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Trip report CX/VN: AMS - HKG - HAN - HKG - AMS
Business trip to Hanoi
Wednesday 7 January CX 270 Amsterdam - Hong Kong, Airbus 340-300 Scheduled 13:20 - 08:00*, actual 13:44 - 07:55* Train to Schiphol. Pick up my ticket and go to Cathay Pacific check-in. Relatively long lines for economy class check-in, nobody for business and first class check-in. I reserved seat 11 C and forget to check if I get the right seat on my boarding pass. They can't give me a business class boarding pass for HKG - HAN and advice me to go to the transit desk in Hong Kong. Security / passport control is a non-event as usual. (3 minutes) Do some tax free shopping (bottles of jenever as gifts for our clients for Vietnamese (lunar) new year) Have time for a drink in the lounge, check my boarding pass and see that they gave me 12 D. Go to the gate and ask if I can still get 11C or 15C. Upon seeing my business class boarding pass, the gate manager (a Dutch Chinese man) takes over from the more junior gate agent. He looks into the system and starts smiling. I have already seen a first class boarding pass waiting for somebody, and know immediately that it must be mine. Anyway, the guy starts a story about travel agents telling their clients that seat xxx has been reserved while in fact they never reserve the seat with the airline, and how the airline than gets the complaint when the seat is no longer available. I can't give you 11C or 15C, he says, still smiling, but perhaps seat 1G will do?, handing me the first class boarding pass. I decide not to be a difficult passenger and accept seat 1G. Full flight. 8 first class seats on CX's 340-300's, 1 - 2 - 1 seating and two rows only. I have one of the two middle seats. Take off is just a bit late, and soon we are on our way via Northern Netherlands - Northern Germany - South of Copenhagen - Southern Sweden - Estonia - just South of St. Petersburg - North of Moscow - lots of Eastern Russia and Siberia - Western Mongolia - China to Hong Kong. Lunch is served which is: Caviar and Balik Delight Oscietra Caviar and Balik Salmon "Tsar Nicolaj" served with Warm New Potatoes and Creme Fraiche (I eat the caviar and wonder why people like it. It is just an ordinary salty fish taste IMHO. I would never pay for it. However, the salmon is delicious) Soup Spicy Pumpkin Cream Soup (delicious) Salad Mixed Salad with Cherry Tomato and Mozzarella served with Pesto Dressing Main courses Beef fillet .........(not for me) Chicken breast.........(not for me) Mushroom filled ravioli.........(not for me) Steamed Halibut with Ginger, Mushrooms and Black Beans with Steamed Rice and Pak Choy (nice) Cheese Board (I skip) Dessert Selection Creme Brulee Chocolate Mascarpone Cake (my choice and it is great!) Strawberry Ripple Yoghurt, Pecan and Caramel Ice Cream Tea and Coffee Pralines and Cookies And I wash everything away with Olivier Leflaive Puligny Montrachet 1998 Cote de Beaune Burgundy. Table is huge and the linen is nice too. Just too bad that one of the (metal) knives that I get still has a large piece of dried food on it. After dinner it is 4:30 PM Amsterdam time and the flight attendants decide we need to sleep. We get a toiletries bag (they ran out of the male ones so I get a female one) and a PJ. (no more L or XL so they give me a M which I don't even try) We also get a nice clean duvet. Lights are switched off and the crew disappears. I watch two movies: Runaway Jury with John Cusack and Gene Hackman, and There's Something about Mary with Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller. OK movies but based on 4 returns AMS - HKG in the last 5 months I don't think CX have a very good choice in movies. I had expected to be pampered non-stop in first class, but after dinner and until breakfast the crew is largely invisible. Disappointing. After the movies I am getting a bit tired and I manage to sleep 3 hours. Skip breakfast as the choices are not very special (eggs, noodles with pork, or cold cuts) and the meals on Vietnam Airlines are always very good. Arrive in HKG and find the CX transfer desk. Ask if they can give me a business class boarding pass. "You want to use your miles?" she asks. I say "no, because I have a business class ticket". She studies the ticket and I have to show her the box "fare basis C". She is still not convinced and calls a supervisor. Then she needs to fax the ticket to the supervisor and 5 minutes later I have my business class boarding pass. Have time to go to the lounge "The Pier" and have a coffee. When I arrive at the gate around 8:40 there is nobody. Very empty flight. Thursday 8 January VN/CX 793 Hong Kong - Hanoi, Airbus 320, operated by Vietnam Airlines Scheduled 09:00 - 10:00, actual 09:20 - 09:58 Smooth flight. Have a beef with rice brunch which as usual in VN business class is excellent. Landing at 09:58, at the gate at 10:01 and via immigration, bag pick-up, customs and currency exchange in the taxi at 10:16. Friday 16 January VN/CX 792 Hanoi - Hong Kong, Airbus 320, operated by Vietnam Airlines Scheduled 19:10 - 21:55, actual 19:30 - 21:58 All flights between Hanoi and Hong Kong are VN / CX codeshares operated by Vietnam Airlines. This means that often you can't get a reservation in business class because VN