Flying the brand new Cathay Pacific business-class Aria Suite between London and Hong Kong

How a lot does it value to e-book Cathay Pacific enterprise class?

The price of a Cathay Pacific business-class ticket will rely on each the place and if you find yourself flying. For my route from London’s Heathrow Airport (LHR) to Hong Kong Worldwide Airport (HKG), one-way fares are at present round $4,500, with round-trip fares costing about $6,200. (Airfare pricing is downright mind-boggling, is not it?)

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Checking into and boarding Cathay Pacific enterprise class

Cathay Pacific business-class passengers can take pleasure in the next precedence providers on the airport.

Cathay Pacific operates from Terminal 3 at Heathrow Airport. The airline has devoted check-in counters for first- and business-class passengers, and nobody was in line once I acquired there, so I checked in shortly after which made my approach by safety.

The lounges on this terminal are all clustered near the primary concourse, the place you may additionally discover eating places and purchasing.

Cathay Pacific operates lounge “C,” which you could entry through elevators. The area includes a first-class part, a separate part for enterprise class and a shared set of bathe amenities obtainable on a first-come, first-served foundation.

I had entry to the business-class lounge, which missed a part of the tarmac. The primary part of the lounge is a eating space with loads of booth-style seating and a counter the place you possibly can order numerous kinds of noodles, soups and dim sum.

Previous this can be a small self-serve buffet space with numerous cold and hot dishes, plus some recent fruit and salads, pastries, a espresso machine and a number of Jing teas.

Past that is the primary residing room-style lounge space, which has a row of chairs and ottomans going through the home windows and a wide range of different seating vignettes. There may be additionally a staffed bar the place you possibly can order complimentary wine, beer, cocktails and nonalcoholic drinks.

Regardless of visiting the smaller area throughout a busy time of day — Cathay flights to Hong Kong depart at each 4:50 and 5:50 p.m. each day — the lounge didn’t really feel crowded.

After consuming a bowl of wonton soup and sending a number of final emails through the complimentary Wi-Fi, I made my method to the gate, which was a five-minute stroll away. There have been two traces — one for economic system and premium economic system passengers and one other for business- and first-class passengers. After having my boarding move scanned, I used to be admitted to the gate space.

Boarding commenced 50 minutes earlier than departure time and was accomplished in simply over half-hour, so we pushed again proper on time.

How snug is Cathay Pacific enterprise class?

The Boeing 777-300ERs which were reconfigured with Aria Suites have 45 seats in enterprise class and no first-class cabin. The airline’s different 777-300ER configuration has between 40 and 53 seats, so this falls squarely within the center.

Here is a snapshot of the business-class cabin and seat stats:

The business-class cabin aboard the reconfigured Boeing 777-300ERs consists of two sections.

The ahead, bigger part has 25 seats in six rows of 4 seats every plus a single seat — 18K — off by itself within the again on the right-hand facet. I might keep away from that one, because it’s virtually within the galley.

The smaller aft part the place I sat has 5 rows of 4 seats every. All rows are specified by a 1-2-1 reverse-herringbone configuration; these on the edges face out towards the window whereas the two-seat sections working down the center are angled towards each other.

That makes the facet seats — A and Ok — higher for solo vacationers and the middle seats — D and G — higher for {couples}. Don’t fret, these heart seats nonetheless have substantial sliding privateness dividers in case you need some alone time.

Facilities in Cathay Pacific Aria Suites

I discovered the Bamford pillow and bedding, the foods and drinks menus, and the Bamford amenity kits (which got here in 4 colours) ready at my seat once I boarded.

The kits contained mouthwash, a dental equipment, a watch masks, ear plugs and Bamford-branded cooling physique gel, physique balm and herb-scented pillow mist.

Aria Suites have 24-inch 4K touchscreen leisure methods. Though the airline gives fundamental noise-canceling headphones, you possibly can join your personal Bluetooth headphones to the system for a good higher viewing expertise (and I’d recommend doing so).

The system was ultra-crisp and supplied lots of of viewing and listening choices, together with new films equivalent to “Moana 2,” “Gladiator II” and “Heretic,” together with loads of choices from China, the remainder of Asia and a particular part dedicated to Ok-dramas from Korea. As for TV choices, there have been latest episodes of “Excessive Potential” and “The Day of the Jackal,” amongst different decisions, plus lots of of musical albums to select from, together with Chappell Roan’s “The Rise and Fall of a Midwest Princess.” Among the many video games had been “Who Needs To Be A Millionaire?” and “Indignant Birds.” There was even an possibility for duty-free purchasing, which provided spirits, electronics and high-end magnificence merchandise.

