Melbourne, Perth get new Cathay Pacific business class this week
By David Flynn, August 1 2012
Cathay Pacific's impressive new business class will make its debut on flights between Hong Kong and Melbourne, Adelaide and Perth this week.
It's a welcome change from the older cubicle-style business class of Cathay's flights from those cities, although you'll want to plan your travel carefully – at the start, only one flight per day is being upgraded to make that more comfortable trek to Hong Kong and back.
The flights from Adelaide and Melbourne begin Wednesday August 2 and you'll want to book on CX104/105. The upgraded Perth-Hong service commences on August 3 as CX136/137.
Brisbane will follow with the new CX seats from October 1 (flights CX156/157).
What goes into making a great business class seat? Here are seven things you didn't know about Cathay Pacific's new business class.
But even if you're not travelling in the pointy end there are still some treats in store.
Each of the new and overhauled aircraft will also be fitted with Cathay's comfortable new premium economy seats..
Cathay's premium economy seats will soon be seen on many major routes
Further down the back there are the revamped (and now properly reclining) international economy seats.
New CX economy seats: a marked improvement from their fixed-back predecessors
Australian Business Traveller has sampled all three of Cathay's new classes and we rate them very highly.
According to Cathay, by December 2012 "roughly three-quarter of all Australian flights will have the new seats daily”.
Not all CX flights will have the new seats by year’s end, but those which don’t will not see them on even a few days a week as the airline strives for day-to-day consistency on flights with the new seats.
“We have invested a great deal of time and thought into developing the best value for money travel experiences in every class – whether passengers are travelling in our comfortable new Economy or our superbly flat bed Business Class seats” says Cathay Pacific marketing communications manager Richiko Olrichs.
“And of course when you include great service ‘from the heart’ from our flight attendants, every passenger will feel well looked after.”
For the latest news and updates, follow Australian Business Traveller on Twitter: we're @AusBT.
David Flynn is the Editor-in-Chief of Executive Traveller and a bit of a travel tragic with a weakness for good coffee, shopping and lychee martinis.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Frequent Flyer
28 May 2011
Total posts 81
I truly think this is one of the best Business Class hard products in the world - I can't wait to see more of it!
24 Oct 2011
Total posts 159
I can't wait to try out the new biz seats later this year, ive got a RTW biz fare and the HK-Melbourne leg is on Cathay.
10 Mar 2011
Total posts 526
It truly is a great Business product. I think it even outweighs SQ even though their seat is bigger. At least with the CX product you don't have to get up to put the seat flat. It will take an amazing product to beat this one and it was great to see that CX listened to the feedback regarding their previous J product and actually did something to improve it. Seems rather rare to see that happen on airlines.
Qantas - Qantas Frequent Flyer
15 Jul 2012
Total posts 1
By far the best business class seats out there. Tried the new seats from HKG to ORD return in March this year. Worth every cent I spent. Will fly CX again when itinerary allows.
Virgin Australia - Velocity Rewards
24 Aug 2011
Total posts 780
Looking forward to the new PE - heading to the Globalsources fair at HKG in October, and the fare is under $1700 return. Well done CX.
15 Aug 2012
Total posts 4
It will definitely be most welcome when CX start flying their new J class product on the BNE - HKG sector. BNE must be one of the only remaining medium / long haul destinations still offering the old product - October cannot come soon enough!!
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