CX368 HKG-PVG. Boeing 777-300ER.
For some reason I had trouble finding things at HKG. To start with, I wasn't sure I was in the right queue for my international transit. The guy in front of me looked OK, so I asked him if I was in the right place and he assured me I was. We got chatting and the time in the line passed quickly enough.
Once into the terminal area, my new friend and I went looking for a lounge. Couldn't find one. We ran into two other groups also looking and then as a group we finally came upon the Pier First Class lounge. As a mere NB, I would not have been allowed in normally, but my new friend turned out to be a WP and the lounge lady assumed I was his guest and let me in. Sadly, the rest of our group were turned away.
I've only been through HKG a few times as a QP member, but I'm sure I've been in this lounge before, so perhaps it wasn't always just first class.
There wasn't actually much on offer in the lounge, so after my WP host left for his flight, I decided to go looking at other lounges.
I walked the length of the terminal to the Wing Lounge. It was a lot further than I was expecting and as my flight departed from the other end, I just grabbed a bottle of water and started back.
Sorry the photo isn't clear, but it does give the gist of just how big this airport is. I reckon there would be about 10 of those walkways end on end and, I would say the round trip took about half an hour.
The Pier business lounge was fairly busy. I noted the noodle bar, but was feeling a bit stuffed after my walk, so just found a seat and had a nice sit down and read my email. Bad idea. I should have just left it.
The flight to Shanghai was my first with the CX herringbone layout. Having got on early-ish, I felt a bit self-conscious and exposed as everyone who walks past on the way to economy is looking more or less directly at you. Happily the seat was much more comfortable than the Qantas seat, but there seemed to be no personal air vent. I felt the width was a little cramped, but legroom and access was great.
At least one of the CX FAs had trouble closing the overhead lockers as she lacked the reach required.
Breakfast was fruit and yoghurt with pastries, followed by a choice of frittata, chicken on noodles or dim sum.
I got asked to complete a survey about the flight and got a 5% duty free discount voucher for my efforts.
So far the trip has been fine but stewing over work had my mood taking a dive before I reached PVG.