Our father-son trip to Asia had to end sometime. So after busy and fun-filled visits to Bangkok, Ho Chi Minh City and Hong Kong, it was time to head home. From the Sheraton Hong Kong Hotel & Towers, it was a short walk to the bus stop for the free shuttle back to the Airport Express Train’s Kowloon Station. Soon after our arrival, we boarded a train for the 20-minute ride to the Hong Kong International Airport. I was fortunately able to turn in some American AAdvantage miles for 2 First Class tickets on Cathay Pacific Airways to New York. The airline flies from Terminal 1 and the First Class check in area was located in Aisle B. The pleasant experience was akin to having our very own, exclusive concierge looking after us. Once we received our boarding passes, we were personally escorted through Fast Track Passport Control and delivered right to The Wing, one of the airline's 2 renowned signature lounges at Cathay's hub airport.
The Wing is very conveniently located just after the main security area in the South Departures Hall near Gates 1 - 4. It‘s open from 5:30a until the last departure of the day. Unlike the Pier First and Business Class Lounges which are both situated underground on the opposite side of the terminal, The Wing First and Business Lounges are on the 7th floor, known as the Balcony Level. We were introduced to the Receptionist at the shared check-in area and then escorted off to the right, into the First Lounge. With “window walls” stretching up to the high ceilings‘ edge, this lounge enjoys an abundance of natural light. Plenty of seating was also available here on leather chairs and sofas in a subdued gray and burgundy color scheme. An air of sophistication was evident throughout the space. Flight monitors were conveniently located in most areas and power outlets for smartphones, laptops, tablets and eReaders were easily accessible. Just past the main area was an entire wall containing a wide selection of international newspapers and magazines. Seating was quite generous in the lounge and the open-air feel contributed to its grand appearance. Cathay Pacific did an excellent job in designing The Wing and making their customers feel welcome and special.
The Bar was located at the far end of the seating area and offered a full range of libations. Despite limited seating at the actual bar itself, attentive staff circulated frequently among the nearby tables so it appeared no one waited too long for a drink. The Haven is the “restaurant” within The Wing First Lounge where guests were seated to order from an a la carte menu consisting of both Asian and Western dishes. There was also an extensive buffet set up at the far end of the dining room. The lounge attendants during our visit did a fine job of keeping up with the guests, taking orders and delivering food in a timely manner. They also worked hard to ensure that tables in both locations were cleared as quickly as possible without making guests feel rushed. Amidst all this abundance, we intentionally had only coffee and juice, knowing full well we'd have an extensive meal once on board the aircraft.
Undoubtedly, the most unique aspect of The Wing First Lounge was something we never had an opportunity to experience - the cabanas. Although our wait list didn’t clear on the morning we visited, I’ve since learned all about them. Each of these 5 private cabanas, is equipped with a desk, day bed, shower and, believe it or not, a bathtub! The day bed would be ideal for a quick nap but a soak in the bathtub with a glass of champagne is a luxury I’ve never experienced in an airport lounge. (Maybe next time.) The shower has both waterfall and handheld heads and amenities like shampoo conditioner, face and body wash are provided. Bathroom facilities are located just inside the cabana entrance. Another neat feature is the 2-sided compartment where guests place items they’d like to have pressed while otherwise engaged. A sign in the cabana asks patrons to limit their stay to 90 minutes or less which sounds eminently fair to me. The Wing also had shower rooms with the same 2-sided compartments for garment pressing. Amenities abounded at this lounge and it was a real pleasure to wait for our flight in such comfort.
It only took about 5 minutes to get from the lounge to our departure gate. Cathay operates the B777-300ER on this long-haul route and we entered the plane through Door L1 to a warm greeting from one of the 2 First Class flight attendants. The cabin is very private with only 6 open suites in a 1-1-1 configuration in 2 rows. Those seats on the port side and in the middle are slanted to the left. Since we couldn’t sit together, we opted for the 2 window seats on the starboard side of the aircraft, Suites 1K and 2K which are slanted to the right. The seats themselves are huge at 36” wide with a generous pitch of 81” (more than 6’). Individual back and neck pillows were already on the seats when we boarded and the neck pillows were attached to the seat back with clever hook-and-loop fasteners to prevent them from sliding down the seat backs. It seems Cathay thought of everything to ensure our well-being.
There were only 2 other travelers on board that day’s flight in Suites 1A and 2A which made this very private cabin seem even more exclusive. As we settled into what would be our “home” for the next 16 hours, we were offered glasses of Krug Grand Cuvee Champagne and ramekins of warm nuts along with the menu for today’s journey. This was followed by hot towels (with a refreshing scent of mint) and then a tasty amuse bouche of mango and prawns. By this time, pajamas were also handed out for this long-haul flight and we were presented with really nice Bamford amenity kits. They contained everything we’d need for the trip, including a spray-on-face mist and eye shades sporting Cathay's "brush wing" brand mark. I must point out that we were greeted by name by both cabin attendants at every interaction. They could not have been more pleasant and no request seemed too large or too small.
Drinks were served shortly after take off and I followed this up with the King’s Imperial Fresh Caviar, accompanied by 2 beautiful pieces of Balik salmon along with flat bread, chopped onion, egg white, egg yolks and creme fraiche with chives. Served with a half lemon wrapped in cheesecloth, the starter also came with one small potato sliced in half. This called for another glass of Krug Champagne! I’ve heard so much about Cathay’s grilled steak so I didn’t hesitate to order the Grilled US Prime Angus Beef Strip Loin and I wasn’t disappointed. It arrived with a portobello mushroom, asparagus spears and oven-roasted potatoes topped with Bernaise sauce (a red-wine jus was also available). I selected a glass of the 2008 Chateau Lynch-Bages, Paula Bordeaux. This Grand Cru Classic is a superior wine that goes perfectly with a fine steak. Fruit and cheese followed the main course and I chose the Warm Belgian Chocolate Pudding with vanilla ice cream and raspberry coulis for dessert. What a meal and afterwards, I was ready for a nap. One of our flight attendants graciously offered to make up my bed. In the lie-flat mode, the seat transformed into one of the widest fully-flat beds in the sky complemented by luxurious bedding from Bamford, including a thick mattress, 600-thread count bedlinen, a selection of soft pillows and a calming pillow mist. It was so easy to fall right to sleep. In fact, I dozed for a good 6 hours, waking up feeling well rested and refreshed with about 6 hours of flight time left before we reached New York.
After my “nap,” it was time to check out Cathay’s Studio CX Entertainment System. Although I always travel with my own headphones, plastic-wrapped Bose noise cancelling headsets were made available to passengers. Their state-of-the-art inflight system was complimented by an 18.5” high-definition screen with a video handset controller. The “library” was recently updated and now offers 4 times more content featuring Hollywood blockbusters, complete TV box sets as well as Asian cinematic hits, the latest podcasts and a nice variety of musical selections. The good-sized monitor simply “slides out” from the shell of the seat in front and there’s even a small storage compartment underneath the monitor (I kept my shoes here during the flight). After a few movies and yet another nap, I cozied up with a book I had brought aboard and soon it was time for the pre-arrival snack. Mine consisted of some cream of mushroom soup and wok-fried shrimp and rice. Delicious.
We touched down at JFK Airport after a flying time of 16 hours and 6 minutes. This was the perfect end to a perfect trip.
Until next time…stay safe.
A great ending to a great trip - I have put on lbs just reading the blog about the food!
Now you got me good and hungry.... what a great end to a fabulous trip