[KSHaggag]

CX is a fantastic airline and they beat SIA when it comes to lounges at their hub .
The negative point about SIA is they are not affordable all the time in Business Class whereas CX is more commercially aggressive ,that s why they get my business much more often than SQ .

[flyingcanadian]

AsiaFrequentFlyer,
As a further response to your comments, I think that every airline will have VVIPs who they will always upgrade! BAEC have a level above the Top Tier which is invitation ONLY! (Black I think as there have been a couple of threads on it), and SQ, and perhaps CX, will also have their VVIPs. They are ALWAYS UPGRADED never mind what class they reserve, and invited to special occassions etc. I would like to think that my 2 Singapore Colleagues fall into this category, as they fly extensively on SQ around the world,, and if you look at SQ’s routes, one could fly around the world except for the LAX-JFK/EWR leg.
My son was only 3 when he got his first GOLD ELITE card, and we flew on a RTW FC ticket with SQ and UA(that was the only choice although I wanted AC in J) and SQ have made a fuss of him ever since. (He has his own Gold PPS in SQ), but I keep AC so we have 2 airlines with GOLD.
AGAIN I wish you Happy Flying, and hope you have a few more Upgrades on your travels!

[flyingcanadian]

KSHaggag.
Yes, I agree, and I only wish they were in *A and not ONE WORLD.
We have flown them Business Class BKK-SIN-BKK and they have a great fare cheper than TG and SQ. and their service on this short route is excellent, second to none!
CX is FANTASTIC and they are coming into their own against the ME3!

[AMcWhirter]

flyingcanadian –

BKK-SIN-BKK will be cheaper because it’s a fifth freedom route for CX. In the same way, EK’s BKK-HKG-BKK service will undercut TG and CX.

I wouldn’t claim that CX is “coming into its own against the ME3.”

Like its European, Asian and Australasian rivals it has seen many passengers defect to the ME3.

CX is a sixth freedom airline so it will have lost passengers not so much to HKG but to those who would have flown with CX via HKG to other cities in Asia/Australasia. And the same would have applied in the reverse direction.

Already CX’s new premium economy has suffered a setback on flights to the Gulf/Middle East.

http://www.businesstraveller.com/news/101241/cathay-to-axe-premium-economy-routes

[KSHaggag]

Hi Alex,

CX is scrapping its PE on Middle East routes coz PE is not a product that the Middle Easterns know enough .moreover let s admit that pax based in the GCC can easily afford Business Class so why should they downgrade ,moreover I do blame airlines for the failure of their PE products whenever it is the case : either you promote it right ,you price it right and you position it right or you do without .pax do not want to pay muchhhhh more than Eco and get just a few inches of extra legroom …it has to be really a premium product from all points of view and a real upgrade over Eco yet not as good as Business..either you do the Maths right My dear airlines or you forget about it .

[ghlotus]

You are absolutely correct, Alex. CX is not coming into its own; it has been there for many years, but is slipping now – largely through no fault of its own.

I have been a top tier member of CX Marco Polo Club for the past 5 years, traveling frequently between Asian cities and Europe/USA via Hong Kong. While still generally loyal to CX, I also made 3 return trips this year on Qatar (after they joined OneWorld). For me the choice becomes transiting in Doha or Hong Kong, and I have found Doha a better option in some ways. The airport is dark and crowded, but the transit security lines are fast, the business lounge is excellent, and none of my flights has ever taken off one minute late – and never a lost bag, even with a 60-minute connection.

HKIA, of the other hand, has many problems. Two hours is often not long enough for bags to make connecting flights. Their baggage information system is rubbish (they will tell you your bag is “on board” or “on the way” when it is not.) And arriving in the early morning (6-7am) usually means standing in line at transit security for 20-30 minutes, with CX First and C passengers from New York waiting behind 300 filipino maids from Manila. This is NOT Cathay’s problem. The airport does not allow them to set up a special security line for premium passengers, as they have repeatedly requested (and oferred to pay for).

HKIA was not designed to handle the current traffic load, and late departures and arrivals are increasing by the month. Extra runway needed, but is years away. Cathay lounges in Hong Kong are, however, wonderful – and always improving.

CX cabin service is also generally excellent, but the Qatar Business Class food is far superior, and served on proper plates – course by course. CX is still trolley service, with luke-warm main courses in those little rectangular troughs.

