Galley Gossip: Enter to win two business class tickets to Hong Kong on Cathay Pacific!

by Heather Poole on

Until May 31, 2010 Cathay Pacific is giving away two free tickets in business class from any city to Hong Kong, as well as three nights’ accommodation at The Upper House, a portrait session with campaign photographer Andrew J. Loiterton, and eight times the Asia Miles you earn flying on Cathay Pacific from now until the end of May. Now that I have your attention, keep reading. Contest details can be found at the bottom of this post.

Whenever I’m just hanging out in the galley between services chatting with frequent fliers, I’ll ask them to name their favorite airline. On most occasions their eyes glaze over and this look of contentment washes across their face. I’ve seen the look dozens of times. I know what they’re going to say before they even say it. Cathay. The word is always followed by a long deep sigh. Sometimes I’ll even sigh along with them. What follows next is usually an awkward silence. That’s when I’ll ask about their favorite airport restaurant, just to get the conversation flowing again.

Last year when my husband’s original Cathay Pacific flight from Los Angeles to Hong Kong canceled, I was thrilled. Because the airline generously bumped him from business class to first class free of charge on a flight departing the following morning. He was upset about losing 24 hours in Hong Kong, but I knew it would be more than worth the inconvenience. The husband had his doubts. As soon as his flight touched ground, he sent the following email.

This flight was better than anyone could put in words. I have my own little cabin with a desk internet and movies. I was given a Shanghai Tzen pajama set and amenity kit and a huge down pillow and comforter. My seat reclines to a full bed and I have a privacy shield. I even used all the cool lotions in the two bathrooms shared by fourteen people. The toilet was spotless the entire trip. The food and presentation was better than a restaurant. I have to list all that I ate before I forget…

Smoked salmon shashimi with Caviar. Cream of mushroom soup. Salad greens with scallops and shrimp. AND THAT WAS ONLY THE APPETIZER! Lunch consisted of lobster stir fry with soup bok choy and a cold tofu salad. After two more movies I had a hot panini with prosciutto grilled veggie and cheese. Another movie and noodle soup with duck breast. NO FAT. Pure breast. Dinner wasn’t as good. Large fruit plate followed by grilled rack of lamb and potatoes. That’s okay because the coffee is great.

The guy sitting beside me said I would never be able to fly in business class again now that this has happened. He might be right. If I can’t swindle an upgrade home I think I may pay the difference. If I had to turn around now and fly right back to LA I would be very happy. We’re about to land so I think I’m going to go to the bathroom and shave or something. Maybe a facial? Don’t be jealous. I love you!

Don’t be jealous? How!

What’s not to love about an airline that provides that kind of service? And is it just a coincidence that the airline also takes pride in the very people providing the amazing service? Have you seen the latest marketing campaign, Meet The Team, featuring the men and women of Cathay Pacific? Read their stories and get to know the flight attendants, pilots, and other staff as both members of the Cathay family and as individuals. Find out what makes them who they are and how they see their role at Cathay. Then you’ll be ready to play to win!

Each week until May 31, 2010 Cathay will post a question on the Meet the Team mini-site. Answers can be found in the staff stories. People who answer correctly will automatically be entered into the contest. Thirteen questions will be presented. This means there are thirteen chances to win! Also, don’t forget to connect with Cathay on Facebook and Twitter where staff will be sharing their favorite places to visit during their travels. Good luck!

Photos courtesy of Bernard SD and Steven W. Belcher

Designing Air New Zealand’s new long haul configurations

by Grant Martin on

Air New Zealand‘s marketing team is well underway promoting their new cabin configurations that we reported on earlier this year. The designs, which our very own Kent Wien covered in a series of on-the-ground dispatches, are set to vastly improve the business class and coach experiences, with redesigned business class cabins and lie-flat sections implemented in economy.

The highly dramatic version of the design process is summed up in the Youtube video below. We can’t wait to take the new configurations for a spin.


[Via Mike Lee]

Daily Pampering: British Airways’ Club World service from London City to JFK

by Grant Martin on

Thirty-two seats is all that your business-class-only jet will host on your journey from New York City to the heart of London, England. The aircraft, an Airbus A318, has been outfitted by British Airways specifically for this purpose – as a posh, express service between two of the hippest, strongest, richest activity centers of the world.

From JFK, the experience will begin far before getting on the aircraft at the British Airways Terraces Lounge, where passengers can choose to have a full dinner prior to even boarding the flight over the pond. Once onboard, one can elect to skip dinner and sleep through the flight’s entirety, or eat another dinner and be stirred for a breakfast of choice.

Each business class seat reclines into a fully flat bed, and with a smaller cabin, guests are guaranteed a quieter journey, better attention from the crew and a better night’s sleep on the journey across the Atlantic.

But the best part of the whole operation is the arrival at London City Airport, a terminal normally reserved for smaller “narrow-body” aircraft. This airport’s proximity to the city makes the journey into your meeting a breeze, with a quick connection on the DLR as opposed to the time consuming Gatwick and Heathrow connections. And time saved is money saved.

On the way back from London, a brief stop in Ireland is required to top off fuel and barrel through US Customs. As a result, passengers arriving back n the states are rewarded with a direct deplane and easy access back into the city — all without any customs ruckus.

You can read more about the service and book tickets at British Airways’ site.

Business travelers forced into coach may never see first class again

by Scott Carmichael on

When the economy imploded, corporate business travel took a nosedive. Those companies that still allowed their staff to fly, changed the corporate policy forcing everyone into the back of the plane.

Within many companies, travel policy allowed for first or business class travel on long flights, while others had policies in place that allowed premium cabin travel for high level executives.

To save money (and public humiliation), coach became the new standard cabin for most business travelers, while everyone waited for the economy to recover.

Now there are small specks of light at the end of the tunnel, there is some bad news for business travelers expecting to get back to the front of the plane – companies are enjoying the savings, and may keep the current policies in place. This is good news for some, and bad news for others.

  • Travelers paying their own way for Business or First will see emptier cabins, and (hopefully) lower prices as airlines scramble to fill their premium cabins.
  • The business travelers are going to have to get used to traveling with the commoners, and eventually become commoners themselves (boo hoo!).
  • Airlines are going to have to make some tough decisions – on some routes, they’ll probably remove premium seats, or in some cases they’ll move from three class planes to two class planes. Others may remove premium travel altogether.

The numbers are not looking too bad for the airlines – coach bookings are up 5%, but premium travel is only up 1.8% – given how dismal the past couple of years have been, I’d say any gain is a good gain, even if it does mean fewer people up front.

Daily Pampering: Air New Zealand’s business class beds

by Grant Martin on

Have you ever slept better on an airplane than in your own bed? The only time that this has ever happened to me was on an Air New Zealand flight between LA and Auckland, comfortably tucked into the business class cabin on the upper deck of their 747.

This business cabin (lower deck pictured above), a ten seat Eden of comfort, good food and endless inflight entertainment is one of the only ways to cross the Pacific in style, complete with fully lie flat beds, delectable meals and wine and non stop pampering. Perhaps this is part of the reason that ANZ was named Airline of the Year by Air Transport World.

Incidentally, the movers and shakers at Air New Zealand are in the midst of a drastic redesign to their transpacific cabin configurations. It’s all strictly under wraps until next week (hint: Monday at 5) so check back then to hear the great news!

And don’t forget to get your daily dose of pampering right here.