Cathay Pacific Business Class Review Bangkok To Hong Kong

Intro

Sometimes, the best flights are the ones that surprise you.

When I boarded Cathay Pacific’s 2.5-hour hop from Bangkok to Hong Kong, I wasn’t expecting much—regional business class can be hit or miss, and short flights often mean compromised service.

Instead, I got a masterclass in how to do premium travel right, starting with one of Asia’s most thoughtfully designed airport lounges.

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The Pier

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

At 3,300 square meters, it accommodates 550 guests, but thanks to London-based StudioIlse’s residential design approach, it never feels crowded.

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

But the magic happens in the five distinct zones, each serving a specific purpose.

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

This isn’t just tea bags in hot water—we’re talking about properly curated Jing Tea selections, from Ceylon breakfast to jasmine spring tips, all displayed in glass containers with clear labelling.

The tea arrives in white ceramic teapots alongside small pastries, served in an area with brown leather sofas against those 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 café setting.

A buffet table with jars of tea leaves, plates, pastries, teapots, and a hot water dispenser in a modern café 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 juice—orange, green, and red—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 Instagram-worthy, and the biscuit selection was of surprisingly good quality.

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

The Noodle Bar

Here’s where The Pier shines. The Noodle Bar offers 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 delicious—rich, nutty sauce with just enough heat to wake up your palate.

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 precisely the kind of authentic local cuisine that makes regional travel exciting.

The Food Hall

The Food Hall goes beyond typical lounge fare with stone-oven-baked focaccia and pizza, artisan breads, quality cheese and charcuterie selections, and a proper salad bar.

The visual presentation matters too: pickled vegetables in glass jars, fresh pastries properly displayed, and that stone oven creating theatre around the 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, an important detail when spending hours here during connections.

Pre Departure

Onboard, I found a bottle of water and the inflight menu waiting.

A bottle of water and a menu are placed on an airplane windowside table with a view of the airport terminal outside the window.

The crew then offered pre-departure beverages, and I selected champagne served at the proper temperature alongside a refreshing hot towel.

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

This wasn’t a scripted gesture in a business class cabin with only five passengers, but a genuine effort to make us feel welcomed and valued.

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.

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.

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 special 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 familiar 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.

Bread service came around multiple times with proper tongs and cloth presentation.

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

A glass of red wine and a cup of Häagen-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. It consisted of kiwi, coconut milk, and fresh mint.

The Häagen-Dazs ice cream was of high quality, though I always 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 a business class experience but was understandable given flight duration constraints.

My only criticism was crew visibility after service completion—once meal trays were cleared, the crew largely disappeared from the cabin.

However, the service was prompt and professional when I requested an espresso. The crew balanced attentiveness and intrusion, appearing genuinely happy to assist rather than going through the motions.

Economy Class

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

Three meal choices on a 2.5-hour flight are generous, and they provide proper metal cutlery rather than plastic—details that matter to the passenger experience.

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 Häagen-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.

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

Conclusion

What makes this experience distinctly Cathay is its commitment to Hong Kong’s role as an East-meets-West cultural bridge.

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 miso halibut represents Cathay’s understanding of regional Asian cuisine preferences.

This isn’t a generic “Asian airline” service; specifically, Hong Kong’s identity is translated into aviation hospitality.

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.

Combining personalised touches, quality food preparation, and genuine crew professionalism created a premium experience rather than a performative one.

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 demonstrated why they remain the benchmark for premium service in the region.