Flight check: Cathay Pacifics A350: Premium Economy vs Business Class

Business Class cabin and seat on a Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000 aircraft. Photo / Supplied

Neil Porten flew Cathay Pacific Premium Economy from Auckland to Hong Kong, returning in Business Class.

Pre-flight and airport experience: Using Cathay’s app, I checked in within 48 hours of departure, and used the bag drop at both airports. There were no queues.

There’s no lounge access with Premium Economy, but I had the choice of three Business lounges at Hong Kong International Airport. The Wing Lounge near Gate 2 has plenty of comfortable seating and good food and drink. A glass of Thienot Champagne was a civilised way to end my time in Hong Kong.

Baggage allowance: Two 7kg cabin bags for both Premium Economy and Business; two 23kg checked bags in Premium Economy and three in Business Class.

Seat: The A350-1000 plane has 32 seats in Premium Economy and 46 seats in Business Class.In Premium Economy, seat 32G is on the end of the middle four seats in a 2-4-2 configuration. The width is a relaxed 51cm and the pitch, the distance between my seat and the seat in front, is 102cm. That’s a lot of luxurious legroom. You can adjust the seat back, calf-rest and footrest. There’s a small storage tray perfect for your passport, and a bigger pouch for bulkier belongings.

Overall, I was very comfortable for the whole flight. Minor adjustments were easy. The extra width and the recline of maybe 130 degrees meant I got around 90 minutes of really good sleep, a lot for me. The rest of the time I was very relaxed.

In business, seat 20G is in the middle of the row (a 1-2-1 cabin layout). The space is huge. Storage for shoes and bags is under the ottoman, another cubby by the side has a padded lid that forms part of the bed. The seat dimensions are width 51cm, pitch 114cm, bed length 191cm.

All parts of the seat are independently adjustable and there is one-touch for bed mode. The seat was noticeably more comfortable for me than in Premium Economy. I had four hours under the covers in the lie-flat position. And the ultra-adjustability of the seat meant I was always completely relaxed while awake.

Amenities: The Premium amenities kit contained a toothbrush, toothpaste, earplugs, socks and an eye mask. There was one pillow, as wide as the seat, and a padded, brushed-cotton blanket just right for sleep time.

The Business booty, in a tan-coloured faux leather pouch, was Bamford brand. The toothpaste and toothbrush were bigger than in Premium Economy, plus you get face mist, lip balm and hand lotion. The eye mask was better too, blocking more light. Slide into slippers instead of socks. The linen is more duvet than blanket, and there is a fitted cotton cover for the bed. The plump pillow has a crisp white case.

Crew: Service was efficient and friendly throughout both flights. There were four crew in Premium, and at least six crew in Business Class. There were no delays to any of the meal or drink services. Some of the crew seemed in a bit of a hurry, both on the quieter flight and the full return flight.

Twice staff came around with snacks in Premium, but not while I was awake in Business. I called for coffee and cookies later in the Business-Class flight and the attendant arrived instantly, returning minutes later with the drink (in a ceramic mug) and snack.

Food and drink: Premium’s two meals were lunch (three options, including fish, beef and a vegetarian lasagna), and “refreshment” (a choice of braised pork or chicken stir-fried egg noodles). On the welcome drinks tray, only the Italian Prosecco came in a glass, so I took the Premium option: Cin cin! I also drank Cathay’s Betsy pale ale, “handcrafted for 35,000 feet”.

Lunch was served on a tray, all at once: bulgur wheat salad, bread and butter, crackers and cheese, steamed cod with rice, fresh fruit, black forest cake, Whittaker’s Sante bar. The plates and dishes were crockery, the cutlery steel and the napkin cloth.

Three hours later, an attendant offered a chicken sandwich. A couple of hours after that drinks and the refreshment, a proper meal with fresh fruit and a passionfruit cheesecake, were served. The server earned points for spotting cork in my wine and pouring me a fresh glass.

Fresh fruit followed a couple of hours later, more snacks an hour after that (I randomly grabbed a granola bar and a chocolate) and a pair of mini meat pies an hour before landing.

The Business Class fare was a notch above. Wine included Taittinger Champagne, Marlborough sauvignon blanc and pinot noir, a white Burgundy or a Bordeaux red. The signature Cathay Delight (kiwifruit juice, coconut milk and fresh mint) was a refreshing welcome drink.

Main course options included beef short rib, oven-roasted cauliflower, and braised chicken. Food available on request included noodle soup, a cheeseburger, Hong Kong egg tart, and various snacks.

There was a tablecloth, proper cutlery, crockery and napkins, and water in a glass. I chose the roast tomato soup starter, but I could’ve had chilled abalone, or Parma ham and bocconcini. I enjoyed my main of shrimp and pork dumpling noodle soup with a flute of champagne. The cheese course followed, then icecream. Dinner felt well-paced and properly portioned.

Two hours before landing, breakfast was served. I’d chosen the cooked Western breakfast from such options as the wellness (superfood bowl including goji, pepitas, flaxseeds) or Chinese (congee, stir-fried rice vermicelli with vegetables).

For me, the best of the Business fare was the trio of cheeses and the well-proportioned breakfast.

Entertainment: The full-ear headphones, the same in both cabins, were comfortable. Wi-Fi is available in each cabin, but you have to pay: US$19.95 for the whole flight.

Premium passengers enjoy a 12.1in (31cm) entertainment screen and there’s a dock below the screen for your own device. In business, the main screen is a generous 18.5in (47cm) and the remote has a 4.3in (11cm) screen you can use independent of the larger TV.

Cathay won best in-flight entertainment at the 2023 Skytrax World Airline Awards. Offerings were the same on both flights. New-release movies sit alongside loads of classics. TV comes from HBO Max, Paramount+ and others. There’s a decent music catalogue.

Live cameras show a panorama from the plane’s tail and a view from under the plane, which was a must-watch on landing in Hong Kong.

The bathroom: Both bathrooms have a three-quarter length mirror and a lighted mirror. In Premium, lotions are unbranded. In Business, you get Bamford lotions and a window.

The best bit: In Premium, loads of legroom. In Business, access to the airport lounge, and the seat: a cocoon of civilised comfort.

The worst bit: The Business-class duvet was simply too warm for me but in a drowsy state I didn’t think to ask for a thinner blanket.

Final verdict: The food and drink were better in Business, and the larger entertainment screen was a plus. You will be perfectly comfortable in Premium Economy, but the Business Class seat is the clincher for ease and comfort. Everyone around me in the Business Class cabin was flat-out, literally, as soon as dinner finished. They know exactly what they are paying their money for, and it starts with the letter zzzz…

cathaypacific.com

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