CX Y Class, Is It Really That Good?

targowski · Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:15 am

bought LAX-HKG on CX's fare sale. is cathay really all that it is cracked up to be? i looked, PTV but no AVOD in Y class. (what about V.port?) and not that i'm flying in J, but i looked and they dont even have lie-flat seats.

everyone always beams about CX, and i'm sure glad i'm not on united, but still, how does it compare to VS and SingAir. i mean, its a pretty standard 32in pitch with nonAVOD PTV. maybe there is something about the service, more personal attention? are the flight attendants the singapore airlines girls type that aspire to a certain asthetic? do they have a fellatio station next to the galley?

Big grin

Flying Belgian · Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:21 am

I took them some 5 years ago on CDG-HKG-CDG and I found it to be among the very top. At that time AVOD wasn't really so common...

Still I would rank it slightly behind my SQ experience. But above Emirates and Qantas.

Enjoy the CX experience !! Wink

FB.

GuyBetsy1 · Sat Jul 16, 2005 3:25 am

CX and SQ share the same tight seats in Y class. For further info on CX experiences , check out a fan based website called CathayTalk.com and browse through their FAQ section.

Most asian carriers are better than american carriers hands down. My preference is seat pitch. TG and MH are the 2 carriers that offer a wider seat pitch than either CX or SQ and their inflight service are just as nice. TG's meals are actually better than SQ's.

In any case, enjoy yourself.

kdeg00 · Sat Jul 16, 2005 5:30 am

Big plus for CX is the in-seat power in Y, but I definately agree with GuyBetsy1 about the seat pitch and food on TG and MH. Two problems using TG from the States have been the crummy condition of some of the planes and the routing through KIX with the stopover in BKK. CX Has pretty convenient scheduling, great service, good food, power but tight seats.

nethkt · Sat Jul 16, 2005 7:32 am

Tried CX Economy class couples of time, I think CX is overhyped. The seat pitch is horrible (I was on 777-300, 777-200, 330-300 amd 340-300).

Entertainment system is great even though not AVOD.

Food is just a bit above normal. Surely, MH, TG food are much better.

I would recommend SQ, MH and new TG (thier new aircrafts and IFEs, 345, 346 and refurbished 777s).

flycro · Sat Jul 16, 2005 7:45 am

Seat pitch on the A340 is tight to say the least and cabin service was hit and miss to say the least, the port side of the plane seemed to be getting a much better service. A stewardess told me off for stuffing pre landing snack tray in seat pocket before landing even though she could not be bothered to do her job and clear peoples tables!!!

LO231 · Sat Jul 16, 2005 9:10 am

I took it in 1998. No PTV's in 744, but on 343 they had them.

Great service, I loved the menu's in Y, and before everyone went to sleep, FA's going around with the cognac ( that's the way to put English pax to sleep? I don't think so Wink

)

And landing in Kai Tak was the best, but you won't have that part, hey....

ALL IN ALL? A DECENT Asian carrier with good service! Thai was worse even in 2002.

And please don' t compare it to UA.... Not the same league....

ozglobal · Sat Jul 16, 2005 9:21 am

Quoting Targowski (Thread starter):
and not that i'm flying in J, but i looked and they dont even have lie-flat seats.

Yes they are. Check SkyTrax lieflat seat page. I flew them last year and last week on long haul in J (similar to LH, AF, JAL, etc). Of course BA is in front in J with their truly HORIZONTAL bed.

Y class a bit cramped, but IFE is above average, as is service. It certainly is VOD in J and F, can't remember in Y. If you're comparing to any American airline it should be favourable, however, you may find better seat pitch on the same route.

Ozglobal

airxliban · Sat Jul 16, 2005 9:50 am

Allow me to shamelessly plug my two trip reports that I wrote about my flights on CX, LAX-HKG-LAX July 2nd and July 8th.

https://www.airliners.net/discussions/trip_reports/read.main/60481/

https://www.airliners.net/discussions/trip_reports/read.main/60384/

HKGKaiTak · Sat Jul 16, 2005 11:09 am

I think Y class service differs depending on whether the cabin crew for that particular flight gave a damn about you or not. And the food is usually forgettable.

I had a pretty horrendous experience on TG once flying SYD-AKL and I swore never to fly them again. Then on the return trip AKL-SYD their service was absolutely brilliant.

That said, I really do enjoy CX Y-class, still the best of any airlines I have flown so far. IMHO their IFE is the best (probably because trashy Hong Kong-made Cantonese comedies/movies are a great way to pass time).

Xkorpyoh · Sat Jul 16, 2005 12:31 pm

Quoting Nethkt (Reply 4):
Tried CX Economy class couples of time, I think CX is overhyped. The seat pitch is horrible (I was on 777-300, 777-200, 330-300 amd 340-300).

Entertainment system is great even though not AVOD.

