Thanks for your report. I am guessing your flight from NYC - HKG was less than enjoyable. Hopefully the HKG - SYD leg was better.
I’ve done these flights a few times but now I’m a bit nervous about my J CX to JFK flights in their spring.
As I was updating this thread as I was travelling on the NYC to HKG leg, I may not have expressed 'emotions' accurately. I wouldn't say that the leg was 'unenjoyable', but I also wouldn't say that it was 'enjoyable'. It was a thing that had to happen and that thing could have been worse but also could have been better. If you asked me if I'd like to do it again for fun or to have a good experience then the answer would be 'no thanks'. But if I needed to get to NYC again using reward points then I'd do it again – but I'd be hoping that other options were available. Incidentally, I've just had a look at flights from SYD to NYC for the same period in 2019/2020. Seems to be a lot less J availability with CX then there was when I booked this trip 12 months ago. More Premium Economy availability seems apparent though.
I've made a list of what could have made the flight more 'enjoyable'. Some things are out of CX control, of course.
1) Shorter flight time. At just under 17 hours in a plane, it would take a lot for me to find things enjoyable. I'm not a stranger to CX long flights and have done ORD to HKG and YYZ to HKG before. But this is a VERY long flight.
2) Entertainment system. I thought on the original HKG to NYC flight that the entertainment system was poor. After using the same system on the return journey I'd lower my rating to very poor. Why? Even though it was 16 days later and into a new month, basically the same offerings were still available (and I know that some of the offerings haven't changed in 2 years!). And the offering selection was never great to start with. The content selection is extremely disappointing. On the first flight I watched a couple of movies I hadn't seen and caught up on a couple of TV shows. So for the return journey nothing new was available. If I hadn't brought my own entertainment system along I would have been in serious trouble.
3) Food. The food options are fine. But I have a problem when you only get two meals and you're in a plane for 17 hrs (for HKG to SYD you also get two meals but the flight is 8 hrs 18 mins). The first meal is served straight after take off and the last is served 2 hrs before landing. So there's around 14 hrs with no meal. Snacks? Yes. Two options. A beef burger and a wonton soup as well as a small selection of muesli bars, ice cream, nuts and fruit. I understand that the burger and soup need to be ordered, but it would have been useful for the staff to come through the cabin a few times during the flight with a tray offering a selection of the other items. If you didn't go and seek them out then you wouldn't know they existed (no such similar snacks except the nuts were available HKG to SYD). If you were a fussy eater (like my +1) then you're in a world of trouble. Especially when the beef burger ran out 6 hrs before landing.
4) Sick passengers. The flight in J was full and there seemed a very high number of people (+1 included) who were exhibiting cold and flu type symptoms. Far too many passengers who appeared to care too little for others with spreading of germs. The bathrooms ran out of tissues.
Bottom line is that the flight is fine. Cathay service is solid. It's reliable. It's efficient. It's safe. Fancy? No. Disappointing? No. Enjoyable? Not for me.
HKG to SYD. After eating and drinking my fill in the lounges I slept about 3 hrs of the 8 hr 18 min flight to SYD. I didn't eat the dinner, but did eat the breakfast. It was adequate. Entertainment system issues the same as above. Sickness levels seemed less obvious.
Oh and if anyone has noticed when this post was made (just after 3.20am SYD time), yes I'm wide awake with jet lag!
