Cathay Pacific's new (well, new-ish) First Class amenity kits
By David Flynn, October 13 2011
Flying at the pointy end with Cathay Pacific? You'll be even more spoilt this month as the Hong Kong flag carrier rolls out its new First Class amenity kits.
Well, new-ish. The changes are more about the bags than what's inside them.
The men's travel kit still contains Acca Kappa moisturiser, facial mist and lip balm along with a rather nice wooden comb plus the mandatory toothbrush & toothpaste, mouthwash and earplugs (and a shoehorn for getting your flight-swollen feet back into your shoes).
It's just that all this is now bundled up in a longer and larger black Zegna pouch that'll be more useful post-trip for stowing, well, anything other than a handful of toiletries.
(The Australian Business Traveller team regularly uses these in-flight bags for carrying tech gear like smartphone sync cables, chargers, USB keys, spare batteries for the noise-cancelling headphones and what-not.)
The ladies' kit gets more of a make-over with a new pouch from Italian fashion house Trussardi and Hong Kong designer Michael Young, which comes in two colours: cream for Hong Kong departures and dark beige for inbound flights.
Inside you'll still find the same A?sop skincare products (they're an Aussie brand, for what it's worth): a mandarin facial hydrating cream, rosehip seed lip moisturiser, bitter orange astringent toner and aromatique hand balm.
Also on hand: a hairbrush, dental set, mouthwash, cotton pads and earplugs.
We know some female travellers who'll be sad to lose Cathay's current and quite beautifully-designed Ipa Nima bags. But if you're flying first class, surely this qualifies as a bit of a #firstworldproblem.
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.
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
Glad to hear I'm not the only one utilising these bags for other things around the house! I particularly like the most recent QF bags because they're squarer in shape and collapse into nothing when needed...
Love the look of those new kits though, sad to think that's what we got in J 5 years ago...
03 Jan 2011
Total posts 665
I still haven't found anything for transporting tech bits that beats the current stiff leather Anya Hindmarsh BAg from BA First Class. It's just the right size to take a USB-powered external drive, an AirPort Express router, cables and a length of Cat-5 for hotel use.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
My fave is an old tri-fold from Qantas bizclass – can't recall the brand but it had three pockets (one per fold), which made for more easily organising your kit; each pocket was covered in mesh so you could see what was in them; and two of them zippered to keep stuff from falling out. A very durable elastic wrapped around the kit to keep it snug when foldered up.
Most useless amenity case: that hard plastic shell from Qantas' first Marc Newson kits. A nightmare to actually try opening, and inside was just one big (well, not very big actually) empty space.
15 Apr 2011
Total posts 580
Yes, the Lancome ones. The male ones had the flip out arrangement while the female ones were like a little handbag with three zippered pockets and two little straps across the top to carry it with... I still use one every time I travel, believe it or not as a toiletries bag! Only issue is that a proper razor won't fit - just a smaller disposable one.
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
Those are the ones! I snared a few of the female ones as well, but the male ones were better for tech gear - I still have a few in use, both for tech gear and, yes, toiletries!
03 Jan 2011
Total posts 665
That sounds very much like the Continental one I currently use for my main travel washbag. (I have a last-gen Air NZ one with the drawstrings for the "things I don't need every night or for an overnight" washbag.)
The CO one is bifold, with two pockets that will take 100ml bottles, a full size toothbrush and my razor. Each pocket zips up, and the whole thing then zips up further. There's also a hook for hanging, which is a real plus in my book.
...I think this may be the geekiest thread yet on AusBT. Go us. ;)
24 Oct 2010
Total posts 2560
Yes, my inner journo can feel some kind of a photo-feature coming on...!
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