Upcoming Trip Report - SIN-HKG-TPE-HKG-SIN

[FSJZ]

Hi all on SQTalk,

After reading all your wonderful trip reports, I think it is my turn to share mine now. I will be going on a trip to Taipei (TPE) from Singapore (SIN) via Hong Kong (HKG) at the end of December. On my trips so far, I have been taking Singapore Airlines, but I have decided to try Cathay Pacific this time round, especially the new 'Olympus' seats in the Economy Class that have been met with numerous criticisms. My trip is as follows:

21st December 2010
SIN - HKG
Flight: CX714
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300
Class: Economy
Seat: Not Decided
Meal Service: Lunch
Departing from: Singapore Changi Airport, Terminal 1
Gate: Unknown
ETD: 1125
Arriving at: Hong Kong International Airport, Terminal 1
Gate: Unknown
ETA: 1510
Flight Time: 3 hours 45 minutes

21st December 2010
HKG - TPE
Flight: CX470
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Class: Economy
Seat: Not Decided
Meal Service: Refreshments
Departing from: Hong Kong International Airport, Terminal 1
Gate: Unknown
ETD: 1735
Arriving at: Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, Terminal 1
Gate: Unknown
ETA: 1910
Flight Time: 1 hour 35 minutes

1st January 2011
TPE - HKG
Flight: CX469
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300ER
Class: Economy
Seat: Not Decided
Meal Service: Refreshments
Departing from: Taipei Taoyuan International Airport, Terminal 1
Gate: Unknown
ETD: 0945
Arriving at: Hong Kong International Airport, Terminal 1
Gate: Unknown
ETA: 1135
Flight Time: 1 hour 50 minutes

1st January 2011
HKG - SIN
Flight: CX735
Aircraft: Boeing 777-300
Class: Economy
Seat: Not Decided
Meal Service: Lunch
Departing from: Hong Kong International Airport, Terminal 1
Gate: Unknown
ETD: 1420
Arriving at: Singapore Changi International Airport, Terminal 1
Gate: Unknown
ETA: 1810
Flight Time: 3 hours 50 minutes

So, in this trip, I will take the opportunity to test the Boeing 777s of CX to the utmost and try out the old 'Regional' seats and the new 'Olympus' seats. I am not so sure of what to do in my transit at HKG, but most likely I will be planespotting. It will be a long wait to my trip (at least 2.5 months) but till then, happy contrails!

Signing off,
FSJZ

P.S. How does the new seats compare to the old one? I have heard that it is not so comfortable. Can anyone who has tried it tell me? Thanks!

P.P.S. I have seen in numerous trip reports in Boeing 777s that an onboard camera (forward-facing) is available. Is this true in CX?

P.P.P.S. How good/bad is CX service? What about the IFE system and the meals? Anyone has an idea what will be served during the flight?

P.P.P.P.S. With regards to my trip report, how do I post pictures?

P.P.P.P.P.S. Sorry for posting too many questions. I would like to say Thank You beforehand to those who replies. Thank you!

[Dent@SUB]

Hi all on SQTalk,

...........

especially the new 'Olympus' seats in the Economy Class that have been met with numerous criticisms.

..........

So, in this trip, I will take the opportunity to test the Boeing 777s of CX to the utmost and try out the old 'Regional' seats and the new 'Olympus' seats.

..........

Errrrrr......
If my little dots of grey cells served me right, "Olympus" seat is the call sign for CX's new business class seat, the herring bone style one.... Not for the "hard shell", non-reclined new economy class seat....

CMIIW.....

[SQflyergirl]

If you want to know anything, i just got off CX720, today oped by a 773, so it's definitely fresh in my mind.

[Dent@SUB]

If you want to know anything, i just got off CX720, today oped by a 773, so it's definitely fresh in my mind.

I smell there will be another superb TR from our Grand Dame here.....

[Calcjr23]

Just completed this route on Cx last week before i had to go back to school (Poly). Did flights on a330, 747, a343. Going back in december too
Should i post a trip report? Hmm...

[SQflyergirl]

I smell there will be another superb TR from our Grand Dame here.....

Nolah, no TR. I only report the odd ones

[Calcjr23]

P.S. How does the new seats compare to the old one? I have heard that it is not so comfortable. Can anyone who has tried it tell me? Thanks!

