Sarah Atkinson flies CX198 from New Zealand to Hong Kong.
Plane: A very well-worn A340. Late last year, Cathay started running their flash new A350 into Auckland.
Class: Deep Economy.
Flight Time: 11hr 30min.
Price: Return airfares start from $1165.
Sarah Atkinson flies CX198 from New Zealand to Hong Kong.
Plane: A very well-worn A340. Late last year, Cathay started running their flash new A350 into Auckland.
Class: Deep Economy.
Flight Time: 11hr 30min.
Price: Return airfares start from $1165.
My seat: 65K and 65H (window and aisle). It was a tight squeeze.
Fellow passengers: A mix of Kiwi families, couples and a large group of Chinese tourists (hopefully with very empty pockets). Two hours in we had the pleasure of having a kid vomit on us from across the aisle ... lovely.
How full? To the brim.
Entertainment: The usual suspects with screeds of "pre-roll" ads before any show or movie ... you have to really commit when jumping between titles. I settled on Eddie the Eagle and loved it.
The service: The staff were polite and friendly, and quickly fixed the small issue of us being covered in vomit.
Food and drink: Lunch was whiting with parmesan potatoes and steamed veges — delicious! I thought all fish served on planes was basically destroyed before it reached your plate, so was pleasantly surprised when it wasn't. I tucked into the hokey pokey ice cream to remind me of the home I wouldn't see for the next six weeks while we went travelling.
Toilets: Small, but tidy.
Luggage: One bag weighing 23kg.
The airport experience: Easy and no hassle. Flight was delayed by 30 minutes due to a late arriving plane. I was in good spirits, so no drama. Quick to get on and out once the gates opened.
Would I fly again: Yes, but in hindsight I would have paid more for the Premium Economy; our seats were noticeably worn in comparison ... and hopefully there would be a lack of spewy kids. I'd love to try out the plush new seating aboard the A350.
This is the 13th year the airline has increased capacity over winter due to demand.