With service beginning later this month, Cathay Pacific’s A350-900 will be the first of its kind to serve passengers travelling between the Vancouver and Hong Kong international airports.
The plane will serve the route three times each week, on Tuesday, Thursday and Saturday, offering business passengers a luxurious way to travel when visiting clients across the Pacific.
“The A350 XWB family was the perfect fit for the next stage of our fleet development – a mid-size long-haul aircraft that will complement our existing passenger fleet and give us the capacity, range and operating economics to facilitate the ongoing enhancement of our networks,” stated Ivan Chu, Chief Executive, Cathay Pacific.
The aircraft itself is a thing to behold. The A350-900 is comprised of advanced aerodynamics, lightweight composite materials and the latest Rolls-Royce Trent XWB engines. This results in a significant decrease in operating costs, as well as a reduction in fuel burn, benefiting the environment by cutting CO2 emissions and external noise.
But it’s in the inflight service where passengers will see the new plane’s many benefits. Stepping inside the A350-900, the first thing passengers will notice is the spacious and quieter cabin environment, with larger panoramic windows and vertical sidewalls to accommodate more shoulder room.
In an effort to reduce passenger jet lag, the cabin pressure is set at 6,000ft rather than the usual 8,000ft. Simulating sunrise and sunset, LED mood lighting changes colour to help passengers adjust during the gradual phases of the flight.
Business class travelers at the helm of their Studio F.A. Porsche seats have significantly more space than on previous aircrafts. The chair has a 45” seat pitch with a 20.2” seat width, and a 75” bed length which extends to lie completely flat. “Do Not Disturb” and “Wake Up Call” features let passengers relax in privacy. Additional storage compartments, including a side cabinet with noise-cancelling headphones, are situated within the seating area for easy access.
The new inflight entertainment system has an 18.5” HD touch screen, on which passengers can enjoy on-demand films, an e-reader with a comprehensive list of digital magazines and a new interactive 3D map. Complimentary satellite TV with BBC World News, CNN and Euronews is available, and travelers in any section can purchase unlimited Wi-Fi to stay productive during the flight.
To help business travelers feel refreshed for whatever awaits them upon landing, Cathay Pacific provides each guest with an amenity kit which includes a sleeping mask, blanket, grooming tools and slippers. Meal service occurs within an hour of take-off so that passengers can use the rest of the trip to rest or prepare for meetings.
Upon arrival to the Hong Kong airport, passengers have the additional benefit of relaxing in The Pier, Cathay Pacific’s private Business class lounge at the Hong Kong airport. There they can freshen up in one of the many private marble shower rooms or dine at the Teahouse or Noodle Bar.
See for yourself why Cathay Pacific calls the A350 “unquestionably one of the best travel experiences in the sky” when the Vancouver to Hong Kong service launches on March 28.
