Trip Report: Cathay Pacific Business Class CX715 777-300 - HKG to SIN (Hong Kong to Singapore)

Airline: Cathay Pacific | Aircraft: 777-300 | Class: Business | Flight: CX715 (HKG-SIN)

While I typically do like to start all my trip reports with a little glimpse into the airline lounge, my flight in from Xi'an Xianyang International Airport (XIY) made it impossible to drop by one of the Cathay Pacific lounges due to a tight connection. In fact, I really wanted to take the opportunity to check out The Centurion Lounge in Hong Kong International Airport on this trip but I guess I will have to visit Hong Kong again in the near future to do that.

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Cathay Dragon Business Class

XIY-HKG (KA943)

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As mentioned in my previous trip report on Cathay Dragon Business Class, I was actually traveling on a revenue ticket from Xi'an to Singapore via Hong Kong and that cost less than S$1,000 for a one-way trip which I thought was reasonable since I did not have to catch a high-speed train back to Beijing (which is pretty costly, to begin with) and I actually get to spend more time in the ancient city of Xi'an. Due to a slight delay in arrival as well as a tight connection, I was escorted from my flight in from Xi'an to the plane immediately after the plane has touched down. 

Cabin View from Seat 14A
Cathay Pacific Business Class CX715 777-300 - HKG to SIN

At the time of writing, CX715 from Hong Kong to Singapore is operated by a 777-300 which means you are going to be stuck with Regional Business Class seats. As much as I try to avoid Business Class products that are not arranged in a 1-2-1 layout, this flight was pretty much inevitable as I had a connecting flight from Xi'an. There are 42 recliner seats in Business Class and they arranged in a 2-3-2 layout (so make sure you select your seat if you do not wish to be sandwiched in the middle). Each recliner seat in Business Class comes with at least 45 inches of seat pitch (as compared to 32 inches in Economy Class) as well as 20 inches of seat width (as compared to 18.2 inches in Economy Class). As you would imagine, the bulkhead seats in Row 11 (if you are sitting in the middle) and Row 12 (if you are sitting on the left and right side of the plane) have the most legroom but they are also the closest to the bathroom and galley. 

Drink Trolley
Cathay Pacific Business Class CX715 777-300 - HKG to SIN

My previous flight segment (XIY-HKG) earned me 2,500 Asia Miles in Business Class but since Cathay Pacific is a partner of the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program, I have decided to credit this flight segment (HKG-SIN) to the latter program and that earned me 5,194 AS Miles (since I had MVP Gold status which gives me 100% more base miles). If I were to credit that same flight into Asia Miles, I would have only gotten 2,500 miles. It is always a good idea to check out alternative frequent flyer programs (FFPs) on revenue business class flights to find one that is suitable for you - while it is ideal for you to credit your flights into the FFP with the best accrual rates, it is also prudent to consider whether that program has any use for you. While I do have a Marco Polo Club membership, I do not fly on CX or KA often enough to make use of its benefits so crediting my flights into that program is not exactly ideal for me personally.

Champagne and Warm Nuts
Cathay Pacific Business Class CX715 777-300 - HKG to SIN

For this flight, I have pre-selected Seat 14A since I prefer a window seat and the product looked very similar to the one that I have just experienced on Cathay Dragon. I was pretty surprised to find that the entire Business Class cabin was full (I thought that it would be relatively empty with the unrest in Hong Kong) so it definitely felt a bit crowded (especially since the cabin layout was 2-3-2 versus 1-2-1 which I am personally used to). Shortly after the plane has taken off, the cabin crews came out of the galley with a meal trolley to begin beverage service. I received a small bowl of warm nuts to go alongside my poison of choice - Champagne. In case you were wondering, Cathay Pacific offered Piper-Heidsieck NV Brut on this flight but I had to ask for refills throughout the flight which was rather annoying (as opposed to a much more pleasant experience on Cathay Dragon). Perhaps it was due to the full Business Class cabin but I did find the service on this flight in particular pretty average - it was not terrible but it definitely ranks amongst some of the most lackluster Business Class experiences that I have ever had. 

Marinated Scallop, Smoked Salmon, Asparagus and Pesto Creme Fraiche Mixed Salad with Kalamata Olives and Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette
Cathay Pacific Business Class CX715 777-300 - HKG to SIN

Since I did not manage to drop by an airport lounge prior to this flight, I was actually feeling pretty hungry by the time the cabin crew began dinner service. Marinated Scallop, Smoked Salmon, Asparagus and Pesto Creme Fraiche Mixed Salad with Kalamata Olives and Tomato Balsamic Vinaigrette was served as a starter and one of the cabin crew went around the Business Class cabin to offer some freshly-reheated bread - I opted for the garlic bread of course (some people think this is better than the ones served on Singapore Airlines!).

Pan-Fried Beef Fillet in Preserved Lemon Sauce, Sugar Snap Peas with Goji Berries and Steam Jasmine Rice - Hong Kong Flavours
Cathay Pacific Business Class CX715 777-300 - HKG to SIN

For my choice of mains, I opted for the Pan-fried Beef Fillet in Preserved Lemon Sauce, Sugar Snap Peas with Goji Berries and Steam Jasmine Rice which was a dish featured under the “Hong Kong Flavours” menu. While the food presentation was not great, the taste did make up for it. Following that, a selection of cheese, fruits as well as ice-cream was also served to passengers who wanted it. Honestly, I did not think my experience on Cathay Pacific was terrible but it was extremely forgettable as well. Until a new carrier operates a direct flight between Singapore and Xi’an (that is not on Scoot), I will probably still stick with Cathay Pacific since the seats are quite comfortable and it allows me to accrue miles on the Alaska Airlines Mileage Plan program while I am at it.