In the meantime, since there is a forum here for travel on other airlines, I thought some of you might enjoy this report of First Class travel on Cathay Pacific between Sydney, Australia and Los Angeles, California via Hong Kong. Cathay Pacific was recently voted via Skytrax as the 2005 award winner of the world's best First Class service. The majority of this report was originally posted at another well known website, and if subsequently posting it here is considered in bad taste, please let me know and I'll delete it immediately.
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May 03, 2005
Sydney to Hong Kong
Cathay Pacific First Class
A340-300 B-HXL Seat 1A
300p-1035p Flight Time: 8:42
PICTURES MAY BE FOUND HERE.
Cathay Pacifics check-in counters opened at noon, three hours before flight time. I sauntered up to the counter shortly after it opened and soon was on my way through security and on to the First Class lounge. Surprisingly, there was no Fast Track lane for First or Business Class passengers.
Cathay does not operate its own lounge at Kingsford-Smith. Instead, I was given an invitation to visit the Qantas Club. Ive heard both positive and negative reviews about Sydneys International Qantas Club. Usually however, the best First Class lounge in any international airport is the one operated by the airline based out of that airport. As a First Class passenger accustomed to the very highest standards in service on Cathay Pacific, I was curious to see just how Qantas Club would stack up.
Once Id passed through the gauntlet of Duty Free stores blatantly placed to squeeze every last note of colorful Australian currency from my wallet, I headed up the escalator to the Mezzanine Level where the Qantas Club is located. The entrance to the First Class side is through large, opaque glass doors. After surrendering my lounge invitation card to the receptionist, I stashed my carry-on bag and proceeded into the lounge.
I like big windows that let in lots of natural light. A nice sweeping vista is also appreciated but is secondary to the natural light. The Sydney Qantas Club scored high marks on both counts with large, nearly floor to ceiling picture windows that afforded a superb view of the ramp and the skyline of downtown Sydney in the distance. The lounge was not that busy so there was plenty of room for visitors to spread out upon a variety of couches and chairs set around low coffee tables.
In the center of the lounge was a buffet area stocked with a decent variety of liquors and beers. Also featured was a very nice and ever changing variety of hot and cold foods. At the time I arrived, there was a nice selection of cold sandwiches, seasoned chicken wraps, peppered salmon, meatballs and fried chicken tenders accompanied by guacamole, chutney and a tomato salsa. There was also a nice plate of cheeses, including a tasty blue cheese that I quite enjoyed. Also available were fresh fruit and two different plates of pastries, cookies and muffins. I thought it was all quite good and wasted no time in putting together a colorful plate of finger foods to accompany an ice cold Crown Lager and mixed nuts.
Settling at a table by the window, I watched as my A340 was prepared for departure. I think it was Andy Warhol who once filmed the Empire State Building for something like eight straight hours. Although I didnt have time to see that movie, I should imagine that if one were to film all the activity around an international airliner from the time of its arrival to the time of its departure, the entertainment value would be considerably higher.
The Qantas Club does have an Internet room with four terminals but the connection speed was woefully slow. Ive been on faster dial ups in the middle of Alaska. Surprisingly, there was no free wireless offered even though the capability to inexpensively provide such has been available in Australia for some time now. The fact that at its own home base Australias primary airline wont even provide its best customers with something as basic as decent Internet access is at best incomprehensible and at worst foolish penny pinching.
When I returned to the buffet area for another beer, I noticed that tasty looking open-faced sandwiches had replaced the original basic sandwiches. A tray of cold cuts had also been added, along with some different but no less delicious looking pastries. Those open-faced sandwiches were tempting but with a full dinner to look forward to in about an hour, I decided to hold off.
Aside from the Internet situation, I really have no complaints with this lounge. It was spacious, comfortable and reasonably well stocked with food and drink. Overall, it was a pleasant place to while away a couple of hours before my flight.
Boarding was called about twenty-five minutes before departure time. Gate 24 was conveniently located right next door to the Qantas Club so I didnt have far to go once I got all my gear collected. In this instance, gear meant laptop, cord, camera, postcards and pens. The gate agents sounded quite flustered when I arrived. Okay - Theres the First Class passenger! one of them said. Call back up to the lounge and see about those Business Class passengers. They must still be up there! I looked at my watch. 2:41pm. Still nineteen minutes before departure.