Quoting Flycro (Reply 5):
Seat pitch on the A340 is tight to say the least and cabin service was hit and miss to say the least,

Agree. my most unconfortable flight ever was on CX A340 SFO-HKG in Y. Liked the PTV and the service was above the US airlines service, but i wouldnt say i was impressed. I remember enjoying SQ better and I was more comfortable on AA 777 exit row DFW-NRT (31A/31J best seats!). My best friend flew business class JFK-YVR-HKG and was not impressed either with the leg room. He was more impressed with NW business class MNL-NGO 747 with the new coccon business seats and overal service.
What i hate the most about HKG is their strict policies with carry-ons. Not CX's fault, but just anoying in general. Several "inspectors" stand before security turning around people to go back and check in their carry-ons that seem too big to them.

pilottim747 · Sat Jul 16, 2005 1:37 pm

So far these responses dont seem to favor CX. I flew CX SFO-HKG-SIN and back in 2002 on B744s and a B773. While seat pitch isn't anything to write home about, it still is decent. 32" seat pitch is the industry standard and it wasnt too bad (coming from a guy who is 6'2"). The food and service I thought were good. It's a real nice airline.

While the PTVs aren't AVOD they do offer a large selection of channels. The CX website says there are over 20 video channels to choose from. In 2002, CX was in the midst of upgrading their PTVs from about 10 channels to the new system. Its a good improvement.

There are some better airlines out there (it sounds like SG, TG and MH are), however, CX is definitely above average in my book. It's constantly towards the top of the airline rating surveys.

pilottim747

jacobin777 · Sat Jul 16, 2005 2:19 pm

check out.

http://www.airlinequality.com/Forum/cathay.htm

hopefully that will give you more info to make your decision..

SR 103 · Sat Jul 16, 2005 2:49 pm

Quoting Targowski (Thread starter):
and not that i'm flying in J, but i looked and they dont even have lie-flat seats.

Cathay has had lie flat seats since 2001, I flew it in December 2001. They were one of the first so I have no idea where your statement came from?

Quoting Targowski (Thread starter):
but still, how does it compare to VS and SingAir.

From experience I rate CX much higher than VS and on par if not better than SQ.

Quoting Targowski (Thread starter):
i mean, its a pretty standard 32in pitch with nonAVOD PTV

VS and SQ have 32 inches as well. What are you asking?

Quoting Targowski (Thread starter):
about the service, more personal attention? are the flight attendants the singapore airlines girls type that aspire to a certain asthetic?

I much prefer MH's cabin crew, however I find CX's flight attendants to be more personal and approachable than SQ's robotic style of service. If I had to rate service from numerous experiences, my Asian list would look like

1. Malaysian
2. Cathay Pacific
3. Thai
4. Singapore Airlines (very hit or miss)

In the end what it comes down to is overall product and I think CX does an excellent job, especially in F and C. Y on the other hand they seem to be in the top of their league on par with SQ which I find to be a very overhyped product!

SR 103

chrisrad · Sat Jul 16, 2005 4:20 pm

Malaysia Airlines is the best for economy class, they have 34" pitch, along with the worlds best cabin crew. Decent entertainment and great food (depending which sector). They won Best Economy Class 2005 from Skytrax.

NZ107 · Sat Jul 16, 2005 5:23 pm

The Y Class is really cramped. One tip for if you're in the A340 is not to get the Starboard window seat. This is the seat with the entertainment box underneath it and trying to put things under the next seat is nearly impossible. Things must go in the overhead bins. The PTVs are in your face: what you would expect.. and it's extremely hard to concentrate on in the dark. I think that I can remember power ports in each seat..

The J class is superb! Brilliant service with great seats. Just one thing that I hated was the tilt of the flat bed. I kept on slipping down.

targowski · Sat Jul 16, 2005 11:40 pm

CX's J class certainly doesnt look lie flat to me (meaning 180 degress):

but maybe the seat isnt extended all the way?

in any event, i am in 64k

is it true that i get a mini footrest? i think i read that on cathayflyer. if so, is that a gimmick or useful?

SR 103 · Sun Jul 17, 2005 1:56 am

Quoting Targowski (Reply 16):
CX's J class certainly doesnt look lie flat to me (meaning 180 degress):

The only airlines with a 180 degree recline in Business are BA, SA, and VS. SQ the airline you love mention does not have a 180 degree recline in Business and neither did VS till last year when the new seats were introduced.

So really by your account, 99.95% of the airlines out there are not good because they do not have a 180 degree recline in Business Class?

If you are so worried about how bad CX Y Class is, why did you not book UA LAX-SFO and connect to SQ's SFO-HKG flight? I mean if you already have this "apprehension" about CX, how are you ever going to enjoy your flight without trying to nit pick and fault every tiny little thing?

SR 103

Lufthansa747 · Sun Jul 17, 2005 3:11 am

Quoting SR 103 (Reply 17):
The only airlines with a 180 degree recline in Business are BA, SA, and VS. SQ the airline you love mention does not have a 180 degree recline in Business and neither did VS till last year when the new seats were introduced.

Exactly.

