Stephanie Holmes flies CX712, Bangkok to Hong Kong with Cathay Pacific

The plane: A350-900

Class: Business

Flight time: A swift 2h 55m, crossing one time zone. My seat: 21A, a window Business Class seat in the second part of the cabin. With only one of the other eight seats occupied, it made for a very peaceful journey. The suite was a little tired, the laminate on the table starting to peel away and a loose piece of metal on the seat in front by my feet. But with two windows there was lots of natural light and great views. Fellow passengers: Few and far between in my part of the cabin.

Entertainment: I watched Big Little Lies for the second time, and A Child in Time, a very strange British drama starring Benedict Cumberbatch. I stopped everything as we descended into Hong Kong — it was sunset and we had to stay in a holding pattern for one circuit, giving a spectacular view of Hong Kong and the city’s beautiful waterfront lighting up for the night. As it got dark, the lights from boats moored in the harbour looked like stars in an inky black sky. One of the most memorable landings of my life so far.

The service: Friendly and warm, taking notice of my connecting flight from Hong Kong to Auckland and wishing me a very pleasant onward journey.

Food and drink: I’d shovelled down a bowl of noodles at the excellent Cathay Pacific lounge in Bangkok Airport, so wasn’t particularly hungry. Or so I thought, but the pan-fried beef medallion (spelt medalloin on the menu) and bacon wrap with asparagus, baby carrot, pesto potato mash and red wine jus was just too tempting to refuse. I’ll just have a taste, I thought, before eating the whole thing. Dessert was a pot of matcha green tea Haagen Dazs icecream. I’ll just have a taste, I thought . . . The toilets: Clean and stocked with Jurlique soap, face cleanser and body lotion.

Luggage: Business passengers are allowed two pieces of checked luggage weighing up to 40kg, and one piece of hand luggage weighing up to 10kg.

The airport experience: It was my first time at Bangkok’s Suvarnabhumi Airport and I was very impressed. It’s absolutely huge, but its industrialfuturistic design includes a lot of natural light. The people-watching was top-notch, with crowds made up of orange-robed Buddhist monks and a range of nationalities who had been visiting this popular tourist destination (Bangkok was named world’s most visited city for international tourists in 2018). Cathay Pacific’s Business Class lounge was a heavenly refuge when the crowds got too much.

The bottom line: This is a great service between two world-class destinations.