Cathay Pacific Business Class Review 777-300ER & A330-300

I used to be a frequent traveller with Cathay Pacific for my flights to Hong Kong during my overseas student internship back in 2002 (Fond memories of my younger jet setting days..haha). This year June, I had the privilege of flying the Cathay Pacific Business Class from Singapore to Spain thanks to Cathay Pacific Airways. Base on my experience, all airlines have their own unique selling proposition (USP) and I am always impressed with Cathay Pacific’s strategic USP in the airline services industry. Here’s why…

Singapore to Spain is a long and treacherous 14 hours flight. As a frequent traveller, I love travelling around the world, jet-setting to the off beaten tracks, ticking off my bucket list and exploring exotic places. But there is one thing that many people would find surprising or amusing to know, I absolutely hate flying! I wish we have already invented some teleportation device so that I can escape the agony of sitting in an aircraft for long hours. This has always been in my mind till I started travelling luxuriously. Here is how Cathay Pacific Business Class enabled me to enjoy my flight! 🙂

Comfortable Seats

We all know how important aircraft seats are. Different airlines have different seating arrangements and sizes. I would say Cathay Pacific is very generous about their seating space. On my flights from Singapore to Spain via Hong Kong, I got to experience two different seating arrangements of 2-3-2 (Singapore to Hong Kong) and the 1-2-1 (Hong Kong to Madrid) in the Cathay Pacific Business Class cabin.

Singapore to Hong Kong (A330-300) Flight

The 2-3-2 seating configuration was spacious and comfortable, but there was one flip side to this configuration, the middle and window seat passengers have no access to the aisle, which means they would need to be excused in order to get to the restroom. Another thing to note is that the seats in this configuration cannot be fully reclined, but such plane is scheduled for short haul flights only.

Hong Kong to Madrid (777-300ER) Flight

The slanted 1-2-1 seating configuration looked classy and modern. One of the great thing about this seating arrangement was that every business class passenger could have an access to the aisle. Every passenger has a bit of their own privacy because every seat is compartment-ed! On the flip side to this, the seat felt a little smaller as compared to the 2-3-2 arrangement, which was probably due to the design that created the compact feeling! Nevertheless, I would prefer this layout than the 2-3-2 layout for sure, because the seats can be fully reclined to provide a more comfortable sleep! Definitely more privacy and comfy which was critical for long haul flights.

The Quality of the Products

The Cathay Pacific Business Class seats came with a remote control, personal reading light, electronic seat adjustments,  RCA connector, USB connector for mobile phones, and power socket for your laptops or charging other electronics items. The audio headsets are Bose headsets, which provide superior audio quality for your in-flight entertainment! There are sufficient storage compartments for your personal items and Cathay Pacific offers a comprehensive amenity kit set (see second photo below) with everything you need for comfort a long haul flight experience! 🙂

Items in the amenity kit:

• Seventy Eight Percent wash bag
• Jurlique Natural Lip Care Balm
• Jurlique Balancing Day Care Cream
• Jurlique Citrus Hand Cream
• Anti-skid socks
• Eyeshade
• Toothbrush
• Toothpaste
• Earplugs
• Monitor-cleaning cloth
• Mouth Wash

Exciting Menu

In my opinion, food is a critical factor when it comes to selecting a suitable airline for long haul flights. The on-board meals are all part of the entertainment package to keep passengers engaged, comfortable and satisfied. Being a vegetarian, I came across airlines that neglected my dietary preference and only served me with pieces of plain bread and butter. Thankfully, Cathay Pacific Business Class won me over with their exciting on-board menu. I was sooooo AMAZED by them. I have combined all my onward and returned flights dishes in the following list. 🙂

Mushroom Plater

This plater was heaven for mushroom lovers. Cathay Pacific was generous with the fried Shitake mushrooms, straw mushrooms and baby corns. A very refreshing starter to fire up your appetite. 🙂

Udon Noodles with Dumplings

Honestly, this was one of the BEST onboard dishes I have ever tried in my life. To begin with, a vegetarian Udon meal served onboard was already a surprise to me. I have never eaten any vegetarian Udon noodles in all my flight trips before! The tasty Udon noodles served with a nice thick black sauce gravy and Shitake mushrooms, gave a sensational treat with every bite. The mushroom and sweet turnip dumplings tasted so heavenly that I had to ration them in order to slowly enjoy them. Pardon me if I am exaggerating here, but it was really ridiculously delicious! haha

Bee Hoon

Being a vegetarian, I have tried many Bee Hoon dishes before with other airlines. In my opinion, the Bee Hoon served with the mock meat char siew (vegetarian pork) was a pleasant surprise from Cathay Pacific Business Class as the taste was quite good. Although I’m not a fan of mock meat especially the vegetarian char siew, I still have to credit Cathay Pacific for trying their best to make this dish delicious for passengers.

