Review of Cathay Pacific flight from Kaohsiung to Hong Kong in Economy

Cathay Pacific CX449 Kaohsiung to Hong Kong

Flight details:

Airline: Cathay Pacific
Flight: CX449 KHH - HKG
Reg: B-HPE
Aircraft: Airbus A321-251NX
Seat: 29K
Depart Kaohsiung International Terminal Gate 23: 07.45AM [Actual time: 07.45AM]
Arrive Hong Kong Airport Terminal 1 Gate 21: 09.15AM [Actual time: 08.58AM]
Total time: 1hr 30min

Video: Cathay Pacific CX449 Kaohsiung to Hong Kong

Introduction

This trip report is from Dec 2023. This report covers the journey from Kaohsiung to Hong Kong.

I had flown to Taipei,Taiwan. read trip report: EVA Air BR131 Osaka [Kansai] to Taipei [Taoyuan]

After spending few days in Taipei. I took the Taiwan HSR to Kaohsiung. Holiday was over and it was time to return home.

Booking

I booked through Cathay Pacific website. 

I had 14h 40m transit in Hong Kong. As Hong Kong allows visa on arrival, I had planned to visit the city.

Baggage information

After payment, booking confirmed and emailed sent with itinerary.

I checked the upgrade to Business class but dropped the idea after checking the price.

Online check-in

I checked for both the flights online and received boarding pass with QR code.

I selected seat on the starboard side as flight would be early morning.

Arriving at airport

I had requested hotel to ring a taxi as the flight was early in the morning. Taxi arrived at 4am. I stayed close to Kaohsiung station, it took 30 mins to reach with no traffic.

Paid the taxi driver and entered the International terminal.

Check-in counters in view.

Checked the flight schedule, Cathay Pacific would check from counter D02-08.

Tried using the self-check kiosk, but it didn't work. As I was early, waited for the counter to open.

Check-in

I saw a queue for form and joined in. Check-in opened at 5a.m

Waiting for check-in to open

Line moved quickly and it was soon my turn.

My bag weighted below the limit and was checked till Sydney.

I got boarding passes for both the flights. Departure gate - 23

Security and Immigration

Completed the check-in by 5.54am and decided to proceed to security and immigration

I joined the security check queue.

Departure area

Security and immigration took about 15mins to complete. I was in the departure area at 6.10a.m.

I had plenty of time and decided to explore the terminal.

Started walking towards the gate 27 to 32.

Airside - Tigerair Taiwan and Eva Air in view.

Duty free shops were empty.

Anime characters

Colourful toilet wall

After checking out the gates, walked to the other pier.

Eva lounge

Walking towards gate

Airside - Vietnam Airlines, Eva Air and China Airlines

More shops on this pier and activity.

Departure boarding gate 23 had few passengers.

Cathay Pacific B-HPE Airbus A321-251NX operating CX449 KHH - HKG, No activity around the aircraft. Domestic terminal in the background of the CX aircraft.

Aircraft information

Aircraft had arrived as CX448 and overnighted in Kaohsiung

Aircraft information from Airfleet

Seating from Cathay Pacific

Food court

I checked the gates further on the pier.

Close to gate 23 was a food court. Eva Air to Narita was boarding from gate 22.

I didn't have breakfast and ordered a chicken dish which was accompanied by lychee jelly.

Boarding

After breakfast, I returned to departure gate.

I joined the boarding queue.

Boarding was by groups, passport and boarding pass checked while in queue. At the counter, scanned the boarding pass and was allowed to continue towards the aircraft.

Onboard

On reaching aircraft, crew checked boarding pass and directed to seat.

Boarding continue for some more minutes.

Ground crew cleared the witch hats.

Flight was full.

Boarding was completed on time.

Seat view, plenty of room for me.

Window shade

Safety card

Checked the safety card as crew made announcement for ground crew to leave aircraft. Doors closed.

Cathay Pacific Airbus A321neo

Crew distributed the arrival card to those entering Hong Kong.

Pushback and Taxi

Pushback commenced on time and pilot had provided flight information earlier.

View of gate as safety demonstration was provided on personal screen.

China Airlines and aircraft parked in remote bays.

Tugged removed and aircraft taxied towards runway.

Eva Air parked in remote bay

Turning to face direction for travel.

Takeoff

Holding on runway 09

Ready for takeoff

After takeoff, aircraft turning West.

Flying over South China sea.

I switched on the flight map to check the flight information.

Cabin Service

Cabin service commenced 15 mins after takeoff.
Breakfast was served on this flight. There was only one choice - noodles as seen below.

Flight information

Flight information below.

Flying over South China sea

Distance from Hong Kong

38mins to arrival

Pilot view

Estimated arrival time 8.58am

Connecting gates, many passengers were connecting to other destinations as observed when crew distributed arrival card.

Arrival information

Aircraft arrival in Terminal 1 gate 21. I won't be collecting bag, information said claim area 6.

Seat Pocket Content

Seat pocket contained Safety card, Inflight magazine, air sickness bag and headphone.

Cathay - inflight magazine

Browsed to CX network map

Flight information and fleet

Flight times and distances

Cathay Pacific Fleet information, I have travelled on all except the A350-900 and yet to be delivered 777-9x.

In 1990, I had travelled for the 1st time with Cathay Pacific Boeing 747-300 from Dubai to Mumbai. Service of CX was excellent for that route. Flight used to fly Hong Kong - Bangkok - Mumbai - Dubai route and in reverse. Hong Kong was very popular destination in the 80-90's due to the duty free port and cheap shopping.

Descend

Descend to commence shortly with 88kms left to cover.

Passing the Hong Kong islands

Descend commenced

Haze and fog covering the mountains

Pilot informed crew to sit for landing.

Landing

Aircraft landed on the newest runway 07L/2R.  Landing was smooth.

Aircraft landed at 8.59am local time

Construction of Terminal 2

Long taxi followed

Passing the satellite terminal

Vistara Airbus in view

Sky was hazy, arriving at gate.

Arrived at North Satellite Concourse - Gate 21

View from aircraft.

Passenger waiting for seatbelt sign to switch off.

Arrival information

Cathay Pacific B-HPP parked in next gate.

Ground crew ready to service aircraft.

Disembarkation

Disembarkation was from the front door, passing through Business class.

North Satellite Concourse

Entered the terminal through the glass aerobridge.

View of aircraft

Followed the arrival sign

Escalator up for the Sky-Bridge

View from the sky bridge

Cathay Pacific aircraft's

Following the immigration sign

View of the sign bridge with green tint glass

Planespotting

Watched a Cathay Pacific Airbus A330-300 pushback.

China Airlines arrives

Escalator down to immigration

Immigration and Custom

As I was close to the immigration area was stopped by a lady officer. Just imagine how its shown in movies.

She asked for my passport and reason for coming to Hong Kong. I think she thought I was carrying the World's 4th worst passport.

Seemed excited when she stopped me but soon lost the fizz, when she saw the passport. She didn't say anything after flipping a page and returned the document.

At immigration, waited few mins. Handed arrival card, passport and showed my onwards boarding pass. No questions asked, passport was stamped and I was allowed to continue.

I was only carrying handbag and continued outside into the arrival area.

Arrival area

Passing custom, I entered the arrival area.

Not busy in the morning

I had exchanged few Hong Kong dollars before the trip, I bought a return Airport Express ticket to Hong Kong Central.

Flight Information

Flight information, aircraft arrived 15 mins before schedule.

Aircraft rotation

End of Trip Report

Hope you enjoyed this trip report. Thanks for reading.
:)