Gate 24 has just one jetway and it was positioned at door 1L. This meant that all the passengers got to wander through the First Class cabin on their way back to the nether regions of the aircraft. This was no big deal to me, especially since I was apparently one of the last to board, but I found it unusual given the customary placement of jetways at door 2L.
My seat today is 1A. I wanted the A side for two reasons. First and foremost, it is the side on which the sun will be setting. Secondly, the lavatory on the A340 is located on the right hand side of the forward galley. Less noise and traffic nearby my seat is always appreciated.
A First Class seat in the nose of a 747 has always been my favorite spot aloft. Still, a First Class Suite aboard one of Cathay Pacifics Airbuses ranks a very close second. This appraisal does not apply to any other operator of the larger Airbuses that Ive flown upon. Furthermore, the First Class Suites aboard Cathays A330 and A340s are unquestionably the finest accommodations I have ever experienced aloft. The reason I like them so much is because of the huge amount of personal space and seat side storage available. Check out the suite in this photo.
All First Class flights aboard Cathay Pacific begin with the presentation of a preflight glass of champagne (or the beverage of your choice) along with a small appetizer or amuse bouche. Todays offerings were a glass of tasty Cuv_e William Deutz 1996 along with a small plate of sliced lobster tail atop seasoned greens. Delicious.
The Captain issued a hearty welcome aboard from the flight deck and informed us that wed be eight hours and thirty-five minutes enroute up to Hong Kong this afternoon. There would be some thunderstorms along the route, especially later this evening, but in general we should be in for a fairly smooth flight. Even so, its always a good idea to keep those seatbelts fastened at all times.
Following the last minute arrival of an Australian family of four, the doors were shut and we promptly began our push back. The First Class cabin had six out of eight seats filled a far better load than on my flight down from Hong Kong when only three of us were up front.
As we were taxiing out, the Purser stopped by to introduce herself and welcome us all aboard Cathay Pacifics First Class. Cocktails would be served shortly after takeoff, followed by dinner. Thank you for flying with Cathay Pacific and please dont hesitate to ask if theres anything we can do for you.
Following a lengthy takeoff roll, we soared into the clear Australian skies and soon adopted a northwesterly heading. As we were climbing out, it occurred to me that the last time I flew internationally out of Sydney was way back in 1992 aboard a Continental DC-10-30 headed for Honolulu, nine and a half hours distant. I was in First Class on that flight and Ill always remember the big log of truffled fois gras from which the Flight Attendants were carving massive slabs. Decadent indeed. I wonder what Cathay will be offering on this flight?
That question was soon answered with the presentation of the menu and wine list. My menu featured a picture of a mouth watering plateful of spring rolls and dipping sauce on its cover. The wine list was emblazoned with the logo from Business Traveller Magazines Cellar in the Sky Awards, from which Cathay Pacific was awarded Most Original Wine List. Lets see whats in the cellar for this flight
WINE LIST
Champagne
Cuv_e William Deutz 1996
White Wines
Hollick Coonawarra Reserve Chardonnay 2002
Vincent Girardin Meursault, Vieilles Vignes 2001
Red Wines
Chateau Branaire-Ducru 1996, 4eme Cru Classe
St. Andrews Shiraz 1999
Tignanello 2000
Port
Ramos Pinto Quinto da Ervamoira 10 Year Old Tawny Port
This is the same wine list that was offered on my flight down last month. Not that Im complaining, however. I have fond memories of that St. Andrews Shiraz, as well as the Vincent Girardin Meursault. The latter won First Place for the best First Class White Wine in the aforementioned Cellar in the Sky Awards,
Flight Attendant stopped by to take my drink order and said shed return in about ten minutes for my dinner selections. In the meantime, I perused the First Class menu over a glass of St. Andrews Shiraz accompanied by a small dish of almonds. Hmm
Sydney to Hong Kong
DINNER
Caviar and Balik Salmon Delight
Oscietra Caviar and Balik Salmon Tsar Nicolaj
