Hong Kong International Airport, late on 13 November 2022. CX271 is Cathay Pacific's overnight flight to Amsterdam — departing in Hong Kong's small hours, arriving in Europe's early morning. I was in 12G, a centre seat, on an A350-1000; the screen lit up with the welcome page, destination Amsterdam, and the long night began.
The seat: a private corner at 12G
The seat is Cathay's familiar long-haul business-class pod: deep-green upholstery inside a cream shell, a white pillow already in place, and a full run of storage and controls along the side. The first impression is of having your own corner — the shell wraps your sightlines, and the neighbours' world stays out of yours.
The big screen cycles its welcome page through several languages, and the neighbouring 12D screen sits on the same page: CX271, Amsterdam. The handset is docked in the side wall, its small display showing the seat number 12G and the flight number, with the reading-light dial and seat-position keys beside it — flat bed or lounge position, one touch away.
Before lights-out: footwell and bedding
The footwell is deep, and the footrest already holds the bedding bundle and slippers — standard issue for a long night sector. Slippers on, legs stretched out, and the seat turns from chair into bed-in-waiting. The small bear in a suit and red tie was this trip's travelling companion, with a reserved spot from the seat to the dining table.
Storage and the amenity kit
The side cabinet opens to a mirror and a genuinely useful amount of storage: the Bamford amenity kit, a bottle of Evian and the headphones all fit inside, while the counter takes a black Montblanc passport holder, passport and menu without feeling cluttered. On a long-haul flight, that sense of order — everything in its place before you lie down — is something Cathay has long done reliably well.
Dining: a burger at cruising altitude
The star of the meal service was a burger. The tray arrived complete: burger with fries, tomato and lettuce on the main plate, a small bread roll, a dip and a pack of Heinz ketchup alongside, and the bear in attendance. Up close the burger stacks properly — a glossy brioche bun, a thick beef patty, bacon, melted cheese and pickled onion, in a portion that means business. A burger this good, in the middle of the night at altitude, is the kind you remember.
There were also two small glasses of Cathay Delight — the airline’s signature kiwi-and-coconut drink, topped with mint leaves — and a hot coffee under a thick cap of foam. That is the rhythm of a long night flight: a proper meal, something hot to drink, then lights out and the remaining hours handed over to sleep.
Verdict: 80
This CX271 was Cathay's long-haul business class doing what it does best: being dependable. The seat and sleep space are trustworthy, the storage and amenity details are right, the dining has a genuine highlight in the burger, and service and entertainment hold their level. Nothing here is theatrical, but there is no weak link either — and in late 2022, with Europe routes coming back to life, a red-eye on which you eat well and sleep well earns its 80.
