We review the Cathay Pacific business class aboard its long-haul A350-900 aircraft with a quick hop to Seoul.

The great thing about the relatively short hop from Hong Kong to Seoul is that Cathay operates a variety of aircraft on the route, including the new A350, meaning a long-hual business class product without the jetlag.

Check-In

I checked in for my flight on the CX app as I departed Hong Kong Station on the Airport Express, arriving at the airport 25 minutes later and making my way directly through security and immigration to The Pier, the airline’s first class lounge and arguably the best airline lounge in the region.

This thoroughly modern space has a little something for every business traveller, from the grab-and-go The Pantry, home to cold cuts, cheeses and pastries, to the elegant dining room, where a la carte menus have been devised by Rosewood as part of a new healthy eating collaboration; to the luxurious shower suites, and quite work spaces. If you have the time, grab one of the serene day bed suites at The Retreat or do as I did and book a 15 minute head and shoulders massage before making a beeline to The Bar for a pre-flight martini.

Boarding

We boarded the A350 at gate 41, a short walk from The Pier at gate 62. The process was smooth, with first class, business class and members of Cathay and oneworld member loyalty programmes given priority access. There were no crew at the door when I made my way down the air bridge but I quickly found my window seat and made myself at home. Before long, crew welcomed up with glasses of Ayala Brut Majeur champagne and hot face towels while a bottle of water and a menu was already supplied at the seat. After a briefing from the pilot, who advised a four hour flight time, and a safety video, we had taxied to the runway and took off perfectly on time at 4.40 pm.

The Seat

Long-haul travellers will recognise the seat on the A350-900 as Cathay’s flagship business class product and probably it’s most popular, for good reason. Elegant, intuitive, and very comfortable, the business class cabin features 38 business class seats in a 1-2-1 configuration. Each 20-inch, deep green seat has a pitch of 45 inches and offers just the right amount of privacy and functionality, with plenty of storage spaces, an 18.5-inch personal touchscreen monitor, AC and USB outlets, noise-reduction headphones stored in a shoulder-level compartment (although I never travel without my Bose QC45s), easy-to-reach seat controls, and a separate remove with an independent 4.7-inch monitor.

Dining

As always, I began my meal with a gin and tonic – which was served with a bowl of warm nuts – as I browsed the movie selection, and which was followed by a seasonal mixed salad with olive oil and balsamic; and scallop tataki with salmon roe and green beans with cod roe. The tataki was perfectly chilled and delicious.

This was followed by a choice of braised chicken and bean curd stick in soy bean sauce, kai lan, and Shanghainese vegetable rice, a dish created for the airline by Hong Kong restaurant Duddell’s; pan-fried halibut with lemon parsley butter, zucchini, cherry tomato, and mashed potato; and Korean bibimbap, beef with mixed vegetables and rice. The bibimbap was perfectly edible but it’s a shame that what is clearly a very popular dish (everyone seated around me ordered it) on the route isn’t presented a little better.

The meal was followed by a selection of international cheeses, which I paired with some seasonal fruit, a little tub of Haagen-Dazs, and another gin and tonic.

Entertainment

As I’m on CX flights a few times a month, it’s a little tricky finding something new to watch on Cathay’s entertainment system and unlike some carriers like Emirates, Cathay isn’t one to store a lot of classic flicks but I did manage to watch a few episodes of Modern Family to help while away the time. The A350 also has the carrier’s fastest wifi access if connectivity is something you’re concerned about.

Service

As is the norm in my experience, the Cathay crew presented themselves professional and diligently, with the cabin attendant serving my area, Vanessa, displaying a genuine smile as she served customers, ensuring we were all topped up after the meal until we started to descend.

Summary

Few are the flights that you wish would linger a little longer but travelling in Cathay’s flagship A350 business class is no hardship, making it ideal for the carrier’s longest global routes.

Business class round trip Hong Kong – Incheon from HK$10, 700 (US$1,373).

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