Cathay Pacific Business Class Review

Cathay Pacific Business Class Service from Amsterdam to Hong kong

Company : Cathay Pacific
Date: 23 January 2013
Plane: Amsterdam – Hong Kong A340-300
Class: Business Class
Seat: Amsterdam – Hong Kong 20K
Flight Time : 11 hours and 40 minutes
Flight number: CX 270

This review starts with a good night sleep, at least that I was thinking about, when I noticed the departure time 12.25.
Luckily a nice departure time at noon and not one where you already start the flight with a sleep shortage.
But due to the freezing weather conditions in the Netherlands, the NS train service had been disrupted.
I had to take the train at 07.00 in Tilburg to be in time at Schiphol Amsterdam Airport.

I arrived at Schiphol Airport, cold and irritated about my long train journey, about 1.5 hours before my flight would depart.
The friendly Cathay Pacific Stewardess helped me with a very fast check-in and she used the priority baggage labels to tag my luggage.
Mr Smulders welcome to your Cathay Pacific flight to Hongkong.
The ground stewardess gave me an invitation for the British Airways Lounge.
Here you can get yourself warm and get ready for the flight, she was smiling.

Good to see she noticed that I was cold.

In the British Airways Lounge I warmed my self up, and the coffee was very welcome to me.
The lounge is a normal Business Lounge, not too big but all the things you need within reach.
Free Wifi, Drinks, Small snacks and good seats.

I boarded the Airbus 340-300 which would bring me all the way to Hongkong.
I hoped that this aircraft would carry the new Business Class seats that Cathay Pacific is rolling out. (as I am writing this)
You can watch the movie from Cathay Pacific about the New Business Class Concept here.
Here it still takes a few months before the new Business Class seats will come to Amsterdam.
The “old” Business Class seats are still very fine for me and they are still up to date.
The major difference is that the seats from the outside of the cabin now face the windows and not the centre of the cabin.

This flight to Hongkong I wanted to travel like a normal passenger and just enjoy the great service that Cathay Pacific is famous for and read a book.
A book that a great friend of mine, Richard de Crespigny, wrote about the nearly crash of a new Qantas Airbus 380.
On flight QF32 he was the captain behind the joystick, during this nearly disastrous flight.

The aircraft was ready for take off and within 10 minutes we were airborne and on our way to Hongkong.
I was tampered by the friendly cabin crew and after a great meal and glass of excellent wine it was time to start reading the QF32 book.
When I finished the book we were already 7 hours on our way.
The seat was so great, that I went for a sleep.
The Cabin crew had to wake me up for landing, as I had told them not to wake me up for breakfast.

I arrived at Hongkong International Airport and was not tired at all.
So a great day to start another day in life……………

Company : Cathay Pacific
Date: 6 February 2013
Plane: Hongkong – Amsterdam  Airbus A340-300
Class: Business Class
Seat: Hongkong – Amsterdam 20K
Flight Time : 13 hours and 5 minutes
Flight number: CX 271

Hong Kong offers the passengers a great advantage compared to other airports in the world.
You can use the luggage check-in at the Airport Express Train station for an in-town Check-in.

At the train station I checked-in at the Cathay Pacific desk, for my flight to Amsterdam.
I dropped my luggage here and I received my boarding card and lounge invitation for the flight.
I boarded the train with only carrying my hand luggage.
The train brought me in 24 minutes to the main airport building.
There I cleared the Customs and Security controls and it was time to visit the famous Business Lounge from Cathay Pacific, THE WING.

The Wing – Business Lounge.

The Wing is located near gate 2 and this new style of Business Lounge was introduced back in 1998.
In 1998 the New Hong Kong Airport opened for Business, so a brand new airport and a brand new Business Lounge concept.
It set a new standard in airline ground service when it launched in 1998 and it was one of the most innovated concepts back then.
And The Wing is still is one of the best airline lounges in the world today.
The Wing offers everything a Business Traveller needs.
It has a First- and Business Class Lounge, a Champagne Bar or you can visit the Noodle Bar.
There are also 12 luxurious shower suites available if you simply wish to freshen up before your flight will depart.
You may also enjoy the new style and comfort at one of the five luxurious Cabanas.
The Cabanas features a spacious shower, a full-sized bath and a comfortable day bed.
Or just get a drink at the Long-Bar and relax while you overlook the airport and runway from the balcony.
You have so many features in the Lounge and there is Free WiFi Internet, Small Snacks, Large Meals.
Many different soft- and alcoholic drinks are available, offered with a great service and a view over the airport that is incredible.

This is how you should start every journey, relaxed and in style, Cathay Pacific style I would say.

It was time to board the plane and it would be a long flight taking over 13 hours, but I was relaxed to start the flight back to Amsterdam.
I got the same seat as on my inbound flight, seat 20K at the end of the Business Class section.

The seats on the outside of the cabin face towards the centre of the cabin and you sit next to each other.
It will not be possible to sit next to each other in this configuration.
At the moment they are refurbishing the new Business Class and here the outside of the cabin will face the windows of the plane.

The seats are fully lie flat beds and there is enough space to place your belongings.
The seats are very comfortable and electronically adjustable and they feature a great lumbar support and massage button.

Cathay Pacific offers a great IFE system.
It’s an Inflight Entertainment System on demand with lots of movies to watch or music to listen.
It carries so much entertainment that you can fly 5 times around the world and you will still have not seen everything.

A great thing that I have not seen with any other airline till now is that the time to your destination shows up in your telephone.

The stewardesses were great again, what a difference with for example the KLM or Air France.
With Cathay Pacific you feel that the cabin crew treats you like a well respected guest.
KLM / Air France could learn a lot from the cabin crew service provided by Cathay Pacific.

I was welcomed with a fresh Orange Juice and warm cashew nuts and they handed over the wine list and menu.


 

I did not want to eat too much, as I had a great meal in the business lounge.
( it was just too good not to eat at the noodle bar in the Wing)

The food tasted excellent and served like I would expect from Cathay Pacific.
The Asian hospitallity knows how to treat a guest.

After dinner the lights where turned down and the trendy led lights remained in the cabin.
It was time to get some sleep for the passengers and me as it was a Red Eye flight back to Amsterdam.

I told the stewardess not to wake me up for breakfast and to wake me up just before landing.
We arrived 25 minutes ahead of the schedule arrival time at 06.05 in Amsterdam.

I had a very nice flight, no turbulence and Cathay Pacific gave me a great service.

I was happy to be back home but the flight with Cathay Pacific I will always remember as a flight with a perfect service.

For me Cathay Pacific is an EXCELLENT airline, with very high ratings.
A true Leading Airline of the World.
An Airline where you will get a great value for your money with a even better service from the Cabin Crew.

More information about BTMagazine.nl
More photo’s on www.persfoto.com
For more information please check Cathay Pacific

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