The downside to Qatar, of course is the inconsistency of their Business Class seating. A380 is the best in the sky, but their old A340s are among the worst, with 777s somewhere in the middle. And Qatar sometimes uses all three of these planes on the same route, same fare. So careful booking is required. Cathay is totally consistent with long-haul Business seats, but their regional Business seats are terrible – with very limited recline.

No airline is perfect, and I do feel sorry for CX, since many of their problems have to do with their home airport, and not with their own service standards.

[KSHaggag]

Hi Ghlotus !

I feel every word you said !

I sincerely wish you go back to CX with uncompromised loyalty coz CX has a glorious past ,a great present and a bright future .CX is selling the Hong Kong culture to the world and still has a great approach to service .
I still recall those great purser ladies 10 and 15 years ago with their elegant ,eye catching dresses and pearl necklaces exuding elegance and class ,engaging with Premium passengers with real care and concern .I don t have enough space in this thread to tell my awesome stories about my fantastic experiences on board CX on long haul flights ,something I have never experienced even with lovely SQ !
CX lounges are still the best in the world ,head and shoulders above the pack .They have always been ,they are and I can see them holding on to that superiority and distinction .
HKG is a bright ,airy ,well illuminated and thought out hub vs GCC hubs who just care about shopping arcades or so.I would get a depression if I spend long hours in GCC airports for a connection .
By the way ,a very subjective remark: I love the traditional ,warm trolley service still .
CX has just to upgrade its plates to real ,contemporary ones like SQ and VS .

[ghlotus]

Thanks, KS. I do generally stay loyal to CX (over 100,000 miles so far this year). But I hope they will resolve their dispute with HKIA regarding those dreadful security lines. Most other major airports in the world now offer premium passengers special lines. Hong Kong residents (like yourself?) never encounter this problem, which can be extremely annoying for us transit pax. After a 12-16 hour all-night flight, one wants to get to the lounge without waiting 20-minutes in a long slow-moving line at security.

And one correction: I should have said Cathay is totally consistent with their long-haul 777 Business Class seating. The older planes still have those coffin seats, with everybody’s feet sticking into the aisles. But these planes are being retired.

Generally CX attitude is superb, and I do remain loyal. I’m sure they are intending to upgrade their food service.

[KSHaggag]

Hi Ghlotus,

I am not resident in HKG but I feel home at HKG airport ,the only one in Asia .I like Changi but it does not feel homy like HKG Chek Lap Kok !!!
CX lounges are paradise for me : I always book my onward connections allowing me loooooong looooong hours to enjoy the lounges there .It is becoming an obsession ,I confess .
Yes CX reacted quickly to customers complaining from seats in a herringbone style ..I hated them !!!!…well done CX .
I do love the SQ seat on the 777-300ER more though !!!! Hahaaa

[tomyam42]

I also fly CX reasonably frequently, but nearly all around the region so do not amass the same quantity of miles as some of you folks.

I also find myself flying QR on long haul despite hating the midnight race around Doha but their pricing is far more compelling. And as noted before, their catering is way, way ahead of CX’s, although their seats are iffy.

I always fly J for trips longer than 2 hours. In March I tried to book MNL/CPT. CX wanted about US$14K whereas QR offered a smidge over US$4K. Guess who got my booking. Now for the same flights CX is offering US$4.7K++ while QR has increased to US$5.2K, but QR has my booking.

I expect to visit Bergen from MNL in the next 18 months and checked the prices. Again CX is over US$13K while QR is about US$4K.

And they got the regional pricing of PE totally wrong, placing above the highest Y fare instead of a small premium to each different Y fare to represent the better seat. Earlier this year one could buy MNL/ HKG/MNL Y tickets for under US$200 for 1PAX and about US$300 for 2. At the same time PE was priced over US$600, with J at about US$900. Still the same ghastly chickenless wrap with the cabin crew unemployed for 90% of the journey.

While some complain about the regional J seats they should think themselves lucky that we have yet to suffer the indignity of J passengers in Europe, paying a substantial supplement to squeeze into those silly Y seats with the middle one blocked off. Again I have to thank QR for its direct service to many European ports which allows me to avoid the European discomfort. Any carrier introducing it in Asia will be blacklisted by me.

