Cathay Pacific A350 Business Class
/Cathay Pacific's long haul business class from Hong Kong to Melbourne - The flight
Cathay Pacific’s customer-centric strategy means that the airline continuously strives to provide an exceptional experience at every stage of the journey.
Cathay Pacific recently took delivery of state of the art A350s and Gastrology were pleased to have the opportunity to indulge in Cathay Pacific’s business class onboard these brand spanking new aircraft.
The business class is laid out in a 1-2-1 configuration ensuring that every seat has access to the aisle and you never need to step over anyone to visit the restroom. The seats on Cathay Pacific’s business class are excellent and are some of the most comfortable business class seats we have encountered. The control panels are easy to operate and offer a wide range of adjustments allowing you to get the seat just the way you like it. There are also some useful pre-set seating positions you can select from.
There is also plenty of storage room allowing you to keep small bags stowed nearby rather than in the overhead compartment. We also enjoyed the well-stocked amenity kit filled with products from Jurlique. Unfortunately, as is becoming a trend, no pyjamas are provided on Cathay Pacific outside of First Class.
With a Hong Kong origin, the airline understands the importance of inflight dining and Cathay Pacific goes to great lengths to source high-quality food and beverages to suit every palate. Our flight from Hong Kong to Melbourne featured dishes including braised chicken and flower mushroom as well as grilled Australian prime beef tenderloins.
However, we did find some aspects of the food and beverage offering on our flight to be slightly disappointing. The drinks menu was a little limited with less options compared to rivals. In terms of presentation, the food was served in very old-fashioned airline serving ware that detracts from the decadent “dining in the sky” experience. Many rivals have concentrated heavily on ensuring their dining experience is consistent with the overall brand and design aesthetic of the airline and it is a shame to see Cathay Pacific has not kept up with the times in this respect.
Cathay's entertainment system was, like the catering, another mixed bag. We liked that the touch screen was in easy reach and very responsive however, the movie options available were less than some of the other carriers.
Sleeping on the plane was easy peasy with the seats easily reclining to a fully flat bed. Cathay Pacific does not provide mattresses. However, the seats were comfortable enough so we did not miss the absence of the mattress. Before landing in Melbourne, breakfast was served. We enjoyed a selection of dim sum alongside a few continental breakfast items.
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