- Mom’s Bali Birthday Bonanza: Introduction
- Review: SAS Lounge Chicago
- Review: Cathay Pacific First Class Chicago to Hong Kong
- Review: Conrad Hong Kong
- Review: Cathay Pacific “The Wing” First Class Lounge Hong Kong
- Review: Cathay Pacific Business Class Hong Kong to Bali
- Review: Amandari Bali
- Review: Amankila Bali
- Review: Malaysia Airlines Business Class Bali to Kuala Lumpur
- Review: Malaysia Airlines Business Class Kuala Lumpur to Hong Kong
- Review: Cathay Pacific First Class Hong Kong to San Francisco
- Mom’s Bali Birthday Bonanza: Mom’s Thoughts
We got to the airport at roughly 8AM for our 10:20AM departure to Bali.
Terminal exterior
Terminal
While we were only flying business class to Bali, we still used the Cathay Pacific first class check-in area on account of my OneWorld Emerald status. Cathay Pacific’s first class check-in is located on the left side of the terminal, and consists of multiple two sided kiosks, for more of a “face to face” experience than you’d get with a traditional counter. As you walk up to the first class check-in area an agent escorts you to a kiosk and quickly processes your check-in. The kiosk facing you features information about your flight, like your seat assignment, departure gate, flight time, etc.
The process is by no means as fancy as what you’d get with Thai in Bangkok or Lufthansa in Frankfurt, but one of the nicer experiences nonetheless.
First class check-in
The flight to Bali was being operated by a 747 with a first class cabin. However, on this particular route they don’t sell first class, but instead on demand they’ll sometimes seat connecting first class passengers and OneWorld Emerald members in the first class cabin (though they still only have business class service up there). I had looked at the seatmap prior to getting to the airport and noticed all the first class rows (one through four) were still empty, so I politely inquired about the possibility of being seated in 1A & 1K.
The agent picked up the phone, and a couple of minutes later printed out some boarding passes with our new seat assignments — awesome!
My one major complaint about Hong Kong Airport is the lack of premium security/immigration queues, so that took roughly 20 minutes. It’s not usually security that takes very long, but rather immigration, and today was no different.
We headed straight to the first class section of The Wing, which was just recently renovated. This review won’t be nearly as thorough as the one from the last time I visited in March, so be sure to check out that review for a closer look at the lounge, and why I consider it to be one of the best airport lounges in the world.
We hadn’t eaten breakfast so headed straight to the dining area. The dining area is catered and serviced by The Peninsula Hotel, so service is generally quite good. Within a few minutes of sitting down we were offered drinks — I requested an orange juice and iced coffee.
Dining area
Dining area
The breakfast buffet was high quality though limited, and consisted of salad, pastries, yogurt, fruit, meat, cheese, cereal, muesli, and a few hot options. Then again, for an airport I guess it’s pretty damn good. 😉
Buffet
Buffet
Buffet
Buffet
Buffet
Buffet
In addition to that there’s an a la carte menu, which reads as follows:
I just had a few things from the buffet. After breakfast we headed to the champagne bar, where I had to make the toughest decision of my day — Moet or Veuve (though admittedly not quite as enjoyable as choosing between Dom and Krug)? 😉
Champagne bar
As we sat at the champagne bar one of the agents came up to us and informed us due to a late inbound aircraft our flight would be delayed a further 30 minutes. Another two glasses of bubbly never killed anyone…
At around 10:30AM we headed to our departure gate, which was gate three. It’s just a two minute walk from The Wing, and right as we walked up boarding began.
Departure gate
Departure gate
Our 747 to Bali
On to Bali we go!
Hey Lucky. Just found my CX Hkg-Bkk F Flt downgraded to Biz arriving F from Jfk on CX so great to read I still get to visit. the F Wing but what compensation would you expect for on this US award tic?
@ David Lloydhughes -- If the change was made in advance I wouldn't expect any compensation, short of being able to rebook on another flight which might have first class space.
@ David -- Have only had success doing it day of and at the airport from which the flight is departing (HKG or DPS).
I'm ticketed in J on a DPS-HKG flight that is operated on a 747. Can I only inquire about sitting in the F-cabin at the airport, or could it be arranged ahead of time by calling CX?
If I could only do it at check-in, have you had such experience asking at a non-CX hub airport (DPS, in this case). As a reference, I'm an EXP and traveling with a friend who is a GLD.
