This is an old flight from 2018 I had booked as part of a long trip through Asia and chose these flights in particular because they featured a first class cabin, now very rare to find on flights within Asia. Nevertheless, here is my experience on Cathay Pacific’s short haul first class service.
Flight #1: CX 708
Seat 1A
Departing from Bangkok at 17:45
Flight #2: CX 903
Seat: 1A
Departing from Hong Kong at 16:40
Boarding
First class passengers on both flights boarded through a private jet bridge where the purser welcomed each passenger on board and escorted us to our seats. Shortly after being seated, I was offered a glass of champagne and some warm nuts.
Interestingly, the Bangkok to Hong Kong flight was completely full in first class while on the flight to Manila I was the only one!
Want to guess which flight was better?
Cabin and Seat
The Cathay Pacific first class cabin is very intimate with only 6 seats across two rows in a 1 – 1 – 1 configuration. The left side (A seats) are the best for solo travelers as you’ll only share the aisle with one other passenger, while the middle and right side seats share the right aisle though are still quite private. Couples might not find these seats so appealing as there is no way to see your travel partner when seated.
Excellent Privacy from Seat 1A
While Cathay Pacific’s first class cabin doesn’t feature the most flashy or modern first class seats, they are extremely comfortable and spacious with plenty of storage and great privacy. The seat itself is among the widest in the sky (if not the widest) and should easily fit two adults sitting side by side. Thankfully that isn’t necessary as the ottoman can double as a second seat in case you wish to dine with someone else at your seat.
To the left of my seat is a large wooden tabletop mostly used for drinks. Here you’ll also find some storage compartments as well as the dining table which pops out from a compartment.
The biggest disappointment of these seats for me was the IFE screen which was fairly small and low quality, though I believe Cathay Pacific has since replaced these with modern, larger screens.
Food and Drinks
On both flights I was served a full dinner with one appetizer for all passengers, three main dishes to choose from, and one or two options for dessert.
The menu from Bangkok to Hong Kong read as follows:
I went for the yellow Thai chicken curry for my main which was packed with flavor.
The menu from Hong Kong to Manila read as follows:
I went with the stuffed chicken breast for my main course which I also enjoyed. I was honestly extremely full after eating a ton at the first class lounge, though the crew pressured me to try as much as possible including both desserts.
There was also a nice selection of beverages which read as follows for both flights (I didn’t get the full alcohol list):
The meal service was good on both flights, though not especially memorable. The best part of the meal on the Hong Kong to Manila flight was the amazing service I received, being the only first class passenger, always a fun time!
After the meal service, we were offered some pralines which of course were delicious (I wish I had asked for more)!
Amenities
Cathay’s long haul first class offers plenty of nice amenities like pajamas and turndown service, however none of that was offered on this flight. There was no amenity kit, slippers, pajamas, mattress pad, or proper bedding available. This is all of course understandable on a short flight like this, though I was still hoping for some of the traditional first class amenities.
Both flights did however offer Bose headphones to all first class passengers which are the best offered by any airline in my opinion.
I was of course offered several pillows as well as a large, comfortable blanket though after the meal there was little time to rest before we were starting our descent.
Service
The service I experienced on these two flights couldn’t have been more different. With a full cabin on the first flight, service was not very personal as the crew were busy with the meal service for six first class passengers. On the other hand, being the only first class passenger to Manila, I experienced some of the best service on any flight I’ve taken and offered anything they had on board. This was truly a memorable flight as are all of my experiences with empty or nearly empty premium cabins.
Bottom Line
It was such a treat to be able to fly first class on short flights like this within Asia. For the right price, the additional comfort and service you receive in first class as opposed to business is definitely worth it!
Currently the only flight with consistent first class service within Asia is CX 548 and CX 549 between Hong Kong and Tokyo, though occasionally you can find first class on flights to Manila, Singapore, Bangkok, Seoul and Taipei.