will keep half of the C class seats "reserved" until the last moment before they release them to passengers holding a CX ticket. There are four of us (colleagues) on this flight tonight and 3 manage to get a C class seat, one has to stay in Y. Check-in is quick, pay the USD 14 airport tax, proceed via passport control and security check to the lounge and have a few wodka / oranges and talk with the colleagues. A VN check-in agent enters the lounge and asks one of my colleagues if "you can please help me" because "there is another passenger who wants to be in business class and he is difficult" and "can you please sit in economy class". My colleague gives the only correct answer "I can be difficult, too" and the girl disappears. Uneventful flight with very good food again: Smoked Salmon Roll with Fish Eggs Choice of: Fillet of Beef from Australia Steak, Buttered Potatoes, Snow Bean and Carrot OR Stirfried Prawn with Onion, Stirfried Noodles, Poached Snow Bean OR Steamed Rice, Duck in Orange Sauce, Sauteed Mustard Leaves Fresh Fruit Slice Tea and Coffee I have the prawns which are excellent and my colleague tells me that the duck is excellent too. In Hong Kong our temperature is checked and the two colleagues who couldn't get a boarding pass HKG - AMS in Hanoi (for unknown reasons) go to the transfer desk. I go to the lounge which is very crowded. No available seats in the business section and I sneak into the first class section where fortunately nobody check my boarding pass. Read three newspapers and when it is time to go to the gate (almost two hours later) I find my colleagues who tell me that they just got their boarding passes. The flight is overbooked and the agent offered them a downgrade (with no compensation offered!) and later a re-route via Paris. They refused and told her that they have OK tickets and reservations and they should find another solution. In the end, they get on the flight in C class. Saturday 17 January CX 271 Hong Kong - Amsterdam, A340-300 Scheduled 00:15 - 06:30, actual 00:25 - 05:59 I have a busy day ahead of me, have already eaten so immediately after take off I hit the bed and try to sleep. I want to sleep badly and ofcourse now I can't. After two and a half hours of non-sleep and twisting and turning, I decide to watch a movie "Under the Tuscan Sun" with Raoul Bova and Diane Lane. After the movie I have a few glasses of wine and I manage to sleep 3 hours. When I wake up I watch an episode of "Are you being served" (always funny) and "Queer Eye for a Straight Guy". Have good Dim Sum for breakfast. Arrival at a far G gate in AMS, bag is quick, and in the taxi at 06:30. Sjoerd |
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Trip report CX/VN: AMS - HKG - HAN - HKG - AMS
Sjoerd wrote:
When I wake up I watch an episode of "Are you being served" (always funny) I hope this isn't an indication of the level of truthfulness in the rest of the trip report. miguel -- Hundreds of travel photos from around the world: http://travel.u.nu/ |
#3
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Trip report CX/VN: AMS - HKG - HAN - HKG - AMS
"Miguel Cruz" schreef in bericht ... Sjoerd wrote: When I wake up I watch an episode of "Are you being served" (always funny) I hope this isn't an indication of the level of truthfulness in the rest of the trip report. Don't you believe CX show episodes of "Are you being served?" on board, or don't you think those episodes are funny? I recently read that in some British poll the show made the Top 10 of funniest TV series ever. Sjoerd |
#4
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Trip report CX/VN: AMS - HKG - HAN - HKG - AMS
"Sjoerd" wrote in message ... "Miguel Cruz" schreef in bericht ... Sjoerd wrote: When I wake up I watch an episode of "Are you being served" (always funny) I hope this isn't an indication of the level of truthfulness in the rest of the trip report. Don't you believe CX show episodes of "Are you being served?" on board, or don't you think those episodes are funny? I recently read that in some British poll the show made the Top 10 of funniest TV series ever. I don't believe the episodes are funny either - mildly amusing the first time you see them - but totally boring and predictable after that. Some of us would prefer Fawlty Towers with our Cavier :-) Anything but Mr Bean :-) P.S. The poll was rigged |
#5
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Trip report CX/VN: AMS - HKG - HAN - HKG - AMS
Sjoerd wrote:
"Miguel Cruz" schreef: Sjoerd wrote: When I wake up I watch an episode of "Are you being served" (always funny) I hope this isn't an indication of the level of truthfulness in the rest of the trip report. Don't you believe CX show episodes of "Are you being served?" on board, or don't you think those episodes are funny? I have no doubt that they show it. It's the funniness I would call into question. I recently read that in some British poll the show made the Top 10 of funniest TV series ever. I remember that one - it made the Top 10 of funniest British hoax polls ever. miguel -- Hundreds of travel photos from around the world: http://travel.u.nu/ |
#6
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Trip report CX/VN: AMS - HKG - HAN - HKG - AMS
