A Royal (dis)HHonor: Cathay Pacific Lounge San Francisco

A bit bit picky to complain that the circles weren't drawn tight enough for your liking

I'm really puzzled by the SFO Cathay lounge. It is about a year old and the first CX branded lounge in the US yet it is absolutely _terrible_. Easily the worst lounge at SFO and, by far, the worst CX lounge anywhere. Even the MNL are TPE ones are better and that is saying a lot.

Really makes one wonder why they decided to open their own one in the first place. While the BA Terrance lounge isn't great it is much larger, has _much_ better food and beverage options, friendlier staff and allows for boarding directly from the lounge. Similarly, the JAL lounge, while old, dark and cramped is much better than the brand new CX one. Sadly neither are open for the midnight CX departures.

The last couple of times I've flow SFO-HKG I haven't even bothered going to the lounge, even the barren concourse is better than the overcrowded and loud CX "lounge". Really wish they'd close it and go back to using the BA Terrace lounge.

As SFO is one of my home airports (along with OAK), I have to agree and validate all of Ben's comments. The airport itself is very nice (new Terminal 2 for AA and VX is even better than the International terminal) but "Team SFO" are mostly incompetent and I always get the funny drawings on my boarding pass. TSA staff at OAK is much nicer but flight options are obviously limited compared to SFO.

Wow that lounge made me wonder: " why bother going there?"
The corridor looked like a hospital and there is nothing appealing about that lounge. Food selection is worse than supermarket buy-by-the pound. The bar, what bar?

Thanks for the heads-up.

Lucky: I thought both of the CX flights from sfo-hkg were 747, not 777. Has that change?

"changed." Arghh.

My home airport is also SFO. I've never had any issues with Team SFO or thought of them as the "rudest" in the country. They're definitely not the friendliest bunch, but I've had worse experiences at LAX and even BOS. I also find them relatively efficient, unlike some the BP checkers at JFK which seem to take forever and a day to check people's BP. Btw, during my last trip thru MIA, security also scribbled all over my BP.

I had a good experience at the CX Lounge in SFO, but it was just after they opened last yearand we also arrived early from a connecting flight. Wasn't busy when we arrived, but was packed by the time we left. But i enjoyed the noodle bar and the staff was nice.

@ Kiddad

eff 02JAN14 Daily Boeing 747-400 operation on CX870/879 will be reduced to 3 weekly. The remaining 4 weekly operates with 4-class Boeing 777-300ER
CX872 HKG0100 – 2105-1SFO 77W D
CX870 HKG1405 – 1000SFO 744 357
CX870 HKG1405 – 1000SFO 77W x357

CX879 SFO1150 – 1850+1HKG 744 357
CX879 SFO1150 – 1850+1HKG 77W x357
CX873 SFO2305 – 0600+2HKG 77W D

CAS (Covenant Aviation Security) is no better/worse than TSA. OK, maybe better just because they're not TSA. However I'd agree that the screeners at the international terminal act like prison guards during rush hour.

I don't notice it much since I always clear security in terminal 3 and take the walkway to the G gates in international. Obviously doesn't work for the A gates though.

Emil: CX lounge is the worst at SFO? Are you freakin' kidding me? Have you even been to many lounges at SFO? Please, go enjoy the SQ, DL, KE and CI lounges and leave CX more space for others.

@ Kiddad -- Right now the redeye is a 777 while the daytime flight is a 747.

You obviously haven't been the hobbit sized nook that is the Delta SkyClub at SFO...it makes that CX lounge look amazing.

Thanks Sean and Lucky.

Thank you for the picture of the second level lounge corridor.

@Ken Y chill out geezer

Hi Ben,

looks like some kids got a hold of your boardingpass 🙂 tell me, have you ever flown Egyptair (MS) Business class? They have a great fare for 800EUR one way to BKK. On their website I could not find any pics of the seats.
thx

I have first class seats on CX from HKG to ORD in Feb. When and how can I choose my seats? Thanks!

Ken: Yes, I'm pretty sure I've been to all of them (domestic and international terminals) and yet the CX one is the only one where you cannot get a seat or a drink. At last the domestic clubs allow you to buy a beverage and have some sort of seating.

" And are those testicles?"

still better to get a test tickle than a real tickle ( body search) ")

@ Jeff -- You can select seats six months out on the Cathay Pacific website under the "Manage Booking" section (though it requires having their confirmation code). You can also call them if you prefer.

@ Karl -- Haven't flown EgyptAir business class, though that's a very good fare. I believe their seats on the 777 are fully flat.

@ Jeff and Lucky - While the website says you can only reserve seats 6 months out I have had luck reserving seats almost a year out through their call center.

"Team SFO" is the worst. I got so fed up with their incompetence (over the same issue - couldn't see my belongings when I opted out of the naked scanner) that I told them that I would not let them do anything else unless the police were present.

Police arrived (very nice btw.) and a few weeks later I got a letter from TSA saying that I was facing fines for "interfering with the screening process". What an abuse of power. Unfortunately for them, it didn't take more than a strongly worded reply threatening a libel suit for them to go away. Idiots.

I wonder why the entrance says "First and Business Class Lounge". I mean sure, first class (and OW Emeralds) have access along with Business Class (and OW Saphire) but not as confusing as UA BusinessFirst and UA GlobalFirst seem to be for people.

I think people here are getting a bit too jaded if they'd rather hang out in the terminal rather than stay at this lounge. Yes, at the end of the day, it's more of a business class lounge, but let's get real, it beats not having lounge access.

@wwk5d, its not matter of having a lounge access or not. It's just matter of Cathay failing to meet their "usual" expectation. Try to compare this to the wing at HKG... heaven and earth...

Ben: Clearly you have never flown out of Terminal 1 at SFO. Place is a dump.

@ Josh -- Have flown out of there many times and it is a dump. But terminal three is fairly nice, and terminal two and the international terminals are *awesome* Compare that to most other US airports where all terminals are dumps.

I booked CX SFO-HKG r/t in F via AA awards. I also booked HKG-BKK r/t on BA - how do I get seat assignments for both flights - go to CX website or have to confirm thru AA/BA?

@ Paul -- You'll need the Cathay Pacific record locator (which is the same as the British Airways record locator). Once you have it you can go to the Cathay Pacific website to select seats.

Lucky - thanks. Had to call AA to get the CX record locator. Same for BA.

Why the H they don't include that as a matter of course on their reservations is beyond me.

Can book 180 days out online at CX. If you aren't a Marco Polo member, just log in as a non member and go to manage bookings and enter the CX Record Locator #.

@ Paul -- Agree it's annoying. United lists partner record locators on the reservations, so I wish it's something American would do as well.

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