Crystal Leung finds the Cathay Pacific business class product remarkable, but catering service, both on the ground and in the air, has room for improvement.

Check-In

I arrived at Hong Kong International Airport two and a half hours before my designated departure time, looking forward to checking out Cathay Pacific’s newly-refurbished business class lounge, The Pier. After a rather lengthy wait at the check-in counters, CX staff beckoned me over and quickly checked me in for my flight. When I requested for the location of The Pier, the friendly staff told me that it hasn’t opened for business passengers yet, and suggested I try either The Cabin or The Bridge, both located a few minutes’ walk from my assigned boarding gate.

The Lounge

When I arrived at The Cabin, I mentioned my original plan to visit The Pier (glad that I did), and to my surprise, they told me that it had actually opened for business passengers the previous day. Astonished by this miscommunication, I gathered up my belongings and set off for the new lounge, located adjacent to gate 65, a 15-minute walk from The Cabin.

Spanning an area of 3,306sqm – approximately 1,000sqm larger than the previous lounge – The Pier is bright, ultra-spacious and elegantly-decorated. It was less than 30 per cent occupied during my noon visit. Designed by Studioilse, the London-based design studio led by Ilse Crawford, the new lounge is divided into a “fast” lane, which comprises The Food Hall, a series of self-service kiosks; The Noodle Bar, a Cathay staple; and The TeaHouse; and a “slow” lane, with extensive lounge seating.

The lounge is very welcoming and spacious, with panoramic views across the apron, making it a comfortable preamble to any flight. I settled in at The Noodle Bar and ordered vegetable dumplings and Dan Dan noodles. Unfortunately, despite the chic new interiors of the space and the innovation of the ‘fast lane’, these turn out to be little more than the same old overcooked noodles soaked in a thick, sticky peanut butter sauce, which was disappointing, especially for a dish the airline regards as its lounge signature.

Boarding

The boarding process onto the Boeing 777-300ER was smooth and hassle-free. The flagship of the Cathay Pacific fleet, the aircraft features a four-class configuration, with six suites in First Class, 53 flat-bed seats in Business Class, 34 standard seats with additional pitch in Premium Economy; and 182 standard seats in Economy. Upon settling into my window seat right behind the First Class cabin, I was greeted with a hot towel and a Cathay Delight, a mocktail made of kiwi juice, coconut milk and fresh milk, topped with mint.

The Seat

One of the reasons Cathay remains one of the business travel leaders in Asia is because of its popular herringbone business class product, which offers passengers industry-leading privacy and direct aisle access. The upholstered seat is spacious and comfortable, with ample storage area and the iPod, USB and AC power sockets are also within easy reach. The ample dining tray, which slides out from the side of the seat, makes for a perfect working desk, while the seat’s three-button recline configurations make it a breeze to control. The seat can be transformed into a flatbed with just the press of a button, though my two-hour-and-20-minute flight time was too short for me to fully appreciate this feature.

Dining

Approximately 30 minutes after takeoff, the cabin crew started serving our light lunch. I was offered a warm bun and fresh seasonal fruit, followed by a choice of steamed chicken with red dates and wood ear mushroom, choy sum and steamed jasmine rice; and grilled lamb rack, with carrot, spinach, tomato and a shimeji mushroom risotto. The lamb was tender and cooked to perfection, but the so-called ‘risotto’, with its overcooked, mushy texture, was half a world away from the authentic Italian favourite. The dining experience was rounded off with a salted chocolate tart and freshly-brewed illy coffee.

During the meal, I watched a movie from the StudioCX entertainment system, which offers a diverse array of films, TV shows, and music, many of which are refreshingly new releases.  As expected, the flight landed in Manila Ninoy Aquino International Airport just as the movie reached its climax so it’s better to stick to the sitcoms.

Summary

While my first encounter with the new look Pier lounge was rather forgettable, despite the millions Cathay has sunk into it, Cathay Pacific’s unbeatable business class product still ensured a pleasant journey thanks to a combination of privacy, comfort, and smart utilities.

Cathay Pacific Business Class flights from Hong Kong to Manila from US$957. www.cathaypacific.com

Note: The author travelled on a fully-paid business class ticket without the airline’s knowledge.

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