Economy: Qantas or Cathay

[rambausek]

Hi, planning a trip from Syd to Frankfurt, Economy.

Could you please let me know who has the better economy class: Qantas or Cathay?

I am a Qantas Gold FF.

Thanks

 

[docjames]

QF.

CX has hard shell seats with seat base slide forward, so IMO unless you are quite short, CX is not comfortable at all. mrsdoc was also uncomfortable (5'6") but I was in agony (6'5") after 8hrs DXB-HKG. Service etc were fine, it was all the seat (even on the A330 with 2-4-2 and having the "2" together on the side).

Both have other pros and cons (food, service, consistency etc), but I wont fly CX Y long haul unless the seats are confirmed to be changed.

There have been threads on CX seating previously.

Edit: welcome to the forum. Have a go at the search page, it's not perfect, but if you search Cathay or CX, long haul, seating and it should come up.

 

[samh004]

As previously stated, Qantas for long-haul Y, even better if you get their new product (like that in the A380). Cathay’s Y seats are awful, though in a few years time I expect they’ll be switched for something better, can you wait that long?

 

[yohy?!]

Cathay for Day flight, Qantas for night

The seats are murder on cathay....poor schoolkids trying to sleep with heads on the tray tables

 

[Fantic125]

Cathay seat spacing isn't too bad when you're seated upright.

When you incline, you move forward, so any legroom is lost. :shock:
The padding is also fairly thin, particularly if you have a scrawny cough like me.

 

[pshepvic]

As previously stated, Qantas for long-haul Y, even better if you get their new product (like that in the A380). Cathay’s Y seats are awful, though in a few years time I expect they’ll be switched for something better, can you wait that long?

Should be less than a few years - CX recently announced that they are removing the hard shell seats from all long haul aircraft and are putting them into their short haul planes, and therefore also introducing new seats for long haul. I don't remember the exact timeline, but I'm pretty sure the fitouts were starting this year along with the new J class seating.

 

[BensAdventures]

It's very simple for me. I refuse to fly Y with CX until 'those' seats are gone. Maybe a day flight might be ok, but I'd fly QF Y any day compared to CX. I didn't mind the old CX J seats, but the new ones look great!

 

[Timba-Jet]

Cathay for Day flight, Qantas for night

Agree, if not needing to sleep then no issues with the CX shell seats.

 

[samh004]

Should be less than a few years - CX recently announced that they are removing the hard shell seats from all long haul aircraft and are putting them into their short haul planes, and therefore also introducing new seats for long haul. I don't remember the exact timeline, but I'm pretty sure the fitouts were starting this year along with the new J class seating.

That’s what I was referring to, but the last fit-out wasn’t quick, so I don’t expect this one to be either. I also expect the A330’s to take a back seat to other planes in the fit out, and for an Australian flight that’s really the only thing you should be looking at.

 

[pshepvic]

That’s what I was referring to, but the last fit-out wasn’t quick, so I don’t expect this one to be either. I also expect the A330’s to take a back seat to other planes in the fit out, and for an Australian flight that’s really the only thing you should be looking at.

Ah bugger - I was hoping to get an Amex Companion fare with CX a bit later this year so might have to hold off with that until the refit is done.

 

[samh004]

Ah bugger - I was hoping to get an Amex Companion fare with CX a bit later this year so might have to hold off with that until the refit is done.

I don’t have any inside knowledge of course, but they mainly focused on their other larger aircraft/routes last time, so I don’t see why it’ll be any different this time.

 

[browski]

If you are redeeming an award for this trip then QF would be the choice in Y (or possibly JAL since you depart from SYD).
However the best Y option would be either Emirates or Singapore Airlines. Price will be better and (obviously) superior service (to QF at least, not CX)
They both fly the A380 on their respective first legs; I prefer the EK option because of their convenient arrival time into FRA and the longer journey in the A380.) I don't believe the QF A380 flight from SYD-SIN would arrive early enough to connect to the FRA flight (but I could be wrong

EK and SQ will also give you the nice flexible option of flying into FRA, but departing from a different European city. (CX also does but QF would limit you to FRA/LHR).

 

[pauly7]

QF.

CX is not comfortable at all. mrsdoc was also uncomfortable (5'6") but I was in agony (6'5") after 8hrs DXB-HKG.

I wont fly CX Y long haul unless the seats are confirmed to be changed.
.

100% agree with these comments.

I have no idea how CX got those seats through market research or even a decent designer. I will not fly them - flown once, never again.

They should hand out free vouchers for back adjustments and Physio for everyone forced to endure them

Can't wait for them to be replaced!

 

[dot]

I have flown both plenty of times, day and overnight. I like the CX seats for daytime flights - I prefer them actually unless I get a bulkhead QF Y seat. On overnight flights however, it is a different story. QF seats are MUCH better for overnight flights. Since you are going SYD-FRA, If you are flying on CX, you wont be able to avoid CX289 which is overnight HKG-FRA, so if it were me, I would fly QF SYD-SIN-FRA - the other bonus is that when flying QF, you will get the tier bonus which you wont get if flying CX.

 

[samh004]

I have no idea how CX got those seats through market research or even a decent designer. I will not fly them - flown once, never again.

Same way QF manages to approve various designs and food ideas

 

[rambausek]

Thanks everybody for all these insights! Appreciate it! Great forum!