Cathay Pacific Economy Seats Extremely uncomfortable

[Awesom Andy]

we would rather cope with the inconvenience of flying home to ADL from Hong Kong by flying with QF va MEL or SYD than the direct flight with CX.

Think on the bright side. It's easier to achieve status with a transit.

 

[Kceips]

Think on the bright side. It's easier to achieve status with a transit.

Should have thought of that! Even kids would be silver QF if we had avoided the more direct route!

 

[Justchecking]

I flew in this seat on a 10hr flight at night and honestly cant see what all the fuss is about. There is no difference to me between this seat and a regular reclining seat except that you dont have to feel the squeeze of the seat in front reclining into you. I'm another who likes them and is leaning towards thinking that perhaps they are maligned for psychological reasons....aka....what! My seat doesnt recline! Rather than the physiological posture, which to me feels identical to reclining in a seat.

 

[Archphoto]

Completed a BKK-HKG-ADL flight in mid-December. The first leg was fine, but the second was pretty uncomfortable, not because of the recline style, but the lack of a decent seat cushion. I love CX and choose them when I can here in Asia, but my back was killing me by the time we flew over the Red Centre, and I still had a few hours to go. Even getting up to walk around didn't alleviate it - rarely have a backache when I fly, this was a first and dreadfully uncomfortable. (And I'll second those seatbelts - what are they thinking???)

Not the best seat for getting sleep in - maybe if they redesign the actual seat itself and remember to include foam for the seat, rather than steel, it would be a better run. . . . . .

 

[baef47]

I agree, the seats are hell. Did Syd-Rome, London -Syd last November...didn't get a wink of sleep. Cushions are so thin they kill after sitting for 2 hours. That said I like the concept of them (the shell).

Couldn't agree more. We did SYD/MILAN and ROME/SYD last month. The worst seats I have ever come across - and I remember some shonky seats on Brittania and Aloha Airlines. The Cathay shell concept appeals in theory but nothing is worth the suffering brought about by those pain inducing seats - nothing.

It felt like I was sitting on bare wood after the first half hour of each leg. Its been almost a week since I returned - and my butt cheeks still hurt when I sit down. Sleep impossible.

What's with the rigid vinyl seat belt covers? Apart from making the belts really difficult to do up - they dug uncomfortably into various parts of my lower body and reduced the available seat area considerably.

And I won't get onto the subject of the broken down entertainment system...

 

[mannej]

I believe the belt covers actually house the air bag.

 

[baef47]

I believe the belt covers actually house the air bag.

That is fascinating. To fit into that space they must be tiny airbags. I've an image of 300 odd car type airbags all going pop at once in the cabin. Can you give any more information? Are they designed to protect the head or the midriff?

 

[mannej]

That is fascinating. To fit into that space they must be tiny airbags. I've an image of 300 odd car type airbags all going pop at once in the cabin. Can you give any more information? Are they designed to protect the head or the midriff?

Cathay Pacific installs seatbelt mounted air bags in Economy - Business Traveller Asia

 

[baef47]

Cathay Pacific installs seatbelt mounted air bags in Economy - Business Traveller Asia

Many thanks for the link. It points to the patch up job needed in June 2010 to try to make these dreadful seats safer.

"The carrier's CEO, Tony Tyler, was quoted by media as saying his airline's Economy seats had "rigid shells", which could create problems in the event of a head impact, and "therefore, we need airbags".

I am still fascinated by the means by which these airbags inflate at impact in peoples laps to enable the bags to protect peoples heads. I wonder if its same the 'detonation' method (with the accompanying risks) used in car air bags? Surely not. Cathay Pacific and Air France using the same safety methods.

 

[serfty]

I wouldn't worry unless you are flying very soon; CX are well on the way to removing all these types of seats from their fleet I believe.

 

[baef47]

I wouldn't worry unless you are flying very soon; CX are well on the way to removing all these types of seats from their fleet I believe.

7 months on - how are CX progressing with improvements to their seats?

I will never forget the horror of the January trip to Italy and back. Are we there yet?

 

[QF1]

I flew 70,000 miles last year, and this seat was the only seat that I couldn't get any sleep in. I usually sleep well enough on flights even in Y - some years ago, I slept for 6 hours on a 10 hour JQ flight.

thats good..the more you sleep the better you will feel the service on JQ

 

[yohy?!]

7 months on - how are CX progressing with improvements to their seats?

I will never forget the horror of the January trip to Italy and back. Are we there yet?

All SYD-HKG flights are now operated on aircraft with the new Y