Review: Cathay Pacific A330 Business Class

Nice review! Why did you even bother with a hotel when CX HKG lounges are generally super comfortable?

@ GL -- Thanks! The Cathay lounges close overnight, which is why I got a hotel.

Whilst not stellar, per se, the seats on the CX A330s with the 2-2-2 configuration are actually pretty comfortable and the foot rests are big. For a short hop (I've done BKK-HKG-BKK quite a bit), they aren't bad at all if you want to take a nap or just sit and relax. That being said, when given the choice between the two A330s or an A350, I have usually tried to get a seat on the latter...

Maybe I'm missing something but why does the first sentence say you were flying an A350 and the rest of the review refers to A330? Typo or last minute swap?

@ Evan -- The flight from Hong Kong to Toronto was operated by an A350. Or did I say something else that I missed?

The center seats on the 330 have a TIGHT footwell. I flew one on a daytime SYD-HKG but for an overnight over 6 hours you don't want to be in a middle.

I remember the first time I stumbled across your blog was when you flew the exact same seat on a Bangkok-Hong Kong flight in 2012 and called it the best thing in the world. Glad to see how much better your trip reports have come since then!

I flew the A330-300 in this configuration from Perth to HKG a couple of years ago. What I remember most is that it was an 8 hour flight leaving at midnight and I slept almost the entire way.

I had a full day in PER and I was tired. But these were also really comfortable seats. I usually struggle to sleep on flights, and I remember this plane as being very good for sleeping. Or maybe I was just really tired. I just found all the CX flights I have taken really comfortable for sleeping.

Thanks for the review.

@ben

curious why you call out that the center seats are angled towards each other and the window seats angled towards the window when you already say they are reverse herringbone. A bit redundant in my opinion, that's all.

@ stevo -- I'd venture a guess that most non-airline geeks don't know what reverse herringbone actually means in the context of airline seats.

@ Alvin -- Hah! Thanks for reading for such a long time!

@ Lucky....

Just flew JFK to SIN in Nov in U. First business class flight and I'm hooked. It was on Boeing 777-300s. Hard and soft products looked same from dated trim and the so so headphones. I don't recall our dining service being drawn our, but that's subjective to an extent. The food was good. Obviously as it's U class service more refined with exception of desserts. Not used to food like that, but had all meals to enjoy experience. Our pre-bought meals on Air Asia from PEN to SIN were very good. The black pepper beef is a VERY good meal. Much better than anything on CX to be honest.

What did you notice as different in products if you've flown same route on 777-300?

Thanks for you site as reading it made this trip possible. Flew to SIN, PEN, back to SIN, to BNE, to ZQN, to AKL, then 3 day stopover in Fiji via Fiji Airways then back to Georgia all on points and hotels on certificates or points. Unfortunately only flight to SIN was in business. Priority Pass access to lounges was a huge advantage. Lounge in AKL and NAN are top end.

Good review and a solid product for a short haul.

They addressed you by name? God forbid! The U.S. Flight attendants are probably cringing now as pronouncing "Schlappig" must be so hard. The horror! And imagine, Wendy, the inflight service manager, she actually gave her name?

Sorry, trolling @anonymousFA who justified not using names on your AA F post as clumsy if it's hard to pronounce and a security risk to give her own first name, lol.

I'm confused. The article title refers to a 330, the 1st paragraph refers to a 350, the remainder of the article refers to a 330, and Lucky's reply to a comment refers to a 350.

"I booked a Cathay Pacific business class award ticket all the way from Singapore to Toronto. The reason I chose to fly to Toronto is because the Hong Kong to Toronto flight was the only North American Cathay Pacific flight that day to be operated by the A350-1000, and that’s the plane I most wanted to review."

@Mark. He is mentioning that he flew from Hong Kong to Toronto on the A350. He had to get from Singapore to Hong Kong on an A330, which is what this review is about.

Why do so many airlines opt for no individual air nozzles? Is it an expensive system to maintain and clean?

@Lucky, none of the CX A330s are equipped with Wi-Fi yet.

IME Cathay short haul is one of the worst places for encountering aircraft swaps. I always choose my aircraft carefully to maximise the long haul cabins particularly between HKG - SIN or BKK or on their fifth freedom between the two.

I think I'm really unlucky with them because about 75% of the time I end up with regional business which isn't bad, it's just not what I'm expecting and sometimes you don't know until you board because all the same seat numbers exist.

I recall particularly an occasion when the A350 had only just started being delivered to Cathay and I found a SIN-HKG sector on it. It was swapped to the oldest 772 in the fleet that was being retired on arrival in HKG. I was not happy!

@Lucky, I thought you said you were flying CX F back instead of Hainan and were going to show us the trick to booking partner awards on CX premium seats. Did that get scrapped?

@ Ryan T -- That was the next trip, which happened two days after this one. Still happening, so just stay tuned (including updated explanation on how to book CX F).

Great review -- taking the exact same flight on CX early next year! Noticed you said Alaska couldn't see award availability. From my experience, not all Alaska agents follow the same procedure, and over half of them won't try a long sell, even if it's available. This is one of those pick up, call again scenarios unfortunately. I was trying to book a CX first class through Alaska, and had to call five (5!) times until I got an agent who went through a long sell, found the availability, and booked me the ticket. Weird stuff.

*Hang up, call again

Wait until the New Long Haul Dining Concept on HKG to YYZ. It could take more 3 hours and they constantly miss orders... Enjoy!

Ha, B-LBB, I was on her from HKG-TPE earlier this year. It was a real treat getting the upgrade to J on such a short flight. Great review a always.

Lucky, I agree with your review. I've flown the same type of plane from MNL to HKG about two months ago. MNL to HKG is shorter than SIN to HKG.

Compared to regional business class in other parts of the world, in particular Europe, where you get Economy with middle seat blocked on flights as long or longer, this is an outstanding product.

@ ASFlyer - When you have piles of miles like Ben does, I guess it’s easier to just spend the extra 20K with AA and be done with it!

I'm flying this business route with a companion. If I want to talk with them during the flight, is it best to sit in the middle, or across the aisle from each other?