And again thankfully CX is going to increase direct service to several new Euro destinations. Let us hope they change the catering and pricing at the same time, not just the seats.

[KSHaggag]

Hi Tomyam42,

Thanks for the valuable points .You are perfectly right that CX has a pricing issue out of some markets like in your case ,Manila .
I wonder why they are not reacting to the competition like QR ,EY ,EK,etc .Maybe CX was so well established in that market for years and they just ignored the rising price war that QR is adopting in that market coz QR is still operating with a relatively low seat load factor in its Premium cabin network and especially on a route like Manila where the demand for Business Class is indeed weak .
CX is indeed aggressive in pricing out of the Middle East though but hey watch your back CX ;you are losing out in the Far East ,which is your own home …

[tomyam42]

KS, what I did not mention was that at the same time they were pricing US$14K from MNL they were offering under US$6K from HKG. Add US$12K for MNL/HKG and you get half the offered price from MNL. I find that difficult to describe: incompetent, insulting, or just plain greedy???

Meanwhile I love the renovated Pier. I recently had a superb stir-fried tenderloin with chilies and crispy rice there that matched the best I could find anywhere else in HK.

If you want to sleep fly CX, if you want to eat in the air, fly QR.

[tomyam42]

OOOOPS. I’ve got fat fingers. That should be US$1K for MNL/HKG/MNL, not US$12K. Sorry.

[KSHaggag]

Hi Tomyam42 ,

well with CX you still eat well and even if not on board then in the lounge.The best ever lounge food I have had anywhere is in the various CX lounges in HK .
The fare out of MNL is affected by the fact that probably on the dates you checked the flight MNLHKG was almost full so only the highest booking classes were avlbl and you cannot combine two subclasses in one fare component all the way through even if the HKGJNB was empty and available in the lowest classes .If not then the pricing policy of CX in PH has something wrong.
IanfromHKG ..do you have the Revenue Management contact of CX in HKG

[tomyam42]

Hi KSHaggag,

It’s a long story. First my home is in HK, my wife’s in MNL so I shuffle between both, either work for me departures although MNL often provides better deals. I’m retired so have plenty of time to fool with bookings.

I started this booking last February to fly in coming October. First I tried redemption and was only allowed to get 2 sectors in each direction. I chose MNL/HKG/JOH/HKG/MNL, leaving JOH/CPT/JOH to be purchased. 3 sectors cleared, HKG/JOH was waitlisted. Being certain of my travel I checked revenue bookings. Ex MNL CX was US$14K and SQ about the same. HKG to CPT RT was CX $6K, SQ US$4K. MNL/HKG RT US$1K. I checked the redemption with MPO and was told waitlisted for 28 days. Checked again after 14 days and told the same. Thought of QR and found MNL/CPT/MNL US$4K, only one stop, dinner early evening but middle of night transfer. On Day 27 I called MPO asking they check with flight controller and advising that I was about to purchase a revenue ticket with a competitor as it was much cheaper. After being put on hold for several minutes I was again told “No” so I purchased the QR ticket.

Next day I received a msg from CX notifying me that the redemption booking had cleared. I checked my CX records and found the QR booking along with the advice of the available redemption. On reflection I decided to stay with QR, avoiding cancellation charges and the JOH transfer, and due to the attractive price, saving the miles for another trip.

In summary I believe it was poor MNL pricing, not non-availability of booking class since HKG/CPT was priced the same each day. I have only once seen MNL/HLG RT J class full, and never 8 months ahead. It feels as though a decision has been made to take advantage of early birds who know their dates but do not search the options, such as separate MNL/HKG/MNL bookings, ‘though this would normally give rise to a higher price and connection risks in HKG. Later when there are no/few bookings (as now) the competitive prices are exposed, but it’s too late, the tkts have gone to others. And CX’s pricing is teaching me to check with QR before making any long haul booking.

Another example is either MNL or HKG to Norway RT priced at about US$13K for next April, yet the RT price to LHR is US$4K for MNL and US$5K for HKG while BA wants GBP250 for LHR/Bergen RT, which is what CX would use. An unjustifiable US$6-8K extra for either.

I don’t have contacts anywhere in HK HQ, but do have a very helpful one in MNL.

[Author]

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