"Miguel Cruz" schreef in bericht ... Sjoerd wrote: "Miguel Cruz" schreef: Sjoerd wrote: When I wake up I watch an episode of "Are you being served" (always funny) I hope this isn't an indication of the level of truthfulness in the rest of the trip report. Don't you believe CX show episodes of "Are you being served?" on board, or don't you think those episodes are funny? I have no doubt that they show it. It's the funniness I would call into question. It is ofcourse totally predictable, but I still find it funny. A good mix of AbFab, Are you being served?, Allo Allo, Fawlty Towers, Yes, Minister, Dad's Army, Keeping Up Appearances and a few other British comedies should be obilgatory on every IFE system. Sjoerd |
#7
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Trip report CX/VN: AMS - HKG - HAN - HKG - AMS
"Sjoerd" wrote in message ... Business trip to Hanoi Wednesday 7 January CX 270 Amsterdam - Hong Kong, Airbus 340-300 Scheduled 13:20 - 08:00*, actual 13:44 - 07:55* After dinner it is 4:30 PM Amsterdam time and the flight attendants decide we need to sleep. We get a toiletries bag (they ran out of the male ones so I get a female one) and a PJ. (no more L or XL so they give me a M which I don't even try) We also get a nice clean duvet. Lights are switched off and the crew disappears. I watch two movies: Runaway Jury with John Cusack and Gene Hackman, and There's Something about Mary with Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller. OK movies but based on 4 returns AMS - HKG in the last 5 months I don't think CX have a very good choice in movies. I had expected to be pampered non-stop in first class, but after dinner and until breakfast the crew is largely invisible. Disappointing. I don't know what you are expecting, someone to massage you while you are sleeping? What kind of "pampering" do you expect during sleep time? (ok, don't answer that.) |
#8
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Trip report CX/VN: AMS - HKG - HAN - HKG - AMS
"Peter L" schreef in bericht ... I don't know what you are expecting, someone to massage you while you are sleeping? What kind of "pampering" do you expect during sleep time? (ok, don't answer that.) It was *not* sleep time. It was 4:30 PM. 7 of the 8 passengers were not sleeping. I was expecting a drink, some snacks and a chat perhaps. Sjoerd |
#9
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Trip report CX/VN: AMS - HKG - HAN - HKG - AMS
In article ,
"Peter L" wrote: "Sjoerd" wrote in message ... Business trip to Hanoi Wednesday 7 January CX 270 Amsterdam - Hong Kong, Airbus 340-300 Scheduled 13:20 - 08:00*, actual 13:44 - 07:55* After dinner it is 4:30 PM Amsterdam time and the flight attendants decide we need to sleep. We get a toiletries bag (they ran out of the male ones so I get a female one) and a PJ. (no more L or XL so they give me a M which I don't even try) We also get a nice clean duvet. Lights are switched off and the crew disappears. I watch two movies: Runaway Jury with John Cusack and Gene Hackman, and There's Something about Mary with Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller. OK movies but based on 4 returns AMS - HKG in the last 5 months I don't think CX have a very good choice in movies. I had expected to be pampered non-stop in first class, but after dinner and until breakfast the crew is largely invisible. Disappointing. I don't know what you are expecting, someone to massage you while you are sleeping? What kind of "pampering" do you expect during sleep time? (ok, don't answer that.) on my trips on Singepore airlines, they come by with water every hour or so -- and a snack middle of the night which is tucked into the seat pocket if you are asleep -- i.e. non disruptive service -- and this is coach |
#10
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Trip report CX/VN: AMS - HKG - HAN - HKG - AMS
On Tue, 20 Jan 2004 12:35:20 -0800 "Peter L" wrote:
:"Sjoerd" wrote in message ... : Business trip to Hanoi : Wednesday 7 January : CX 270 Amsterdam - Hong Kong, Airbus 340-300 : Scheduled 13:20 - 08:00*, actual 13:44 - 07:55* : After dinner it is 4:30 PM Amsterdam time and the flight attendants decide : we need to sleep. We get a toiletries bag (they ran out of the male ones :so : I get a female one) and a PJ. (no more L or XL so they give me a M which I : don't even try) We also get a nice clean duvet. Lights are switched off :and : the crew disappears. : I watch two movies: Runaway Jury with John Cusack and Gene Hackman, and : There's Something about Mary with Cameron Diaz and Ben Stiller. OK movies : but based on 4 returns AMS - HKG in the last 5 months I don't think CX :have : a very good choice in movies. : I had expected to be pampered non-stop in first class, but after dinner :and : until breakfast the crew is largely invisible. Disappointing. :I don't know what you are expecting, someone to massage you while you are :sleeping? What kind of "pampering" do you expect during sleep time? (ok, :don't answer that.) Sjoerd didn't mention if the FA's were young and male. I have never flown International FC. But in BC I really don't want the FA's approaching me all the time. If I want something I either press the button and they come or I go and get it. -- Binyamin Dissen http://www.dissensoftware.com |
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