Served with Warm New Potatoes and Cr_me Fraiche
LIGHT CHOICE
Potato and Fennel Cream Soup
Served with Mini Garlic Baguette
Smoked Trout with Nicoise Salad
Served with Light Vinaigrette Dressing
Bread Basket
Assorted Bread and Rolls
MAIN COURSES
Dory Fillet with Chervil Cream Sauce
Presented with Boiled Potatoes, Roast Pumpkin and Green Beans
Stir-Fried Beef with Oyster Mushrooms
Steamed Rice and Choy Sum
Korean Style Fried Prawns with Chilli and Pinenuts
Steamed Rice and Saut_ed Vegetables
Ricotta Ravioli
Topped with Pumpkin Spinach Cream Sauce
Condiments of Guilin Chilli Sauce, Chinese Red Vinegar and Soya Sauce
are available to accompany your choice
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Cheeseboard
A Selection of Fine International Cheeses
Served with the Traditional Accompaniments
Dessert
Ice Cream
Chocolate Tart with King Island Cream
Bread and Butter Pudding with Custard Sauce
Tea and Coffee
Pralines and Cookies
Well now everything looked pretty good but the Korean Style Fried Prawns with Chilli and Pinenuts sounded deliciously exotic. Thats what I ordered for my main course along with soup, salad and of course the famous caviar course.
Cathay presents its salmon and caviar service the old fashioned way, from atop the trolley. While I recognize the benefit of serving meals on demand from the galley, I really miss the panache that a proper trolley service adds to the presentation of any part of the meal, from cocktails and hors doeuvres to dessert. Seeing your food and drink prepared and presented right at seatside really heightens the anticipation for the entire meal. Western Airlines used to serve its Islander Punch from a magnificent bubbling volcano complete with dried ice. United used to offer a wonderful tossed salad presentation that included cracked pepper delivered with a flourish from a large wooden pepper grinder. Uniteds Royal Hawaiian First Class service often featured elaborate cakes and pies, beautifully arranged atop the trolley. Northwests Regal Imperial dessert carts were justifiably famous as well. I remember a First Class flight on UTA between Papeete and Los Angeles that featured a spectacular Pate de Fois Gras presentation highlighted by a beautiful feather arrangement. Air Frances canap_ and appetizer presentations were also a thing of beauty.
Well prepared meals delivered from the galley are very nice but a properly orchestrated trolley service can turn a mere dinner into a memorable event.
Todays trolley was wielded by another member of crew, who did an excellent job of preparing some very artistic looking plates of caviar and salmon surrounded by all the trimmings. I thought it nice that she took the time to transfer the caviar from spoon to spoon to spoon in order to remove any excess liquid that might have accumulated near the bottom of the serving bowl. Three pieces of luscious Balik salmon were framed around two portions of deep black caviar. Onions, eggs and cr_me fraiche were added, followed by new potatoes and Melba Toast. Great care was taken to ensure proper symmetry around the plate. Finally, a cloth wrapped lemon half was placed on my table and I was free to delve into this most decadent of inflight treats.
With just one exception, the only times Ive ever eaten caviar have come onboard airplanes. And not just long distance international flights either. Once I was served caviar with all the trimmings aboard a Braniff 727 between New York and Dallas. Coincidentally, the only time I was served caviar when I wasnt on an airplane occurred at Dulles International Airport at the pre-departure party celebrating the inaugural Concorde flight within the United States. That was on January 12th, 1979. Braniff International had entered into a promotional agreement with Air France and British Airways to fly their Concordes on a code share from Washington DC down to Dallas and back. Of course, flights within the US would be operated at subsonic speeds, but hey it was the Concorde and a flight on it could be had for the very affordable domestic First Class fare rather than the exorbitant international Supersonic Class fare. I paid $156.00 for a Washington to Denver ticket routed through Dallas. Prior to the flight, I dined on caviar and other fine treats at the International Room restaurant in the main Dulles terminal building. A beautiful ice sculpture held chilled bottles of fine Russian vodka.
