SYD to JFK in J with CX - flight report

Status
Not open for further replies.
.....aaaannd last to the party as usual. Silly season very silly in my family.

Will review with great interest as long haul on CX might be a good use of AMEX points before April. Looks great :)
 
Thanks for your report. I am guessing your flight from NYC - HKG was less than enjoyable. Hopefully the HKG - SYD leg was better.

I’ve done these flights a few times but now I’m a bit nervous about my J CX to JFK flights in their spring.

As I was updating this thread as I was travelling on the NYC to HKG leg, I may not have expressed 'emotions' accurately. I wouldn't say that the leg was 'unenjoyable', but I also wouldn't say that it was 'enjoyable'. It was a thing that had to happen and that thing could have been worse but also could have been better. If you asked me if I'd like to do it again for fun or to have a good experience then the answer would be 'no thanks'. But if I needed to get to NYC again using reward points then I'd do it again – but I'd be hoping that other options were available. Incidentally, I've just had a look at flights from SYD to NYC for the same period in 2019/2020. Seems to be a lot less J availability with CX then there was when I booked this trip 12 months ago. More Premium Economy availability seems apparent though.


I've made a list of what could have made the flight more 'enjoyable'. Some things are out of CX control, of course.


1) Shorter flight time. At just under 17 hours in a plane, it would take a lot for me to find things enjoyable. I'm not a stranger to CX long flights and have done ORD to HKG and YYZ to HKG before. But this is a VERY long flight.


2) Entertainment system. I thought on the original HKG to NYC flight that the entertainment system was poor. After using the same system on the return journey I'd lower my rating to very poor. Why? Even though it was 16 days later and into a new month, basically the same offerings were still available (and I know that some of the offerings haven't changed in 2 years!). And the offering selection was never great to start with. The content selection is extremely disappointing. On the first flight I watched a couple of movies I hadn't seen and caught up on a couple of TV shows. So for the return journey nothing new was available. If I hadn't brought my own entertainment system along I would have been in serious trouble.


3) Food. The food options are fine. But I have a problem when you only get two meals and you're in a plane for 17 hrs (for HKG to SYD you also get two meals but the flight is 8 hrs 18 mins). The first meal is served straight after take off and the last is served 2 hrs before landing. So there's around 14 hrs with no meal. Snacks? Yes. Two options. A beef burger and a wonton soup as well as a small selection of muesli bars, ice cream, nuts and fruit. I understand that the burger and soup need to be ordered, but it would have been useful for the staff to come through the cabin a few times during the flight with a tray offering a selection of the other items. If you didn't go and seek them out then you wouldn't know they existed (no such similar snacks except the nuts were available HKG to SYD). If you were a fussy eater (like my +1) then you're in a world of trouble. Especially when the beef burger ran out 6 hrs before landing.


4) Sick passengers. The flight in J was full and there seemed a very high number of people (+1 included) who were exhibiting cold and flu type symptoms. Far too many passengers who appeared to care too little for others with spreading of germs. The bathrooms ran out of tissues.


Bottom line is that the flight is fine. Cathay service is solid. It's reliable. It's efficient. It's safe. Fancy? No. Disappointing? No. Enjoyable? Not for me.


HKG to SYD. After eating and drinking my fill in the lounges I slept about 3 hrs of the 8 hr 18 min flight to SYD. I didn't eat the dinner, but did eat the breakfast. It was adequate. Entertainment system issues the same as above. Sickness levels seemed less obvious.


Oh and if anyone has noticed when this post was made (just after 3.20am SYD time), yes I'm wide awake with jet lag!
 
Last edited:
The dreaded jet lag! I understand completely, I think after 17 hours in a plane I would want to poke myself in the eye. And if you didn't sleep well on either of the flights, I imagine the last few hours on the plane would have been very hard. Hopefully the last leg didn't take any shine of the rest of the trip.
 
Yes, noticed the time of yr post, hope you are back to normal tonight. Thanks for the observations.

What has stuck in my mind is the awfully long flight + lack of sleep and especially therefore the disappointing IFE updates. 'We' should make CX aware of this latter problem, and I don't carry my own entertainment. It is stressful to worry about getting catching something and getting sick on holidays. Year before last I forget my anti biotics and as a person prone to sinusitis I put it off for a while but then had to make a visit to a NYC doctor. It cost me around AUD350 all up to tell him I had sinusitis and then deal with an unfriendly expensive pharmacist.

As I was updating this thread as I was travelling on the NYC to HKG leg, I may not have expressed 'emotions' accurately. I wouldn't say that the leg was 'unenjoyable', but I also wouldn't say that it was 'enjoyable'. It was a thing that had to happen and that thing could have been worse but also could have been better. If you asked me if I'd like to do it again for fun or to have a good experience then the answer would be 'no thanks'. But if I needed to get to NYC again using reward points then I'd do it again – but I'd be hoping that other options were available. Incidentally, I've just had a look at flights from SYD to NYC for the same period in 2019/2020. Seems to be a lot less J availability with CX then there was when I booked this trip 12 months ago. More Premium Economy availability seems apparent though.


I've made a list of what could have made the flight more 'enjoyable'. Some things are out of CX control, of course.


1) Shorter flight time. At just under 17 hours in a plane, it would take a lot for me to find things enjoyable. I'm not a stranger to CX long flights and have done ORD to HKG and YYZ to HKG before. But this is a VERY long flight.


2) Entertainment system. I thought on the original HKG to NYC flight that the entertainment system was poor. After using the same system on the return journey I'd lower my rating to very poor. Why? Even though it was 16 days later and into a new month, basically the same offerings were still available. And the offering selection was never great to start with. The content selection is extremely disappointing. On the first flight I watched a couple of movies I hadn't seen and caught up on a couple of TV shows. So for the return journey nothing new was available. If I hadn't brought my own entertainment system along I would have been in serious trouble.


