Review of Cathay Pacific flight from Hong Kong to Osaka in Business

CX566 from HONG KONG to KANSAI
Flight number: CX906
Gate: 46
Aircraft: Airbus A330
Scheduled Departure Time: 01:50
Aircraft registration: B-LAN

PRE-TRIP MUSINGS

This is the second of four flights I would take with Cathay Pacific on this journey - two pairs of connecting flights.  Just as with the first flight, we will try to approach this report differently as we'll go on a thematic review rather than a straight chronological one that we are used to, although we can see how connected these themes are such as service and food, seat and IFE offering.  But as you will see, bulk of this trip report will be about the lounge hopping since there isn't much to report on a red-eye flight.

Japan is a country that anyone would be crazy enough to decline a repeat visit. Choosing between Tokyo and Osaka was at first tough but ultimately Osaka won out for several reasons:
- Better chances at snagging cheaper fares at reasonable timetables.
- Last time I was in Osaka, I did not get to see the iconic and postcard-perfect sights of and around Namba (especially Dotonburi). How I could I miss it!?!
- Staying in Osaka doesn’t mean necessarily being remaining in Osaka the whole time.  There are plenty of other places to reach which are within an hour and a half's train ride. In fact, I could take a Shinkansen (bullet train) to Hiroshima with a rail pass that would cost me ¥17,000 (US$115, £85, €98), but more on that in a separate article.   
- Friendly locals. I expect to make a lot of faux pas when I am in Japan and sumimasen in advance if that happens, but I’ll do my best to not make ”a lot” be a lot. 

I chose Cathay Pacific because to try business class, it is the cheapest option that comes out.  This trip went through a lot of changes and it cost me US$200 extra to change them but in retrospect, the changes were worth it for several reasons:
- I got longer time in Japan (given that the new timetable would coincide with a holiday) 
- I had to return a day earlier than originally planned due to a Christmas party being held earlier than
- From an AV Geek perspective: I found one of the flights would be on a long-haul A330, so that is an additional flat-bed.
- Extra hours on the first day in Hong Kong.

TIP: Several months before your scheduled flight, you may see a long-haul A330 as the aircraft allocated to that flight. However that is by no means the final aircraft configuration to be used on that route. They could switch it to a regionally-configured A330 which does not go all the way lie-flat. Choose flights with the Airbus A350-900/1000 or Boeing 777-300ER for more certainty if they are available.  

RETURN TO THE AIRPORT

After resting at my brother's place at Mid-levels, it was time for me to depart.  He hailed an Uber for me and we made our way to Hong Kong Airport Express station yet again.  And the driver was pleasant to speak with.  I used my earlier same-day return ticket to reenter the train.

Thanks to the frequent trains, I made my way at 21.50 and found myself at the airport at 22.15.  Hong Kong airport has a system where I scan my boarding card and passport at one of the security gates.  They, together with a photograph of mine, are linked together and at the boarding gate my photo becomes my boarding card.  That way, I don't need to show the boarding card until I am actually on board for the flight attendant to direct me to my seat.  My bag was flagged for a quick check but it was resolved quickly.  I cleared passport control at a manned desk and it was done swiftly as well.

LOUNGE 1: QANTAS

The entrance to the Qantas lounge was immediately to my right after clearing passport control.  As a business class passenger on a oneworld flight, I had access to this lounge even if my invitation was for one of the Cathay lounges.  I had only 35 minutes to enjoy this lounge as it was about to close for the day.  

It had plenty of kinds of seating and a good view of the terminal below.  Some seats had power outlets to charge laptops and mobile devices.  There were several TVs available although they were showing news channels which suited me fine.  I was able to keep up to date with some developments.

I had no time to film it but they had a showers on the premise.  

One thing that I was particularly fond of in the lounge was the food selection.  They offered both Western and oriental bites.  Perhaps I was lucky on this day but their chicken tasted delicious as was their pasta.  I had to go back for three rounds, including one of them to take advantage of their last call.  And the sweet tooth came out as I enjoyed their cake slice.  

AIRSIDE WALKTHROUGH

As I had a lot of calories to burn and a lot left to fill, as well as plenty of time remaining, I decided to skip the automated people mover and walk all the way to the Pier lounge.  It allowed me to see what else was going on at Hong Kong International Airport's airside.  The good news was my next flight's gate was on the far end so there was no need to backtrack substantially after visiting the lounges I intended to visit on this occasion. From the impressions I got, it feels like they are upgrading their facilities to give Singapore's Changi Airport a run for its money.

