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Home » cathay pacific » First Impressions: Cathay Pacific A330 Business Class
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First Impressions: Cathay Pacific A330 Business Class

Matthew Klint Posted onJuly 15, 2019November 14, 2023 12 Comments

an airplane at an airport

Hello from Colombo. I’m resting up as I start the long trip home later today (via Kuala Lumpur, Bangkok, Amman, Bucharest, Milan, and San Francisco…). Here’s my first impressions of Cathay Pacific’s A330 business class.

I flew from Hong Kong to Colombo as part of my trip around the world and was able to experience Cathay Pacific’s A330-300 for the first time. The aircraft features reverse herringbone lie-flat seats in business class and has no first class.

an airplane with rows of seats

an airplane with rows of seats and monitors

My originally assigned seat was in the small rear business class cabin behind door two. My seat, 20K, had a large closet in front of it which on the one had provided more privacy but on the other hand totally obstructed my view. Frankly, it felt claustrophobic to me. The flight was not full and I ended up moving up a few rows so that I did not feel so constrained. Personally, I recommend avoiding 20K.

a seat in a plane

a room with monitors on the side

a plane with a purple light

a seat in a plane

We departed Hong Kong in the evening and the 5.5-hour flight offered me a chance for dinner and nap. Dinner was served after takeoff, which included mixed nuts, a shrimp appetizer with salad (no choice), choice of three main courses, and cheese or sweet dessert. I ordered halibut, which was somewhat disappointing. Perhaps my expectations were too high, but I found the fish rather dry and tasteless.

a bowl of nuts and a glass of juice

a plate of food on a tray

a plate of food on a table

a plate of fruit and a cup of coffee

Service was attentive during the meal service, then FAs disappeared for the remainder of the flight (in fairness, I took a nap for a couple hours).

a bed with headphones and a pillow on a table in a plane

I did appreciate the amenity kit and fresh orange juice, something I look forward to on every Cathay Pacific flight.

a group of items on a table

CONCLUSION

Quite honestly, it was a boring flight. And a boring flight is better than a bad flight…so I have nothing to complain about, but also nothing to rave about. Put another way, Cathay Pacific offers a dependable, comfortable product, but don’t expect great things in business class.

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About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

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12 Comments

  1. Albert Reply
    July 15, 2019 at 6:29 pm

    I distinctly remember someone’s comment somewhere at some point that called Cathay “marriage material”, comparing it to other more “flashy” airlines and I always thought that was very accurate.

    Have I ever been wowed by Cathay in any class? No. But have I ever been disappointed? Also no.

    They are very dependable, have a decent product and the crews and staff have always been great.

    As you mention, they are sort of the boring way to fly, but there is nothing wrong with that.

  2. Suresh Reply
    July 15, 2019 at 8:32 pm

    Don’t book the Newyork Mumbai flight of Cathay pacific you will most likely miss the connection between Hong Kong and Mumbai and land in Hyderabad and spend the night there before getting an early morning flight to mumbai by Air India

  3. Sam Reply
    July 15, 2019 at 9:33 pm

    Honestly who writes these reviews – dilettantes? It’s an airplane flight between point A & B (and sometimes C). If you weren’t a person contacting the airline’s PR dept you wouldn’t be sitting in this seat. This review was not worthy of my time.

    • Matthew Reply
      July 15, 2019 at 9:41 pm

      Thanks for your click. Go troll someone else next time. I pay for my own flights.

      • Kyle Stewart Reply
        July 15, 2019 at 9:46 pm

        Where’s the like button for this retort?

    • AdamR Reply
      July 16, 2019 at 10:45 am

      Honestly, who writes these comments – idiots? It’s a blog about airlines which fly between points A & B (and sometimes C & D). If you weren’t so ignorant you’d realize how pathetic you look (Dunning-Kruger effect, much?) by coming to a blog specifically about reviews such as this. This comment wasn’t worthy of the electrons required to post it.

  4. Aaron Reply
    July 16, 2019 at 2:49 am

    For all of Cathay’s consistency, I do find that their catering in business class can be hit or miss. Granted, when I say miss, it still isn’t as bad as when some other airlines miss. But I do think their catering in business class was stronger 5 years ago.

    • Dangerous Dave Reply
      July 16, 2019 at 11:30 am

      Is CX J on an A330 different in any way to the 77Ws we all know and love? Looks like an identical Zodiac Cirrus product…

      • Matthew Reply
        July 16, 2019 at 5:17 pm

        Seemed identical to me. If it was a bit narrower or a bit wider, I did not notice.

  5. RF Reply
    July 16, 2019 at 7:53 am

    I recently flew CX Business to LAX, the AA flight back was much better – we were given mattresses and pyjamas plus the food was better

  6. Sharon Reply
    July 17, 2019 at 4:47 am

    Do you have smelly socks and bare feet Matthew?

    • Matthew Reply
      July 17, 2019 at 2:38 pm

      Never.

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