Cathay Pacific business class is amazing, but don’t make the mistake I made in Hong Kong

Everything was perfect, until I made an incredibly embarrassing blunder.

Kirrily Schwarz's flight from Hong Kong to Sydney didn't quite go to plan (yes, that's actual sweat). Picture: Supplied

My lungs were screaming, my heart hammering, and my vision compromised as sweat rolled into my eyes. I briefly considered ditching my bags so I could run faster.

This sounds like the opening scene of a low-budget horror movie, but nope. This drama unfolded in Hong Kong International Airport’s gleaming Terminal 1 as I sprinted for a flight, moving faster than I have since my school's team won the district 4x100m relay in Year 12. The panic was real and overwhelming.

Cathay Pacific business class ticks all the boxes. Picture: Kirrily Schwarz

The 1-2-1 configuration means everyone has lots of space. Picture: Cathay Pacific

A few weeks ago, I visited Hong Kong for the first time, flying Cathay Pacific business class. Travelling in the pointy end of a plane is always such a treat, especially with an airline renowned for its premium offering and excellent service. Cathay Pacific was recently ranked as the eighth-best airline in the world, according to the 2023 Skytrax World Airline Awards, with the ninth-best business class on the market.

Both trips were flawless and as far as I’m concerned the airline ticked every box.

Excellent menu? Tick. Cocktails are carefully crafted – I opted for Cloud Nine, a signature beverage made from vodka, Cointreau, Sprite, and lemon. The menu features exclusive dishes created in partnership with Duddells, a local Michelin-starred Cantonese restaurant. The result was exactly as surprising and impressive as you’d hope: drunken prawns with Huadiao wine for the entree, and steamed halibut with cordyceps flowers with mandarin peel and olives for the main.

The drunken prawns with aged Huadiao wine were surprising. Picture: Kirrily Schwarz

Persian orange polenta cake with pistachio, rosemary, and honey cream. Picture: Kirrily Schwarz

Room to work? Tick. Cathay Pacific’s business class seats all have aisle access, plentiful storage, and huge screens. The large tray table is laptop-friendly and the onboard Wi-Fi has surprisingly good upload and download speeds.

Comfortable bed? Tick. When you clock off, the wide seats transform into fully-flat beds decked out with cosy 400-thread-count linen. Even though I’m taller than average at 183cm, there was still plenty of room. I also appreciated the thoughtful amenity kits with natural luxury skincare products from Bamford. 

Brilliant service? Tick. But that’s where I have to confess my mortifying blunder.

Hong Kong is a spectacular short break from Australia. Picture: Kirrily Schwarz

You can cover a huge amount of ground in a short time. Picture: Kirrily Schwarz

My flight home was CX111 from Hong Kong to Sydney. I checked in early, planning to make the most of my lounge access. Cathay Pacific has three: The Wing at Gate 1, The Deck at Gate 6, and The Pier at Gate 65. I could see my flight on the board, but the gate hadn't been assigned yet, so I opted for the closest one.

Great lounges? Tick. The Wing is excellent. The highlight is the Noodle Bar, located towards the back, which serves made-to-order Asian dishes including char siu buns and dumplings. It’s also home to the Long Bar, made from beautiful white marble, which is a great place to sip champagne and watch the planes come and go. The velvety chocolate tarts at the buffet also deserve an honourable mention.

Food at The Wing is excellent - don't miss the Noodle Bar. Picture: Cathay Pacific

However, The Pier is a better choice if your gate is numbered 30+. Picture: Cathay Pacific

I took out my laptop, engrossing myself in a project, figuring there’d eventually be an announcement to pull my focus back to the present. I checked the board a few times in the first hour or so, but gradually lost track. When I finally looked up, three terrifying words had appeared on the screen: “BOARDING, GATE 69”.

In case you’re wondering how far it is from Gate 1 to Gate 69, it’s far. Very far.

Especially since I was wearing a blazer and heeled boots. Especially since I smugly only took carry-on and was now sprinting with 10kg of luggage. And especially since I was playing that low-budget horror movie in my mind, imagining the door closing, the jet bridge withdrawing, and the plane flying to Australia without me.

Adrenaline flooded my body and I snapped into action, dashing for the stairs.

Direct flights between Sydney and Hong Kong take about nine hours. Picture: Cathay Pacific

By the time I reached Gate 60, feeling desperate, a glimmer of hope appeared. 

An immaculately dressed Cathay Pacific staff member was running towards me at full speed, despite her perfectly pressed uniform and polished heels, holding a board with my flight number. I picked up my pace to meet her and together we ran the nine gates standing between me and my winged chariot in record time.

Despite my disarray, the cabin crew was incredibly gracious and the rest of the journey went without a hitch. Thanks to the pilots, we arrived two minutes early.

I’ll definitely travel with Cathay Pacific again and I highly recommend its business class for those wanting to treat themselves and kick off their next holiday in style.

But next time, you'd best believe I'll be setting some alarms.

The writer travelled as a guest of Cathay Pacific.

Originally published as Cathay Pacific business class is amazing, but don’t make the mistake I made in Hong Kong