CATHAY PACIFIC AIRWAYS First Class and Business Class Seat reviews

Perfect for travellers who want privacy, space to work, a place to sleep and great service. Not so good for looking out of the window but at the end of the day most of the time there is nothing to see so no great loss!

I was pleasantly surprised to see the new seating configuration in Business Class. What an improvement compared to the old seating arrangement to what I described as rows of horse stalls. The only view was the passenger's feet. The new seating allows privacy – and a window to look out from, instead of my back to it.

The main problem with this seat is also the main advantage, privacy. Nobody can see you and you can see nobody when you are seated (a good thing). However, it is almost impossible to talk to the person next to you. Seats are considerably narrower compared to traditional front facing Business Class seats. This has not been a problem for me and it seems a more than reasonable sacrifice to make because any average sized passenger doesn't actually need too much seat width.

Business class - new layout HKG MEL. After 3 flights in the awful herringbone single line layout, we at last experienced the new layout. 1x2x1 seating across the A330, squeezes the aisle size, but provides window seats that you can actually see out of, and 2 in the middle for couples who would like to talk to each other. To do this the central seats have horizontal movement so that in the sitting position you can move forward to chat with your neighbour, or keep it back if you want privacy. The bed works, the controls are good, and there is even a storage box for the headset, as well as a good shelf on which to place odd items during the flight. Two points of criticism remain. The tray table is in a fixed position and for anyone with some girth, it presses into the stomach. Pregnant ladies would find it very difficult and uncomfortable. In addition the footrest when you are in a normal sitting position does not extend far enough and as a result even people with short legs would find support ends at the angle.

The seats were narrow, the window was behind my head, the walls either side of the seat gave the impression of a prison cell. Why? I can only imagine it was to fit more seats in. I notice Cathay managed 22 upstairs when everybody else has 20. The service was excellent, the food likewise, but that won't win them customers. It was painful to watch a couple try to talk to one another over the partition!

New Business Class seats are wider and more spacious than previous, however, middle seats do not have enough privacy if travelling alone.

New Biz class seat is fantastic. Very comfortable, great to sleep in, private lighting keeps the cabin dim at night, great video screen and programming, etc. The seat has lots of storage.

For a single traveller the cabin is fine, no neighbours, but for any couple of family, there cannot be a worse arrangement. The pod is antisocial, cramped, no elbow room, ill conceived by blocking windows even for window seats, and in a non flat position the leg rest brings feet up under a "stool" on which you cannot sit. I hope that the new system recognizes that there are many who do not travel alone and would like some companionship. Two seats side by side can easily be separated by a screen when used by individuals rather than couples.

Cathay is widely promoting its new business class seat but it is appalling. The separate feet support does not align to the bed when in sleep position so there is no support under the calves. FA tried to correct alignment and admitted that lots of passengers complain.

New Business product. A lot more roomy feel to the cabin. Also the fact that your feet now faced in rather than out was also a good design improvement as this stops you getting bumped.

Negative points first - if you are by a window it is very difficult to see out without craning your neck around, lack of storage space (as I am used to the cavernous BA Club World drawer), but this outweighed by most comfortable seat and flat-bed I have encountered. Entertainment system also excellent - large screen and very extensive collection of new films, old films, TV programmes and CDs. Would agree with other reviewers that it is not really suitable for travelling as a couple or with families.

The new Business Class on CX, which has made its debut on the HKG/SYD route, is a vast improvement over the much-hyped herringbone version that it replaces. Now couples may feel they are sharing their trip, and those who wish to look out the window can do so without having to perform contortions. The layout of the seats and their surrounds has obviously been carefully thought through, with several little touches, such a knee room when sleeping on one's side and a shoe receptacle so no more searches for lost shoes. The only criticism I have, and it is a small one, is that the table, which swivels out, cannot slide forward or back.

The seats are very narrow and no view at all out of the window without craning your neck to an unpleasant angle. I couldn’t read a newspaper as I couldn’t get it open wide enough and still be comfortable. I did notice the upper deck seats are a good 6" longer than the main deck when in full lie- flat mode. There is an additional shoulder belt they make you click into your lap belt for takeoff and landing which seems superfluous, no other angled herring-bone seat arrangement on any other carrier I have been on requires this. I also noticed that the material used is fraying badly at the edges, most carriers use leather to maintain a high quality finish. AVOD system is good, though a little unresponsive at times. Good choice of music and good play-list option. In seat power didn’t seem to work for me but may have been faulty.

JFK-HKG, a 5-star flight. The seating configuration, in herringbone shape, is not so good if you want a view from the window and you are traveling with someone you want to chat with, but the seat is quite comfortable for reading, watching movies (great entertainment system and huge screen), eating and sleeping.

HKG-SFO in the upper deck, seat 81A. The seat is quite comfortable for reading, watching movies (great entertainment system and huge screen) and eating. I found sleeping okay, but not so comfortable, because the cabin temperature was too high and it's not possible to control ventilation. I disliked the herringbone configuration because it makes it very difficult to have a view from the window. Next time I will pick a seat from the second row to the back in order to have a view, even if it's partial, from the window next to the seat in front of mine.

I am a fairly slim and not an overly tall person, but the criticisms of the Cathay business class seats are well justified. The ottoman is configured in such a way as to make seating uncomfortable. The herringbone configuration makes looking out of the window impossible. I slept reasonably well, but can see that larger passengers would find this an uncomfortable seat.