I also passed by a shop to get some confectionaries.

LOUNGE 2: Cathay Pacific's The Pier (Business)

This was at the far end of the terminal.  As one enters they get a Christmassy vibe but felt busy nonetheless.  One thing I missed and did not take advantage of was their provision for luggage storage, but it was available.  

One thing that makes the Pier stand out was it had a lot of sections that suited different needs and atmospheres.  

To your left immediately to the entrance was a bar with Italian snacks.  You can order pizza and various pasta.  It features a trolley with coffee and biscuits.  I had my fair share of pizza, focaccia, and pudding in this area.  In terms of food, this was my go-to area.  It had counter-style tables, cocktail-style tables, tables with only one chair, as well as long tables if you are together with others.  Some of the counter-style tables feature power outlets for those keen on charging their devices.  

Right next door features a cocktail bar for those who fancy something harder.  It had more seating areas, including one at the centre of the room.  Many of the seats featured at the Manila lounge can also be found here.  You can also access the airside views from the bar and I found myself a green seat in along the airside views.  The seat featured power outlets which was handy for me to plug my tablet into.  I spent a good 20 minutes and enjoyed a view of the tarmac.  In that part you also find a refrigerator with soft drinks and water.

Right next door to this cocktail bar is the signature noodle bar.  Personally I was not into noodles at this time but it is much appreciated for those who fancy some oriental dishes.

Walk one more room and you find the tea room.  It was one of the more quiet rooms given how tucked in it was.  Although I didn't order tea, I picked up some biscuits.  It had adequate seating and I chose to sit by the corner though I don't think I saw some power outlets.  I would recommend this place for those who want some dark lighting.

Next door features shower facilities as well as a relaxation room.  Those who want to lie down will fancy something in here with cabanas.  Each cabana had a couch and side table.  I did lie down at the corner cabana for around 20 minutes, only to be advised the lounge would soon close shortly after midnight.  

LOUNGE 3: Cathay Pacific's The Bridge (Business)

As the Pier would close at 00.30, I made my way to the Bridge which would be open for another hour and a half.  And it works well as it was on my way to my gate's flight.  This is my second time to use this lounge.  It was reopened recently after a year or so of renovation.  Previously the one of its wings was for 1st class and the other was for business.  Now the Bridge is also for Business class and oneworld Sapphire passengers.  The left wing is for those who want to try oriental treats, those such as myself, who prefer western bites, could turn to the right.  

Once in the lounge, I had a small bite of Mac and cheese as well as some pastries.  This selection of dishes, while western, are still different from what was on offer at the Pier.  This place also had a cocktail bar with views of the tarmac.  The relaxation room, unlike the one at the Pier did not feature cabanas that let you lie down.  Instead they feature the signature green lounge chairs with embedded power outlets most of us are familiar with at this point.  There is also a living room-like area with other kinds of furniture and a nice painting and a tarmac view too. Everyone was doing their business without uttering a loud word.

BOARDING

I left the Bridge lounge at 01.15 and walked to my gate, gate 46.  It was a little over 5 minutes.  

Cathay uses boarding zone numbers at Hong Kong airport. The staff redirected passengers within the same zone to other available lanes to speed the process up. I took the opportunity to use the right lanes as my seat was in the mini-cabin which was easier to get to through the second door, i.e. the one on the right.

The aircraft in use was identical in layout to the one we took during our first flight.  An Airbus A330.  I would be seated on the right-hand side this time and unlike the first flight, the mini-cabin was also full to the rafters.

One surprise - the airborne time was under three hours, 2 hours and 55 minutes.  So this would be a quick flight and it would indeed feel quick.

THE SEATING AREA

I won’t comment on the seat in detail except to highlight inconsistencies from the first flight. One of which was the light button on one of the panels was not working (although you can switch it on using another button on the IFE remote).  Yes it reclined all the way without issue and to the extent that I could sleep, it was relaxing enough.  And it dawned on me how narrow this seat feels compared to its 77W counterpart (pre-Aria).  But I sort of like how my foot could comfortably slide into the foot cubby.  You can lift the armrest for added privacy  

SERVICE AND CREW

Two other differences from the flight from Manila include the provision of bottled water in the cabinet, and a blanket for each passenger.  No full beddings or amenity kits unlike my long-haul flight to/from London even if this was a red eye.  

We were served hot towels and pre-departure beverages.  They were appreciated but it appeared to be collected as were taxiing.  I wish they collected these service items prior to the plane moving.  