Laksa

Yes Laksa! Laksa onboard from Singapore to Hong Kong flights. I honestly think Laksa was not just for Singaporeans but also for Hong Kongers heading back to Hong Kong, allowing them to grab the last chance to enjoy the taste of Singapore before touching down! 🙂

Instant Noodles with seaweed and vegetables

After almost a month of travelling, on my return flight from Europe to Singapore, I started really missing the instant noodles. So I took the opportunity to specifically order a bowl of instant noodles from Cathay Pacific and they did not disappoint. The hot soupy noodles came with seaweed and some vegetables and it was delicious! I bet the passengers around me at that time thought they were seated next to a slurping monster as I gobbled my noodles and soup hungrily. I bet they were attracted by the sesame oil from the noodles! haha

Pandan Pudding

The best way to a person’s heart is through his/her stomach. Cathay Pacific did a brilliant move by including this South East Asian tropical dessert on their menu. This fragrant and delectable pandan pudding would most likely remain in the heart and memory of the passengers wherever they go.

Haagen-Das Ice Cream

No other dessert can beat the feeling of having an ice cream for dessert! What’s more, it was Haagen Das ice cream. With many flavours to choose from, this is a sure win for Cathay Pacific. Need I say more? haha

Hong Kong Milk Tea

This is my special recommendation! Of course, wines and coffees are great choices too, but you MUST definitely try the on-board Hong Kong milk tea! The milk tea in Hong Kong is a very local and famous traditional beverage.

Comprehensive Entertainment

For long haul flights, you would definitely need good in-flight entertainment and movie selections. Cathay Pacific provides a wide variety of the finest movies to choose from as well as an outstanding audio collection. During my flight, they had the latest action pack movies like e.g. The Avengers, Guardians of the Galaxy, Ghost in the Shell, Fast & Furious 8, and much more, plus the multi award winning Mandarin movie Mad World! There was never a dull moment during my long haul flight with Cathay Pacific! 🙂

The Dedicated Service

Cathay Pacific Airways is a very competitive airline in the industry and they provide excellent services. I wouldn’t say I am an easy passenger because I sometimes have to make changes to my flights due to unforeseen circumstances and also I have a special meal preference, but the ground and air crew were very patient and did their best to assist me with my requests. The air steward and stewardess were more than just eye candies, as they were totally professional and dedicated to providing a comfortable and personalised service. I really love the way they greeted me as if they already know who I am! 🙂 Maybe they really do! haha

I would like to give my special thanks to the Cathay Pacific office staff too, they were super helpful and accommodating in assisting me to get my open jaw flights arranged. I actually experienced a little hiccup in my returning schedule from London, but thanks to the awesome team of Elaine and Ashley from Cathay Pacific Singapore office, Matthew from Cathay Pacific London Heathrow Airport ground office and, Luna from Cathay Pacific Hong Kong head office, I managed to resolve the hiccup and they got me home safely and comfortably. From here, you should understand how grateful I am to Cathay Pacific for their utmost professional and dedicated service, not forgetting how troublesome I was to them! haha Big thank you to the team! 🙂

Transiting In Hong Kong

Whether Cathay Pacific Business Class or Economy Class, I believe the service standard they deliver is consistently great! When transiting in Hong Kong at the Chek Lap Kok airport, do remember to enjoy the great shopping experience, from Hong Kong jewellery to foodies treats such as Wing Wah Cakes, Muji, Kee Wah Bakery, Godiva Chocolatier and other souvenirs, and much more… However, these are not important when you have access to the Cathay Pacific Business Class Lounge! haha. This was another major attraction of the entire Cathay Pacific Business Class experience!

Read: Cathay Pacific Business Class Lounge Review!

Or watch the Cathay Pacific Flight Review

“To my mind, the greatest reward and luxury of travel is to be able to experience everyday things as if for the first time, to be in a position in which almost nothing is so familiar it is taken for granted.” – Bill Bryson