Surprise upgrade
I was fully prepared to pop a sleeping pill for this marathon flight to London… when boom! I get bumped up from economy to premium economy so, poor me, I will just have to stay awake and suffer!
To be fair, my earlier leg from Sydney to Hong Kong was pretty comfy (as far as a nine-hour packed economy flight can be).
No wonder Cathay just snagged ‘Best Economy Class’ at the Skytrax “airline Oscars.” They’re also hot on the heels of Qatar and Singapore Airlines for overall best airline.
First vibes
Boarding was such a breeze – the cabin crew have me humming that old REM song, Shiny Happy People.
They are super warm and welcoming.
I step into premium economy and for a second think I’ve wandered into business by mistake. Nope, it was just the spacious 2-4-2 layout that threw me.
Tons of legroom, slick USB ports and seats that recline into three cozy positions. Not quite a flatbed, but dangerously nap-friendly.
Pre-take-off treat is a refreshing chilled apple juice. Cheers to fewer inflight hangovers.
Seatmate drama
Had a funny moment with my seatmate – he was already kicked back in my window seat when I arrived and a bit grumpy about having to move.
Turns out he’s Cathay’s most senior pilot trainer (casually flying premium instead of his usual business class).
Once settled, he turned out to be a gem, chatting about the recent Air India crash. His theories of either fuel contamination or dodgy load calculations made for interesting (but mildly terrifying!) pre-take-off conversation…
🍽 Food & drinks
Breakfast: went full Hong Kong and chose dim sims and seafood dumplings with a bean curd roll, plus a croissant on the side. Very tasty! My neighbour’s Western plate of scrambled eggs, bacon and sautéed mushrooms also looked pretty good.
Best bit? A proper cup of tea. With real milk. Brit expat dreams made.
Lunch was sautéed chicken with shallot, garlic and pak choy on jasmine rice. Tasty enough that my seatmate was eyeing my plate with serious FOMO.
I paired it with a glass of 2023 Rolf Binder Chardonnay from Adelaide – so good I made a mental note to check if Dan Murphy’s stocks it.
📺 Inflight fun
Cathay’s entertainment system is next level. Massive 12.1 inch screen, live TV (BBC, CNN, sports), endless movies and series, plus a “watch together” feature to sync shows with your travel buddy.
Fantastic noise cancelling headphones really enhance the whole viewing experience.
I was delighted to find the last two episodes of Yellowstone I hadn’t seen yet – perfect after dinner entertainment.
Even better there was a “skip ads” feature so I settled down to view, recline, bliss out, sleep. Repeat.
The extras
Wi-Fi: around $10/hr (sadly not free unless you’re in biz or first).
Baggage: 2 x 23kg bags. Pretty generous.
Bottom line
Cathay’s premium economy is a fantastic step up from regular economy. Loads of space, smaller quieter cabin, great food, awesome entertainment and staff who make you feel genuinely cared for.
Would 100% fly again and definitely worth skipping the sleeping pill for, though I actually achieved five hours sleep as the seat was so comfy!
CX257 | Cathay Pacific A350-900
Hong Kong ➡️ London (Four flights daily)
8:30 am departure | 12 hr flight
Premium Economy, Seat 33A
