Chasing the Sun: Cathay Pacific "The Wing" Hong Kong

Thanks for the ongoing excellent reports, as usual! I read your blog every day!

IMHO, not only are the CX ground services absent, but for a flagship lounge, both CX F HKG lounges have been very disappointing to me in terms of their food offerings. That being said, they remain one of my favorite, if not favorite, carriers.

Any insight into when the renovations will be complete?

I love milk tea. How was it?

@ Jay -- Apparently February 2013 is what they're saying as of now.

@ Romsdeals -- Delicious!

The lounge photos of the F seating area are post-renovation. I was at HKG last March soon after the first class section was closed. The temporary lounge was a partitioned-off area to the right of the upper-level check-in desk with very old-looking furniture. I don't know whether the area you were in is part of the new business lounge that has been temporarily repurposed or a completed portion of the new F lounge, but it's much nicer than what I saw.

Was there a week ago, took my shower downstairs and sat on the business side and didn't bother with the limited first class seating area. Looking forward to the renovated opening ~ February!

I love CX, but my only annoyance with CX is the lack of any priority security or customs fast track. I am fine with a no frills ground service, but at bare minimum F passengers should be able to expedite through security/customs. When I transferred in HKG, I was stuck in transit security for 45 mins. Not fun. Customs is usually 20-30 minutes.

Does any airline/airport with a HLG-style transit process offer priority security for transit passengers? I don't recall seeing such lanes at HKG, NRT, or ICN. I also don't recall it at immigration for arriving pax. Of course, that's not to say it shouldn't exist...

oops: should be "HKG-style."

@ Loran -- The lounge I was in was actually in the same area. I guess they just updated the furniture. Don't think I've ever seen priority transit security, unfortunately. Would be nice, though!

I just came back from HKG Gate 4 on 11/23. I saw a HK celebrity there at the Wing business class lounge, noodle bar.

I thought there was priority security at FRA when transiting? I seem to recall when arriving at a B gate, and re-clearing to the B departure areas there was a line for First/Business passengers. Perhaps I'm mis-remembering things though.

@ Joe -- You're correct. Frankfurt is unique in that connecting passengers and passengers originating in Frankfurt use the same queues, so I don't think they're transit queues, per se.

If flying Emirates through DXB T3 you pass through transit security and there is indeed a dedicated priority line for F/J pax. Additionally, if I remember correctly there is a priority line at transit security in LIM.

Lucky - you give any thought to visiting The Cabin? No F section but that seems to be the newest lounge at HKG.

@ UA-NYC --Would have liked to check it out, though the walk in both directions would have taken a while, and given the short amount of time I had it didn't seem worth it. Hopefully next time.

For my transfer at HKG (BKK-HKG-LAX in F) I got a great escort. Met at the gate, had to go through security again, and my wife didn't realize she had a pen knife in her purse (that cleared about 20 security checkpoints!!). It was a momento from her deceased uncle and meant a lot to her - they wanted to confiscate it. Our CX escort took charge, had the knife checked in as luggage while we were in the lounge and came back to give us the claim check!

I'm wondering whether it's only the transfer passengers that get the super ground assistance - we didn't get any when we checked in after an overnight in HKG on the outbound.

@ beachfan -- Wow, had no clue that Cathay Pacific ever did escorts. You must be special!

@ Lucky LOL!

BTW, Cathay used to have the best wine list in F as of Feb 2012, but they have downgraded it too.

There flagship red wine is Lynch Bages, a truly excellent Bordeaux. Now they rotate 5 bordeauxs, of which a few are not up to standard.

The Girardin seems to be just a village.

Thankfully the Krug is unlimited!!