The reviews of the new Cathay Pacific business class flat bed seats are heavily negative in TA, with some, of course, saying that they're an improvement on the former seats. First class seems to get generally good reviews. Has anyone travelled on a long haul flight recently on business or first? Right now for our flight from JFK to Hong Kong, we have business class (using points) but are thinking of trying to switch to first class. We'd rather not use up points, but also don't want to be uncomfortable for such a long flight. If anyone has experience with the new Cathay Pacific business class seats, would love to hear about it.

Be careful what you read about CX's C seats as "new". CX put in the first generation of herringbone flat beds in C about 5-6 years ago, when they first received their 777-300ER. Those are the ones that are highly criticized.

Since early 2011, they are in the process of switching to a newer style that has more room and these are highly praised. So, what you read as "new" is actually old. The really new ones are great.

JFK-HKG is on a 777-300ER. CX has 28 of them, only 3 have the old seats, one under conversion as of 6/1/12. All N. American flights should have the new seats as MXP (Milan) is the only route still scheduled with old seats. But of course, last minute substitution is always possible.

So, when you read the reviews, check to see if they mean the old "new" seats, or actually the current new seats.

Thanks for all the info, rkkwan! I think all the negative reviews must have been about the first generation herringbone seats (now the old) but it's very confusing and difficult to determine that.

We did decide to upgrade to first, but mainly because we got a better departure time for us--and there were no business available on this flight. We now don't have an almost five hour layover in Hong Kong plus a five hour layover in Bangkok en route to Yangon. Instead it's a two hour stopover in Hong Kong and we'll arrive in Bangkok at 6:40 in the evening, spend the night there and have about half a day in Bangkok before we have to be at the airport for our departure to Yangon.

We will be on Business for our return flight and now feel much better about that, thanks to you.

My wife and I just flew CX in business a few days ago and before that we were first class only kinda people. The new business class is fine and I highly recommend either row 11 or 12 in the "mini" cabin.

Thanks, Hanuman. We'll try to get those seats. I know that the flight is booked in business (at least for those flying with points) but I don't know if seats have been assigned.

NowI have to start thinking about how to use the limited time we have in Bangkok--and which hotel of the many recommended here to go for.

One seat in row 12 was booked and if a disabled passenger chooses to sit in Row 11, whoever has been assigned that seat(s) will be moved to other seats. We decided to stick with the seats we'd already selected.

But the shock to me was the price difference. I booked Coach to HK 2 months ago for $1200 and Premium Economy was $7200 for the 15.5 hour flight.I use this route often and take the flight that was leaving at 1 AM in a window seat and requested in advance an early snack and avoided wine. I then take a sleeping pill around 3 AM and 7-9 hours later I wake up and read for 4 hours and arrive in HK. I cannot justify $1000 for each hour I am awake. I must admit upon arrival I get a message at the hotel abnd walk in the sun, hopefully foir 1/2 hour and I am pretty good to go and I see it as having saved $6000. On the return it is almost as easy even with the stop in Vancouver because that means I get 6-7 hours to Vancouver and maybe 1-2 hours back to JFK. for a total of 8.

<i>I booked Coach to HK 2 months ago for $1200 and Premium Economy was $7200 for the 15.5 hour flight.</i>

Cathay Pacific does not offer Premium Economy.

Don - They do now, with some conversions already completed.

My bad, sorry. Price seemed odd, as you can get a round-trip business=class fare JFK-HKG from CX for $7104.

If Don is correct it makes the pricing even more bizarre. Some Premium Economy food service is only a slight step up from Economy and on one Thai Air flight it was the same. It should have been upset with Thi but the seats were great and the food to me is an after thought.

It is not that bizarre. There are very few PE seats on each aircraft, so the cheaper fare classes may be gone early. Of course nobody in their right mind will pay $8,000 of their own money flying PE when C is cheaper, but that hardly means one is "saving" $7,000.

no they are saving basically no "real" money at that level in the scheme of things.

We're doing the Cathay Pacific on points--IMO those prices are WAY out of the question

We just flew Cathay Pacific First class this week to HOng Kong- new plane. It appeared to be quite better than Business, at least that is a comment from my Husband who has flown both.

It was extreemly comfortable - I slept like a baby on the soft white linens they make up the bed in. There is lots of room to maneuver. I sat w my husband for dinner which was nice then went back to my pod to retire. The dinner started w Champagne and caviar and was very very good!
The service impeccable.

Cathay is still using the planes with the awful herringbone Business Class to/from India, though I'm told this will be changed to planes with the new (and much-improved) seats shortly.
I have a question re First/Business on the Hong Kong - Bali (Denpasar) sector. They apparently use a 747 which has the First Class cabin....but they dont accept F bookings! And does the 747 have the old armchair seats, the herringbone or the new offering in Business?

bombayteddy; When I looked last First Class was $12-$13,000. We used points and upgrades for First in 2010 obviously in the old interior seat configuration and seats and it was quite comfortable for sleeping more so than Business in 2011. But I am dowm to a few hundred thousand points so we are paying for Coach this Dec. JFK to Bali and picking up the 21,000 mi./person.It will get me enough for Business next April for my wife and i.

I live in Hong Kong and Cathay is my home airline, I fly it 3-4 times a month and as my company pays I go business class and on my own dime use my points to upgrade or fly for free. Here are my thoughts:

1. I have never had a problem with the "awful" business class seats which were introduced a few years ago. They go completely flat which is all I care about. I am short (5'3"), and I suppose if you were a tall/big man the seats might feel a bit cramped. The arm rests are a bit awkward. They are not the SQ business class seat; but then nothing is, and they certainly are better than anything <i>other</i> than SQ.

2. I have also flown in the new seats and have to say that I don't notice a huge difference; there is a bit more room and more storage space, but they are overall not any different in terms of the flat bed comfort. I find the compartment for the audio on the new seat to be complete crap, and when you are fully reclined it is awkward to use the seat adjustment function as it is up on a panel just out of reach (at least for short people). If you are travelling together, you probably want the middle seats as you can now fold down the screen and see each other. Misanthropes like me should stick to the single window seats.

3. For the CX late afternoon flight to Bangkok, I don't think any of their flights offer first class. I think they only use Airbus 33-300 planes with businees and economy. They are the older planes with older "regional" business class seats that are in double rows and are not flat beds. That has been the case with this flight when I have taken it in the past few years, including as recently as a week ago. But to be honest on a daytime flight, I am not sure you will care and I am not sure it is worth the points for a first class for that short a flight. You will need to make yourself stay awake and be alert for this daytime flight within Asia so you can start adjusting to the time change. So the flat beds won't (or shouldn’t) be used. If you do have a choice on class for that sector, I would say to go business class, even both ways, and use the points for first class in the long haul sector.

We are going Cathay Pacific, giving the international airline a chance to show us the best of travel. Decided against UA as so many people gripe about them. I've heard great things about Cathay.

((forgot to mention: we are going ECONOMY for $2g's. That's a lot of dough))