thaia345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 18 hours ago) and read 19219 times:
Reason For Trip
It was a long weekend in Jakarta and being me, I can’t stay planted on the ground for too long, so I thought it was a good time to go to Hong Kong for the weekend with my wife. Decided on trying out CX on this route.
19 Nov 2011
Jakarta (CGK) – Hong Kong (HKG)
Cathay Pacific CX798
Aircraft: A330-300
Registration: B-HLV
1st Flight: 26 May 2003
Seat: 14K (Business Class)
ETD: 0005
ETA: 0545
Flight Time: 4hr35mins
Preflight
Road were pretty quiet while we headed towards the airport. Arrived airport at around 11pm which gave us about 45 mins to spare before boarding begun. After check in, we really started to feel really tired so we decided just to head to the lounge. My wife was wandering around the lounge whereas I just happily parked myself in the smoking room.
When boarding was called we duly walked towards the gate as zombies, but alas still remember to take a picture of our bird to HKG.
Inflight
Cabin Views of this well travelled regional A333 of CX
Inflight Mags
Menu for this sector
By the time we took off and leveled off, I was really drifting in and out of sleep, but theres no way I am going to miss an inflight meal
That was the last shot for the outbound to HKG, sorry guys, but I was so dead tired, by the time I woke up, it was only because of the wheels touching the ground!
21 Nov 2010
Hong Kong (HKG) – Jakarta (CGK)
Cathay Pacific CX797
Aircraft: A330-300
Registration: B-LAB
1st Flight: 27 May 2005
Seat: 15A (Business Class)
ETD: 1905
ETA: 2243
Flight Time: 4hr38mins
Pre Flight
After a quick 2 nights in Hong Kong eating and shopping, it was time to head back home. Limo was arranged by our hotel and we got to the airport with 2 hours to spare before departure, which my wife actually loves as it meant more last minute shopping at HKIA!
Dining airside at the Teochew restaurant
HKIA is definitely one of the best places for spotting
GA going back home too, really should have taken GA’s A332 to HKG as it has a much more superior inflight product, especially in J with fully flat J seats
Trying out one of the newer lounges
This lounge really has a cool vibe about it, actually very relaxing
And of course the obligatory visit to the bathroom
By the time we got to the gate, it was already dark and this was the best shot that I could manage of our bird
Inflight
Pretty full load in all classes back to CGK.
Cabin Views
Scenery during take off
Inflight Menu
Having the meal with my trusty ipad slung over the IFE
Overall it was a no fuss and routine regional flight to HKG and back, but in the future I will definitely fly GA just purely due to a much better inflight product, however, CX does have the better catering on board.
Thanks for reading
Below are my trip reports from latest to oldest. Please note that I travel much more than what I post, but usually I will opt out my usual runs to Surabaya, Perth and Kuala Lumpur
thaia345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Reply 2, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 18897 times:
Quoting Genius12 (Reply 1): Thanks for the report! CX regional J catering doesn't look too bad at all.
Actually CX's regional catering was the best part of the flight, their inflight product was really under par, especially in comparison to GA's new A332
Nice to get some pics from The Cabin lounge in HKG too.
The lighting and concept was indeed something new and refreshing
sq_ek_freak From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2000, 1583 posts, RR: 21 Reply 4, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 16 hours ago) and read 18770 times:
Great report!
I really don't like the way CX presents their meal in J class, looks cheap in comparison to other top notch airlines and their casserole dish they serve the mains on looks tiny!
Also, the menu cover looks positively tacky! Especially when you consider this is a Business Class menu!!
Are there any plans to retro-fit their aircraft with a newer regional J configuration? It looks awfully antiquated, especially when you consider SQ's newest regional offering. Granted SQ still has an older configuration flying around that is comparable to CX's, at least you know they're moving towards something...
Wow, didn't mean for this to turn into a CX bash fest, was just making some observations!
concordechild From Italy, joined Aug 2009, 42 posts, RR: 3 Reply 5, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 5 days 3 hours ago) and read 17591 times:
Quoting sq_ek_freak (Reply 4): SQ still has an older configuration flying around that is comparable to CX's
Just flew the old style SQ regional to Dubai, and i think CX's is much better. The old style SQ is just about ok for KL or Blai flights, any longer its very uncomfortable and the IFE is shockingly old.
thaia345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Reply 6, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 18 hours ago) and read 16802 times:
Quoting nethkt (Reply 3): Many thanks for sharing!
I'm a huge fan of your trip reports.
U r always welcome .....
Quoting sq_ek_freak (Reply 4): Are there any plans to retro-fit their aircraft with a newer regional J configuration?
No word on this yet, CX is currently to engrossed with replaced their herringbone coffins....oppsss.. i mean J class seats to new ones similar in lay out to SQ's 1+2+1
Quoting sq_ek_freak (Reply 4): Wow, didn't mean for this to turn into a CX bash fest, was just making some observations!
