Cathay Pacific First Class: 747 or 777?

My wife and I had 1A/K HND-HKG last year - perfect for couples as we could chat during the flight (well, for the first 10-15 mins until she burnt me in favor of the IFE!).

I have an upcoming HGK-SFO (747) in Sept, and have pre-selected 2A. I was going to see if I could somewhere snare 1A, but after this post, I think I'll settle with 2A.

I have to say i really enjoyed this post as I ponder this question almost daily as I dream about a 15 hour flight crossing the pacific on cathay. Though this is still probably one of the most #FirstWorldProblems posts out there.

As always, keep doing what you do best and please never change 🙂

It's all because of Lucky's influence that I have planned a long haul trip in November on CX F (777), SQ Suites, SQ F (777) and BA F (747). Seats already confirmed 1A, 3A, 2A and 2A respectively - all picked because of comments in Lucky's trip reports.

I second the keep doing what you do!

Another factor is comfort during turbulence. For equivalent, but turbulent conditions, I find the 777 more comfortable. That's because in the 747 nose you are farther from the center of gravity than on the 777, and have more deflection in all axes. The 747 tends to "nose" laterally quite a bit in choppy air.

I've flown CX F only on the 777, not the 747. Because there are 50% more seats on the 747, besides the service speed do you find the FAs more stressed/hurried on the 747 and more relaxed on the 777?

Awesome post! Just booked CX F in both 777 and 747 so will get to experience both (might as well if it's possible!) Enjoy Bali!

@ Carberrie -- Definitely! Fine the FAs on 777 to usually be more relaxed/detail oriented.

@ AJ @ MaxC -- Hah, thanks guys!

There's just something about the sitting in the nose of a 747 for me, so I'd always pick it given a choice (and I've flown CX in F on both). I didn't suffer any temperature issues as you did, however.

Great post Lucky. I too have a similar choice coming up this fall. I noticed you didnt comment no the bathroom differences as pointed out by some other bloggers. Apparently there is a big difference. The idea that the 747 is warmer def turns me off.

@ Nick -- Whoops, you're totally right, let me update the post with that. Great point.

773. 1A all the way.

JRL

747 because it is much quieter and I don't have to look both ways to see if the FAs caught me taking pictures. they're really nice about it, but I feel slightly embarassed when I am caught. need to fly more flights in F to get used to it, i guess.

The 744 F cabin on long haul flights is staffed with three dedicated crew, not two (1 Senior Purser plus 2 Flight Pursers) so the staff:pax ratio is the same as on the 77W - actually better since on the 77W the crew also have to serve the cockpit and with only two crew and one on galley duty, there is effectively only one serving/roving crew member on the 77W than on the 744.

It used to be two crew on the 744 but CX upped it back to three in mid 2011. Regional flights with the 744 where F is sold (BKK SIN TYO KIX MNL TPE being the main ones) still operate with two crew in F but on long hauls it is three.

If on the 747-400 row 3 only, row 1 is to close together. 777-300 Prefer 1K. Service on both planes is fine. Are we really complaining about F on Cathay, where 99% of the world will never fly?

I flew both last year and preferred the service on the 77W but preferred the cabin and lav on the 744. The 744 felt more exclusive to me and there is just a great feeling you get being in the nose of a 747. My 77W flight was better overall and it looks like that is what I will fly this year to HKG but I really want to experience a CX 744 again before they are all gone!

Personally I prefer 747/A340 over 777 due to no restrictions on air routes. If there is a massive storm in the middle of the pacific, the 747 has more room to deviate from said route than a 777. These twin engines fly routes that keep them too far from land, too far for my comfort. Not to mention, they are slower than the 4 engine counterparts.

TATL I have no issues, but TPAC, specially to Australia, I say, no way Jose.

It's all good...

2A or 2K on the 777, personally. 1A is closest to the bathroom (though only foot traffic is 2A) and on the other side the galley.

@TN, make that 99.999999%.

I flew CX HKG-LHR recently on the 2pm departure, which is a 777,
Seat 1A. It was my best flight experience in more than 40 years of flying. Arriving 8pm is good too. Having flown on 747s a lot, a definitely prefer the 777.

[...] better decisions when it comes time to use our points. For example, he recently wrote a post about Cathay Pacific First Class aboard the 747 vs. 777. He was able to compare service, privacy, air circulation, bathrooms, and seating on the two [...]

