Intro

Regional business class on short Asian flights can be hit or miss – you’re often paying premium prices for rushed service and basic lounge food.

Cathay Pacific’s 2.5-hour Bangkok to Hong Kong route proves it doesn’t have to be that way.

Starting with one of Asia’s most thoughtfully designed airport lounges, this was a solid example of how to do premium travel right on shorter flights.

The Pier

Located near Gate 65 in Terminal 1, The Pier requires a decent walk from security, but it’s worth it.

At 3,300 square metres, it accommodates 550 guests, but thanks to innovative design, it never feels crowded.

The space features emerald green tiles, brass lighting, limestone, cherry wood, and leather seating that make you forget you’re in an airport.

But the real value is in the five distinct zones, each serving a specific purpose

cathay.pier
A row of potted plants sits on a black table in a modern room, with a geometric wall hanging and wood paneling in the background.
Airport lounge with black armchairs and tables facing large windows overlooking an airplane parked at the gate and ground service vehicles outside.

The Teahouse

Not just tea bags in hot water, properly curated Jing Tea selections, from Ceylon breakfast to jasmine spring tips, all displayed in glass containers with clear labelling

Tea arrives in white ceramic teapots alongside small pastries, served in an area with brown leather sofas against striking green tile walls.

It’s genuinely calming, a real retreat from terminal chaos.

A modern cafe interior with green tiled wall, brown cushioned bench seating, small wooden tables, a round table, and wooden chairs under hanging lights.
A teapot, teacup, and napkin on a tray sit next to a glass of green juice and a plate with two pastries on a wooden table in a modern cafรฉ setting.
A buffet table with jars of tea leaves, plates, pastries, teapots, and a hot water dispenser in a modern cafรฉ setting.
A close-up of a tea menu on a wooden clipboard, listing various loose teas with descriptions, displayed on a dark countertop.
Three glass pitchers of juiceโ€”orange, green, and redโ€”are displayed on a counter, each with a sign listing its ingredients in front of it.
Modern cafe interior with wooden chairs, round tables, hanging pendant lights, and a counter with drinks; one person sits while another works behind the counter.

The fresh juices looked good, and the biscuit selection was surprisingly decent quality.

What impressed me was the continuation of this tea service onboard in business and first class, Cathay understands that premium touches should be consistent.

The Noodle Bar

This is where The Pier really delivers.

Made to order Hong Kong specialties, including Dan Dan noodles with spicy peanut sauce, wonton noodles, and various dim sum options.

A modern sushi bar with a stainless steel counter, green tiled base, black bar stools, and chefs preparing food behind the counter.
Three menu cards on a green-tiled counter display options for noodle soup, dim sum, and Hong Kong-style roasted meat, with chefs working in the background.
A buffet station with six small dishes containing various condiments and toppings, each with a serving spoon, arranged on a two-tier wooden stand.

Food typically arrives within five minutes, and the Dan Dan noodles were genuinely good, rich, nutty sauce with just enough heat.

A bowl of soup with herbs, served with side dishes of pickled cucumber, garlic cloves, and marinated snails on a black tray with a spoon, chopsticks, and napkin.

This made to order concept is a signature feature of Cathay lounges, and it’s exactly the kind of authentic local cuisine that makes lounge experiences enjoyable.

The Food Hall

Goes beyond typical lounge fare with stone-oven-baked focaccia and pizza, artisan breads, quality cheese and charcuterie selections, and a salad bar.

The visual presentation matters: pickled vegetables in glass jars, fresh pastries properly displayed, and that stone oven creating some theatre around pizza preparation.

People sit and eat at wooden booths and tables in a spacious, well-lit restaurant or lounge with a modern design.
Bakery counter displaying focaccia bread, cakes, apples, jars of snacks, and stacked plates behind a glass shield.
A buffet setup with assorted cheeses, cold cuts, bowls of salad, utensils, pepper grinders, and condiments on a counter.
A plate with two slices of pizza and a glass of red wine sit on a long, empty counter in a modern dining area.
Three wooden boards display a few slices of pizza under a glass counter in a cafeteria setting, with a menu card placed in the center.
Salad bar with white bowls of mixed greens, small containers of dressing, and printed menu cards labeled "Dressing" and "Salad" in English and Chinese.

The La Marzocco coffee station serves excellent espresso, which is particularly important when spending hours here during connections.

Three glass jars filled with stacked cookies sit on a stainless steel counter next to a plate with tongs, in front of a blue espresso machine.

Pre Departure

Onboard, I found a bottle of water and the inflight menu waiting. The crew offered pre-departure beverages, and I selected champagne served alongside a refreshing hot towel.