The cabin crew assigned to my section did check on us from time to time and she was nice enough to confirm my order but after the meal service they left us to our own devices.  Not so much a big deal since a lot would like to get some shut eye.  But when it came to the bag under the seat, they asked me to place it on the overhead lockers and reminded me not to plug my devices when the plane was about to take off.  

IN-FLIGHT ENTERTAINMENT

The IFE interface, remote controls, and contents were identical to what I got for the first flight.  It was slightly sluggish to show its age.  I assembled a playlist of Taylor Swift and Sabrina Carpenter music to listen to alongside viewing the moving map.  Occasionally, especially during descent and final approach I would switch on an episode of How I Met Your Mother.  And the headset found in the storage cabinet to my right was working without any issue.  

Wifi was provided free of charge.  I was able to connect even though I had trouble with it in the first few minutes.  

The power outlet was working so my devices got adequate opportunities to regain some juice after a long day.  

FOOD

Pre-departure beverages consisted of a choice between water, orange juice, and champagne and I chose water.  They had a menu and several choices.  

But this flight (especially as it was departing from Hong Kong) gave me an opportunity to preselect my regular meals online, including from Cathay's signature dishes.  I selected the Iberico Pork Pluma option to go along with camomile tea.  It was really tasty and the main coursewere a near wipe-out.  However, because of the food I ate at the lounge, it was a shame I did not finish the fruits and cake dessert even though what I ate of those portions were delicious too.

Honestly though I wish they had a wider selection similar to what business class passengers are offered on Singapore Airlines' book-the-cook where they offer steak and chicken for flights departing their hub.  Furthermore, Cathay made a distinction between meals on offer between regional and long-haul routes.  That said, I think I chose right by having the pork plums.

MISCELLANEOUS

The meal service finished after about an hour into the flight.  At this point, I just focused on lying down.  The cabin crew did not disturb us although there was a time I had to use the toilet.  

The seat-turned-bed was comfortable and I can say it felt like in the blink of an eye, the flight's descent was around the corner.  

To be honest, I have mixed feelings for red-eye flights like this. Part of it was the short 2 hours and 55 minutes. On paper and given the experience, this was objectively faster. And it doesn’t feel like a lot of time to enjoy what is otherwise the industry standard in long-haul business class seats.  This is especially acute during red-eye flights at least for me.  So on the count of time, you might be forgiven for feeling slightly shortchanged.  On the other hand, if your flight feels quicker than you'd expect, then to some degree you can say the long-haul business class seat has done its job on a short-haul route. 

So soon the captain announced descent was around the corner.  Time to retract my seat.  As much as I was sad this portion of Cathay's Business Class experience was coming to an end, I was also excited to look forward to my trip to Japan.  Given that excitement and that we were descending and seeing day break first across the Kansai region, I watched How I Met Your Mother again.  

POST-FLIGHT

At 05.57, we were on the ground. After the routinely farewell announcements, just a few more minutes and we were rolled in to our arrival gate, gate 21, which was dead in the middle of the terminal.  We disembarked using the front door and said goodbye to the flight attendants.

As gate 21 was right in the middle, passport control was just a few steps away.  Slowly but surely, the desks were opening as crowds of passengers occupied the hall.  I had to change the lane I used.  Lucky for me I filled the form out on Visit Japan Web.  No problems at passport control and I was stamped into Japan (well as is customary nowadays, the officer attached a sticker detailing our landing permission.  I had to amend my Visit Japan Web entry though after a problem at customs.  But the green light lit after the amendment which meant I was clear.  

I spent another 20 minutes to change clothes and use those famous high-tech toilets Japan is known for.  

I had plans to acquire a JR Kansai-Hiroshima regional rail pass but that would be for another day.  And given how long the next Haruka Express train was as well as the costs of that, I resigned to using the regular train.  My hotel was in Shin Osaka and it took a long time for me to reach given that I got lost and miss my stop somewhere.  One consolation I experienced was the train was empty as a few stations later, I could see the full force of rush hour.

TIP: Please fill out Visit Japan Web to save yourself some time.  Make sure to download the QR code.  If your arrival dates change, please update your entry.

TIP: You will notice two different railway companies - JR and Nankai.  Use JR if you are bound for Tennoji, Umeda, Shin Osaka, or Kyoto, and Nankai if you are staying at the Namba area.  If you have a JR Rail Pass that you plan to use for the day of your arrival, you may also use that for the Haruka Express train which can take you directly to Shin Osaka and Kyoto.