CX A340 Business Class to Hong Kong

[ycp81]

- CX Y catering is not as good as SQ Y catering on SIN-HKG. CX meals on this sector are very basic, with no starter (just fruits in place of a starter) and the mains are quite simple as well e.g. vegetarian pasta, or an Asian selection with a small amount of meat/fish and rice.

From my experiences flying CX Y on SIN-HKG, CX's catering ex-SIN is usually vastly superior than ex-HKG. Ex-SIN, both main choices will be meat/seafood with substantial portion of proteins, but ex-HKG, one choice will be a vegetarian pasta and the other usually a minuscule portion of chicken with rice dish. The only consolation is that CX stills offers Haagen Daz ice-cream on all their SIN-HKG flights, with the exception of breakfast/red-eye services.

But then, CX is usually the cheaper option compared to SQ.

[dfs24]

Hi dfs24!

Hope you get the opportunity to fly the A340 soon! LX or AY look to be your best bets out of SIN.

Haha. They are indeed. Should wait for one of those dirt cheap sub 900 fares to EU. Or maybe a KUL-CGK on KU to try out a new airline.

[yflyer]

My last CX flights from HKG-ICN-HKG were scheduled to be operated by a B77W and an A333 but were swapped to the A343 on both sectors. No complaints to get a long-haul flat-bed seat on such short flights but they really fall far behind compared to the newer reverse herringbone product.

I have always been happy that SQ doesn't swap equipment as frequently as CX (or TG!).

I was really glad though I was able to cross flying the A343 off my list.

At least you noticed that it was a different plane! I suspect many pax have no idea whether they are onboard a 777 or an A330. I know at least one pax on Emirates who boarded the A380 main deck, walked to the rear and stood there open-mouthed when she saw that there was a staircase in the rear leading upstairs...

[yflyer]

Hi yflyer!

Great to read - lovely photos and attention to detail as always!

I haven't sat in these seats before but they look slightly narrower than the herringbone products used by DL and 9W. Looking at the side panel - the seat controls don't look as brightly lit as those on the above carriers which is a nice touch as the glare can be irritating in the dark cabin. First world problem, I know.

The noodles look nice as well!

For the SIN-HKG route how do you find the overall experience compared to SQ's regional offering?

For reference:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Jet-A...ee772894fad80e

Cheers!

Thanks, viraj735!

They look very similar to the DL and 9W J seats. I've never sat in the 9W J seats, but I've passed through the cabin of a 9W A330 on the way to Y, and they look quite similar, although the light colour of the panelling may give them impression of more spaciousness.

Compared to SQ, I have never flown J from SIN-HKG, but using other sectors as a reference:

- CX J on the new Cirrus J seats is comparable in terms of hard product to SQ J.

- CX New Regional J is not very good (limited recline) and I find SQ Regional J to be far superior.

- CX new Y is comparable to SQ new Y. But CX fixed shell Y is horrible, even for a SIN-HKG 3.5 hour sector. I really dislike it.

- CX J catering looks similar in quality to SQ J catering (From my very limited experience. Maybe other SQTalkers who fly J more regularly can comment.)

- CX Y catering is not as good as SQ Y catering on SIN-HKG. CX meals on this sector are very basic, with no starter (just fruits in place of a starter) and the mains are quite simple as well e.g. vegetarian pasta, or an Asian selection with a small amount of meat/fish and rice.

[yflyer]

Nice written report. Thanks for sharing. Being midly claustrophobic, I passionately hate the CX coffin class seats. Its a big reason why I dont fly CX often. I thought they have phased out these seats and replace them with the new J seats which are far more comfortable. Apparently not so.

Thanks, benlee!

I seldom see this config these days...apart from this A340, the last time was on a CX 744. The CX 777's and A330's I have been on have either been the wonderful new Cirrus J seats, or the underwhelming regional J seats (They don't recline much, but at least the cabin feels open...)