P.P.P.S. How good/bad is CX service? What about the IFE system and the meals? Anyone has an idea what will be served during the flight?

!

Hmm, for the short sector, i feel that the new seats are actually better than than the old regional ones found on the 777/330. Firstly, the CXstudio is has much more choices, bigger and brighter ptv's and the seats have more legroom (i was almost touching the seat infront of me on the a330s)

The CX service was also very different from SQ. Firstly, they weren't so 'robotic-like'. Secondly, i overheard the IFS coming to the economy cabin with a namelist listing all the MPC club members and having a nice warm chat with them.

As for meals, CX736 has a choice between Beef cubes with mash potatoes or Fish with cous cous. So i reckon you'd get something similar. On the flight to Tpe in the aft, only served a bacon and cheese sandwhich which was pretty good. As for the Hkg-Sin leg, i was served dinner, fried noodles (tasted really gingerly) But pretty much, Cx impressed me in every aspect

[feb01mel]

Nolah, no TR. I only report the odd ones

Odd ones? Like what? Only Suites on SQ or the horrifying experience u had recently on that flight with the oxgen mask ?

[FSJZ]

Errrrrr......
If my little dots of grey cells served me right, "Olympus" seat is the call sign for CX's new business class seat, the herring bone style one.... Not for the "hard shell", non-reclined new economy class seat....

Hi Dent@SUB,

I am sorry if I have mistaken the 'Olympus' seats, but according to my memory, I think the 'Olympus' seats also include the new economy class seats with the shell.

As quoted from FlyerTalk (sorry guys, a bit of wandering off here):
"Q: OK, so what is this "Olympus" product about?

A: Basically it means new seats!!! All of Cathay Pacific’s long-haul aircraft now feature the airline’s new long-haul product. This product, referred to internally at CX as Olympus, features larger suites in First Class, flat bed seats in a herringbone-configured Business Class and seats with a hard shell surround in Economy Class. The retrofitting of all long-haul aircraft into the Olympus configuration was completed in November 2009."

Thanks anyway!
FSJZ

[sealalula]

I've tried all 3 types of seat in CX aircraft's.
I find the slimline economy seat the more comfortable , They are found on 5 773's and a few other a/c.

Will be flying SIN-HKG-TPE-HKG-SIN next month too !

[slacker]

P.S. How does the new seats compare to the old one? I have heard that it is not so comfortable. Can anyone who has tried it tell me? Thanks!

Having tried 4 sectors on CX a few months back, I think the new seats r not comfy. The recline is a fake recline as they accomplish the recline by sliding the seat forward. But the IFE is good I have to say.

P.P.S. I have seen in numerous trip reports in Boeing 777s that an onboard camera (forward-facing) is available. Is this true in CX?

Yup, it is. Even for aircrafts with the old IFE.

P.P.P.S. How good/bad is CX service? What about the IFE system and the meals? Anyone has an idea what will be served during the flight?

For catering, I felt they could have done better. For SIN-HKG-SIN flights, no ice creams r served, zzzzz.

[sutrakhk]

To be honest, as your trip will be on late 2010, be prepared there will be equipment changes even till the last minute, especially for the regional routes, good luck!

[FSJZ]

To be honest, as your trip will be on late 2010, be prepared there will be equipment changes even till the last minute, especially for the regional routes, good luck!

So, if there are lots of people taking the flight, then they will utilize a B747 instead? Cool!

[Toffees]

Don't be so happy that fast....last minute plane change does not gurantee a nice shinny aircraft

I was recently on CX 739 HKG-SIN. The plane was a old tired B74A

When I said old and tired...pls see this link I posted on Malaysian Wings forum

http://www.malaysianwings.net/forum/...howtopic=15112

You can see for yourself the level of cleaniness on this plane...Can't remember the registration number though.

However I must admit CX Studio beats any other IFE fr any airlines ..... well this is my opinion

[sutrakhk]

So, if there are lots of people taking the flight, then they will utilize a B747 instead? Cool!

Sorry, the highest capacity flight of CX is the old 777-300, which have 398 seats, the 747-400 only have 379 seats only.

If the load in Economy is very high, the chance of getting a 777-300 would be higher.

Equipment changes is incredible for CX, like the previous trip to TPE, 1 week from the flight, it was listed as 747, during OLCI, it changed to 777-200. When I arrive the gate, I saw a crappy old A330-300 (The one in OneWorld Livery).