Getting on that inaugural Concorde flight was not a problem. Upon reading about it in the paper, I immediately called up Braniff and got a reservation. It was that simple. Both the British Airways and Air France birds were flown down to DFW that sunny January day and every effort was made to land on DFWs twin runways simultaneously. I flew down on the Air France jet and sat next to the French Minister of Transportation. He was the first person Id ever seen sniff a wine cork. At the Braniff terminal, we parked nose to nose with BAs Concorde. As passengers from both aircraft disembarked, a band on the tarmac struck up a spirited rendition of The Yellow Rose of Texas. Ladies were handed a long stemmed yellow rose while gentlemen had one pinned through their lapels. Thats right, lapels. Flying was still enough of an event back then that people still dressed nicely when they flew. TV cameras and news crews crowded around and helicopters filmed the scene from above. It was a fun event to be a part of during the Good Old Days of American commercial aviation. Sadly, the Concorde service down to Dallas was not a moneymaker and was scrapped after just a few months.
Anyway, that gala event at Washington Dulles may well have been the first time I ever had caviar. I can tell you it was not love at first bite, but over the years Ive definitely come to appreciate those little black eggs. And because caviar is such a rare and cherished treat, rolling it out on the trolley and creatively preparing each plate only served to make the experience that much more distinguished. Well done, Cathay Pacific!
The soup was noteworthy only in that so few airlines still offer a soup course these days. Todays soup was savory though nowhere near the best soup Ive had aloft, that being a fantastic clam chowder proffered aboard Aerolineas Argentinas while flying First Class from New York to Miami back in 1986.
The salad included tomato, potato, olives and green beans in addition to pieces of trout. It was pretty good but a leafier salad would have been more to my liking.
There was a ten-minute interlude between the salad and my entr_e presentation, but the wait was well worth it. Korean Style Fried Prawns with Chilli and Pinenuts Even the name sounds delectable. The prawns certainly were, nicely spiced with the chilli and pleasantly enhanced by the added texture of the pinenuts. This was one of the better Asian dishes Ive had aloft.
For dessert, I chose the Chocolate Tart with King Island Cream. Now when I think of tarts, I usually envision those little round pie dough pastries filled with custard, fruit and whipped cream. This type of tart was standard Economy Class dessert fare on United Airlines back in the sixties and seventies. The tart I was served today might best be described as chocolate mousse in a pie wedge. Though I prefer the custard variety, todays version was most scrumptious, particularly when washed down with coffee and Baileys Irish Cream.
After dinner, I watched an episode of The Sopranos on Studio CX before turning my attention to the Airshow Map. Our route of flight this afternoon took us on a north-northwesterly heading out of Sydney, passing not far from Qantas original hometown of Longreach and continuing on up over Arnhem Land. We crossed the northern coast of Australia at a point about two hundred miles east of Darwin. From there we headed out over the Arafura Sea, the first of four different seas along our route to Hong Kong. The others were the Banda Sea, the Celebes Sea and the South China Sea.
At the time we passed over Australias northern coast, wed been inflight for three hours and twenty-eight minutes. We were cruising at 38,000 feet, enjoying a 20-mph tailwind that pushed us along at 565 mph. The Airshow indicated that we still had another 2,637 miles to go, a distance we were projected to cover in just five more hours. Well, 5:04 to be exact, but whats a couple of minutes when youre half wasted on good food, wine and the euphoria of First Class travel aboard Cathay Pacific?
As we passed by Zamboanga on the southern tip of the Philippine island of Mindanao, the flight attendant stopped by to point out a big fishing fleet anchored off our port side, in the direction of Borneo. I was amazed at the amount of area covered by all the lights, especially after checking the Airshow map and noting that there was no land down there.
At this point in the flight, wed been cruising along for about five and a half hours and most of the passengers were either sleeping, reading or watching their PTVs. It was not a particularly demanding time for the Flight Attendants and so I had a chance to chat with Katherine for awhile.
More than a few Trip Reporters have made the assertion that Flight Attendants onboard the Asian airlines tend to be robotic. I wont contest that view because aside from Cathay Pacific, I havent flown any other Asian airlines over the past ten years. However, based upon my experiences aboard Cathay, I wouldnt label any of their First Class Flight Attendants as robotic. To the contrary, the ladies Ive met have been very friendly and outgoing, though professional enough to recognize and respect those passengers who want to keep idle chit chat to a minimum. Its been evident in talking with the crews on my flights that Cathay Pacific doesnt hire just any pretty face. The First Class FAs Ive met over the past couple of years have been intelligent, outgoing people who can and will happily engage you in intelligent conversation if you so desire. Empty headed coffee, tea or me girls theyre definitely not.
