Cathay Pacific CX101 Hong Kong to Sydney
Flight details:
Airline: Cathay Pacific
Flight: CX101 HKG - SYD
Reg: B-LXA
Aircraft: Airbus A350-1000
Seat: 65A
Departure Hong Kong Terminal 1 Gate 23: 11.55PM
Arrival Sydney Terminal 1 Gate 9: 12.00PM
Total time: 9hr 05min
Video: Cathay Pacific CX101 Hong Kong to Sydney
Introduction
This trip report is from Dec 2023. This report covers the journey from Hong Kong to Sydney.
I had arrived in Hong Kong early in the morning from Kaohsiung, read report: Cathay Pacific CX449 Kaohsiung to Hong Kong
Flight routing
- 1
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- 3
- 4
- 5
- 6
- 7CX101 - Economy - Hong Kong → Sydney - Airbus 350-1000
Pre-Departure
I had a 14hr 40, transit in Hong Kong. Aircraft would be Airbus 350-1000
Airbus A350-100 information from Cathay Pacific website
Airbus A350-100 Seating information.
I had completed the check-in online and received a digital boarding pass.
Route - CX101 Hong Kong to Sydney
I travelled on this route twice before on Boeing 777-300ER in 2018 and 2019, prior to COVID.
Read here to compare pre and post-covid experience:
2018 - B-KQD Boeing 777-330ER
2019 - B-KQT Boeing 777-330ER
Arriving at Airport
I used the Airport Express to reach airport as I had bought a return ticket. I reached Airport Terminal 1 by 7.00pm
Checked the flight schedule for any delays
Its was still early for the check-in to open, not that I needed to use.
Departure level
I took escalator to the departure level
View of check-in area
My phone battery was low and found a place to charge.
Waited for sometime to charge the device.
Immigration and Security
I had charged the phone sufficiently with nothing else to do. Decided to proceed for immigration and security. Immigration didn't take long as it was through self check kiosk. After clearing security, entered the departure area.
Departure Area
After clearing security, I went to food court to have dinner before boarding.
After dinner, took escalator to the departure area.
View of gate
Flight was boarding from Gate 23
Boarding gate for CX101, with plenty of time. I had walked enough, I sat close to gate.
Aircraft information
Cathay Pacific B-LXA Airbus A350-1000 operating CX101 HKG - SYD
Aircraft information from Airfleet website.
Boarding
I had received boarding pass in Kaohsiung. Took a photo of the boarding pass and passport to fill the arrival card.
Boarding call was made at 11.15pm. Boarding was conducted by seat numbers.
I joined the queue when seat group was called.
In the queue for boarding.
Boarding pass was scanned and passport was checked.
Glass aerobridge,with queue formed to enter the aircraft.
Side view of the aircraft
Business class boarding from other aerobridge
Aircraft registration was B-LXA.
Crew checking boarding passes and directing passenger to their seat.
Onboard
Passing through the Premium economy cabin.
Found my seat - 65A, placed hand bag in overhead bin and settled in seat.
Seat view with all passenger boarded.
Window view
Captain and cabin crew welcome passengers and provided flight information. Safety video was displayed on personal screen.
Pushback and taxi
Pushback started at 11.55pm, right on time.
Aircraft started taxi exactly at mid-night -1st Jan 2024.
Aircraft departed from runway 07R which provided me view of the city after takeoff.
Aircraft had camera view, which was not useful at night.
Menu
On attaining cruising altitude, Crew handed menu to the passengers.
Supper and Breakfast would be provided on this flight.
Drinks on board
Back cover
Crew also distributed water bottles to everyone.
Australian incoming passenger card was handed after the water bottle.
reverse
Seat Pocket Content
Seat pocket contained safety card and inflight magazine along with airsickness bag.
Cathay Pacific safety card
Airbus A350-1000 safety card
Cathay - inflight magazine
Fleet information
Flight times and distances
Connectivity information
Connection information for Mainland and Macao.
Headphone in packet
Cabin Service - Supper
Supper was served 30 mins after departure
I chose the chicken option along with beer.
Steel cutlery for supper
Aircraft cruising at 37000 feet
Sleep time
After supper, used the toilet which was stocked and clean. With 7 more hours for landing. I fell asleep as the cabin light were switched off.
I woke with 2 hours for arrival and switched on the tail camera. Window shades was down as the sun on my side.
Flight information
I checked the flight information
Flying over State of Queensland
Passengers resting as light was turned on.
Cabin Service - Breakfast
Breakfast was served 2hours before landing.
I chose the noodle with chicken along with orange juice.
Food was good and cleaned the box.
Descend
Camera view over Northern NSW.
Cloud increased as aircraft flew closer to Sydney
Captian announced descend would commence in 30 mins. Aircraft overflying Sydney covered by clouds.
Flight map
Crew conducted safety check and took seats for landing.
View of Royal National Park
Flying over Cronulla beach
Landing
Aircraft landed on runway 34L.
Crossing runway 07-25
International terminal
FinnAir Airbus A330 operated for Qantas
Aircraft had to hold few minutes for Qantas A380 to vacate gate 9. View of Cathay Pacific Cargo Boeing 747-8F which was following the aircraft.
Reached gate
View of Vietnam Airlines Airbus A350-900 and Qantas Airbus A330-300
Disembarkation
Disembarkation started soon after reaching gate.
View on cabin on arrival
Premium economy seats
Screen view
Exited aircraft to enter the aerobridge.
Qantas Airbus A380 departing Sydney
View of the CX aircraft as I walked towards immigration.
Immigration, Bagggage claim and Quarantine
I used the self-check kiosk to scan my passport and received the pass. Walked to the e-passport gate and inserted card in the machine. Photo was taken and immigration process was complete. Took 2 mins as there was no queue.
Had to wait sometime for the bag. On receiving bag, walked towards the exit, handed the arrival card to the Quarantine officer and allowed to exit the arrival area.
Exit the terminal and transport home.
Exited the terminal and went to the taxi rank. After a wait of few minutes got a taxi to home.
Aircraft and flight information
Flight information
Video: Cathay Pacific CX101 Hong Kong to Sydney route
Aircraft rotation
End of Trip Report
This the last report of this series.
Hope you enjoyed this trip report. Thanks for reading.
:)
Oh wow, so you spent New Year's night on a plane. It's too bad that CX didn't do anything special on the flight like offer everyone champagne...maybe they do something special more on Lunar New Year.
Otherwise service seems really nice with decent meals and the printed menus are premium by today's standards.
Thanks for sharing!
I had booked the ticket that way. Being a Chinese carrier, probably more LNY celebrations.
Food was good, I was too tired after spending whole day walking, didn't notice anything. After meal slept till morning breakfast.
Thanks for your comment.