Hello and welcome again. This is the second report of my Asian trip last year. You can read how I got to Asia, here (FRA-HND): http://http://flight-report.com/en/report-5265.html
I hope you enjoy the report and even more the nostalgic tourist bonus…
After a few unforgettable sunny days in Bangkok, exploring temples, even an island and clubbing, I was ready for traveling to Hong Kong for the first time.
That city really had fascinated me since I was a kid and not for Jackie Chan's movies, but for its impressive skyline and dramatic geography.
So, I was very excited that morning when I woke up at 5am and got a taxi from my hotel to BKK Suvarnabhumi Aiport. Even at that time the Bangkok traffic was incredibly slow…
Once at BKK I was shocked while seeing the Thai endless queues for bag drop and check-in.
After an hour waiting in line, I finally got mi boarding pass. Before migrations I took a picture of Tosakanth, a replica of Wat Arun's guardian. Impressive in an airport…
After migrations, the Samudra Manthan sculpture makes Suvarnabhumi a unique airport
The BKK terminal design is spectacular, in my opinion. One of the world's most beautiful airports. Of course, there is no perfect airport and Suvarnabhumi terminal is already saturated, at least at peak times.
A classic picture from departures area, showing one of the world's largest airport buildings.
Once near the gate, I spotted the Thai's A380 HS-TUB, then just 2 months old, that was going to take me to HKG. It was my first A380 flight.
The BKK small windows aren't spotter friendly…
The Airbus whale nose close up
I found the boarding room quite narrow and small for an A380…
After boarding, the big sized (for Economy Class) PTV
The seat pitch was very good. Although the IFE box and the fuselage curvature were really bothersome for my left foot…
You all know the so called A380 huge windows… One of the greatest hoaxs in commercial aviation…. :P
The BBK terminal building stunning design from my seat
And from A380's tail fin camera. Surprisingly no Thai language safety instructions on the backrest.
I don't recommend seating under one of the upper deck doors. There's no heating nor air conditioning, as you can see
Take off video. I must recognize that even the A380 is not my favorite plane, it's the quietest wide body aircraft…
Mood lighting in a colorful cabin and the classic Airbus overhead bins, that most airlines have chosen. Those bins make the cabin look much older than B787s or even B777s, in my humble opinion.
I liked to see my hometown Cordoba included in the airport list on the left of the screen. I was just a few steps from Argentina…
Few minutes after take off, a drink and peanuts were offered, along with the classic (in Asian flights) oshibori.
Later, the breakfast service with 2 options: Thai or Western. Unfortunately only the latter was available when I ordered. Honestly I expected higher quality meal from Thai considering we were departing from its airport hub.
The music available in the IFE was excellent. It's not easy to find the rather experimental electronic music Gorillaz The Fall album on a plane
Spoilers deployed… The approach has begun
Not the best weather in Hong Kong…
Hello, Chek Lap Kok. Still one of the Cathay Pacific's flagships: B747-400…
Now the nostalgic tourist report… This time you won't see electronic music festivals in my report…
As I said before, I was fascinated by Hong Kong since I was a kid, especially after reading some (I'm talking about the early 90s, before internet and FR became popular :P) of my aviation books that showed the famous Kai Tak Airport. So, after visiting the tourist clichés, one morning I went to Kowloon trying to find (the remains of) the former HKG airport…
There's no doubt that Kowloon is one of the most densely populated places on Earth.
I had read in a blog that the MegaBox Shopping Mall offered good views of the former airport. I was walking a bit disoriented while I spotted the old Kai Tak radar… Can you believe it? There's nothing in the world like traveling and exploring…
The orange and pink building is MegaBox.
It was truly alternative tourism in Hong Kong…
Once inside MegaBox I asked a girl about the best place for taking pictures of former Kai Tak… She might have been 18 years and didn't have the slightest idea what I was talking about… :P
Anyway I managed to find a window from an ice rink (Mega Ice). Can you see the radar?
Then, I took the elevator to the 18th floor where a parking are is. And I finally could watch the remains of the former Kai Tak Airport… I got a bittersweet feeling, while seeing the Cruise terminal construction, you understand me… Anyway the Kai Tak Airport silhouette is still visible. A picture (or a few) is worth a thousand words…
This used to be HKG Kai Tak South Apron…
After some minutes in ecstasy, like an archeologist discovering the Atlantis, I left MegaBox and went for curried rice. Aviation archeology makes me hungry… :P
There was one commercial aviation icon left in Kowloon… I walked to Lok Fu Park. On the top of a hill I found this relaxing place.
Do you recognize that antenna?
Yes, it's the famous Kai Tak Checkerboard that was used as a visual reference for the runway 13 approach…
The Checkerboard Hill looked this way 20 years ago… I wish I could have been in Hong Kong before Kai Tak closure…
Photo: http://20thcenturyaviationmagazine.com/?page_id=8837
Thanks for reading one of my best experiences as an aviation geek ;)
Comments are welcome.
Amazing pics of kai tak, i wanted to visit that area, wasnt sure where to go though when i was there, maybe next time to see the board
Thanks for your comment. If are interested in the Checkerboard remains, you have to walk to Lok Fu Park ;)
Thanks for this FR.
Funny that you didn't appreciate the quietness of the A380, even if noise can be fun on an airplane, it get boring after a while.
Too bad you were unable to get the thai breakfast.
Nice pics of the old Kai Tak, I bet it's not really easy to find what's left of it.
Thanks for your comment. Of course, I appreciated the A380 quietness. Maybe you misundestood me when I said: I must recognize that even the A380 is not my favorite plane, it's the quietest wide body aircraft…
It's really frustrating when you see those machines working (and erasing Kai Tak runway and taxiways) on the Cruise Terminal...