A bottle of water and a menu are placed on an airplane windowside table with a view of the airport terminal outside the window.
A glass of white wine on an airplane tray table next to a menu and napkin, with airplane windows and sunlight in the background.

What stood out was Lillian, the cabin manager, who took the time to introduce herself to each passenger before takeoff personally.

This wasn’t scripted, but a genuine effort to make us feel welcomed.

A business class airplane seat with a pillow, seatbelt, adjustable controls, a water bottle, and a magazine on a side table next to windows.
Business class airplane seats with grey upholstery, personal entertainment screens, pillows, and partitioned suites arranged in a spacious cabin layout.
First class cabin on an airplane with private suites, individual screens, light gray partitions, and overhead storage; a framed artwork is mounted on the wall.

The crew’s comprehensive drink orders before departure further eliminated any potential interruptions.

Meal Service

For a 2.5-hour flight, Cathay offered surprisingly robust meal service with three proper choices: braised chicken, Australian beef tenderloin, and miso halibut.

A business class menu with images of plated meals is placed on a textured tray table.
Open booklet displaying a black and white photo of mint leaves on the left page and bilingual English-Chinese dining information with text on the right page.
An open airline menu rests on a tray table, displaying refreshment options on the left and wine selections with descriptions on the right.
A drink menu open on a table, featuring a list of beverages in English on the left and in Chinese on the right, with a red stitched binding down the center fold.

The inflight menu showcases dishes from Michelin-starred Duddell’s, part of Cathay’s ‘Hong Kong Flavours’ concept that launched in February 2023.

I selected the halibut, and the presentation was immediately impressive – attention to visual details you don’t expect on short regional flights.

An airline meal with bread, rice rolls, vegetables, salad, three drinks, and a napkin is served on a tray in a business class airplane seat.

The seaweed accompaniment came beautifully wrapped, and the prawn starter deserves mention: exceptionally fresh and perfectly chilled.

A tray of airline food with rice, vegetables, fish, a bread roll, salad, three drinks, and a small container of dressing or sauce.
A bowl of shrimp with couscous, corn, and a lime wedge is served on a tray next to a green beverage with mint and a small dish of sauce.

My miso halibut was expertly prepared – tender, flaky fish with delicate umami notes that enhanced rather than overwhelmed the natural flavour.

The miso glaze added savoury depth without the artificial saltiness you often get in airline adaptations of Japanese cuisine.

A person holds a white cloth with an assortment of bread rolls and foil-wrapped sliced bread, using metal tongs.

The bread service was brought around multiple times.

The French wine selection was genuinely good – the Pinot Noir paired beautifully with dessert and showed real curation rather than generic airline wine purchasing.

A glass of red wine and a cup of Hรคagen-Dazs strawberry ice cream with a spoon on a plate are placed on an airplane tray table.

I also tried their signature “Cathay Delight” mocktail, which was refreshing rather than too sweet – kiwi, coconut milk, and fresh mint.

The Hรคagen-Dazs ice cream was of high quality, although I prefer it when airlines serve house-made desserts in business class rather than pre-packaged options.

The entire meal service took about 50 minutes from start to finish, which felt slightly rushed for business class but was understandable given the flight duration.

Here’s the problem: once meal trays were cleared, the crew largely disappeared from the cabin.

However, service was prompt and professional when I requested an espresso.

Economy Class

I walked through economy to observe their service, and Cathay maintains impressive standards even in the back.

An airline meal on a tray includes rice with vegetables and two meatballs, a bread roll, fruit salad, a dessert, butter, and cutlery.
A small Hรคagen-Dazs Cookies & Cream ice cream cup with a maroon lid sits on a tray table.
A wrapped napkin, fork, knife, spoon, and packaged antiseptic towelette are arranged on an airplane tray table.

Three meal choices on a 2.5-hour flight are generous, and they provide proper metal cutlery rather than plastic.

The economy meal presentation looked appetising, with good portions and the same Hรคagen-Dazs ice cream service as business class.

Conclusion

What makes this experience distinctly Cathay is its commitment to Hong Kong’s East-meets-West culture.

The Pier’s tea service reflects genuine Chinese hospitality traditions, while the noodle bar showcases authentic Hong Kong street food elevated to premium presentation.

The Pier lounge alone justifies connection time in Hong Kong, particularly for the Teahouse and Noodle Bar experiences.

For a 2.5-hour regional flight, this was comprehensive business class service executed with attention to detail that’s increasingly rare.

If you’re connecting through Hong Kong, spend extra time at The Pier. And if you’re considering Cathay for regional Asian travel, this flight showed why they remain the benchmark for premium service in the region.

About Cathay Pacific

Find another airline