3) Food. The food options are fine. But I have a problem when you only get two meals and you're in a plane for 17 hrs (for HKG to SYD you also get two meals but the flight is 8 hrs 18 mins). The first meal is served straight after take off and the last is served 2 hrs before landing. So there's around 14 hrs with no meal. Snacks? Yes. Two options. A beef burger and a wonton soup as well as a small selection of muesli bars, ice cream, nuts and fruit. I understand that the burger and soup need to be ordered, but it would have been useful for the staff to come through the cabin a few times during the flight with a tray offering a selection of the other items. If you didn't go and seek them out then you wouldn't know they existed (no such similar snacks except the nuts were available HKG to SYD). If you were a fussy eater (like my +1) then you're in a world of trouble. Especially when the beef burger ran out 6 hrs before landing.


4) Sick passengers. The flight in J was full and there seemed a very high number of people (+1 included) who were exhibiting cold and flu type symptoms. Far too many passengers who appeared to care too little for others with spreading of germs. The bathrooms ran out of tissues.


Bottom line is that the flight is fine. Cathay service is solid. It's reliable. It's efficient. It's safe. Fancy? No. Disappointing? No. Enjoyable? Not for me.


HKG to SYD. After eating and drinking my fill in the lounges I slept about 3 hrs of the 8 hr 18 min flight to SYD. I didn't eat the dinner, but did eat the breakfast. It was adequate. Entertainment system issues the same as above. Sickness levels seemed less obvious.


Oh and if anyone has noticed when this post was made (just after 3.20am SYD time), yes I'm wide awake with jet lag!
TRhanks
 
The Frequent Flyer Concierge team takes the hard work out of finding reward seat availability. Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, they'll help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

AFF Supporters can remove this and all advertisements

Nice report! Always love NYC and planning a trip for the same time of year currently.

Glad you enjoyed Broadway. I did it on a scorching hot day at the end of August just gone so I imagine it would be quite different in winter. Perhaps one for next time! Did you start across the river in Marble Hill?

You didn’t consider upgrading F? I often see last minute award availability pop up though not sure about HKG-JFK.
 
Always love NYC and planning a trip for the same time of year currently.

Hope you get as lucky with the weather as I did. It had the potential to be a lot worse than it turned out to be.

My one piece of advice would be to not underestimate how expensive NYC is.


Glad you enjoyed Broadway. I did it on a scorching hot day at the end of August just gone so I imagine it would be quite different in winter. Perhaps one for next time! Did you start across the river in Marble Hill?

Yes. 225th street. Quite a long subway ride from Times Square.

It was one of the highlights of my trip. I'd happily do the same walk again.

You didn’t consider upgrading F? I often see last minute award availability pop up though not sure about HKG-JFK.

Didn't consider it. I could see that it was full though when on board.

Haven't been in CX F. I have been in Emirates F. I assume nothing much compares to that :)
 
Last edited:
We did this Aug. 2018 CX HKG to JFK return n J, was rather ordinary, J needs an upgrade for sure. Thought service and food offered was lacking.
 
It's now a week after returning home. My sleep patterns have only today returned to normal.

I'm no stranger to long flight/travel times, but the trip from NYC seemed to hit me hard. I'm sure it had to do with the 17 hrs from NYC to HKG.

But I haven't been put off too much. Have been looking for award flights to the US for Dec/Jan already :)
 
It's now a week after returning home. My sleep patterns have only today returned to normal.

I'm no stranger to long flight/travel times, but the trip from NYC seemed to hit me hard. I'm sure it had to do with the 17 hrs from NYC to HKG.

But I haven't been put off too much. Have been looking for award flights to the US for Dec/Jan already :)

And how's that faring with CX this time around, I'm guessing it's proving a tad more difficult..??
 
Sponsored Post

Struggling to use your Frequent Flyer Points?

Frequent Flyer Concierge takes the hard work out of finding award availability and redeeming your frequent flyer or credit card points for flights.

Using their expert knowledge and specialised tools, the Frequent Flyer Concierge team at Frequent Flyer Concierge will help you book a great trip that maximises the value for your points.

And how's that faring with CX this time around, I'm guessing it's proving a tad more difficult..??
Interesting actually. Large availability for some places virtually none or actually none for others. ORD and SFO seems to have good availability.

I took NYC a year out because it was available and I wasn't sure I'd see it again. Also because I knew I could spend 14 nights there even if it snowed everyday. Not as confident about Chicago.
 
Ralphy I get jet lag every time to / fro USA and EU - time wounds all heals - it won’t kill you you just gotta get on with it
 
Interesting actually. Large availability for some places virtually none or actually none for others. ORD and SFO seems to have good availability.

I took NYC a year out because it was available and I wasn't sure I'd see it again. Also because I knew I could spend 14 nights there even if it snowed everyday. Not as confident about Chicago.

I'd agree that there is definitely less availability overall, but if you're willing to be a little creative you can still get to the US fairly easily with CX.
 
I'd agree that there is definitely less availability overall, but if you're willing to be a little creative you can still get to the US fairly easily with CX.
'Creative'? Are you suggesting multi leg trips or something else?
 
'Creative'? Are you suggesting multi leg trips or something else?

Sorry creative probably wasn't the right word to use, I just meant there's a number of routes that CX service in North America that regularly have reward availability if you really need to get there with them.
 
I was due to head to the US in a few weeks time and spend more than 2 months there.

Sad when the best I can do is reminisce via an old trip report.
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Back
Top