For variety I was thinking of booking with Cathay Pacific. Any opinions on Cathay Pacific, LAX to BKK and return? I have flown several carriers. I usually go China Air or EVA but have on occasion had to use United Air or US Airways once each. Recently I used EVA with the business Elite class and caught a low season price of $1530 USD that was great.

Thanks,

GK

Cathay is a superior product in business class...better food that's for sure...but if price is a factor, EVA is usually quite a bit cheaper and the flight time through TPE is shorter than through HKG. Of course, lounges are much better with Cathay is that's any factor. All in all, EVA is usually great value for money if basically just want to get somewhere...service and planes very satisfactory.

I have used Cathay Pac back to the states my last 2 trips and the quality of food and service is fantastic...I highly recommend it

Let's try this in the Travel Forum. OK?

One of the worlds best airlines on any route, especially in Business Class.

Cathay is a great airlines. Very good business class, great staff, tasty food in the lounge and Hong Kong airport is very nice also.

I passed through HK airport in the middle of August and some of the shopping areas were doing a very brisk trade. It was a huge contrast to BKK.

TheWalkingMan

If you read a few airline trip reports on various sites, most pax hate the economy class in cathay as the seats don't recline at all, but rather the seat area slides out, 80% of the reviewers said they would not fly again as long as cathay has these types of seats. Flying in business class however is very good.

http://www.airlinequality.com/Product/Yseat-CX.htm

Cathay is a great airlines. Very good business class, great staff, tasty food in the lounge and Hong Kong airport is very nice also.

I passed through HK airport in the middle of August and some of the shopping areas were doing a very brisk trade. It was a huge contrast to BKK.

TheWalkingMan

Because airport shopping in HKG (and SIN) is the same products and pricing you find in their respective city-centre stores and malls and not over-priced junk that you find on offer by the retail monopoly at Swampy!

Edited August 31, 201114 yr by FarangBuddha

One of the worlds best airlines on any route, especially in Business Class.

I disagree. The herringbone setup is unpleasant. Also new business class is not fitted to all their planes so you might find yourself in an '80s style reclining chair.

Food is hit and miss. Wines are excellent though.

I flew Cathay last year in economy. I thought the seats were ok but I'm a shortarse who's easily pleased as far as seats are concerned. I didn't think that economy service was any better than Emirates and found the airport at Hong Kong to be a bleak and barren place. Changi is much much nicer.

If you read a few airline trip reports on various sites, most pax hate the economy class in cathay as the seats don't recline at all, but rather the seat area slides out, 80% of the reviewers said they would not fly again as long as cathay has these types of seats. Flying in business class however is very good.

http://www.airlinequality.com/Product/Yseat-CX.htm

basically, I agree. The economy seats on CX don't recline. When you slide yours down, you lose leg room. But when the passenger in front of you slides theirs down, the seat back doesn't move so you don't have a seat in your face. I think most of the reviewers forget that part.

I don't know which planes they use out of LAX, but out of JFK the business class seats are true flat beds. I don't mind the "herringbone" arrangement. The biz class food is excellent. The wine and liquor even better.

I have flown Cathay and Eva to SEA from LAX and agree with the above posters on the quality of service. Having said that, if my destination is BKK from LAX, I've been flying Thai Air on that route for years. Direct flight, no connections or layovers in Taiwan or Hong Kong, reasonable pricing on premium economy.

I have flown Cathay out of LA three times in the last couple of years and just booked my fourth flight. I know some have complained about the new seats in economy, but I like them. I am a bit over 6 foot and when I use the old style seats and the person on front reclines, my knees are at my chin, and that doesn't happen with the newer seats.

I also like the fact that once I have flown a couple of flights with them across the Pacific, I am a member of their Marco Polo Club, which allows me to use their business class lounge even if I am flying economy. It helps on those tedious layovers.

Cathay Pacific is one of the best airlines in the world. In fact voted as such a couple of times. I agree with the postings about Business Class - the old herring bone layout of seats is not great, but actually not so awful, in that it provides complete privacy. This is being replaced by flat bed seats, and you should check with the air line whether your route has the new seating. Their First Class is outstanding.