I've flown the new configuration on both planes, and I have to say I prefer the 747 slightly more due to better lavatories (slightly) but otherwise they are quite similar.

777-300ER is a newer plane in general but both have the same product and in my opinion have been all well kept. My last experience showed mainly normal wear and tear on the remotes, but some seats are getting a bit weird in the seatback- I can move it with my hands. I do agree with Sammyfloyd in that the 777 overhead bins are nicer, in addition it makes the cabin feel more open and more modern.

SFO is usually cheaper from what I see on CX's website so you might want to consider that. I always fly out of LAX since I live in the LA area and just want a non-stop flight- might consider SFO for saving some money though.

Just booked 2 CX F Award tix for my fiance and me: BOM-HKG-LAX. 747 from BOM and 777 from LAX! Might as well experience both on one trip, eh?

Lucky - do you know if the 777 will have the new CX F in March 2014?

Oops..I meant 777 from HKG

@ Hitesh -- Certainly a lot more planes will have it by then though the process won't be complete and there's no way to know in advance. For what it's worth the difference between the old and new product is so minor that I don't think it will make a big difference.

Hi Ben

1) On a previous flight I had 2A but at the last minute a few days prior they moved me to 2D and gave the seat to an older gentlemen, has that ever happened to you?

2) I am traveling with my wife on another award trip on a 777. If we can't snag 1A and 2A- what other pair of seats would you recommend? would it be 1k and 2k?

@ danny -- Hasn't ever happened to me, that's odd if it wasn't a baby with a bassinet. As far as seats go, otherwise I'd recommend 1K and 2K or otherwise 1D and 1K or 2D and 2K.

Don't all the 747 drop out of service in 2014?

@ MightyTravels -- Yep, they do indeed.

So if I'm booking on what they say is a 744 in early 2015, I should expect an equipment change?

@ Jarrod -- Hmm, I believe all the 747s should be retired then, though Cathay Pacific is usually good about updating equipment. What route are you looking at?

@Lucky-- having just returned from HKG-SFO on a 747 and flown out on the 777, I *vastly* preferred the 777 despite business class boarding through the F cabin.

You weren't kidding about the steamy 747 cabin. It's hard to get a good night's sleep when all you're dreaming about is an air vent. (There are worse things, of course, but I slept WAY better on the 777.)

And one of the bathrooms on the 747 was out of service - so all 9 passengers had to use one lav (I know, I know... so sad). Whereas on the 777 the lavs may be smaller, but there were plenty to choose from!

#champagnecomplaints, I know...

To all the complaints about the 747-400 being 'steamy', the new 747-8 has much more powerful air conditioning and is one of the many improved parts of the environmental Control system (ECS). The ECS on the new -8i dericves from the 767-400, but with much more power. Many think the 747-8 is just a rewinged -400 facelift, but there's hardly anything left on it from the -400. Most things are new.

*derives

@lucky

I'm looking at CX543 HND-HKG, still showing as a 744 in January. Seems to have better saver availability than CX549 on the 77W.

I'm looking forward to being a part of the 1% who will enjoy such first class cabins. I don't mind making that choice; they're both beautiful! BTW I'm following you on Twitter. Let's connect. Dariahloy@ http://www.mightytravels.com

@Lucky - do Cathay Pacific fly A380 to the US? If they do, all the cities they fly to or only a select few?

@ Silver -- Cathay Pacific doesn't fly any A380s unfortunately.

Hey Ben,

So I have 2 F seats booked on CX897 this November with a connection to DPS the following day and was just checking up on changing the seat selection. Now it appears we have been moved to CX881 redeye with the same DPS connection the next day, making it a 27 hour layover. Have you experienced a change like this before without any notice (booked with AA miles) and if having a 27 hour layover have any consequence since it's 24+..

Thanks

@ E -- If they made the change then it shouldn't be an issue. So if you're okay with it you can definitely stick to it.

Ok thanks. Also one of the hkg-dps legs is still in Coach and was planning to cabin upgrade it when it opens up. Do you think they'll give me am issue now since the system would probably recognize it as 2 separate tickets becusse of the 24+ connection now?

@ E -- If the change wasn't your fault then it shouldn't be an issue.