Cathay Pacific A350-1000 premium economy

SINGAPORE–HONG KONG

BACKGROUND

Cathay Pacific took delivery of its first Airbus A350-1000 in June last year, with all 20 expected to be delivered by 2021. I was travelling back from Singapore to Hong Kong in the premium economy cabin of this aircraft, to see how it compares with Cathay’s A330-300 premium economy service, which I also recently reviewed.

CHECK-IN

This was an early flight departing at 0650, so I arrived by taxi just before 0500 at Terminal 4 of Singapore’s Changi Airport. Bleary-eyed, I made my way to the automated check-in counters. Using the machines is relatively simple and I completed the process without issue and proceeded to the automated bag-drop.

Security was swift as there were no other people at all, and I enjoyed a short and pleasant walk through an uncrowded terminal towards gate G18.

There was a bit of a boarding queue already when I arrived. Unfortunately, I did not realise until I had already queued and reached the gate that there is a separate queue for premium economy class on this flight, so I missed out on boarding ahead of economy class.

THE SEAT

I was in 31K, a window seat. The seat looks immediately fresher and newer than that on the A330. The width is actually less than on the A330, at 18.5 inches compared with 19.3 inches; but the A350-1000’s legroom is better (40 inches compared to 39 inches), and the A350’s nine-inch recline is one inch more than the A330’s. The A350-1000 seat also has some additional storage space that the A330 seat is lacking, along with a space under the tray table to rest your tablet. The IFE screen is also higher definition and has a more responsive touchscreen.

WHICH SEAT TO CHOOSE?

The premium economy cabin itself is small, with four rows of 2-4-2, one more row than on the A330. Bear in mind that, while there is a footrest, unless you are in the front row seats (row 30), the footrest will be restricted by the seat in front and you won’t be able to fully stretch your legs without getting them caught. The middle seats (31-33 D-G) are the least attractive, especially 31-33 E and F, which box you in on both sides. If you are travelling with a companion, the side seats (30-33 A and C, and 30-33 H and K) would be great to book as they give you a significant degree of privacy.

THE FLIGHT

We pushed back from the gate around 0652 and the captain announced that we were expected to arrive ahead of schedule. The engine noise on the A350 is notably less than on the A330, which contributes to a more relaxing flight.

The premium economy seat looks immediately fresher and newer than that on the A330

Just before 0730 we were served a selection of soft drinks, including orange juice or apple juice. Breakfast was a choice between an omelette and Chinese congee. I went for the former, which I enjoyed, while my seat mate had congee, with which he seemed satisfied. I thought the muffins were a nice addition to the meal. A member of the cabin crew also offered me a hot drink after the meal. Later, I went to find the bathroom and was pleased to discover that the premium economy cabin has a dedicated lavatory. The body lotion and foaming cleanser from Australian brand Jurlique were a nice touch.

ARRIVAL

We landed in Hong Kong at 1018, almost half an hour ahead of our scheduled arrival time of 1045. Disembarkation was swift, as we were allowed off the plane before those in economy. The gate we landed at was slightly far away, so I had to take the train one stop to the immigration area. As a Hong Kong resident, it took seconds to get through immigration, but there was a 10-15 minute wait for luggage, before I could head to the Airport Express.

VERDICT

An improvement on the A330’s premium economy product. The seat fixtures are noticeably sturdier, there is more storage space and the IFE screen is considerably better. Seat comfort is about the same between the two aircraft, but the A350-1000’s cabin feels newer. Michael Allen