Cathay Pacific Economy & Premium Economy

ECONOMY CLASS

Firstly, let me share my experience with the airline’s luggage fees.

I made the mistake of assuming that I was entitled to carry 25 or 30kg, when in reality, I was only allowed to carry 23kg because of the light fare I purchased.

The problem was compounded when we were directed to print our bag tags at the self-check-in machine at Melbourne Airport, which did not indicate our weight or entitlements.

When our bags were weighed at the drop-off area, we were immediately told that we would have to pay for the extra weight.

I asked about pooling our weight but was told it wasn’t allowed.

Without hesitation, the agent instructed us to place the second bag on the scales. (The first bag was now out of reach and we could not access it according to her).

We paid an exorbitant fee of $450 for the 13kg we were over, and I couldn’t help but feel like this was a last-minute money grab by the airline.

It left a sour taste in my mouth and made me scrutinise everything for the next 24 hours of my trip to Europe.

Once we boarded the flight, we were given printed menus and bottled water on the ground.

However, it took about 15 minutes after takeoff for the rest of the cabin to receive their inflight menus and arrival cards.

Special meals were delivered around 25 minutes after takeoff, and the main meal service started 1 hour and 10 minutes after takeoff.

When the crew finally reached our row, I received my wine and ice cream first because they had run out of trays and I placed them in the phone holder.

However, I noticed that the phone holder and cup holder were quite dirty, and I wondered if the airline’s cleaning contractors had overlooked them.

Here’s a look at the infight menu:

For the first meal service, Cathay Pacific offered three choices of mains in economy class, which was impressive.

We opted for one chicken and one seafood option, the meals were satisfactory, but nothing to write home about.

Around 20 minutes later the crew collected everything and we didn’t see them until the second service!

The second service offered a choice of noodles or cottage pie, with a berry cheesecake and seasonal fresh fruit.

The noodles were much better than the first meal, but the “seasonal fresh fruit” turned out to be processed fruit from SPC, one of Australia’s largest producers of packed fruit and vegetables.

HONG KONG TO PARIS

Here’s a look at the inflight menu:

The second flight from Hong Kong to Paris showed some improvement.

Meal portions seemed larger, and there were three meal choices available for the first service: pork, chicken, or pasta.

However, I was disappointed to find that I had to clean the tray table myself, especially considering it was a departure from the airline’s home port.

Despite the onboard reminders about post-COVID cleanliness, I couldn’t help but chuckle as I used my antiseptic wipe to scrub down my tray table.

But that wasn’t the only surprise I encountered on this Hong Kong to Paris flight.

In between services, the cabin crew were nowhere to be found, leaving passengers to fend for themselves when it came to drinks and refreshments.

On the positive side, there was a well-stocked galley where passengers could help themselves to snacks and drinks.

The inflight entertainment options were excellent, including an LGBTQIA film section.

For breakfast, there were two options: egg noodles with chicken or scrambled eggs.

Both options were satisfactory, with the Western breakfast being particularly enjoyable.

The portion sizes of all meals were generous.