After a day exploring in Hong Kong it was time to head back to San Francisco. I would have loved to say another day or two, but that wasn’t an option as this trip was purely a mileage run. The goal of this particular mileage run was to get a head start on my American Airlines elite status for 2019.
I purchased this particular flight during Cathay Pacific’s Black Friday 2018 sale. As part of that sale I booked a round-trip flight from San Francisco to Hong Kong in Premium Economy on Cathay Pacific. For the outbound flight I was lucky enough to snag a flight on Cathay Pacific’s brand new Airbus A350-1000. I’ve flown in Premium Economy a few times on Cathay before, but the flight on the A350-1000 was my favorite yet.
To get home I wasn’t as lucky. For the flight home I was stuck taking the second San Francisco bound flight of the day and sadly the flight was on th Boeing 777. I had the option of flying the A350-900, but that would have required me to fly overnight to New York which I wanted to avoid. Instead, I stuck to the afternoon departure which meant I would be on the 777.
Although I would have preferred to fly on a newer aircraft, I was actually excited to fly the 777 again. I’ve reviewed two versions of the aircraft before, but at the time I didn’t have anything to compare it to. Now, after having flown Premium Economy a few times on different aircraft I have something to compare flights to which should help you choose if you ever end up making a similar decision.
Arriving At Hong Kong International Airport
To begin my journey home I decided to get to the airport several hours before my flight. Because I was only in Hong Kong for a little more than 24 hours I never actually adjusted to HK time. Instead, I woke up around 3AM, caught up on some work, and departed for the airport around 5AM. When I arrived at the airport the sun was just starting to rise.
After entering the airport I walked straight toward the Cathay Pacific First Class check-in area which I can use because of my OneWorld Emerald elite status. Unfortunately, as this was a US bound flight, I have to use the special US check-in area.
The check-in process for US bound flights required an additional screening questionnaire which also takes place at the gate. After a few questions I was directed to the check-in counter where I received my boarding card and was directed to the security and immigrations areas.
As far as I could tell there are no fast-track options available to passengers with elite status or traveling in a premium cabin (not premium economy). Even so, the security and immigration process took about 15 minutes and was relatively painless.
Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge
After passing through security I quickly made my way to Cathay Pacific’s The Wing First Class Lounge. Premium Economy passengers typically do not have lounge access, but I maintain access thanks to my OneWorld elite status. With OneWorld elite status I am able to access partner airline Business and First Class lounges even when traveling in Economy (or Premium Economy).
Cathay Pacific’s The Wing First Class Lounge is located just beyond the security checkpoint on the upper level. As you exit security, take a quick left, and you’ll be at the above sign in a few moments. Once inside you’ll quickly found the Champagne Lounge located just inside the entrance.
I’ve reviewed this lounge once before so for now I’ll just highlight a few features of the lounge.
As it was still early in the morning I immediately went to “The Haven” located inside The Wing lounge. The Haven is a full service restaurant which also offers an upscale buffet.
During my visit I opted for “the Chinese set” breakfast which never disappoints.
After my meal I decided to pass on a visit to the Cabana and instead left for The Pier lounge.
Cathay Pacific The Wing First Class Lounge
Although Cathay Pacific’s The Pier First Class lounge is on the other end of the airport terminal I find the walk well worth it. The Pier feels more like a living room than an airport lounge and for that I find it a much better space to spend a few hours.
Again, I’ve written a more detailed review of the lounge once before, so for now I’ll simply include a picture of the stunning central hallway of the lounge.
After a few hours in the lounge catching up on some work I left the lounge and proceeded to gate 3 to catch my flight back to the US. I had plans to stop at The Bridge and The Deck, but due to some poor time management had to rush to the gate.
Boarding The Cathay Pacific 777 To San Francisco
For the past two years, US bound flights have all departed from Gates 1 through 3. They choose these gates because US bound flights require additional screening and this area is effectively separated from the rest of the terminal by some retractable belt barriers.
When I arrived at the gate area there were already a few passengers waiting in line. Thankfully, because I have OneWorld Emerald elite status I was able to join the First Class line in which there was only one other passenger waiting.