LIke in mentioned before in my TR..definitely pick GA for my CGKHKG runs...mainly due to the fact that GA have a new A332 plying the route with fully flat J seats.....heck, even their A333 have been totally refitted with fully flat beds in J
sq_ek_freak From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2000, 1583 posts, RR: 21 Reply 7, posted (2 years 2 months 2 weeks 4 days 15 hours ago) and read 16544 times:
Quoting concordechild (Reply 5): Just flew the old style SQ regional to Dubai, and i think CX's is much better. The old style SQ is just about ok for KL or Blai flights, any longer its very uncomfortable and the IFE is shockingly old.
Yeah I can't believe SQ sends their regional config J to Dubai (though I believe Abu Dhabi gets the new A333's which look quite nice to fly on).
Quoting thaia345 (Reply 6): LIke in mentioned before in my TR..definitely pick GA for my CGKHKG runs...mainly due to the fact that GA have a new A332 plying the route with fully flat J seats.....heck, even their A333 have been totally refitted with fully flat beds in J
New GA looks great, they seem to be a rising force in SE Asia! A new competitor to MH perhaps??
sq_ek_freak From United Kingdom, joined Dec 2000, 1583 posts, RR: 21 Reply 10, posted (2 years 2 months 11 hours ago) and read 13342 times:
Quoting thaia345 (Reply 8): Sadly I think GA is already ahead of MH in both aircraft and seat offerings than MH
I must say that Garuda really has stepped up their game and have done a fantastic job with their new interiors. They also seem to be doing a good job updating their interiors on their existing fleet quite quickly! Also, their new cutlery looks quite nice - simple but elegant.
RJtraveller From Indonesia, joined Feb 2011, 50 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (2 years 1 month 4 weeks 1 day 21 hours ago) and read 12883 times:
Hi thaia !
Nice trip report, i really agreed that flying from CGK to HKG with GA would be a better choice in business class with the new A332 flat bed and better in flight services. Didn't know that GA old A333's is full flat bad in business class. Last time flying it's A333 to DPS during last year it's still in it's old blue colored business class, no flat bed's.
Anyway nice TR thanks for sharing.
franxSIN From Singapore, joined Jun 2007, 32 posts, RR: 0 Reply 13, posted (2 years 1 month 4 weeks 1 day 17 hours ago) and read 12633 times:
Thanks for the report. Your reports have been one of the most informative.
I recently chanced upon a cheap business class fare from Shanghai to Singapore one way.
Had a great experience on the new B777-300ER lie-flat bed for the Shanghai to Hong Kong sector. The new cabin made the delay on the ground of about 90 minutes due to ATC a comfortable wait.
Subsequently, I boarded an old regionally configured B777-200 aircraft for the continuing sector. It had dull dark green looking seats in business. What a vast difference in the two products! Service on board was good nonetheless.
thaia345 From Indonesia, joined Oct 2006, 814 posts, RR: 17 Reply 14, posted (2 years 1 month 3 weeks 6 days 18 hours ago) and read 12150 times:
Quoting ba319-131 (Reply 9): Food offerings look reasonable, though I'm really not keen on the cabins, really quite drab and uninviting IMO.
Fully agree with you on this!
Quoting sq_ek_freak (Reply 10): I must say that Garuda really has stepped up their game and have done a fantastic job with their new interiors. They also seem to be doing a good job updating their interiors on their existing fleet quite quickly! Also, their new cutlery looks quite nice - simple but elegant.
However, one thing that they have to really improve is their inflight menu (usually they dont even have them onboard) and also the general taste and choice of the meals
Hey Roni....i just got back from 2 back to back trips, once to Geneva and the other to London and paris...no time to post those TR yet, will be flying off again to Hannover on Monday ! .... 3 long hauls in 3 weeks ahhahaha
Quoting ronerone (Reply 11): love CX's menus out of HKG, and usually Cathay's catering tends to also be better from HKG too.
In general, i rate CX premium catering one of the best out there...dare i say, even better than SQ and TG? ehehhe
Quoting RJtraveller (Reply 12): Didn't know that GA old A333's is full flat bad in business class. Last time flying it's A333 to DPS during last year it's still in it's old blue colored business class, no flat bed's.
You were unlucky as you were probably on one of the aircraft that has yet to be retrofitted, if i am not wrong, all A333 has been retrofitted byt Oct or Nov 2010
Quoting franxSIN (Reply 13): Subsequently, I boarded an old regionally configured B777-200 aircraft for the continuing sector. It had dull dark green looking seats in business. What a vast difference in the two products! Service on board was good nonetheless.
That is the problem with both SQ and CX, their longhaul and regional products in the premium cabin very so much, sometimes i winder is it worth the premium you are paying for the tickets itself!
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