[yflyer]

"Swiss 123 can you confrim you're an A340?"
"Affirm Zurich, we are a 340"
"Well, could you start the other 2 engines please?"

Miss SQ's 345s. Here's another old 340 joke.
"Apparently A340s are so slow they are the only aircraft that get birdstrikes from behind!"

We could spend all day on A340 jokes!

Another aircraft, which I am actually a big fan of, which is the butt of all kind of jokes is the A-10 Thunderbolt II...

I've always been trying to find a GIF or JPG of a poster I saw once, of a Soviet tank speeding along, with an A-10 in hot pursuit...with the Russian tankie saying "Hurry up, Ivan! He's gaining on us!"

[asheby]

I'm guessing you mean B-HXJ

But yes, lovely report as usual Not a fan of olympus. Found it strangely disconcerting to me.....

Why aren't you a fan? It provides a glimpse into yours' and my future

[young]

Miss SQ's 345s. Here's another old 340 joke.

"Apparently A340s are so slow they are the only aircraft that get birdstrikes from behind!"

[eminere™]

My last CX flights from HKG-ICN-HKG were scheduled to be operated by a B77W and an A333 but were swapped to the A343 on both sectors. No complaints to get a long-haul flat-bed seat on such short flights but they really fall far behind compared to the newer reverse herringbone product. I was really glad though I was able to cross flying the A343 off my list.

[viraj735]

Hi yflyer!

Great to read - lovely photos and attention to detail as always!

I haven't sat in these seats before but they look slightly narrower than the herringbone products used by DL and 9W. Looking at the side panel - the seat controls don't look as brightly lit as those on the above carriers which is a nice touch as the glare can be irritating in the dark cabin. First world problem, I know.

The noodles look nice as well!

For the SIN-HKG route how do you find the overall experience compared to SQ's regional offering?

For reference:
http://www.airliners.net/photo/Jet-A...ee772894fad80e

Cheers!

[benlee]

Nice written report. Thanks for sharing. Being midly claustrophobic, I passionately hate the CX coffin class seats. Its a big reason why I dont fly CX often. I thought they have phased out these seats and replace them with the new J seats which are far more comfortable. Apparently not so.

[SQGamespeed]

Hi dfs24!

What was that joke about the A340-300, whose take-off run is aided by the curvature of the earth?

Another joke I heard about the A340's climb:

"Swiss 123 can you confrim you're an A340?"
"Affirm Zurich, we are a 340"
"Well, could you start the other 2 engines please?"

Thanks, icn.sg!

What I would give to fly a Lockheed Tristar again! Only tried them once, on Air Canada to LHR via BOM in 1986.

If you took pics of the L-1011, please post a few!

I took a couple flights with the L1011 with CX and DL. IIRC the cabin felt spacious due to a lack of overhead bins over the middle section of seats.

[yflyer]

As usual, enjoyed your TR.

Thanks, icn.sg!

First flew them on their L-1011 from Changi to Kai Tak in Marco Polo class.

What I would give to fly a Lockheed Tristar again! Only tried them once, on Air Canada to LHR via BOM in 1986.

If you took pics of the L-1011, please post a few!

[yflyer]

though not commenting on your reports, I have to say I love your reports.

Thanks, 726! Glad to hear that!

[yflyer]

Great report as usual!

Lucky you got the A343. Only rode on it once on SQ. Tried to get on the A343 on MU, CX, CI, TK in the past and have failed on ALL occasions. Always the A330 at the gate every time I try.

The porridge barbequed bun option does look quite nice.

Hi dfs24!

Hope you get the opportunity to fly the A340 soon! LX or AY look to be your best bets out of SIN.

Although the interior of the A340 and A330 are virtually identifical, there are differences like the level of noise in the cabin. Some folks say the A340 is quieter than the A330 inside, although I have never noticed the difference myself.

What I have noticed (more from observing the aircraft from the outside, rather than sitting inside) is that the rate of climb of the A340-300 is very gentle...

What was that joke about the A340-300, whose take-off run is aided by the curvature of the earth?