Any idea which airlines are included in e-Channel? Their site doesn't specify it - http://www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/control/echannel.htm#fvapc
@ Marugorun @ Rowena @ Kevin @Lucky That would probably make a great post...what immigration fast track programs are available to US citizens. I had no idea about HK!
@Sophie I will vouch for Lucky, they are delicious and having a little Dom now.
@ John -- True, though it was more a function of us not wanting to get up any earlier than we had to to have breakfast, so for our purposes "The Wing" breakfast worked. But Conrad breakfast was definitely better.
Ben- Breakfast at the Conrad seems much better than this.
@ A. S. -- Isn't the answer obvious? A couple of glasses of all three! :D
I can't believe nobody has asked this yet: In the end, which did you go for, the Veuve or the Moet? :P
@ tot -- Believe it was a guava cake.
@ Jared -- Well in this case I shared a few of the things we did in Hong Kong, and will do the same for our time in Bali. I wouldn't usually outright buy a bottle of Krug, no...
@ Joey -- I sure did, and she was impressed. In the end eight of the nine seats in the first class cabin were taken.
@ JH -- I didn't even mention we had an inbound flight in first class, but rather the OneWorld Emerald status in and of itself did the trick.
Lucky - do you recall what the green thing was next to the bread basket in the fourth buffet photo? Looks like a chiffon cake or jello type with filling but just curious. Thanks!
@Steve @Simon Lounge access, according to the Cathay site, is based on departure flight status.
http://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_HK/travel-information/airport/lounges/lounge-admittance.html
With an inbound F BP you may get access and its definitely worth a try
Hey Lucky. I'd be interested to know what you actually do on your trips when you get to your destination. I hope you don't just sit in your hotel room the entire time. Does the luxury of your travel arrangements continue once you leave the hotel or do you only drink Krug when its free?
@Lucky, did you show your mom at least one of the cabanas? Were you the only two people in First class on the flight to Bali?
Perhaps "upon request" might be a nicer way to put it?
Based on your introduction, your flight from Hongkong to Bali is a different award ticket (via British Airways Avios) than Chicago-Hongkong, Bali-KUL-SFO. How to get the agent think that is this a connecting flight, not as separate tickets? Just wondering.
@ wwk5d -- Nope, haven't ever been denied.
@ Marugorun @ Rowena @ Kevin -- Actually had no clue that was available to non-residents. I'll have to get that!
"on demand they’ll sometimes seat connecting first class passengers and OneWorld Emerald members in the first class cabin"
Have they ever told you know when you've tried to do this? Just curious about their "sometimes" policy ;)
I'm so glad to hear you enjoyed the champagne bar! My all time favourite champagne is Charles Heidsieck although I've only ever had a small taste of Dom and never tasted Krug. I'm sure they'd be delicious though.
@ Steve and @ Simon
My wife and I flew SFO to KUL via HKG all CX (SFO-HKG first class and HKG-KUL business class). There was no problem to use "The Wing", yet they request FC ticket from SFO.
Will echo what others have said about the Frequent Visitor e-Channel. Takes no more than about 20 seconds to get through immigration.
http://www.hongkongairport.com/eng/passenger/arrival/t1/frequent-visitor-channel.html
Unlike Global Entry there is zero interaction with any humans :D
Passport Scan, finger scan, printed receipt and done!
@ Steve @ Simon -- Assuming you're connecting same day you should get first class lounge access in that situation.
Do you have the Hong Kong e-channel bar code in your passport? It is handy to have as you don't have to join the long immigration queue. You go through the e-channel gate by scanning your passport & fingerprint.
Similar to Steve's question - what if flying in on CX F then connecting to KUL on CX J? (diff itinerary if that matters?)
Lucky, as to immigration queues, you may want to consider registering yourself for e-channel, which is equivalent of Global Entry but is open to frequent flyers of certain airlines. I registered using my Japan Airlines, and since then it never takes more than 1 minute for immigration.
http://m.www.gov.hk/en/residents/immigration/control/echannel.htm
Hey Lucky - I have a question regarding FC lounge usage.
I will be arriving in HKG via FC on Cathay...
Connecting on Business to KUL on Malaysia...
can I use any of the FC Cathay lounges in HKG?
Thanks