First time flying Cathay (Business) Brisbane to London - what to expect?

[kinkacruiser]

Tell me about the experience on-board and at the stopover in Hong Kong. Are we allowed to leave the airport (6 hour layover)? Do we have use of the business class lounge at the airport and what's in there?

Thanks in advance.

 

[Simo]

IMHO,

Catahy doesn't respect other One World member benefits as much as they should.

HKG airport has many Cathay lounges so you can do some lounge hoping.

I have not flown J on Cathay.

 

[markis10]

Of course you can hop off the aircraft, in fact it's likely you will have a different one anyway for your next journey. As a J customer you have a plethora of lounges to enjoy:

G16 Lounge
Location details: Airside, Level 7, entrance near gate 16 at Level 6
Opening hours: Daily: 06:00-mid night
Business CentreFree WifiFood and BeveragesWheelchair Access




Qantas International Business Lounge
Location details: Airside, Level 5 (entrance via Level 6 opposite Gate 15)
Opening hours: 05:00-23:59
Business CentreFree WifiFood and BeveragesShowersWheelchair AccessTV




The Cabin
Location details: Airside, Level 5, entrance near gate 23 at Level 6
Opening hours: Daily: 05:30-last departure
Business CentreFree WifiFood and BeveragesWheelchair AccessTV


The Pier Business Class Lounge
Location details: Airside, Level 5, entrance near gates 62-66 at Level 6
Opening hours: Daily: 06:00-2330
Business CentreFree WifiFood and BeveragesShowersWheelchair AccessTV


The Wing Business Class Lounge
Location details: Airside, Level 6 & 7, reception near gates 1-4 at Level 6
Opening hours: Daily: 05:30-last departure
Notes: The Wing Business Class lounge has re-opened with a new look after the completion of a head-to-toe renovation. The new space features brand-new facilities – The Noodle Bar, The Long Bar, The Coffee Loft, Self-served buffet and 24 luxurious shower suites.
Business CentreFree WifiFood and BeveragesShowersWheelchair AccessTV

If you are also transiting on return via HKG, note you cannot buy Duty Free liquids to take back to Australia airside, it needs to in your checked baggage, so either buy it at the destination on arrival or get bags checked to HKG only and buy it on arrival, then recheck bags, having said that HKG is not the best as far as pricing goes but better than on arrival home.

 

[THE TRIMMER]

Cathay business great.Yes you can leave the airport,you should be able to leave your carry ons at the Cathay arrivals lounge as we did a couple weeks ago.Get the airport express to HK island or Kowloon, takes about 20 minutes.

 

[craven morehead]

Are you on CX253 HKG -LHR leg ? If so I flew that a month ago in J and was a great product. :mrgreen: And the nearest lounge to our gate was The Pier

 

[Grogan]

I flew CX J last year and loved it, the lounges in Hong kong are great as well

 

[kamchatsky]

I just flew CX J to HKG 1 month ago. CX J is fantastic product. I rate it on par with SQ J A380/77W, if not better.

HKG airport is great and has plenty of lounges. But with 6 hours layover (and you have luggage check through to LHR and have boarding passes) you definitely should go to town by buying Airport Express same-day-return ticket (cost the same as one way) to Hong Kong island and go to the Peak for example.

 

[kinkacruiser]

I just flew CX J to HKG 1 month ago. CX J is fantastic product. I rate it on par with SQ J A380/77W, if not better.

HKG airport is great and has plenty of lounges. But with 6 hours layover (and you have luggage check through to LHR and have boarding passes) you definitely should go to town by buying Airport Express same-day-return ticket (cost the same as one way) to Hong Kong island and go to the Peak for example.

This is very helpful and I'm looking forward to the flight even more.
The flights will be CX146 Bne -HK and CX 251 HK - Lon.

 

[kamchatsky]

This is very helpful and I'm looking forward to the flight even more.
The flights will be CX146 Bne -HK and CX 251 HK - Lon.

