Difference in PE - QF/CX/BA

[Sprucegoose]

Why would you bother when you can get a Royal Brunei business class airfare for $4000, and yes I know there is no booze.

Yes but you can bring your duty free on board?

 

[wandering_fred]

OTOH I note that except for HKG-SYD, the CX Y+ seats will definitely blow the QF Y+ seats away.
Though someone may note that QF does not have any aircraft with Y+ seats flying HKG-BNE/ADL/MEL/PER
Though I suppose if traveling HKG-MEL transiting SYD is not very painful.

And I have noted that exAustralia CX fares in Y+ are not especially good value. OTOH exUSA E class is reasonable.

Happy wandering.

Fred

 

[PineappleSkip]

And I have noted that exAustralia CX fares in Y+ are not especially good value.

Seems to depend on the routing. For flights I checked BNE-LHR they were competitive with VA and BA. I also checked flights BNE-HKG-DXB and some of the prices were ridiculous (including more than discount J in a couple cases :shock

Cheers skip

 

[ReLoad]

I have just returned from a CX Y+ MEL/HKG/TPE/HKG/MEL trip and here's a mini report for those interested.
I normally fly J on this route however the fares for my dates(I wasn't really flexible) were astronomical and really couldn't be justified.

On the way over CX 134 MEL/HKG day flight, Service was good, good choice of meals, but the new CX Y+ seat gave me a numb bum. not overly impressed with the seat TBH. Seat 31A. Y+ 30% capacity.
I do like the mini cabin, but going back to the toilets etc is a bit of a pain. Service was great at mealtimes, but the flight attendants vanished in between services.
As it was a day flight I had plenty of work to do, so it was no drama, although I did have a recliner in front of me and it made laptop use impossible. As the flight was near empty I just moved to 31C so was able to work without issue.

CX from HKG to TPE, normally no PE on this flight but they ran a long haul config on the flight, had 32A but received a OBU to J. amazingly light loading, and was the only OWE on the flight.

CX TPE/HKG was a 777 no PE. was in 49H and H stands for hell, it was a cutdown 2 seat row due to the toilets in the centre cabin. CX Y on the 777-2000 sucked, coughpy seat with a massive power/entertainment box under the seat in front, unless you were 4'5" or shorter give it a miss. As to why my seat selection was not honoured, I was met with blank stares. also note for the first time for me on CX no CSM welcome or any sort of extra lovelyness.

CX135 HKG/MEL 30C Y+ Bulkhead seat. Was not able to select a seat prior to departure, only had a "Preference" which was a window which was not honoured. The flight was oversold and I was offered USD $250 and a night in HKG to fly on the same flight the following day. This really didn't appeal to me, USD$500 with decent accom etc would probably have swayed me.

The flight was full of F1 GP pit crew, media and all sorts of other F1 related minions. just about all of them had come from the UK. I would dare suggest that the entire Y+ cabin would have been OWE's or at least some sort of status.
Funnily enough, no special treatment. The dinner was ordinary at best, fish or chicken choices, the chicken was in a red bean sauce and frankly had been left cooking far too long. The Haagen Daaz ice cream however is a nice touch and welcome. As I had eaten in the Wing, it really wasn't a big deal.

Slept a little bit, but plenty of bumps and the odd seat puller from behind meant it was nothing meaningful. Also CX love to have the lights on full for the majority of flights, what on earth the deal is with that ill never know, up to an hour past meal service they were still blaring, and they came on again at 3 Hours prior to landing in MEL. The amenity kit includes a decent eye patch, but if you were watching a movie etc, the lighting sucked.

The Wing F lounge at HKG is great, lots of different areas to sit all with different styling, food was good at the restuarant (Although nowhere near the QF F lounge standard) The cabana was also great and a welcome relaxing spot from the hustle and bustle.

To summarise; what didnt like about the CX Y+ is the hard product, the seats just are not comfy, little things like in the bulkhead row the TV doest tilt the right angle to keep it square to you while watching. Their entertainment has always been poor compared to QF, and it certainly hasn't improved.

While it certainly is a stack better than Y its certainly not the same standard of Y+ on QF.

Just my .02 cents.

 

[JessicaTam]

I will be interested to see what BA do with their Y+ product. Until it changes I would rather fly QF Y than BA Y+.

 

[yohy?!]

Interesting comments from ReLoad above - not sure about IFE as I find CX to be vastly superior to QF in terms of content and usability.

Also the CX seat felt softer than the A380 PE one I took previously. Agree re the cabin service as the crew are coming up from the back of Y so PE does feel like it's been forgotten. They really should serve it from J on the 330 and allow PE pax to use the J toilets.

Obviously the space/cabin environment is a big difference when comparing a 330 to a 747/380 which I guess CX are banking on people going for multiple flights per day over QF's 1 daily now ex-SYD.

 

[wandering_fred]

Seems to depend on the routing. For flights I checked BNE-LHR they were competitive with VA and BA. I also checked flights BNE-HKG-DXB and some of the prices were ridiculous (including more than discount J in a couple cases :shock

You may call me cynical but no carrier's fares exOz are competitive :evil: with their fares on the same routes exSIN/HKG. :shock:

But then for the most part I am willing to fly in the Y cabin to SEAsia and get better seats there to my final destination.

Happy wandering

Fred

 

[MEL_Traveller]

thank reload. out of interest did you request an exit for for the HKG-TPE sectors (I know you ended up with an upgrade one way). Exits are free for OW status members.

 

[ReLoad]

thank reload. out of interest did you request an exit for for the HKG-TPE sectors (I know you ended up with an upgrade one way). Exits are free for OW status members.

Yes, I had the front row of whY selected on both legs. Neither were honoured, but did get the OBU on one of them.
Interestingly both HKG/TPE and vv were amazing lightly loaded, They just about fly hourly with very large capacity aircraft, so its no wonder good deals are to be found ex TPE.

 

[ReLoad]

Oh also, for those that hated the QF cricket safety demo (I know I didn't like it) the same CX video has been running for over 9 months now, and it sucks. The poor pilot guy looks like a re-animated corpse.
If you want to send your pax into a coma, play that video.

Give me "Hello skipper" over it any day of the week.

 

[Sprucegoose]

I will be interested to see what BA do with their Y+ product. Until it changes I would rather fly QF Y than BA Y+.

It was briefly shown on an 380 BA video, but couldnt gleen much from a 30 sec expose...