The boarding process began just about 45 minutes prior to our scheduled departure. Prior to boarding the aircraft I had to first answer a few questions as this was a US bound flight. Unlike flights of years past, this additional security screening did not include a secondary luggage search. So, after answering a few questions, I passed through the gate door and down the hall to the glass jet-bridge.
I absolutely loved the glass jet-bridge and wish more airports offered them.
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy 777 Jet Bridge
While I love glass jet-bridges, what I don’t love is what I saw out of the windows. As I looked out of the windows I quickly noticed how old the aircraft I was about to board was. The aircraft featured Cathay’s old livery which was not a great sign of things to come.
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy 777 (77G) Cabin
On SeatGuru you’ll find that Cathay Pacific currently operates 5 different versions of the 777-300ER. Based on the seat-map it appears we were on the 77G version which is a bit different from the H or A variants.
Cathay’s 777 of course features the standard 2-4-2 Premium Economy layout. However, this variant lacks the dedicated premium economy lavatory as found on other 777s.
Along the window is a simple 2 across layout which is perfect for a pair traveling together.
On the back of each Premium Economy seat is an averaged size in-flight entertainment monitor. Below the monitor is a small shelf to store small items in flight. On either side of the IFE screen are a coat hanger and a USB outlet.
Premium economy seats are a bit winder and recline more than standard economy seats. Additionally, all premium economy seats on the 777 feature a leg rest and foot rests under the seat in front of you.
Bulkhead seats lack the aforementioned foot rest, but offer a footrest built into the leg rest. The foot rest limits under seat storage which can be frustrating for window seat or middle seat passengers who want to access their personal item.
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy 777 Cabin
Likewise, passengers cannot store items on the floor in front of them at a bulkhead seat. So, if you are sitting in premium economy, it’s best to plan to store everything you bring with you in the overhead bins.
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy Seat
For the flight across the pacific I chose seat 30K. According to SeatGuru this is a favorable seat, but I didn’t necessarily have a favorable experience.
The seat itself was nice enough and essentially offered a view of two windows.
The premium economy seat is plenty wide and offers ample leg room. That being said, I did find one significant issue of note with the seat.
Specifically, I had a problem with the massive floor to ceiling bulkhead in front of me. While the flat bulkhead prevented a seat from reclining into your face, that was about the only benefit.
The major issue with the bullhead is that all you see for the entire 13 hour flight is this…
I don’t often get claustrophobic on flights, but this seat pushed that limit. Bottom line, I’ve found that I much prefer sitting toward the back of the Premium Economy cabin in an aisle seat.
The bulkhead wall included an IFE screen which showed forward facing camera which was also welcomed as personal IFE screens have to be stowed during taxi, takeoff, and landing.
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy 777 Pre-Departure Service
After taking my seat the cabin crew began circulating the cabin frequently to ensure customers were comfortable. During this process one of the flight attendants stopped by my seat to offer up a pre-departure beverage. Available pre-departure beverage options included water, orange juice, or Champagne.
The Champagne was placed on the small stowable tray located within the center armrest.
A few moments later the flight attendant came back to our seats to distribute hot towels. Shortly thereafter both the hot towels and pre-departure service items were collected as we pushed back from the gate.
It was at this time that the chief flight attendant (purser) stopped by my seat to thank my for my loyalty. This gesture is something that happens on most OneWorld partner airlines. I always find the interaction a bit uncomfortable, but I must say I always appreciate the gesture. At the end of the day I do have a choice when I fly and I consistently choose the OneWorld Alliance so it is nice to be recognized. I personally wish American Airlines would implement this into their pre-departure service as well.
Taxi and Takeoff
As we pushed back from the gate the Cathay Pacific safety video played along with several pre-departure announcements. Our pilot provided a ton of information about the flight and weather as we taxied.
As we taxied toward the runway I quickly spotted the Singapore Airlines A350.
Beyond the A350 I didn’t notice too many interesting aircraft as we taxied, but Hong Kong International is typically a great place to plane spot.
After a short taxi we turned onto the runway and began our takeoff roll. A short while later we were in the air and climbing above the haze which covered Hong Kong.
As we reached our cruising altitude I took a few minutes to further explore the premium economy seat offered on the 777-300ER.
