First look: New Cathay Pacific Wing First Class Lounge, Hong Kong

Cathay Pacific’s flagship First Class lounge at The Wing at Hong Kong International Airport is now open, after an overhaul so extensive that it’s the next best thing to an all-new lounge.

Architectural firm Foster + Partners have created another world-class haven for Cathay Pacific’s premium travellers, following their innovative work on The Cabin and The Wing Business Lounge.

This First Class section of The Wing – located on the upper level (level 7) of Hong Kong airport’s southern concourse, across from Gates 1-3 – is clearly cast from the same design DNA as its siblings but with a stylish and decidedly high-end twist.

The Wing First Class lounge will be open to the public from 4pm today – and as before, you’ll need to by flying first class with Cathay Pacific (note that first class isn’t available on CX flights to and from Australia) or a oneworld partner, or be an Emerald-grade oneworld frequent flyer.

That includes Qantas Frequent Flyer Platinum and Platinum One as well as Cathay’s own Marco Polo Club Diamond.

Here’s a quick photo tour at The Wing First Class.

The Champagne Bar

A new element in The Wing First Class lounge is The Champagne Bar, which sits directly beyond the lounge's entry area.

Cathay considers The Champagne Bar as part of your ‘welcome to the First Class lounge’ experience, where passengers will be greeted by staff with a drink upon arrival, before they head to the main part of the lounge.

Moet Imperial, Moet Rose and Deutz are the drops currently on offer, although Cathay tells us the selection will be rotated through a variety of champers. 

The main area of the lounge has been opened up so that total seating capacity is now 167, compared to 123 in the old lounge.

It's all superbly high-style, with lush furniture and lustrous finishes.

As expected, The Library room has been axed in the make-over – it simply didn't get enough use to warrant the valuable real etstate it occupied.

Cathay has retained a small open 'reading nook' near the front of the lounge, although we think the amount of traffic as travellers come and go past this area will prove quite distracting.

Of course, The Wing First Class includes those stylish Solus workstation chairs – although these are 'limited edition' ones crafted for the First Class lounge with a high-gloss black shell and burgundy leather interior.

Some eagle-eyed readers will have already spotted a bar at the far end of the lounge.

This is The Haven Bar, an offshoot of the lounge's Haven restaurant.

The Haven Bar overlooks the airport’s boarding gates and apron. Anybody for a planespotter martini?

The Haven

Speaking of The Haven, this has long been first stop for travellers, especially in transit – which led to overcrowding in peak times.

Those famished flyers will be pleased to know The Haven has been dramatically enlarged, going from 36 seats to 84 seats (some of which sit where the shallow rockery used to run along the edge of The Haven).

There’s a “reinvented” à la carte menu complemented by recommended wine pairings, along with an expanded buffet selection. And as before, The Haven is overseen by staff from Hong Kong’s iconic Peninsula Hotel.

The Cabanas

Long a hallmark of The Wing, these five rooms have also been lushly refurbished to more closely resemble an up-market day spa than an airport lounge!

They still boast a spacious shower area with rainforest' showerhead, and indulgent full-sized bath and a couch which doubles as a day bed.

But now they're fully enclosed and totally private, rather than the old design in which each cabana faced an open area shared by the rear decks of the other cabanas.

Another new touch: an in-lounge ironing service with a turnaround of 10-20 minutes. Each cabana has a closet that's accessible from the outside through a locked door.

If you've just stepped off one flight and are heading out on another, hang your shirt, trousers or dress in the closet, press the buzzer and lounge staff will unlock the outside door to the closet and whisk your gear away for a quick press.

And there's still no time limit on the cabanas, so once you grab one it's yours until your flight leaves. Nor is there an option to book them – so first in, best dressed (and most rested).

If you can’t snare a cabana room but still need to freshen up, head for one of the shower suites.

The Wing First Class used to have just three shower suites, but now there are 12.

More Cathay Pacific stories on Australian Business Traveller

• Cathay Pacific to open new 'The Bridge' lounge at Hong Kong Airport in September
• Cathay Pacific considers new first class, business class for Airbus A350
• Cathay Pacific debuts new regional business class
• A day in the life of a Cathay Pacific flight attendant

David Flynn travelled to Hong Kong as a guest of Cathay Pacific.

Keep up to date with the latest news for business travellers and frequent flyers: follow @AusBT on Twitter.

David Flynn

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.