Chasing the Sun: Cathay Pacific Business Class Bangkok to Hong Kong

Delta also uses this seat on their 747s, which have just finished reconfiguration. This is also the seat design being used in their A330s...whenever they get around to starting that project. The dreadful 767-300ERs need to be done first, but they're getting the seats Delta uses in their 767-400s.

I took a trip on CX a couple months ago from US West Coast to and from Bali via HKG. We had the new J on the long haul flights but the old J on the 747's between HKG and DPS. As good as CX's new J seats are, I have to say that the old style seats are absolutely horrible. I enjoy looking out the window but these seats are angled away from the window so it is virtually impossible to look out. They are also narrow and horribly uncomfortable to sit in while ok when being used as a bed. I fully understand and agree with the description of them as "coffin seats". Never again, if I can avoid it.

I fly to Cathay before and they definitely are amazing 🙂

I am a huge fan of these seats. I flew them YVR-JFK this summer. I was really surprised at how good and deep they were. Lots of storage. Comfortable. Big screen. There is only one suggestion I have for Cathay: make the privacy divider that comes up a bit taller. My face felt a bit close the the aisle when trying to sleep. It could be a bit more private. Otherwise, it is a GREAT seat.

It looks like we've gone full circle. "Premium Economy" looks like original Business Class on most carriers and "Business" looks like First. Are we simply re-labeling cabins so that business travelers can fly First Class but show their accounting offices they were "only" in Business Class (or Premium Economy)?

Does CX not offer first class on this route, or was it just this particular flight?

@ JetAway -- LOL, I think you're onto something.

@ wwk5d -- They only have first class on their 747s and select 777s. Most flights between Bangkok and Hong Kong (including this flight) don't offer a first class cabin. They run maybe one frequency a day on average that does have first class.

Do you think this is better than SG's business class product?

@ Will -- They're both great products, but yes.

nice thorough report thanks lucky

Tramsaero just recently applied for what I think one pf the weirdest flights - DME-SNN-MIA

@ Egor -- What the heck? Wow!

No wet towel pic AGAIN! You now owes us wet towels of Thai Air AND Cathay Pacific. Instead here, to mess us us completely, you added a blanket pic. We don't care about stinking blankets, we want wet towel pics. What is wrong with you since you moved to Seattle?

Happy Thanksgiving all:-)

How do you find out if you are getting new biz- especially on lax-hng flights?

@ Michael -- All longhaul flights operated by the 777 feature the new business class.

Years ago, when Aeroflot and I believe Cubana were still flying primarily Soviet aircraft capable of shorter ranges, SNN used to be a regular technical stop for flights between Moscow and Havana. Interesting they are still using SNN for some flights from Russia to S. Florida and Caribbean.

@gstork SNN was not used for quite a while now. It was used as most western airport in non-NATO country. On the other hand UN has maitenance base in SNN, so theoretically the can use narrow-body to SNN and then widebody to MIA - o&d traffic between Russia and Ireland is quite scarce

First thought when I saw it was how similar it is to the US A330 product -- which I was a big fan of. Looks awesome.

Lucky, would you recommend the middle seat pair for a couple ie: to be able to converse better? Or no difference with window seats?

Well here's your chance to fly Transaero!

http://www.theflightdeal.com/2012/11/23/transaero-new-york-moscow-russia-390-roundtrip-including-all-taxes/

@ Stephan -- Yes, I'd say that's the better option, though they're not angled perfectly. Still better than sitting across the aisle from one another, in my opinion.

@ Albert -- LOL, saw that. Was hoping to fly them a bit further up front...

It's weird for me to read this, because I recently flew BKK-HKG-TPE with the first leg in Business, and it was definitely regional Business both ways. There wasn't even real inflight entertainment, just live Chinese TV on a few channels and movie previews on the other channels playing in a loop.

Oddly enough, on the shorter flight between Hong Kong and Taipei, they were using a plane with first-class seats...I was on economy for that flight but passed through both Biz and First cabins on the way out. So on that type of plane, even economy has AVOD in-seat.

I was on a miles ticket so maybe it wasn't possible to book the better flight, but it's interesting to know that Cathay's short-hop business is not consistently at the same level.

It's interesting that for Cathay's premium economy class, they go against real legrests in non-bulkhead seats.

I took a trip two months ago on Cathay Flights 884 and 885 from LAX to HKG and had premium economy in the front row with a family member. That was a lot of fun. But my dad had to sit in the row behind us and complained due to the lack of legrests.

I have to agree with you though, Cathay itself is amazing. The flight attendants are always so nice and they kept offering me my favorite drink, which I love. But the non-legrests for most seats is sad. I still love the food, the power supply and the AVOD, however in addition to the service.

What's your opinion lucky. If you were going to fly CX premium economy and couldn't snag a front row seat, wouldn't you be upset. What's your opinion on CX going against legrests. Because I know that that's something I am not a fan of.
PS. great post

Hey I was wondering when Cathay business class usually opens up? I am trying to book Newark or JFK to HKG and can't find business class mid November 2015 searching through Ba.com.

@ Dan -- They often open that space in advance, so I'd keep checking. It could open up any time.

I can't access your article for your flight in J between MLE-EWR, but would you rate CX J higher than SQ J?

@ Zach -- That post is coming soon. 🙂 Tough to say, I think they're both great products. Can't say I'd consistently prefer one over the other.

First of all, thank you for the review. I am a royal customer of CX for ages, eventhough it bugged me sometimes when I fly with the regional business class, which its seat does not fully recline, thus doesn't give much sense of being in the business class. Pity.

Which do you prefer 😉 ? Cathay Pacific or Qatar Airways? Having read your review about Qatar, you seemed to enjoy yourself there too? Would be happy to hear your verdict. Thank you