Nick Walton tests out Cathay Pacific’s Premium Economy class product on the airline’s new A350-1000XWB aircraft with a flight between Hong Kong and Kansai International in Japan.
Background
The Hong Kong – Kansai International route it one of Cathay Pacific’s busiest, with Airbus A350, A330 and Boeing 777 aircraft operating between Hong Kong and an airport that serves three major cities, Osaka, Kyoto and Kobe. At just over three hours, the route is also perfectly suited for travellers looking to sample Cathay Pacific’s Premium Economy product.
Check-in/The Lounge
I checked in for my mid-morning flight via Cathay Pacific’s intuitive app, which allowed me to select my seat (well in advance of check-in), opt for special meals and download the PressReader app, which would grant me access to a plethora of reading material for my flight. Arriving at Hong Kong International Airport, we made our way directly through security and immigration thanks to a digital boarding pass on the app and quickly made our way to Cathay Pacific’s The Bridge lounge, located near gate 40.
This is probably the lounge I visit most often at HKIA, mainly because of its location, and I’m not alone – it is never less than half full and is often at capacity. Despite it being packed during our visit, the food selection was fresh and regularly replenished and the staff at the long bar were all smiles. We enjoyed some freshly steamed dim sum and a couple of well-made Bloody Marys before making our way to gate 50 for boarding.
Boarding
The boarding process onto the Cathay Pacific A350-100XWB aircraft was seamless, mainly because of vigilant crew and a well-organised system of lanes. The newest aircraft type in the airline’s fleet, the A350 still has that new car smell and features 46 Business Class seats, 32 Premium Economy seats and 256 Economy seats. This aircraft is used on the airline’s ultra-long-haul routes to the likes of Washington DC, hence the large number of business and premium economy seats. The Premium Economy cabin has a 2-4-2 configuration. Despite a full flight, we departed Hong Kong a few minutes early.
The Seat
The first thing you notice about the Premium Economy product on the A350 is that the aisles are ever-so-slightly narrower than on the 777, which means 15 minutes of leaning away while the economy passengers boarded, least I get taken out by an oversized carry on. In fact, I spent so much time leaning towards my seat companion that I think I left the wrong impression by the time we began taxiing, so my advice is to try to get in early for one of those coveted window seats.
Sleek and minimalist (especially compared to the 777 version) but still comfortable at 20-inches wide, Cathay Pacific’s Premium Economy seat features a crystal-clear personal touchscreen (set in the seatback in front), a little compartment for phones, cables and the like (which is an improvement on the airline’s other version of this seat, which has a weird shelf below the monitor that allows it to angle), and a tight magazine sleeve packed with CX magazines. While the USB power port is located at the front of the central armrest, the headphone jack is located on the inside, right where your leg is, and having previously destroyed an adapter for my Bose QCII headphones by getting too comfortable in the same seat, I opted to ise the airline’s headphones this time. It’s clear that the Achilles heel of this seat is that headphone jack – crew patiently handed out replacement headphones to several passengers (in my case three pairs) before everyone had a set that had a working connection. They clearly get knocked about a lot. One thing I do like about the seat is the armrest at the aisle, which can be lowered, giving passeners a couple of extra inches.
Dining
There was no service in Premium Economy before we departed Hong Kong but after reaching cruising altitude the crew offered chilled juices and soft drinks by tray. Unfortunately, they didn’t have any of the airline’s new Betsy 2.0 beer onboard, so I opted for a Tsingtao instead.
An hour and a half after we departed Hong Kong on our three-hour flight, brunch was served. While there are no menus in Premium Economy, the choices were fairly simple – Japanese beef with rice or chicken pasta. Cold udon noodles with seaweed were served on the side, as was a bread roll, with Haagen Dazs cookies and cream ice cream for dessert. The Japanese beef was well cooked and matched with shitake mushrooms and steamed carrots, and while it might not be as fancy as what you’ll find in business class, having everything come on one tray does mean less interruptions when you’re trying to get through a movie.
Service
We have noticed a definite improvement in service levels on Cathay Pacific over the past few months, and this flight was no exception. The crew members were welcoming, attentive and efficient. While the meal service was slow for a short-haul flight, the drinks service and tray clean-up were much faster and the genuine warmth that helped CX reach the top of the world airline lists in the past was certainly evident.
Entertainment
It’s hard to fault StudioCX, the airline’s inflight entertainment system, which also seems to have improved of late, with a host of great blockbusters but also plenty of classic flicks. Flying isn’t always the most comfortable experience and something familiar often goes a long way to making passengers settle in. I especially love the camera feeds, from the aircraft’s belly and tail, which make landings and takeoffs even more exciting.
Summary
We arrived at Kansai International Airport on time, well-fed and well cared for. Despite appealing most to long-haul travellers looking for additional comfort as they jet across the globe, Cathay Pacific’s Premium Economy product will also appeal to short-haul travellers seeking an enhanced economy class experience, with a little more room to breathe and a little more personal attention. And sometimes a little goes a long way.
Fly Cathay Pacific’s Premium Economy between Hong Kong and Kansai International Airport, return, from US$1,530 per person.
Note: The author travelled on a full-fare economy class ticket and paid upgrade, without the airline’s knowledge.
Check out our other reviews here:
La Petite Maison: A Touch of the Med in Central Hong Kong
Airline Review: Cathay Dragon Business Class Hong Kong-Penang
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