Review of Cathay Dragon flight Hong Kong → Hanoi in Economy

INTRODUCTION

Hello FlightReporters
For an aviation geek like me summer means only one thing: flying
At the beginning of June my family and I started to discuss about a big trip in August
We evaluated many places in South East Asia and also India
Finally we find an Italian tour operator offering an interesting 14-day trip of Vietnam and Cambodia
The tour spaced between many places in Northern Vietnam (like Ha Noi and Ha Long bay), Central Vietnam (Hoi An and Hue), South Vietnam (Saigon and Mekong's delta) and Cambodia (Phnom Pehn and Angkor's temples)
To get there from Rome we would have fly with Cathay Pacific through Hong Kong
After some worries about Hong Kong's political situation we left on August 18th
Return planned for September 1st

Some personal stats: 
First time with Cathay Dragon

TRANSFER AT HKG

We desembark at Gate 49 of Hong Kong Airport, in the main building of Terminal 1
The arrival mezzanine was anonymous as in many international airports

Looking at FIDS we found our gate number: 510

Gate 510 is located in the North Satellite Concourse, a midfield building connected to the main terminal by a shuttle bus

Having one hour and half we asked a CX staff member the fastest way to reach gate 510
She told us to pass through the Western Transfer Area and than walk
After the security screening we had to walk more than 1 kilometre to reach the middle of the Terminal

The very long main departure lounge, designed by architect Norman Foster

Once we get to the center of the Terminal we discovered it could have been possible to use the underground APM instead of walking :/
We proceeded downstairs to take the shuttle bus to gates 501-510

Despite being a strange system to move passengers (from such a big airport I would have expected an APM), the shuttle bus offers good spotting occasions
Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 parked at the gate

Finnair A350

Even if the North Satellite Concourse is small, it offers a good choice of shops and food

Our gate, 510, was ready for boarding

My boarding pass

The aircraft for todya's flight:
Cathay Dragon Airbus A321-200, B-HTD delivered to Dragonair in April '99 (20.5 years old) and than transferred to KA in 2016
It still has Dragonair's livery
The plane is equipped with 172 seats (C24-Y148)

Finnair A350 at Main Terminal

Hong Kong Airlines A350 landing on RWY25R

Polar Air Cargo 747-400F landing

THE FLIGHT

Boarding was called with a 10 minutes delay
Gate agents checked BPs and documents while people queueing

Cathay Dragon A320 parked next to us

Our plane as seen from the jetway

Door shot

I gave the Flight Report form to the Purser and walked to my seat, 44K
Business Class cabin between doors 1 and 2…

…and Economy Class

My seat
Even if the pitch was a bit tight, the seat was soft and comfortable
It is equipped with IFE and USB plug

My window was full of scratches and it was hard to take good photos

The cabin while boarding procedures ended

The IFE was not as good as on the A350, but had a lot of contents as well

Doors closed and armed, and safey video started to play

Singapore Airlines Boeing 777 in Star Alliance livery and Finnair A350 parked at the Main Terminal

Japan Airlines Boeing 787 Dream)Liner being towed

Midfield Concourse (Gates 201-230), opened in 2016

Cebu Pacific A330

Cathay Pacific and Hong Kong Airlines birds in front of Cathay Cargo area

Cathay Pacific A350 taxiing to the runway

Cathay Dragon A330 waiting for T/O while a Dragonair A330 departs

An A350 queue for T/O

Cathay Pacific Boeing 777 departing

Our turn for T/O
Cathay Dragon A330 and Cathay Pacific A350 waiting to go

Bye bye HKG, see you for the return flight
(Sorry for the bad quality pics)

Climbing over sea

Offshore wind farm

The whole flight was partially cloudy

Thirty minutes into the flight lunch (or maybe breakfast) was served
I don't remember the choices, but I took chicken with rice
It was accompanied by bread and a fruit salad

Even if the chicken was decent, it was dip inside a strange jelly-like sauce
The sensation while eating was terrible

We finished to eat around half way

Clouds started to disappear while entering Vietnam airspace

Enormous Honda's facility in Vihn Puch,

Approaching HAN

Perfectly on time we touched down at Ha Noi - Nội Bài International Airport

Heading to Terminal 2, which handles international flights

Old hangars

Thank you Cathay Dragon

Qatar Airways Boeing 787 Dream)Liner heading to the runway

Docking at Terminal 2
Most of the planes are from local airlines like Air Asia and Lion Air

Desembarking I took the flight report from the Purser and ask her to say "thank you" to the Captain

Some spotting from arrivals mezzanine
Aeroflot Boeing 777

Vietnam Airlines Boeing 787 Dream)Liner

Chào mừng bạn đến Viet Nam
Welcome to Vietnam

Immigration was quite fast since there was no VISA necessary
We pass through it in a few minutes

Going downstairs to baggage reclaim hall
Our bags will be delivered at belt 6

The first feeling getting outside was a very high temperature and strong humidity
Having spend almost 18 hours with A/C make it difficult to get used to it

We met our local guide and took a private bus to our hotel
It was located in the city center
Our program contemplate a visit of Ha Noi, Ninh Binh and a cruise on Ha Long Bay, before taking another flight to Central Vietnam

To be continued…

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