You are arriving at HKG at 6pm and leave HKG at 12am. Perfect timing to go to HKG for dinner/shopping/sightseeing. Definitely go the Peak if the night is good (ie no fog/rain etc). Just don't go to Lan Kwai Fong as you would ended up drinking too much!

 

[kinkacruiser]

You are arriving at HKG at 6pm and leave HKG at 12am. Perfect timing to go to HKG for dinner/shopping/sightseeing. Definitely go the Peak if the night is good (ie no fog/rain etc). Just don't go to Lan Kwai Fong as you would ended up drinking too much!

Thanks edison. Sounds like a plan We took the cable up to the Peak in March but couldn't see more than 50m in front of us. ...so disappointing.

 

[jadat]

Definitely get out of Airport...get up to the peak...book early and get a window seat. If not go to Tsim Sha Tsui and go to the top of one Peking [opposite Langham hotel] you can spend a dollar and sit to eat at AquaRoma or AquaTokyo...or get pizza + drinkies in the Aquabar [not as comfy]...the view is awesome...you see the lightshow as well... see the website aqua.com.hk

 

[Pushka]

Definitely get out of Airport...get up to the peak...book early and get a window seat. If not go to Tsim Sha Tsui and go to the top of one Peking [opposite Langham hotel] you can spend a dollar and sit to eat at AquaRoma or AquaTokyo...or get pizza + drinkies in the Aquabar [not as comfy]...the view is awesome...you see the lightshow as well... see the website aqua.com.hk

Loved our drinks at the Aquabar. Highly recommended but you need to book online.

Just adding to the Questions. I'm Flying HK - Adl on Cathay J class which was a classic seat award through Qantas. I'm a QP member but am only silver. Am I able to use Cathay Lounges or do I stick with QP?

 

[markis10]

Loved our drinks at the Aquabar. Highly recommended but you need to book online.

Just adding to the Questions. I'm Flying HK - Adl on Cathay J class which was a classic seat award through Qantas. I'm a QP member but am only silver. Am I able to use Cathay Lounges or do I stick with QP?

J class passengers can use any J lounge that I posted above.

 

[Pushka]

J class passengers can use any J lounge that I posted above.

Thanks. Might have my own little Lounge crawl!

 

[yohy?!]

6 hours is a nice amount of time to try out every OW lounge in the airport - save HK for the return trip

 

[trentusjuventus]

Agree with all that's been said about CX J being a great product. As for BNE lounge, the QF lounge that you will have access to there is comfortable, but nothing special. When you get to the lounges in HKG, try and snag yourself one of those fabulous Solus chairs, even if it's just for a little while. Can also recommend the Long Bar upstairs in the Wing (correct me if I'm wrong) for a beer and a pretty decent view.
Also, I'm pretty sure a same-day return ticket on the Airport Express is the same price as a regular one-way, which makes it excellent value for getting in and out of town quickly ($90HK or thereabouts).

 

[Julesmac]

The whole checkin at Kowloon is a dream.......amazingly fast, easy, efficient.....in Melbourne we can't even get a bloody train line to the airport....

 

[serfty]

Yes, a day return is the same price as a single.

HKD100 for Central & 80 for Kowloon

 

[MikedOut]

Marginally off topic....but sort of related. Flying CX J Syd to London, does anyone know if you can take a soft garment bag (i.e. suit bag) on as well as a 'normal' carry-on bag? The web site seems to say no but I thought I'd check on others experience.

 

[equus]

Marginally off topic....but sort of related. Flying CX J Syd to London, does anyone know if you can take a soft garment bag (i.e. suit bag) on as well as a 'normal' carry-on bag? The web site seems to say no but I thought I'd check on others experience.

No experience, but it as listed as an "extra" benefit for Marco Polo club members. No idea if this means they "protect" the benefit by enforcing a restriction on non MPC pax, or if it would make it easier to do, given you have QF SG and are in J.