Hong Kong Airlines A350 business class Los Angeles–Hong Kong

LOS ANGELES–HONG KONG

BACKGROUND

As part of its ambitious and aggressive expansion plans, Hong Kong Airlines took delivery of its first A350 in September 2017. After launching on short-haul routes to Bangkok, Taipei and Shanghai, the aircraft made its long-haul debut on the new route to Los Angeles, which launched in December. Services to London, New York and San Francisco are expected to follow this year.

CHECK-IN

My shuttle arrived at Tom Bradley International Terminal B at around 0730 for my 1045 flight to Hong Kong (HX69). The terminal was very busy that morning, but there was a short queue in the business class lane in Hong Kong Airline’s check-in area A. TSA passenger screening is on departure level 4, which can be reached via the escalator next to the Hong Kong Airlines counters. Again, there was hardly a queue, and I was airside by 8am.

THE LOUNGE

Hong Kong Airlines business class passengers can use the LA International Lounge located on level 6, a three-minute walk from security (there were very clear directions printed on the Lounge Invitation ticket). This is a spacious lounge with plenty of seating and power points (including USB ports), a modern design and an indoor balcony with views of the terminal. The morning food choice felt rather limited (cup noodles, sandwiches and pastries) but there was Starbucks coffee and alcoholic beverages for those so inclined.

BOARDING

I left the lounge at 10am and it was just a one-minute walk to gate 148. Boarding began five minutes later.

THE SEAT

The 334-seat A350 has 33 business class seats from rows 11 to 21 (without row 13 or 14). The seats are arranged in a 1-2-1 configuration and each passenger enjoys direct aisle access.

The seat product is similar to that on the A330, with a generous 44-inch seat pitch – but there are also some new details, like the carpets, the pillows and blankets (already on the seat when you board), which are now a modern grey colour instead of purple.

The airline has dispensed with the massage function in the seat, but the touch panel control has been improved with more straightforward preset options and better responsiveness. The in-seat magazine rack has been moved to seat level to allow more space in and around the side table, where there are two USB ports (international charging points are under the seat).

Another highlight is the sturdy work/ dining table, housed vertically in the seatback panel and which, usefully, can be pushed away so you can leave the seat without having to clear it first.

The fully flat bed is generously long – I am 192cm tall and still had room to spare when lying down. I slept very well for six hours

THE FLIGHT

As I settled down in my seat (16A), a cabin crew member offered me a welcome drink of orange juice or water. I was also given a menu and my pre-meal drink order was taken. We pushed back at 1045 before taking off at 1100. After the seatbelt sign was switched off, slippers

and an amenity kit were distributed, consisting of an eye mask, socks, dental kit, earplugs and L’Occitane hand cream and lip balm.

My order for lunch was taken when my lemon tea and nuts were delivered.

Hong Kong Airlines has introduced charming new tableware designs in business class, with the dishes representing various parts of the Bauhinia flower and the salt and pepper shakers (which passengers are encouraged to take home) resembling dim sum. The menu has also incorporated lots of home references. The lunch starter was impressive: abalone celeriac mousse tart and sliced lobster with lemon chimichurri sauce and a side salad. A Chinese bean curd, ginkgo and diced pork soup followed, which was an unusual bonus. Main courses included a vegetarian, beef and chicken options. I chose the chicken breast stuffed with peppadew pepper and mozzarella in demiglace sauce, with roasted sweet potatoes and seasonal vegetables – a colourful dish that tasted great. My meal finished with a chocolate cake.

After lunch, the cabin lights dimmed and changed to a purple colour tone, so I reclined into the fully flat bed to get some sleep. It is generously long – I am 190cm (6’ 2”) tall and still had room to spare when lying down. The armrest has also been built wider, which is useful during the flight, and the space between the semi-open footwell was partially blocked with a cushion, thus preventing my foot from falling into the gap when sleeping. I slept very well for around six hours.

I woke up because of turbulence. The attentive crew asked if I wanted a mid-flight snack – a vegetarian brioche sandwich with pepper jack cheese and mixed vegetable, assorted Chinese dim sum or a cheese plate. I ordered the dim sum, consisting of sticky rice and a rice noodle roll, which was a good option.

Each passenger is granted 15 minutes of wifi access for free; after that the charges are: US$4.95 for 20MB of data, US$8.95 for a one-hour pass or US$18.95 for a full-flight pass. I purchased the full-flight package and considered it good value for 15 hours. There were no problems with sending messages or doing emails, though sending photos was a bit slow.

I also spent some time navigating the IFE system, which was smooth and responsive with a wide range of movies, music and TV programme options, plus live broadcasts of CNN, BBC World News and Sports24. Passengers can also experience take-off and landing from different aircraft camera view points.

The cabin lights came on two hours before landing for the refreshment service. The starter comprised of fresh fruit while the main course was either beef lasagne with herb marinara and chive alfredo sauce or roasted BBQ pork in Chinese five spice sauce with steamed rice, a fried egg and seasonal vegetables. I chose the BBQ pork, but felt it could have benefited from more sauce. The meal was completed with cheesecake and cassis mousse.

ARRIVAL

A crew member came to each passenger to say thank you and goodbye before the flight started its descent at 1800, which was a nice personal touch. We landed smoothly at 1830. Immigration was not busy and it didn’t take much time to collect my priority luggage and clear customs.

VERDICT

The 15-hour journey flew by. I enjoyed the comfortable lie-flat bed to rest, and had plenty of time to do some work on a firm table with strong wifi connectivity. I also appreciated the excellent service as the cabin crew took care of me and made me feel at home during the flight. Valerian Ho

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