Sunday, December 27, 2009

Short haul new business class Taipei-HK, Cathay Pacific

Before launching the "fish bone" new business class, CX has once launched another short haul business on its 330 fleet. However, attention has been paid to their "fish bone" business class. On my way back from Taipei to HK, I got an upgrade to try this one - lucky that 2 out of 3 sectors, I got upgraded.

1. the seating. 2. Though the flight is just one hour something, still a proper business class meal was served.

3. Nicely warm panini. 4. Turkey salad to go with the season's holiday.

5. For sure a Christmas cake was to complete the meal. 6. This one is pretty nice - beef/veggie with steamed rice.

7. the whole meal. 8. a black coffee.

5 comments:

Thailand Club said...

bad news, in the future u will hv less upgrade privilege; coz CX starts remove business class seats to replace by eco, since they claim after the financial tsunami they hv less paid business class passengers, to make up the lost, now CX put 27 more eco class seat in one plane

in the sea said...

Yes, if you read the details of which aircraft types and which air routes they turn part of the business class into economy class, you would come to sense they have over-estimated the N. America markets. It's the 777-300ER 12 air crafts which are used mostly for routing to N. America. 777-300ER has 57 business class seats and 230 something economy class, as compared to 747-400 having 40 something business class seats and 380 economy class seats, and to 340/330 with 30 to 40 something business class and 280 to 260 economy class. So cutting 1 business class seats for 27 economy class, making it back to the balance to 1 business class to 10 economy class pro-rata basis is more sensible. I think CX can't specify on specific routing class re-configuration is to avoid certain unnecessary complaint or liable "lawsuit" from 3rd parties in the States, as anything can be a complaint or brought to a lawsuit in the States. :)

777-300 ER 12 air crafts on 123 air crafts on CX fleet is like 1/10; so I think they should do that in order to maintain their revenue. Besides, as I pay for y class and just because I'm the Marco Polo elite member and got a priority of being upgraded. There are many times I even noticed I got upgraded 1 to 2 days before the flight. So that means they would upgrade their elite member first. I also noticed they would upgrade the other passengers when the situation is critical. Anyway, either economy class, business class or even first class is still the same when you are in a depressurized low humidity and noisy environment. :)

Stella said...

Your comment at the last is very humble Mr SEA. I don't think CX likes to hear that economy class, business class and first class are all the same. It is very different. But whether this difference will justify the price difference is another story la.:)

Anonymous said...

Mr. sea, you sound like you are working in cathay. you know aircraft very well and you told you have a flying machine at home and know flying too.

in the sea said...

Oops. typo - should be 15 business class seats for 27 economy class seats. Mmh. I told the others that if the class fare is like economy class at US$1,000, then business class should be US$2,200 to 2,500 when it is about 2.2 times more space of economy class seat. However, it's not. For a roundtrip from HK to N. America, if the economy class is US$1,000, but the business class is US$8,000. So i really find it not justified. So my previous comment is on the environment factors, not on the seating and pricing. :)

To Anonymous 4:58pm, that flight simulator is just a computer program. Being a pilot was one of my hundred dreams but at the old time only caucasians could be pilots, until the early 90's local pilots were introduced. The flight simulator is very interesting and I got to learn 777 is a very nice and advanced aircraft.