The distance between Sydney and Hong Kong is 4,800 miles. Thats about the same distance as Athens to New York. Perhaps because this flight departs in the afternoon and arrives later that same evening, it really doesnt seem like all that long of a flight to me. Of course, were I squeezed into the approximately three square feet of space allotted each of the almost two hundred passengers back in Economy Class, I might feel differently.
Up in Cathay Pacifics First Class, theres been plenty to keep me happy and occupied. Cocktails and a six-course dinner take up a good two hours or more of the flight. A movie is good for a couple more hours. Thanks to in-seat laptop power ports, I can work on this report, listen to music, design some work related databases, even write and send emails. Glancing at my watch, I was amazed to discover that we were now less than two hours from landing in Hong Kong. Katherine returned to ask if Id care for anything from the refreshment menu.
I have a tendency to overeat in First Class and this flight was no exception. I mean for me at least its not everyday I get to enjoy such fine food and drink aloft, much less on the ground. Yeah, yeah Ive heard all the talk about how much better the food is in a fine earthbound restaurant. I certainly wont contest that point but Ive always felt that most food served in International First Class is generally pretty darned good, particularly onboard an airline of Cathay Pacifics caliber. Perhaps it all tastes so good because I've always viewed the inflight meal as a form of inflight entertainment. A good meal, regardless of the class traveled in, is often the highlight of an otherwise unremarkable flight. I know its weird, but somehow what may just a basic Kung Po Chicken in Hong Kong just seems a tad more special at 38,000.
Above all else, I just love it up here! Comfortably ensconced in a state of the art suite while cruising along high above the planet on a beautiful evening is just heavenly to me. Now lets have a look at that menu
REFRESHMENT
NOODLE SOUP AND SAVORIES BUFFET
Noodles in Soup
With Chicken, Chinese Mushrooms and Choy Sum
Selected Sandwiches
Chicken Caesar, Salmon and Cheese, Artichoke and Goats Cheese
Pork Sausage and Chive Mash
Topped with Onion Gravy
DESSERT SELECTION
Selected Pastries
Fresh Seasonal Fruit
Tea and Coffee
Pralines and Cookies
Ive said before that Cathays Asian soups are not to be missed. As such, I requested a bowl of the Chicken & Noodles soup Chinese style and decided to wait and see about the sandwiches until they wheeled the buffet cart through the cabin later on.
Cathay includes a small plate of hot chilli paste with all its soups and I blithely scraped all of it into my soup. Mmmm ___ !!! ___!! Ay, Carramba! Man, what a rush! Katherine, could you please express me a cold glass of water?! Truth be known, I did overdo it a bit on the chili paste but Ive had hotter soups in a couple of Thai restaurants. The mushrooms in particular were delicious chewy with a nutty flavor unlike any mushrooms Id ever eaten before.
When the sandwich cart was rolled out, I just couldnt resist. The Chicken Caesar sandwiches were more like a miniature Chicken Wellington all pastry on the outside with a delicious filling in the center. They were sliced about a three quarters of an inch thick so each sandwich wasnt all that large. I had one along with a salmon roll and called it a meal. A very good meal.
Our descent into Hong Kong was magical. The cloud cover was puffy rather than solid, and because the clouds were quite low, the lights from the city below illuminated them beautifully. Because the cloud layer was so low, many of the mountaintops surrounding Hong Kong rose above the clouds. Between the clouds we could glimpse the bright lights of the city below. Through this environment we made our descent into Hong Kong. It was indeed a memorable approach.
Overall, this flight represented another stellar effort by Cathay Pacific. We even parked at Gate 2, right across from Cathays excellent airport lounge The Wing. Its hard to imagine a flight being any nicer than this one. Once again, well done Cathay Pacific!