Cathay Pacific 777-300ER Old Premium Economy Seat
As I mentioned earlier, our aircraft was quite old and featured a very date premium economy seat. You can tell which seat your in by first the finish and second the IFE screen. There is a version of the emerald green cabin with updated IFE screens, but on this flight we had the oldest of Premium Economy cabins.
The older seats feature a tray table which is stored in the center armrest and finished in a faux carbon fiber vinyl. After pulling the tray table out of the armrest you’ll quickly find a small cup holder, but you’ll also notice a cup holder is lacking from the tray table once you fold it open completely.
Next to where the tray table is stored are the seat control buttons, the IFE headphone outlet, and the small retractable beverage tray. The two silver buttons control the seat leg rest and the seat recline.
Next to the leg rest you’ll find a power outlet located at every premium economy seat. Here you’ll find both a standard wall outlet and a USB outlet.
Overall, this particular seat is rather uncomfortable when compared to the newer premium economy seats found on the A350-1000 for example. That being said, this seat is far more comfortable than an economy seat. Further, I would much prefer to sit in Premium Economy over standard economy for a 14 hour flight. However, if I had to do this trip over again, I would have opted for the A350 which offers a more comfortable seat over the older 777 seat.
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy Amenity Kits
Like most premium cabins Cathay Pacific Premium Economy also offers in-flight amenity kits. The amenity kits are nowhere near as nice as those found in business or first class, but they do offer a few items that are nice to have on a long-haul flight.
The amenity kit is a small cloth pouch with a print on the outside front from Zixag and Danny Young.
Inside the amenity kit premium economy passengers will find a Cathay Pacific branded eye-mask, flight socks, ear plugs, a dental kit and an information card. The amenity kits lacked lotions or lip balms which perhaps I’ve come to expect in long-haul amenity kits.
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy 777 Lavatories
While the amenity kits lacked hand lotions, passengers could find complimentary hand lotion in either of the lavatories offered on the aircraft. Wow, that was one smooth segue.
Unlike some versions of the 777, the version I was on did not feature a separate lavatory for premium economy passengers. Instead, passengers had to exit the premium economy mini-cabin and walk to the standard economy lavatory.
The standard lavatories were exactly what you’d expect in an older aircraft. One thing that was noteworthy though was the complimentary hand lotion and face moisturizer found in the economy lavatory.
Otherwise, the lavatory is exactly what you’d expect to find in economy on any other aircraft.
After a quick visit to the lavatory I returned to my seat as the meal service began.
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy In-Flight Menu
Prior to takeoff all passengers were provided a premium economy dining menu.
The Premium Economy dining menu is essentially just a printed version of what is available in the standard economy cabin. The menu began with a listing of beverages (alcoholic and non-alcoholic) available on the flight.
Since our flight departed in the afternoon, the in-flight meal services began with lunch shortly after takeoff. For lunch passengers had a choice of stir-fried chicken, pan-fried sea bream, or rigatoni. A little more than halfway into the flight a dinner service was offered. Passengers could again choose between beef tenderloin or pan-fried prawns for the dinner service.
The menu is a nice touch although I’m not entirely sure how necessary it is. On the one hand, it’s nice to see all of the options available to you, but on the other, the options aren’t vast. As far as I could tell, catering in Premium Economy and regular economy is pretty much identical.
Note: I’m not sure why the menu pictures feature the colored bars above, sorry for the unusual photo quality.
Cathay Premium Economy Lunch Service
Just over an hour after takeoff the lunch service began. To begin the service, flight attendants circulated the cabin taking drink orders. A few moments later, they returned to serve lunch. One difference between regular and premium economy is that premium economy passengers receive an elevated dining experience. This essentially means a slightly better meal presentation and metal tableware.
As far as the food itself goes, the lunch served in Premium Economy was identical to that served in economy.
For lunch I opted for the stir-fried chicken entrée which came with a bowl of fresh fruit, a bread roll, and a brownie.
Overall, as with most Cathay Pacific meals, the food was quite good. Cathay Pacific’s catering may not have the best presentation, but it’s among my favorite (economy) airline food out there.
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy Cruise
After the lunch service concluded I immediately fell asleep as the sun set behind us. In fact, I fell asleep even before the flight attendants stopped by my seat to collect the lunch service items.
