CHECK-IN

I took advantage of Cathay Pacific’s (CX) in-town check-in service at Central. Having arrived at the International Finance Centre at 0650, I headed straight to the priority check-in queue designated for members of CX’s Marco Polo Club programme.

The check-in process was smooth, and I proceeded to the Airport Express station at 0700 where the transfer to the airport took about 24 minutes. The immigration process was seamless and I was through to the departures area by 0740, with flight CX759 due to depart at 0845.

BOARDING

Boarding began at 0805, but I didn’t make my way to the boarding gate until 0815. Marco Polo Club members are afforded priority boarding, so I was promptly shown to my seat.

THE SEAT

The premium economy cabin on the A330 consists of 28 seats, arranged in 2-3-2 layout. I was allocated 31C, which was an aisle seat in the second row.

With a seat width of 19.3 inches, and an expanded 38-inch seat pitch, CX’s premium economy seat is a significant upgrade on the carrier’s economy product (18 inches of width and 32-inch pitch in comparison). The seat also offers a recline of eight inches, making it very comfortable for long-haul flights.

Each premium economy seat comes with a larger tray table, a 10.6-inch touchscreen personal in-flight entertainment (IFE) system, noise cancelling headphones and a USB port for charging devices. There is also a towel hanger and a storage space near the screen for small items like pens.

One issue was that in all seats apart from the front row, the IFE controller is partially blocked by the seat cushion, so removing it from the storage holder proved a little annoying, as I had to move to the opposite side of the seat to retrieve it.

Premium economy passengers also have to share toilet facilities with economy passengers, which are located behind row 44.

THE FLIGHT

CX759 pushed back from the parking gate at 0855, roughly ten minutes behind schedule. However, there wasn’t any congestion and we took off at 0905.

I settled into my seat and browsed the entertainment content available on StudioCX. The content on the short flight between Hong Kong and Singapore is less than on long-haul flights. However, there was still plenty of choice; I chose to watch Kingsman: The Secret Service starring Colin Firth.

Drinks were soon offered, and given that it was a morning flight, I opted for a glass of orange juice. Breakfast service began shortly after. Two options were available in premium economy – chicken congee or omelette with sausage, cherry tomatoes and hash browns. I opted for the latter, and was suitably impressed.

The omelette was soft and just a little runny in the middle, while the pork sausage was flavourful. My only gripe was that the sauce made the hash brown soggy. The main course was served alongside fresh fruit, bread with butter, and yogurt, all of which were delicious.

The rest of the flight was uneventful, with very little turbulence.

ARRIVAL

We began our descent at 1220, and touched down at Singapore Changi Airport Terminal 1 at 1245. Disembarkation was quick, as was the immigration process. I was at the baggage carousel by 1300.

VERDICT

Overall, this was a very enjoyable flight. CX’s premium economy seat is top notch, competitively priced, and a significant upgrade over economy class.

FACT FILE

  • CONFIGURATION 2-3-2
  • SEAT WIDTH 19.3in/49cm
  • SEAT PITCH 38in/96cm
  • SEAT RECLINE 8in/20cm
  • PRICE Internet rates for a semi-flexible mid-week Hong Kong–Singapore return flight in July start at HK$8,301 (US$1,070) including taxes and surcharges.
  • CONTACT cathaypacific.com