HONG KONG AIRPORT
Over the past couple of weeks, I put in a lot of time on the Internet searching for an affordable hotel room not too far from Hong Kongs airport. I was willing to pay up to $70.00 USD for a room. To be sure, there are plenty of accommodations around Hong Kong within that price range. However, none of them were located anywhere near the airport. My flight in from Sydney wasnt scheduled to arrive until 10:30pm. By the time Id have cleared customs and gotten a train or bus into town, it would have been midnight or later. Add to this the fact that I am totally unfamiliar with Hong Kong and ultimately it just didnt make sense to put myself in the position of trying to find my way late at night in a foreign city where I didnt speak the language.
As one might imagine, it was not a particularly gut wrenching decision for me to decide to sleep in the airport. As with my trip down to Australia, I simply brought my sleeping bag and Thermarest Pad along as carry-on baggage. Upon arrival in Hong Kong, I headed downstairs to Gates 5-9. These gates are rarely used late at night and thankfully, tonight was no different. I set up camp in a dimly lit area along the windows and slept quite comfortably until about 7:00am.
Now, what to do until 4:00pm? Hong Kongs International Airport offers a wide variety of shops and restaurants, and there is plenty of quiet seating available for rest or reading. The plane watching can be quite good and of course you can always walk off any leftover boredom with a half-mile stroll down to the far end of the airport.
As a First Class passenger aboard Cathay Pacific, I also had access to The Wing, generally acknowledged as The Worlds Finest Airport Lounge amongst those who frequent such places. Ive been in a lot of airline lounges in my time and I have to agree with the pros in terms of services and amenities, The Wing is without peer.
A shower at The Wing is a treat unto itself. The showerheads are about the size of a Kansas sunflower and deliver a most satisfying deluge of hot water. Id brought along a change of clothing for my second day of travel and now, clean and freshly attired, I proceeded into The Haven, the Wings dedicated restaurant for First Class passengers. The Haven offers an excellent breakfast buffet with all the usual western food items plus Asian staples such as congee, noodles and dim sum. Waiters greet and seat you, returning with the beverages of your choice. I settled for a bowl of muesli, some fruit and a Danish roll along with that mornings copy of the International Herald Tribune. A nice start to the day.
Both the Business and First Class sides of The Wing offer plenty of desk space as well as Internet ready computer terminals, Better yet, the entire lounge is rigged for wireless access so I just fired up my laptop and put in some work on this report. Out the windows to my right is probably the best overall view of the tarmac to be found at any airport in the world. I could see literally dozens of airplanes. Of particular interest was a DC-10-40 (The long range, Pratt & Whitney powered variant) from Japan Airlines and a DC-10-30 from Northwest. It seems like only yesterday that I flew my first flight on a DC-10, back in June of 1972. Truth be known, I was originally booked on a nonstop from New York JFK to Denver aboard a 727-100 but I accidentally on purpose overslept so that I could get rebooked on the LaGuardia to Chicago DC-10 that connected to a DC-8 into Denver. That DC-10 was painted in Uniteds four star DC-10 Friendship livery and featured a large lounge in both First and Coach classes. I also remember that we had seafood crepes for lunch. That was in Economy Class. One a two hour flight. These days, only First Class gets fed on a New York to Chicago flight and then only a sandwich.
But I digress. I spent the better part of the morning trying to bring this report up to date and since I actually rather enjoy writing these reports, time just flew by. Suddenly, it was almost noon. Eager to get out and about for a bit, I walked all the way down to Cathays other lounge, The Pier. The Pier is smaller than The Wing and doesnt offer anywhere near as nice of a view. The dining room there did however provide an excellent luncheon buffet from which I had a salad with stir-fried beef and noodles.
The one thing I have never gotten around to trying yet is Cathays Cabanas the private rooms where one may relax, sleep, work, whatever. To be honest, Ive never felt a need for that much privacy while in the lounge. Just give me a desk and a comfy chair and Ill be fine.
Flight 882 to Los Angeles was boarding from Gate 3, conveniently located just thirty meters from the entrance to The Wing. I collected my belongings and headed down to the gate about half an hour prior to departure. Quite a long line had formed for Economy Class passengers but as a First Class passenger I was able to stroll up to the podium at my leisure, present my boarding pass and board anytime.