Passengers who needed to relaxation may use the “don’t disturb” perform. In the event that they wished to be roused, they might customise the perform with “wake-up service” choices earlier than the primary and second meal providers.

The airline affords free Wi-Fi for first- and business-class passengers. In any other case, it is $9.95 for a one-hour move and $21.95 for the full-flight possibility with no knowledge caps. I used to be capable of swap Wi-Fi entry forwards and backwards between my telephone and pc simply, and the speeds had been superb, permitting me to get loads of work achieved whereas browsing on-line.

How was the meals in Cathay Pacific enterprise class?

Enterprise-class passengers are invited to preorder their principal meal from 10 days as much as 24 hours earlier than departure, although in actuality, the choices had been obtainable once I was logged into my reservation greater than two weeks upfront.

Among the many nondietary-specific decisions had been:

• Noodle soup with fish and shrimp balls, preserved cabbage and choy sum
• Roasted rooster breast in jus and bread sauce with child carrots and inexperienced beans
• Shanghainese braised pork stomach with pak choy, shiitake mushrooms and steamed jasmine rice
• Roasted cauliflower in chickpea stew with mint raita
• Spice-crusted cod with roasted cherry tomato sauce, sauteed spinach and coconut lentils
• Traditional beef hamburger with Gruyere cheese, coleslaw and pickles on a brioche bun with fries

These had been the identical decisions introduced on the inflight menus, so the benefit of ordering forward is especially to make sure you get the entree of your selection.

The appetizers included pea soup with ricotta and micro greens, in addition to poached prawns with horseradish and tomato sauce, child gem lettuce, avocado and sieved egg.

I chosen the shrimp, adopted by the pork. The shrimp tasted fairly recent, although the pork was a bit chewy.

There was additionally a cheese course of brie, cheddar and Roquefort, or a selection of desserts, together with:

• Inexperienced tea tiramisu
• Glazed lemon tart with raspberry
• Numerous Haagen-Dazs ice cream flavors
• Pralines
• Seasonal fruit

The drinks menu included Taittinger Brut Reserve Champagne, which flight attendants additionally served as a predeparture beverage, together with water and juice.

The opposite wines included:

• A 2020 Domaine de la Bressande rully from Burgundy in France
• A 2023 Framingham sauvignon blanc from Marlborough in New Zealand
• Echo de Lynch-Bages from Bordeaux in France
• A 2020 Grant Burge Filsell shiraz from the Barossa Valley in Australia
• A 2018 Dow’s Late Bottled Classic port from the Duoro Valley in Portugal

There was additionally a number of spirits, juices, Illy coffees, Jing teas, Hong Kong-style milk tea, traditional cocktails and a signature cocktail and mocktail.

The principle meal service commenced about 80 minutes into the flight and concluded inside 2 1/2 hours. Apart from dessert, the flight attendants introduced drinks and dishes individually to every passenger quite than through a trolley — an upscale contact, however one which causes the service to take longer. Given the size of this flight, that is not a serious subject, although.

The second meal menu, which flight attendants requested passengers to fill out forward of time, was extra like a breakfast or brunch. It featured fruit plates and pastries, plus a selection of principal dishes, together with:

• Cacao-chia pudding with coconut yogurt and blackberries
• A twice-baked souffle omelet with sauteed kale and cherry tomatoes
• Salted rooster and mushroom congee with pan-fried turnip cake and XO sauce
• Poached eggs with grilled bacon, sauteed mushrooms, vine tomatoes and potato rosti
• Specific breakfast with a pastry and sizzling drink

The primary meal was giant and I used to be anticipating a giant dinner with buddies upon touchdown in Hong Kong, so I selected the healthiest possibility: the pudding with berries. It was tangy and refreshing, simply what I wanted earlier than hitting the bottom. Together with it, I loved a cappuccino to perk me up.

Would you suggest Cathay Pacific Aria Suites?

Cathay Pacific business-class Aria Suites characterize a complicated evolution from the airline’s different business-class seats. Not solely do they really feel extra spacious and thoughtfully designed, however the leisure system is great, with every kind of revolutionary options.

The closing door works in addition to, if not higher than, some other I’ve skilled whereas flying and lends these seats a excessive diploma of privateness that makes flights much more stress-free.