I woke up about 4 hours later as we were well on our way across the Pacific. When I woke up I decided to watch a movie or a few TV shows to pass the time.
In the bulkhead premium economy seats the in-flight entertainment monitors flight up as there is no seat-back to mount them. The screens must be stowed during taxi, takeoff, and landing which can be a bit frustrating. Likewise, the screens can be a hassle to deal with when climbing in and our of your seat. I much prefer the A350-1000 for this reason as the IFE screens are simply mounted to the bulkhead wall.
After watching a movie and an episode of a show I loaded up the moving map to see where we were. It turns out we were just about 5 hours from San Francisco which meant it was time for the Dinner service.
Cathay Pacific Premium Economy Dinner Service
One thing that consistently frustrates me about Cathay Pacific economy (and premium economy) is that the flight attendants turn on the cabin lights for meal services. This wouldn’t be a problem if the services were at either end of the flight, but typically the crew serves the second meal somewhere in the middle of the flight. This means that in the middle of the “night” all the cabin lights are turned on which wakes up most passengers.
For the dinner service, again the meal arrived on a tray with a metal tin which housed the entree of my choosing.
For dinner I selected the Beef Tenderloin dish which did not look remotely appealing when I uncovered the dish.
Thankfully the beef dish tased much better that it looked. After I finished my meal the flight attendants again stopped by to collect the service items and delivered a pint of ice cream. From this point on the cabin lights did not turn back off even though we had about 5 hours or so of flight time remaining.
Arriving In San Francisco
As I mentioned above, the cabin lights remained on for the last 6 or so hours of the flight. Typically on an “overnight” flight the cabin crew requires all window shades to be drawn and will dim the lights. On this flight though, since the cabin lights were already on, most of us had are window shades open as we finished our TransPacific journey.
The only reason I ended up liking my window seat was thanks to the incredible view of San Francisco as we reached the shoreline.
Also, I loved seeing Silicon Valley from the air. As we flew toward SFO I even managed to catch a glimpse of Apples Infinite Loop Campus.
About 30 minutes after seeing the California coastline we made the final turn to SFO and began our final decent.
The landing at SFO was smooth, but the taxi toward the international terminal took several minutes.
Before long we reached the gate, disembarked, and began the walk toward the international arrivals hall. Thankfully, as I use Mobile Passport, it took just a few minutes to enter the United States and I had plenty of time to spare before boarding my connecting flight to New York.
Overall Impressions Of Cathay Pacific’s “Old” Premium Economy
As I mentioned at the beginning, I think it’s now worth comparing this older Premium Economy product to the newly designed cabins found on the A350 and newer 777s. For starters, as you enter the aircraft you’ll quickly notice how dated the older 777 Premium Economy cabins appears. The simple green seats with the faux carbon fibre looks worn and tired. The older cabin looks especially tired when compared to the modern and fresh design found on newer aircraft.
Second, the older premium economy seat just isn’t as comfortable to sit in for several hours. Although I’m always surprised how comfortable Cathay Pacific Premium Economy seats are for long flights, I noticed these seats were far less comfortable than their newer counterparts.
Another thing I noticed about the older seats is that they lacked seat storage. The newer seats have a very small cubby located in the center armrest where you can store a wallet or a cell phone in flight which is a nice feature. These older seats only offer storage in the seat-back pocket and personally, I don’t want to put my phone in that pocket for several reasons.
Final Thoughts
Overall, I must say that I once again appreciated another flight in Premium Economy with Cathay Pacific. Considering flights to Hong Kong are generally well over 13 hours, I’d say the bigger seat, additional recline, and leg rest is worth the small premium.
On Black Friday, Premium Economy seats were just a few hundred dollars more than economy seats. On most other days, I’ve seen Premium Economy seats go for about double the cost of a standard economy seat. While I wouldn’t recommend spending twice as much to fly premium economy, I would say it’s worth a small premium.
Ultimately, if you are going to choose premium economy and you have multiple options, I’d recommend picking a flight operated by an A350 over the 777. You could get lucky and find yourself on an updated 777, but if you chose the A350 you will definitely fly in an updated cabin which is significantly more comfortable.
