Wayfarer review: Cathay Pacific’s Business Class is a standout to Hong Kong and beyond
Cathay Pacific’s Airbus A350s and Boeing 777-300ERs offer a fantastic flying experience from nose to tail, whether you’re in First, Business, Premium or Economy and that’s because this leading global carrier pays a lot of attention to its customers in knowing what they want.
Back in January, Cathay Pacific elevated the dining experience for Economy and Premium passengers thanks to a partnership with with Eaton Hong Kong’s Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant Yat Tung Heen that saw signature dishes take to the skies.
“Teaming up with Yat Tung Heen, a culinary powerhouse in its own right, allows us to transform our inflight dining experience into something even more memorable for our customers,” said Cathay General Manager Customer Experience and Design Vivian Lo.
“Our hope is to enrich every traveller’s journey by giving them a taste of our home city’s unique and iconic flavours, brought to life by the culinary craftsmanship of Cathay Pacific and Yat Tung Heen.”
So, if you think about the quality of what the carrier is offering Economy and Premium passengers, then you’ll love what’s on offer in our favourite cabin onboard Cathay, being Business Class.
As someone who has flown Cathay Pacific in Business Class more than 20 times in the past 10 years, I can say they have elevated the food onboard now to a point that it has never been better.
The current menu offers a fantastic taste of both Cantonese and international dishes and it is hard to choose a dish with so many tasty meals on offer, like braised pork belly with Shanghainese pak choy, roasted chicken breast with bread sauce, spice crusted cod with roasted cherry tomato sauce, beef brisket and tendon noodle soup, Japanese pork katsu with curry and rice, slow cooked lamb shoulder and more.
While lunch and dinner is most certainly a highlight on the latest Cathay Pacific Business Class menu, the best might be saved for morning arrivals with five breakfast offerings onboard.
Leading the way, impressively, is the wellness breakfast, which includes seasonal fresh fruit and a warm pastry selection alongside a delicious cacao chia seed pudding with coconut yoghurt and blackberries.
The lighter breakfast is also a winner and that is led by a twice baked souffle omelette, sauteed kale and cherry tomatoes, while the Chinese breakfast includes a salted chicken and mushroom congee and pan-fried turnip cake with XO sauce.
Should you be hungry during the flight, Cathay Pacific has some fantastic inflight bites, including a classic beef burger with gruyere cheese, coleslaw and gherkins on a toasted brioche bun with fries.
If you want to go healthier, the roasted cauliflower with chickpea stew and mint raita is also a delicious option.
Another way Cathay Pacific has been impressing on the food and drinks front inflight is with the ‘Discovery Wine’ menus that showcase top drops from across the globe.
Right now onboard, you’ll find a selection of Chinese wines that more than impress and showcase the rapidly rising high-quality drinks the nation is producing.
If you’re lucky, you’ll have up to three Discovery wines and at the minimum at least one good one.
“Welcome to a journey of diverse flavours through Chinese wines that reflects its vast landscapes, distinct terroirs and cultural history,” the carrier says on the menu.
“Each bottle tells a unique and passional story of individuals that celebrates the growing reputation of Chinese wines on the world stage.”
Leading the way with the Chinese wines onboard is the 2018 Tiansai Skyline of Gobi Marselan Selection from Xinjiang, China.
“Founded by Chen Lizhong in 2010, Tiansai Vineyard is one of the first vineyards to be certified organic,” Cathay Pacific’s sommelier team says. “It also has one of China’s foremost wine experts, Li Demei, as its consulting winemaker.
“With a leafy, gamey nose and hints of red fruits, it opens on the palate to offer fresh blackcurrants, juicy red cherries and herbs, soft, earthy tannins, and an attractive long finish.”
Also look out for the 2022 Kanaan Winery Lao Wang Syrah from Ningxia, China, as well as the 2021 Starting Point Cabernet Franc from Ningxia, China, which are also delightful.
The delicious food aside, Cathay Pacific’s Business Class is headlined by spacious flatbeds seats that feature plenty of storage and space, alongside a sleeper service with large pillows and duvets, and hundreds’ of hours entertainment on demand.
Business Class is in a 1-2-1 layout, meaning all seats have direct aisle access and are some of the most spacious to be found in the sky.
The first thing you will notice is the amount of space available, from the side storage, which can fit a handbag, laptop or magazines, plus the side cabinet for headphones, valuables and even iPads, and also the shoe locker.
There’s an oversized tray that’s ideal for working or dining on and once a meal turns up, you’ll find room to place your computer or iPad to the side and still have access to the full tray table.
The generously-wide 21-inch seat then reclines a full 82-inches when retracted into bed mode and there is a generous 29.5-inch width when the armrest is retracted.
The experience then gets better when duvets, blankets, pillows and cushions help create a comfortable and restful sleeper service, ideal for the night flights to destinations like Sydney, New York and London.
If you’re travelling with a companion, it would be best to book a pair of seats in the centre of the aircraft, which are gently angled towards each other and can slide forward, allowing you to chat or dine together with your friend, colleague or loved one.
Don’t fret if you score one of the centre of the jets if travelling alone though as there is a screen for added privacy.
On the entertainment front, Cathay Pacific’s Business Class seats feature flatscreen touchscreen TVs that are loaded-up with the always impressive StudioCX entertainment system, named best in the world by Skytrax in 2023, which offers a range of Hollywood blockbusters, cinema classics, TV shows, music albums and games.
If you want to work on your laptop or device or play content from them, in the seat you’ll also find a universal Power Supply outlet, a multiport connector and a USB port.
When it comes to sleep, get ready for a relaxing ride thanks to large pillows and duvets and when you wake, grab some luxury Bamford skincare products from the amenity kit you’ll want to keep and you’ll arrive fresh and ready for the day ahead.
Before departure in Hong Kong, head for the Wing or the Pier Business Class lounges – depending on the gate location – and have a glass of wine or a snack (save room for the onboard meals) to round out your travel experience, which, once you include the impeccable Cathay service, is nothing short of exceptional.
For the best prices and more, book your ticket at cathaypacific.com