A380 Extravaganza: Cathay Pacific Business Class Singapore to Colombo

I flew the same aircraft SUB-HKG and while I agree the seats are antiquated, the service was excellent... loved the cod too! 😉

Would you say SQ has an edge over CX on short-haul/"regional" product and in-flight service?

@ Josh G -- It depends which regional configuration.

If it's this Singapore regional configuration I'd say they're about the same:
https://onemileatatime.com/bali-and-berchtesgaden-singapore-airlines-business-class-singapore-to-bali/

While if it's this one then Singapore definitely has the edge:
https://onemileatatime.com/four-continents-and-37000-miles-in-two-weeks-singapore-airlines-silver-kris-lounge-terminal-3-a-day-at-singapore-changi-airport-singapore-airlines-business-class-singapore-to-kuala-lumpur/

Now compare that to a 3hr flight in North America or Europe!

I was fortunate enough to get the new regional J seat on BKK-CMB-BKK. Not amazing, but a huge upgrade from the old product. Pics: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/20178625-post105.html

Just to let you know, this is just a regular B777-300 not 777-300ER 😉

Another thing, we have a new regional business class on the way with touchscreen AVOD so be sure to check that out!

I would've certainly picked the mutton....

The crew was more junior because none of the CX crew likes to fly to Colombo and if given the route, they would do everything to swap it. Junior crew wouldn't have the seniority to swap yet.

Also, that HK milk tea they serve on CX can be purchased in boxes (it's powdered) in any Chinese grocery store. Just sayin'...

Two things: 1) no lime??? 2) Billecart salmon was that bad? Been a while since I drank it but that used to be one of my favorite non vintage champagnes. Maybe not Krug, but definitely not vile!

The 3hr flight in NA would be on an A319 and you'd get a choice of a medium-sized cracker or an apple.

"but after drinking nothing but Dom and Krug on planes for years I found this stuff damn near vile."

Good thing you haven't had the *really* good champagne...you might have ended up spitting it out 😉

Lucky,

CX seems to be leading the pack on female pilots. My captain on JNB-HKG (a 747) a few weeks ago was a woman as well.

@ Mike -- Whoops, you're absolutely right, my mistake.

@ MilesAbound -- Like most foreign carriers no lime, unfortunately. Hah, as far as the champagne goes I thought it was pretty bad, though maybe I'm going crazy...

@ Ken Y. -- Does the fact that it can be purchased in any grocery store make it taste any less good on a Cathay flight? 😉

Also, awesome spork with dessert...

The last photo does not look like a meal in an economy cabin to me. Are you sure you were not mistaken ? (I've never flown with Cathay Pacific)

@ emilie -- Sorry, I'm not sure I follow? That was a business class meal.

So you did a quick turnaround SIN-CMB-SIN? How did you get to transfer and get your return bp as Sri Lanka requires a visa?

@ Mike -- Yep. All discussed in the previous post. 🙂
https://onemileatatime.com/a380-extravaganza-skyview-lounge-singapore/

You went from being someone who didn't care about champagne much to being the pickiest person I know. Billcar-Salmon is considered a fine champagne by most ( me included). Light-years ahead of anything served on US international planes.

Assuming no lay over, would you route to Colombo via Singapore or Bangkok on CX? I'm doing this next year.

@ Beachfan -- I'd do it out of SIN as the flight is a bit shorter. No reason to spend more time in regional business class than you have to.

Did you stay in the aircraft while in CMB while others disembarked? Sorry for all the questions. I guess the turnaround was for miles?! 😀

@ Mike -- No, you have to deplane given that the plane is on the ground for more than two hours. The outbound was an award ticket while the return was the start of an ex-CMB fare. I was positioning in CMB to take advantage of the reasonable first class fares published out of there.

@ Lucky

Thanks! So HKG-SIN is a better plane than SIN-CMB in J? (sorry if I didn't mention I'm starting in LAX).

Oh ok. So how'd you get up to the departures area? Sorry for the questions once again. Can't wait for the rest of the report! 🙂

@lucky - Never mind. Somehow on my iphone the last photo of your post is replaced with the appetizer photo (smoke duck breast).

I have to concur, of all the non-vintage Champagnes, Billecart Saumon is one of my favorites. I do like Pol Roger better though.. can't wait to try the Winston Churchill on Asiana F.

Billcart-Salmon is probably drier than 03 Dom, maybe just too austere for Lucky

@ beachfan -- It all depends on the flight. If you're on the "direct" flight from Hong Kong to Colombo it's the same plane all the way through, though Cathay Pacific does fly some longhaul configured aircraft Hong Kong to Singapore, so if you can get on one of those I'd highly recommend it.

@ Mike -- I didn't have to go up to the departures area. The flight let out in the terminal, just a two minute walk from the lounge.

I have to agree with many others B-S (pardon the abbreviation) is lovely IM(not so)HO. Maybe you had a bad bottle?