It was back to the United States this year for my annual hiatus (aka vacation). And Cathay Pacific was the plane of choice (this time), flying from Manila to JFK with a transit in Hong Kong. I wanted to try Cathay Pacific considering that it had excellent flight schedules.

Manila to Hong Kong to JFK

The flight was on an A330 and while the herringbone configuration was nice, the plane looked like it was about to retire. The screen was barely working as there was a huge delay in trying to figure out what movies to watch. As you touched the plastic screen – yes, plastic – it was literally unresponsive. Wifi was okay after 30,000 feet and worked well till we got to Hong Kong.

The lounge in Manila and the Pier in Hong Kong, was excellent. I should say that the lounges of Cathay Pacific served very good food and had amenities that were fit for the travel class. I liked the fact that it was a dedicated airline lounge for those flying on CX and there was no sharing of the lounge, especially out of Manila. In Hong Kong, you can find various business class lounges near your departure gates.

The A350 from Hong Kong to JFK (with the Herringbone configuration) was much better. It had slightly more room and the entertainment system was also much better (no more plastic). Food was fine, but the service needs improvement. They really don’t bother you at all, even when you’re awake, to ask you if you want anything to eat or drink. The crew just passes you by, unless you get up and ask them in the galley or ring for the crew to bring you food.

Departure and arrival was on time and although there was so much turbulence during the flight, I was able to get a comfortable sleep with their Bamford beddings.

The return flight

This was a nightmare.

Our flight out of JFK was scheduled at 250PM. And while the captain announced that all passengers were accounted for at 245PM, a seat problem (which was malfunctioning) needed to get resolved before we could take off. Because it was a full flight, this issue could not be resolved just by transferring the passenger to another seat. We departed at 430PM, which meant that I would miss my connecting flight.

This 777 configuration had first, business, premium economy and economy class. Another outdated plane, which probably accounted for the seat malfunction. Cathay Pacific should really retire these planes because they’re so dated that I even wonder how they can make the very long haul flight a comfortable one. They have their new Aria Suites which they fly to Sydney, London, Beijing (why?), and Toronto. They should use these new planes for the longer hauls. It’s a pity because we pay so much for mediocre service.

The meals out of the US flight was so-so. It wasn’t fantastic but neither was it bad. The fish ball noodles were very good. Stick to that. You won’t regret it. Otherwise, the meals were uhmmm….so-so. I had better meals on a plane.

Service was mediocre and an apologetic crew that could only say, they’re sorry for the delay and that someone on the ground would assist us.

The Wifi was not working at all during the return flight (except for a few minutes). So much for free Wifi.

The Hong Kong to Manila last flight was on a 777 with a 2-3-2 configuration. While it was not lie flat, it was spacious compared to the herringbone seats. I had to hold the plug for the audio on my seat because the headset was deaf – only one ear was functioning.

Conclusion

If Cathay Pacific wants to stay in the game and regain its stand in the travel industry, it has to make sure that it outpaces the competition.

CX has old planes. Very old. The pandemic had hit them hard and while they are trying to recuperate their lost glory, they need to really step up rapidly in this business.

Next time I’m flying long haul, I’ll stick to my favorite airlines – ANA and JAL. While their connection times are a bit off, they stand out far far from what Cathay Pacific offers when it comes to service.