The pod was comfortable enough for sleeping on flight HKG-SYD but not conducive to travelling with a 4 year old. Unless the cabin crew are prepared to unwrap food trays and put straws in boxed drinks, operate the IFE, bed the kids down etc, they are a bad choice for travelling families as the parents are too isolated from their children and are trapped as such once the food trays are down. An improvement would be optional walls. Sat on the window but had to contort to see anything out of it. Other than that, the food was good and IFE excellent if a bit dark - perhaps because the screen can't be tilted.

I agree with other comments that although private, unsuitable for couples or travelling with children, seating too narrow, feels generally cramped and uncomfortable for sleeping.

New herringbone layout. Too narrow, the high green dividers may be good for privacy but also give a sense of claustrophobia given narrow seat, weird color scheme, and a sense of cheapness to the decor. Very uncomfortable sleeping attempt - although the seat is very good for daytime flights if no sleeping position is sought. Thankfully, this is slightly compensated by delightful crew and great IFE.

An excellent F seat on the B747. Very comfortable, very private new suites (1A and K recommended if travelling as a couple. Highly recommended over the new herringbone C-class product.

I was surprised that the seat was so small and when I wanted to look out the window I couldn't because of how the seat is at an angle. I was able to sleep on the flat bed but it is narrow. The service and food were good. There is a problem if you are traveling with a companion and want to talk because the seats are too far apart with a divider between them.

New herringbone layout. Too narrow, the high green dividers may be good for privacy but also give a sense of claustrophobia given narrow seat, weird color scheme, and a sense of cheapness to the decor. Very uncomfortable sleeping attempt - although the seat is very good for daytime flights if no sleeping position is sought. Thankfully, this is slightly compensated by delightful crew and great IFE.

An excellent F seat on the B747. Very comfortable, very private new suites (1A and K recommended if travelling as a couple. Highly recommended over the new herringbone C-class product.

I was surprised that the seat was so small and when I wanted to look out the window I couldn't because of how the seat is at an angle. I was able to sleep on the flat bed but it is narrow. The service and food were good. There is a problem if you are traveling with a companion and want to talk because the seats are too far apart with a divider between them.

I have flown the new Business configuration before, but only on a daylight flight - for that purpose the seats and pods were fine, if too narrow. But tried them out on an overnight HKG/SYD last night. A disaster for sleeping. The seat in the flat position is very lumpy due to the separate seat back and seat cushion parts coming together. The pod is too narrow to comfortably turn over and change positions. So, CX for daytime flights only from now on.

Agree with many of the comments, seat being bit too small, uncomfortable set-up for looking out the windows etc - however service and food are good but most of all the flatbed will always make the difference for me. Singapore Airlines might be more spacious/better but also more expensive.

Upper deck, herringbone layout, fully flat seat. A bit on the narrow side. I love the privacy.

Bed can be fully extended to 180 degrees, very comfortable. Entertainment system perfect. Seat is a bit narrow if you are a bit wide.

I fly long and medium-haul flights on CX business class on a regular basis and can't understand why people are tolerating the narrow business class seats given the price for business class tickets. It seems that CX made a big mistake on the renovated business class cabin and to make it even worse, it seems that it doesn't want to admit that it is a mistake. The cabin design is okay so to speak (save for if you travelling not by yourself then you can't really talk to your companion in a comfortable manner), Air Canada has the same business class cabin but its seats are wider than those of the CX. I hope CX finally will admit this mistake and do something about it.

New herringbone seating arrangement. Agreement with many of the comments about uncomfortably closed in feel of the cabin, narrowness of the seat (unable to comfortably read a newspaper due to lack of elbow room), difficulty in looking outside the cabin. When upright for landings and take-off a passenger's face is less than a foot from the hard edge of the pod. To make matters worse the sharp edge of the reading light is exactly where my head would strike in any time of rapid deceleration.

Not a big fan of the business class seat arrangement. Though the privacy is excellent and the VOD choices are numerous, it's difficult to adjust to the coffin-like environment. I had a sleepless 15 hour flight but was satisfied with the food, the service and entertainment.

SFO-HKG. The seat was ok. When the seat was flat, it was fairly tight and I could barely turn my body around. The entertainment system was sub-par - lack of popular music and few movie choices. Flight attendants were not very responsive either.

CX herringbone layout design makes it difficult for the flight attendants to do their job, especially for anyone using the AVOD system. Since CX has such an excellent AVOD, this means almost every interaction with the crew is over the top of the screen and the pod wall. Very awkward socially and physically, with lots of neck craning from the passenger and lots of reaching over from the attendant. In addition, the pods angle away from the windows, making them almost useless and creating a literal pain in the neck, and pods seem very narrow. It is difficult to read a newspaper when sitting, or turn over when sleeping.

I found the new business class to be excellent, private if you are in the aisle (seats K) with only one seat leading into it. I found the seat really spacious when reclined - especially compared to Qantas. Very comfortable seat and easy to sleep when reclined. Mini-cabin style definitely not appropriate for a couple though.

HKG-JFK. After spending the previous two days onboard Singapore Airlines in their new large Business Class seats (777-300ER and A380 the Cathay Pacific angled seats do not in comparison, come even close to the SQ seats for comfort and room. Although fairly comfortable (I did manage to get a few hours sleep on this 16-odd hour flight) there is not a lot of room around you in the seat. I can't get used to having to angle yourself to look out the window!

The 777-300 cabin layout is awkward and uncomfortable. There is a feeling of discomfort, constraint, and tightness. The bed was too firm, but the width as a seat was good. Cathay should bring back the 747-400 on its US-HKG routes (747 First is a wonderful experience), or improve its first product. As it stands, the 777 First is regretfully second tier.