I flew Cathay Pacific First Class in the Boeing 747-400 from Hong Kong to Tokyo Haneda in late 2015. Traveling in First Class gives you entry to the Cathay Pacific Pier first class lounge and The Wing business class airport lounge at Hong Kong airport.
Cathay Pacific features in our top 10 best airlines for long-haul Business Class
Known as the Queen of the Skies, the 747 will be slowly phased out by Cathay Pacific in the 3rd quarter of 2016. Previously, this plane was commonly used for Cathay routes between Hong Kong and North America. In the remaining months, the plane will only fly daily between Hong Kong and Tokyo Haneda, and occasional regional flights. Cathay Pacific flies the B777-300ER to Tokyo’s other airport, Narita.
There are nine seats in the First Class cabin right at the front of the plane. There are two seats on each row, except the fourth row with an additional standalone middle seat. The seats are spacious and face inward to the windows. There is a small footrest opposite the seat with a small pillow. This seat can also be used for guests to join in for dining, as there is even a seatbelt here! While the seats were not a fully enclosed suite, they were very comfortable and provided enough privacy.
The flight began with a welcome of champagne and nuts. Cathay Pacific air hostesses will also write personal notes on a small card. While this might seem a bit tacky, the card is a welcomed small gesture to show their personal touch.
After taking off, the air hostesses came and took our orders. You could mix and match the options – I ordered the Vegetable a la Grecque salad and Courgette soup starter from this menu, the Roasted lamb rack main from the regular menu, and the blueberry swirl cheesecake for dessert. After the meal, I had a cup of coffee served with nice chocolates.
The drinks option on Cathay Pacific first class is also superb. There was champagne and at least seven different wines in total. On top of that, they also serve a variety of other alcoholic and normal beverages. I had my fair share of champagne throughout the flight and recommended wine to accompany my food.
As the flight was short, Cathay only gave out an amenity kit, not the pajamas. The amenity kit was from Tumi, with Aesop lip cream and hydrating cream, a comb, a dental kit, and earplugs.
The entertainment system on Cathay Pacific is also top-class. Their system, StudioCX, has many shows in multiple languages. The monitor is 24 inches and can be controlled via a touchscreen or a remote on the side of the seat. They also provide noise-canceling Bose headphones. There is also a power socket here.
Overall, Cathay Pacific’s First Class continues to be a superb product. While their First Class product might not be the best in the world anymore, the service Cathay Pacific provides is one of the best in the world.
Luxury Travel Diary contributor Lenard Lim wrote this review.
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