LHR/MEL/Europe FF

QF availability is very hard to come by... initial allocations are usually snapped up pretty quickly. QF's very top tier members can also ring to ask for unlisted award seats to be created for them... at any time until flight departure.

So the chances of QF releasing seats are going to be slim.

CX on the other hand does periodically release more inventory, and if you have steal nerves... they will often open up a flight in the few days prior to departure... even on the day of departure. But that's not necessarily a stress-free option!

Dave Noble

MH business class is quite pleasant and would definitely take that over going via SYD and PER - 3 hours on a 737 to Sydney , then a domestic QF leg before a Cathay flight to HKG

I prefer Cathay to Malaysia , but with that option, MH would easily win out

Thai-Kiwi

Thanks for your thoughts DN and LHR/MEL/Europe FF.

If I did adjust travel to include AKL-KUL-BKK on MH, what would happen if MH ceased flying AKL-KUL, noting this is a USDM issued ticket?

Is it the ticketing airline or operating airline that would arrange alternate travel? Just cautious on MH's financial situation at present...

I have better confidence with QF/CX in this regard.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

Depending on the circumstances, neither may automatically rearrange your travel plans.

If the cancellation is notified well in advance (ie not the day of travel, or even the day before), MH is under no obligation to arrange travel on another carrier. They will refer you back to US Airways.

US Airways will try to help you, but will only be able to give you award seats on another carrier if they are available. USDM can't create award seats on say Cathay (and Cathay has no incentive to do so). USDM won't pay full price for a revenue seat either.

If the cancellation is the day of departure, say because of a mechanical issue, MH will accommodate you on another carrier. (If they go bankrupt you'll have to go back to USDM... and the same restrictions outline above will apply.)

Thai-Kiwi

Cheers, appreciate the thoughtful response.

TK

percysmith

I've been a double lucky bxstard and 1 - scored BNE-HKG partner redemption availability on QF J 330 days out with Asia Miles on the end of our five day holiday (we get Good Friday, Easter Monday and Ching Ming grave sweeping all in a row this year) and 2 - scored the Business Suite in a last minute equipment swap (was expecting the Skybed Mk 1).

My outbound was a CX J HKG-SYD 33G so here's a comparison I did of the two on my way home - hopefully in descending order of importance:

Sleeping: both are flat beds now. QF superior because 1 - take-off recline mode 2 - CX F-like mattress and PJs provided in QF J 3 - straight layout (yes I'm looking at you kaka) vs CX reverse herringbone angled layout

I didn't actually sleep flat in QF but when trying out the seat in fully flat mode I found no meaningful difference in width or length. My CX J was an overnight and I actually slept in take off mode for about 3 hours before ISM woke me by wrapping my blanket over my shoulders.

Seat layout and aisle access: QF levelled the playing field considerably with the Business Suite - direct aisle access for every seat. There are still some drawbacks of the staggered layout - every other seat was directly against the aisle and had one of three windows blocked (eg my missus' 5K, whereas my 4K was enclosed by my missus' feet well and had views from all three windows). In contrast all CX seats in the same "column" will be equal. Also arguably a couple CX sitting on D/G seat pair will be able to talk to each other, a couple on QF D/G will really have to poke their heads around the partition to talk with each other.

Space and storage: we thought CX's cabinet, cocktail table and shoe cabinet been a hard act to beat, but QF really gave CX a run for its money here with the side table and the wraparound magazine and water bottle slot. The magazine slot was wide enough for me to shove an LX-100 four-thirds camera, my laptop and an iPhone in (I will have to use the nook under the cocktail table on CX). Also I can have the laptop on the side table when eating (bit of a balancing act on CX). The large side table is something CX won't be able to easily duplicate with the reverse herringbone layout, but it is of lesser importance on overnight flights. On the other hand CX does have the shoe cabinet, QF does not (not my seat anyway, missus found another nook under her side table which I didn't find on mine). Both are equal for power options (1 USB 1 AC).

F&B: we were in for a disappointment, as food usually is the low point of CX's service in any class. The "Rockpool-inspired Neil Perry-designed" menu mains consisted of a trevalla that was too dry and the lamb was satisfactory but didn't exactly wow me. The difference is not as much as in the back. Wines here are roughly even - do you like Duval Leroy or Deutz?

Service: both were pretty good up front. I had less interaction with CX FAs (having passed out cold even before seat belts off the ISM had to tuck me in). QF was very well staffed up front with three stewards and the CSM serving a smaller J cabin than CX (28 vs 39). QF crews tend to interact with their pax more, whether that is preferable is probably a cultural difference.

IFE: screens are largely equal now. Missus said CX has newer films but QF has better selection.

Amenity kit: QF distributed the Oroton kit on this Business Suite service with PJs inside, which won hands down over CX's Seventy-Eight kit.

Lounges are identical of course with oneworld access (no access to The Arrival in HKG with QF when I wanted some more food since "refreshments" on neither airline is really enough - easily solved for me to go to Plaza Premium Arrivals Lounge instead).

With the mattress, amenity kit, staffing and side table, I feel QF J feels more premium - First minus if I can stretch - CX remains firmly as J, clearly segregated from F.

With that in mind, I do not expect CX to adopt the mattress, amenity kit or staffing, but hopefully with FB3 they can put in a take-off recline mode like QF.