Lie-flat seat is a flat seat but might be at an angle. Flat bed is an entirely different matter. I don't personally see the business sense offering flat beds in C when you have F - might decrease F loads. Although BA seems to be doing ok, and their CW seat is the best C seat I have tried.

CX Y is average in my opinion, extremely tight pitch in A330, on others I have had bulkhead/exit seats. I don't usually use the PTV, but find the fixed control panel very annoying.

CX is fantastic if you have oneworld status or fly C/F, cattle class is ok but there are better alternatives out there. I have had fantastic experiences in C class when it comes to crew - meal presentation could use some improvements; the rectangular main dishes are very Y style.

targowski · Sun Jul 17, 2005 4:24 am

SR 103:

I'm not apprehensive, just inquisitive. Many people on this site rave about CX and I'm asking "what's the big deal with CX?, isn't it just 32inch nonAVOD PTV service?"

to connect via SFO just to fly SQ which is also more of the same 32inch nonAVOD (I believe) PTV is ridiculous when you weigh the inherent value of the nonstop. I think you even know this and are just being inflammatory.

While VS, BA, and SAA have 180 in J class, I think most people put CX (and SQ and EK) in the category of those mentioned carriers. So does CX have some catching up to do in J class? I think so. And even if I am wrong and CX's J product in on par with the others, its still a worthy discussion.

Don't be so cheeky.

SR 103 · Sun Jul 17, 2005 5:33 am

Quoting Targowski (Reply 19):
Don't be so cheeky.

Trust me, I am not being cheeky, just inquisitive! Wink

Quoting Targowski (Reply 19):
Many people on this site rave about CX and I'm asking "what's the big deal with CX?, isn't it just 32inch nonAVOD PTV service?"

Many people on this site claim many things. That being said, you should form your own opinion of an airline by trying it out yourself rather than relying on numerous people on this site to form an opinion for you. If I believed everything I read on this site I would avoid the only US carrier that has treated me right, NW.

Quoting Targowski (Reply 19):
While VS, BA, and SAA have 180 in J class, I think most people put CX (and SQ and EK) in the category of those mentioned carriers. So does CX have some catching up to do in J class? I think so.

Actually what makes a good Business Class is MORE than just the seat. There is food, entertainment, lounges, and service. CX may not have a 180 degree flat seat, but it certainly has one of the best flat ones on offer. I also understand a new product is in the works so I doubt CX is letting their position slip.

Also how can you lump EK in with SQ/CX if you are comparing seats? EK has some of the worst ones out there, certainly nowhere near what a quality world class airline should have.

Quoting Targowski (Reply 19):
And even if I am wrong and CX's J product in on par with the others, its still a worthy discussion.

There is certainly nothing wrong with discussing CX's product, however from your posts above it seems as if you have made up your mind on CX's C Class without ever stepping foot on one of their planes. That to me seems a bit on the naive side. Now if that is not the case, I do apologize, but that is the way I have been reading your posts above.

SR 103

Meerkat · Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:36 am

Quoting Xkorpyoh (Reply 10):
What i hate the most about HKG is their strict policies with carry-ons. Not CX's fault, but just anoying in general. Several "inspectors" stand before security turning around people to go back and check in their carry-ons that seem too big to them.

Interesting. I count it as one of the excellent things about HKG. I'm sick and tired of pax bringing carry-on luggage that far exceeds the well published allowable dimensions onboard and a) making the boarding process more of a hassle, and b) clogging up bin space for the rest of us.

Premium class pax and elite MPC members who are allowed to carry on more may obtain a baggage tag at check-in that exempts them.

You can't really criticise an airport for fairly enforcing a rule! Wink

6thfreedom · Sun Jul 17, 2005 10:43 am

Quoting GuyBetsy1 (Reply 2):
My preference is seat pitch. TG and MH are the 2 carriers that offer a wider seat pitch than either CX or SQ and their inflight service are just as nice. TG's meals are actually better than SQ's.

Totally agree.

If i the seat pitch is ample, at least u can rest in Y class.

MH and TG get my top vote too, regardless of inflight entertainment.
I normally take the overnighters ex-MEL, so with a midnight departure and early morning arrival in Asia, give me comfy seats and seat pitch than IFE!

N503JB · Sun Jul 17, 2005 5:36 pm

Quoting Xkorpyoh (Reply 11):
What i hate the most about HKG is their strict policies with carry-ons. Not CX's fault, but just anoying in general. Several "inspectors" stand before security turning around people to go back and check in their carry-ons that seem too big to them.

This stuipd strict policies are are for all passenger including Hong Kong people, not just for yourself. Think about this strict policiy are for passenger safety and comfort. May this is not US airport / carriers wish.

Kindly stop using your own opinions to attack CX or HKG.

Different flights / airlines / class / airports with different expeniences.

Regards
N503JB

[Edited 2005-07-17 10:38:32]

airxliban · Mon Jul 18, 2005 2:40 am

Targowski, have you read my trip report. You are going on the EXACT same flight!

CX Y Class, Is It Really That Good?

CX Y Class, Is It Really That Good?

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