Review of Cathay Pacific flight Hong Kong Sydney in Economy

Airline Cathay Pacific
Flight CX101
Class Economy
Seat 42C
Aircraft Boeing 777-300ER
Flight time 08:33
Take-off 20 Mar 19, 00:12
Arrival at 20 Mar 19, 11:45
CX   #2 out of 94 Airlines A minimum of 10 flight-reports within the past two years is required to appear in the rankings. 510 reviews
thetravellingbloke
Published on 2nd April 2019

Flight Details:
Flight No.: CX101
Flight Route: HKG - SYD
Seat No.: 42C
Aircraft Model: 777-300ER
Aircraft Reg: B-KQS 


introduction


Flying with a severe cold isn't a fun thing to do, even if you do enjoy flying a lot, especially on long haul flights. However, Cathay Pacific's comfort saved me from being in hell for 9 hours. Find out why in this flight review.


check-in


Departing Terminal: Hong Kong International Airport Terminal 1
As I checked out early from my AirBnb and storage of luggage wasn't allowed, I checked-in at the Airport Express station, in which you purchase your ticket, check-in to your airline, drop off your bag and come back anytime you want to board the Airport Express train. However, if you decide to check in at the airport, aisles B and C were available for check in for this flight.


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If you are a first-time visitor to Hong Kong International Airport, make sure you take the time to stroll through the terminal. Apart from having heaps of shops here, you''ll appreciate how modern the design is despite its age.  


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There are 2 security channels in this terminal, one on the far left and the other on the far right. It doesn't really matter which one you enter through. Boarding pass and passport are now checked by the Smart Gates instead of a real-person.  


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after security


There are a few different ways leading to different areas of the terminal after you've passed through the terminal. Note that if you go through security via the North concourse, the Qantas lounge is just directly on the right, often hard to notice. Apart from the lounge, you'll find a large dining area and designer brands all over the terminal.

As my flight departed at gate 65, which was further away from the main terminal, it required a short train ride.


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There are some parts of the terminal where angled flatbeds are provided. Charging ports for your mobile devices and laptop computers can also be found.   


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Gate 65, the gate for the flight. As the flight departed near midnight, there wasn't many people in the terminal.


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This was the aircraft serving the flight, a Boeing 777-300ER, rego B-KQS


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the flight


Cathay Pacific's Boeing 777-300ERs are refurbished into its newest design and configuration. New seats and IFE system are featured.


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The IFE system features a 3D flight preview. You can zoom in and out or rotate it, as if you're using a tablet. 


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The flight meal menu was then distributed:


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There are 3 options for dinner, which include: Seafood curry rice, braiased lemon tomato chicken with mashed potatoes and broccoli with mushroom cream sauce. All of them were served with quinoa and salami salad and a butter bread.

There are 2 options for breakfast, which include: a western style breakfast and the famous chicken and peanut congee. Both of them were served with some fruits, yoghurt and a butter bread. 


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One thing good about Asian carriers like Cathay Pacific is that meal service often commences very shortly after takeoff. In my opnion, this is exceptionally important when travelling on a red eye flight as the departure time is close to midnight, and most passengers would prefer maximising their rest.

Although seated in economy class, the seat reclines so much that it made the flight very comfortable and I was able to sleep for most of the time before the second meal was served.
The second meal was served 90 minutes before descent 


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My friend suggested me to try the chicken congee, which is the meal that is widely known for its good taste however I couldn't resist the temptation of having something Continental or Western.

This was the view after breakfast service, clear and blue sky. The curvature of 77W's wing is always a stunning view to appreciate:


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We then commenced our descent into Sydney and arrived 10 minutes earlier than scheduled.


arrival


Arrival Terminal: Sydney International Terminal (Terminal 1)

What's better than seeing this beauty after you step off your flight?


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Bag collection was quick.  I saw my bag on the carousel as soon as I got there.

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Verdict

Cathay Pacific

8.6/10
Cabin9.5
Cabin crew8.0
Entertainment/wifi9.0
Meal/catering8.0

Hong Kong - HKG

8.5/10
Efficiency8.5
Access8.5
Services8.0
Cleanliness9.0

Sydney - SYD

8.6/10
Efficiency8.0
Access9.5
Services8.0
Cleanliness9.0

Conclusion

This was a very satisfactory flight. The seat was very comfortable and the recline was more than I've expected, enabling me to fall asleep for most of the time. Cabin crew were professional and attentive. Catering was slightly above average, wouldn't say its anything special.

Information on the route Hong Kong (HKG) Sydney (SYD)

Les contributeurs de Flight-Report ont posté 12 avis concernant 4 compagnies sur la ligne Hong Kong (HKG) → Sydney (SYD).


Useful

La compagnie qui obtient la meilleure moyenne est Singapore Airlines avec 8.7/10.

La durée moyenne des vols est de 9 heures et 11 minutes.

  More information

8 Comments

If you liked this review or if you have any questions, don’t hesitate to post a comment below !
  • Comment 495880 by
    KL651 TEAM 4534 Comments
    Thanks for this FR.
    The cabin seems very spacious indeed and the meals pretty good, though they don't look as appetizing as SQ's or TG's.
    Glad the flight wasn't too horrible in spite of your cold.
    • Comment 495931 by
      thetravellingbloke AUTHOR 14 Comments
      The moment I saw such a new cabin I knew my journey was gonna be a lot better than I thought in spite of the cold. Among those Asian (full service) carriers that I've travelled on recently (SQ, CX, CI), I think I share the same view with you that SQ is the best in terms of presentation, portion and taste.
      Thanks for spending time reading my report!
  • Comment 495917 by
    Pilpintu TEAM 997 Comments
    That seat was a blessing! This reminded me of my flight to ANF last year, when I had to travel in a similar, pitiable health condition. My best friend was my roll of toilet paper, as shown here: https://photos.flight-report.com/media/photos/1532221163IDPY/img_20180206_154438.jpg

    meal service often commences very shortly after takeoff

    That's very considerate from them! Those little details make such a big difference!

    Thanks for sharing, Kurtis! :)
    • Comment 495930 by
      thetravellingbloke AUTHOR 14 Comments
      I saw the legroom from the photo was rather narrow, its such a pain when to fly in such conditions when you're already like half-dead due to the sickness.
      And yes, that was one of the noticeable differences between Asian carriers and Australian carriers - fast and efficient service.
      I'm glad that you enjoyed the report :)
  • Comment 496329 by
    KévinDC TEAM SILVER 6730 Comments
    G'day TheTravellingBloke, thanks for another well written report with good pics. This cabin looks really nice--it looks like it's a recently updating cabin. Being able to sleep in Economy is a good measure of the comfort of the seat, so it's great you were able to get some good sleep. The catering looks really good as well

    Thanks for sharing!
  • Comment 533889 by
    Shaun 1 Comments
    The leg space allows legs move freely, the crew is welcoming and very good service. Meal is good too, esp. when you are in good mood due to the other service from the crew!

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