Airliners-India.com

Karan69 · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 1334

Link to report on Airliners.net

http://www.airliners.net/aviation-forums/trip_reports/read.main/266456/

Karan

jbalonso777 · Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 4:57 pm Post subject:

Ohh Cathay Cathay Cathay Laughing

Tell us Karan, this isn't the first time something like this happened to you, eh? Razz

First things first - super TR! I really look forward to the upcoming parts now! Those pictures were amazing: SQ856...ahhh the memories! Very Happy

That's a few too many ANA planes at HKG! I even see a B737!
Also, TG seems to be swapping TG601 with a variety of aircraft, including the A380 and B744..

Now, the real part.
What in the world is Cathay thinking?! Advertising something else, offering something much more inferior! You'd expect it to be the other way round.
Meals look rather small too...

So....CathayChildren, eh? Confused

First not enough alcohol (this could be discriminatory...because they saw you were Indian?) And the duty free incident wow....

Lounge food looks pretty good, but at least your HKG-AKL flight was better so its good. But the silver lining is that you got quite a few types of aircraft! Amazing! And superb pics, especially of the A340!! Very Happy

Now now, with the ratings, you're being a bit too generous, don't you think? Razz

Anyway, these things happen with airlines I guess, maybe it was an off day?
I guess we can find out when you post your return TRs!

Thanks so much for sharing!!

Regards
Jish
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ameya · Posted: Sun Jun 21, 2015 6:19 pm Post subject:

Thanks Karan ! Enjoyed reading the report.

Interesting set of choices and the selection of Cathay. The layover is very long!

The questioning is strange! May be the check-in agent previously worked in immigration or aspired to work there?

Was the ground handling done by Cathay or was it outsourced? I think it would be done by some GHA for Cathay
Service being different than what is described is such a turn off! The meal on BOM-HKG does not look very appetizing.
The difference in service is disappointing! I am going to tweet about this tomorrow morning !
Some very interesting pictures ! Looking forward to the next part !
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sumantra · Member Joined: 28 Oct 2007 Posts: 4685 Location: New Delhi

When Karan-ji posts, we all sit back and take note. What a lovely TR, replete with puns and word-play, nice pictures, and descriptions! Leaves us yearning for more, and more.
That is quite an exciting set of trips even for extremely avid cricket fans.
Bad luck with the slightly indifferent Y+ on the first flight...Fire in Babylon was a nice film, which I remember watching quite some time back, on an Air India flight. I also found that I was not alone in watching it: quite a few around me were watching it!
Beautiful pictures from inside the plane, food pics, and the spotting session at HKG! Please do keep us updated...we look forward to the other parts, eagerly.
Thank you, Sumantra.

Karan69 · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 1334

@ Jishnu

Haha, depends on what your referring to Very Happy

Yes their airline does get more credit than their deserve, and altough i havent flown them a lot but at the same time i have flown them enough to justify my remark.

Cathay children Very Happy

Dont read so much into that alcohol bit, i purely mentioned it as part of their policy.

about the ratings, well at worst i would take away 0.5 points to give them an overall average of 7/10

thanks for reading and sharing your feedback,
.....

@ Ameya

Thanks for reading , yes the layovers were long, but Hongkong is one of my favourite cities , and i kind of know my way around the transport system,

Besides as i mentioned MH would have been my first choice, as it was convenient, but family said no..........with SQ and CX being same price and CX being in PY... well why not?

Also with SQ, the time saved was simply eliminating my HKG layover, my arrival times into AKL and BOM were approximately the same, and i am as bored of SQ 772s as i am of 9W 737s...will only fly these two if i have no option

Ground handling seemed to be by Cambata, but you had CX agents supervising them,
That check in agent was one of those people who had to fact check everything with his supervisor, as on most cases he was wrong with his facts, maybe out of frustration he asked me, i just found it strange

......

@ Sumantra Sir,

Such words of praise from you leave me truly humbled, i am at a loss of words,

I was indeed suprised to see Fire in Babylon on the IFE of a non cricket playing nation, what a movie

Regards/

Karan

Karan
Thanks for tweeting it,

ameya · Posted: Tue Jun 23, 2015 9:56 pm Post subject:

You should have told him it is too hot in Mumbai and every summer you migrate to a different country. Generally you fly Business class , for a change you are in premium economy
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sri_bom · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 2365 Location: Singapore

Firstly great to see a TR from you Karan and what a kinky title to start with.

My first thoughts on reading your TR confirms my belief that Cathay is an overrated airline. I often fly on them to Hong Kong and there is nothing exceptional I find in terms of service, and I guess the hard product and food makes up for the service shortfall. It is very disappointing to note that Y+ service they advertised was not delivered and I hope you have lodged your complaint with Cathay.

I have never been to the aviation discovery centre in Hong Kong so can you advise is it worth spending time over there and what to expect?

Hong Kong is a spotters paradise – and your pictures capture it all.

I am glad that the Y+ service was up to the mark on your second leg to Auckland.

Can’t wait to read part 2.

Sri_Bom

Karan69 · Member Joined: 22 Dec 2006 Posts: 1334

@Ameya

Haha...that would have made his face fall further, would have began questioning his stars as to why he cant even get to be in charge of the Business class line

@Sri

Thanks Sri,

Completely agree with you they get more credit than they deserve, as you mention "nothing exceptional"

wrt Aviation Discovery center...its free for all and you can probably spend 30 mins there given there isnt much we dont already know,

they charge 15 HKD for spotting access on the terrace, where in you can spend minutes or hours depending on your mood or what runways are in use....my shots r when rw 25 was in use

Karan