good points. I guess we will have to review the situation a month or two in advance. Given the speed with which developments occur, I can see that even that may be optimistic. Borders have been closed at short notice before, and flight disruption appears almost to be expected.

QRC3288

CX did very loyally provide once-a-day F service to PEK until covid hit. Call it until January 2020. In the medium past (before 2017?), PEK was variable on CX but truly in the last 2 years or so until covid, PEK had guaranteed CX F once a day on CX391/390. You could guarantee it. Also, that's on top of KA, which had multiple F class services a day (3? 4?) It was more than 2.

On top of that, CX F class to/from PEK comes with the massive CX suite, which is a fantastic working zone. To each their own but I had taken to buying CX F to/from PEK almost every flight for the past 1.5 years!

It is a matter of preferences and price, but personally I find KA F excellent and worth it. Part of this is because regional J class is such a rubbish hard product, in this traveler's opinion. So when timing didn't work, or KA offered F to Shanghai I felt the KA F product is also worth it (I used to take KA F more to PEK, but switched to the CX flight maybe in 2018 or so when the service became guaranteed on 390/391). KA/CX F isn't a whole lot more than full J class anyway, if those are the fare classes you get stuck with, which I often do to China. Again, part of what makes KA F "good" is because J class is so rubbish so I'm not sure this is really a strong endorsement after all! But KA F service is also very consistent and I usually feel like service is very personal and genuine. CX is good too but it's a different approach on KA which is a nice change of pace.

The other part of this unsaid is, if you fly J class at the same price and time, obviously you'd want to be on CX390/391 to/from PEK instead of the KA alternative, since on CX you get the flat product that's basically what KA offers in F.

This is all just dreaming of the past now this time when none of us are traveling!