Cathay Pacific Airways

SFO-MAA-SFO. Overall the service seems to be slipping though compared to the competition on this route it still is the best value for money. My wife ordered an Indian veg meal for all legs of the journey. Once again the meal from SFO to HKG was inedible. The same thing happened on an identical itinerary in Feb 2012. Looks like they don't change the special meal menus. The quality improved on the other legs though overall the meal quality (special and regular) has come down. AVOD was fine. The shell seat on the old 747-400 is most uncomfortable though the leg room is fine.

LAX-HKG. B77W. First Class. The aircraft had the newest special dark green paint scheme celebrating Hong Kong. Check-in was good but boarding delayed and not well organized due to late arrival of the aircraft. The much-advertised refurbished First Class cabin is a huge disappointment. The reflection of Chinese heritage through dark stained wood veneer finishes and rich silk-like fabrics have been replaced with very cheap and common-looking grey plastic and light stained wood veneer finishes and ordinary grey fabrics. Perhaps this was a hastily assembled early product for this signature paint scheme aircraft as the fit and finish of most components were very poor and the new seat padding a disappointment on a 15 -hour journey. Cabin service was top-notch from sincerely caring staff. However they could improve in the area of anticipating customers' needs. The meals were well-prepared but the menu offered very few choices and didn't offer more upscale entrees. The beverage selection was excellent with some very good wines on offer. While CX continues to offer an excellent First Class product it needs to up its game in light of recent upscale competitors in Asia and the Middle East. The Wing First Class Lounge at HKG is excellent with attentive staff lovely Cabanas and good food.

CX255 18th Sep 2013 HKG-LHR. The seat was quite comfortable but the personal display looked a little bit cheap. The flight attendants were friendly and helpful. The meals were very good for in-flight meals. As in all 747s the seat was a bit narrower than the 777 seats. Ground crew was also very helpful offering to print my boarding pass (I had the e-pass on my phone).

JFK-HKG-SYD in Premium Economy a very long flight with every seat filled JFK-HKG. The aircraft cabin was in excellent condition. The cabin crew were smiling and immaculately groomed which is more than I can say for Qantas with whom I usually travel. I pre-ordered a Lacto Veg meal. I was offered a glass of champagne prior to take-off but when I requested one with the meal service I was told there was none and I could have red or white wine no mention of what it was and it was served in a disposable plastic tumbler. The veg main course was good. The dessert on the tray was fresh pineapple which I cannot eat because of medication I take. When the standard meal ice creams were offered I requested one but was told I couldn't have one as it may not be vegetarian. A second meal was served a few hours later but to my surprise the main course on my tray was exactly the same as the previous one. Cups of noodles were offered once during the long night flight other snacks listed on the menu were not offered but had to be obtained from trays in the galley. If you are seated on the left side of the 777 to get to the lavatory which is on the right side at the front of the Premium Economy Cabin you need to go back through the E/C cabin cross over through the centre galley and then back up to the front and vice versa to get back to your seat. On the HKG-SYD sector I moved seats to enable the person next to me more room as he had to go straight to work on arrival. When breakfast was offered I told the cabin attendant I had moved and that I had ordered a veg meal. I did not want to leave them short a breakfast tray. I was told they that would get my meal. When it arrived what I think was an economy tray was put in front of me on which was a bowl with 5 cubes of melon half a plastic tumbler of apple juice a dry bread roll and a main course which did not appeal. There was no butter no jam no croissant no yoghourt all listed on the Premium Economy menu. In my opinion Cathay Pacific has a long way to catch up with their Premium Economy service.

CX-617 from HKG to BKK. The flight was on time. Seat and Entertainment service were fine. The meal served rather disappointing I had a chicken curry on rice which only filled half the container.

HKG-ICN - my wife and myself had some difficulty in getting our seats assigned. Initially I thought this is due to our "ultra competitive fare" not allowing advance seat reservation but the real reason seemed to be that Cathay made an equipment change from A333 to B773 at very short notice only hours before departure. Thus we did not get the desired twin-seat in the Airbus but a neighbour in the 3-3-3 configuration of the 777. All the rest was "standard procedure" in Cathay's five star level. On time departure arrival ahead of schedule well managed inflight service despite a full cabin. Friendly and polite cabin crew but clearly focussed due to the number of pax to be served. AVOD ok but this is not ranking high in my priority list. I prefer a good choice of reading options which I got plus a decent meal and a good beverage selection. This being a morning flight the emphasis was more on tea and coffee - and only later on wine. I got all I needed and am once again really content with Cathay.

SFO-DXB/SIN-SFO Our first time on CX Premium Economy. Seats are fairly comfortable with decent legroom and an excellent VOD system. Food not much different from that served in Economy and they acted surprised when we requested a cocktail before dinner. The much advertised "separate check-in and separate boarding lines" were available in SFO but nowhere else. All in all not a bad experience but they have a long way to go to match the Premium Economy of Air New Zealand and Qantas.

Flew CX in Nov 2013 from BKK-SIN and then SIN-HKG a few days later in economy. Both flights were mediocre. Legroom is very lacking. Food very average. FA's however were very good and attentive. I booked these tickets 6 months earlier yet CX arbitrarily changed our seat assignments on the SIN-HKG leg and my wife and I were seated 10 rows apart. No apology no effort to correct their error. Also I had booked and paid for Premium Economy and was told no PE on these legs. Yet the SIN-HKG flight clearly had a PE cabin which was half empty. Not very fair. Both flights did leave and arrive on time. Baggage delivery by CX quite slow in BKK and SIN and HKG.

Flew LAX-HKG return in Nov 2013 in Premium Economy. Good value for money. Seats were reasonably comfortable with adequate leg room. An inflatable seat cushion made my bottom more comfortable. FA's were friendly and attentive. Food was decent for airplane food. A/V was excellent with high quality screens and a huge program menu. Would certainly recommend CX for transpacific trips. Only complaint would be that there are not enough toilets on this 777 aircraft.

HKG-JFK 25 Nov 2013. Business 777-300ER. Very comfortable pods with lie-flat seats that promote comfortable sleeping conditions. Extremely attentive staff anxious to serve. Decent food very good wine and I believe 4 hot towels during the roughly 15 hour flight. Compared to Korean Air's business class on A380 where the entire upper deck is for business the cabin seemed a bit more confined (and frankly comparable to Korean's 777 business class) but a very good experience. Plenty of storage very clean restrooms (frequently serviced during the flight) good video system and excellent headphones. Certainly an expensive alternative to Premium Economy but clearly a step above.