olouie

You will need to get passport checked so might as well do it at checkin desks since its a bit easier there than at the gate.

iemadv

Thought I read on the website you must go to the HKG airport checkin counter to get the physical boarding pass after online checkin. Just not sure if I have to do the same at SFO since I already got the mobile pass.

ChiefNWA

How often is LAX seeing the new config? I'm flying it in Feb. Not nitpicking, just curious, I'm happy with my $600 RT J ticket 2-2-2 or 1-2-1 lol.

FoxFlyer

ChiefNWA

Ahh that's right, I was getting configs messed up in my head between this and my Hainan flights in Sept.

EVA777

They took delivery of another A350 (B-LGH) on November 21st. This aircraft is on the way to LAX for the first time today. Not sure when the next A350 is due but I would think by Feb. LA should always see the new seats. I found the "old" seats to be great with plenty of room. Both of my trips so far have been on the old configuration both ways. If they are using the standard reverse herringbone that other carriers use I would rather have the old style seat.

lakers6902

super-mileage-fan

SFO-HKG-PVG RT just completed. Solid 4-Star Airline Experience.

Check-in: Fast and easy. Added Fortune Wings # at check-in. Needed to do it again on return flight. Be ready to hand numbers to agents at PVG on paper or phone to avoid miscommunication.
Lounge: Air France lounge at SFO was surprisingly good with good food. The new Autus at HKG lounge was very nice with some good food. Was crowded on return flight in AM when SFO & LAX passengers are there. The showers are very nice. PVG (China Eastern?) lounge was nice too with good food selection & nice, clean bathrooms early in the AM.
Flight Delays: Both SFO-HKG and HKG-SFO had an hour of tarmac delays & these delays weren't made up in the air. HKG-SFO plane had "computer problems" delaying the departure. It was the same plane both times (old config) and the side of the right bathroom mirror was cracked. Cabin seat & bathroom cleanliness was average / acceptable.
Plane Food: Mixed quality. Eat in the lounge instead if you can. SFO-HKG sardine appetizer was very good. Salad good. Vegetarian meal was very good. Pepper steak meal was poor USA outbound, very good USA inbound. Poor dim sum as others have noted, I only tried it on USA outbound. HKG-SFO scallop appetizer was OK. One flights was out of port; the other out of scotch. Wine & Champagne are average $10-$20 bottles.
Plane Comfort: Enjoyed the close couples seating. I had selected seats via HK web chat. Trans-Pac J cabin gets too hot. Dress appropriately. Thin Van Laack PJ bottoms and a t-shirt, with a backup sweater or long-sleeve t-shirt is ideal. Nice blankets and pillows. We had trouble sleeping in the center seats a bit because of the noise created by other passengers. There is probably an art to sleeping on these planes too, by using a combination of seating and sleeping positions throughout the flight. For example, I liked using a combination of the lie-flat and the reclined position.
Plane Service: Service on HKG-SFO was good but a little slow with a very full front cabin. Service on HKG-SFO was very good and the FAs really cared. They haven't figured out how to time food delivery so couples get served simultaneously.
FF: Fortune Points posted 3-days later for first flight and Gold Status match success email received a couple days later.

Being in J on short HKG-PVG both ways greatly appreciated. Coach was fairly full on all segments, and we were exhausted on these flights. The pillows on the short segments are plumper and softer; I enjoyed that i could side-sleep with by Bose over-ears with these pillows. I also really liked the side bulkhead seats on the short segments - they feel more private. The short segments seats aren't lie flat, but they are big and recline far back.

Overall, I am very grateful to HK air for honoring the mistake fair, and I hope to fly them again. While it ain't anywhere near Cathay First, I would choose them over United or BA business class unless I had good reason not to do so.

Antshill

I flew LAX - HKG - BKK and back a week ago.

Check in was easy. That 4AM return flight is rough! 3 of my 4 segments were on A350s (old config) then BKK->HKG was on what felt like 90s A330. Very dated 2-2-2 config.

Something interesting happened on my LAX legs both ways. On the way to HKG - some passenger was chatting up the FA in the front galley then little later in the flight sat down next to me (I was K single window seat). He sat in the middle seats and received some meal about an hour before we were served. It smelled awesome and caused me to want food so I ordered a hot in flight snack. Afterwards he disappeared from the biz cabin. Overall he probably spent 30% of the time (that I personally noticed) in biz. When he was chatting with the FA - he mentioned it was a quick trip back to HKG for something or other then he would turn back around and head straight back to the states. Which made me believe he wasnt a FA himself.

Then on my LAX-BKK flight - the seat behind me was empty but mid way through the flight I could feel some kicking around in the footwell compartment that was next to my chair. Turned around and there was this guy getting comfortable there. Again the same thing - hes there for part of the flight - then disappeared!

I was super curious... the first guy got served a meal... so he couldnt have been someone that snuck into biz? The second guy - completely disappeared midway into the flight - I dont think he was served a meal. I've never flown premium class before - but is this all normal?

super-mileage-fan

Antshill: I was told these were pilots on rest.

maverikbc

who asked you? Your check in agent? I find it bizarre as they're with separate alliance.

maverikbc

the current one the deadline is approaching at the of the month. My trip is in Feb, so I wonder if I should apply for this year's version, or apply next month for next year's version. There's no guarantee we get the same offer or better next month, but it seems annual, the current one came out Jan 15.

when we apply with the start date, I guess it'd be safe to set a few days prior to the schedule in case there's any involuntary schedule change?

llihlopf

I applied at the start of December for a start date of December 25th (my flights are in February) and it was confirmed overnight by email.
They even told me the end date of the challenge based on the starting date.

Doctorslices

Slightly off topic here but for the Fortune Wings challenge does anyone know what qualifies as a "platinum or higher tier credit card status with bank"?

Antshill

Ah that makes sense - wonder where they go the rest of the time then? Surely not to hang out in economy?