When the captain’s voice comes on the PA system to say that we’ll be landing in 30 minutes, my first feeling isn’t relief—it’s disappointment.
I’m flying from Vancouver to Hong Kong—a casual 13-hour jaunt—as one of the first in North America to enjoy Cathay Pacific’s Aria Suite: the airline’s brand new business-class offering. It’s been such a lovely experience that even though I’m about to spend a few exciting days exploring Hong Kong, I’m not quite ready for this part of the journey to end.
First launched on flights from London to Hong Kong late last year, followed shortly thereafter by the Sydney-to-Hong-Kong route, the Aria Suite is part of Cathay Pacific’s completely refurbished fleet of Boeing 777-300ERs, which sees entire planes receiving facelifts—from the airline’s signature backlighting to the framed artworks found throughout. The retrofitted aircraft debuted in Vancouver in June, making the city the third destination in the world to receive it as a travel option.
“Vancouver was chosen primarily because it’s somewhat symbolic,” says Chris van den Hooven, Cathay Pacific’s senior vice-president, Americas. “It was our first destination, over 40 years ago, to the Americas.”
A long-haul flight is not just pleasant or comfortable but downright peaceful thanks to the many thoughtful features in the Aria Suite. What strikes me first upon finding my seat is the colour palette: each pod features soothing veneers of birch and white marble, making it feel bright and welcoming. The seat’s headrest is covered in buttery premium leather, as is the aisle-side armrest, which can be pushed downward to make the bed even bigger. The overhead lamp offers an ambient glow, controlled by two touchscreens—one side panel and one remote—that allow me to adjust the lighting to my liking. The television is a 24-inch with 4K ultrahigh definition, the largest ever offered by Cathay Pacific. There is ample storage, too: there’s a triangular cubby below the seat that perfectly fits both my belt bag and the Bamford amenity kit that’s gifted to every Aria Suite guest; a side table that slides open to hold a smartphone and other small gadgets; and a cupboard at the back that houses a bottle of water and headphones. As I poke around my temporary home, it becomes clear that every detail has been meticulously thought out.
“It’s no secret in our industry that the competition’s incredibly intense, especially in that premium space,” van den Hooven says. “Customers’ expectations have increased over time, and Cathay Pacific regards itself as one of the premium carriers. It’s important that we not only maintain these standards but set new standards as well.”
It’s why, he says, Cathay Pacific has committed over 100 billion Hong Kong dollars (just over $17 billion Canadian) in investments into its customer offerings, both on the ground and in the air.
“If you think of a high-performance athlete, you might win the gold medal in the Olympics—but to do it again the second time, I would argue, is almost even more difficult,” van den Hooven offers. “So you have to continue to train and compete. You’re always trying to perfect what you’re doing well, and that applies to us, too.”
Once we’re safely in the air, I snuggle into my Cathay Pacific eye mask and a fluffy duvet and recline my seat at the push of a touchscreen button so that it smoothly turns into a bed that lies flat and which features an ethically sourced wool lining from Rohi. Then, using what is perhaps my favourite feature of the Aria Suite, I pull the sliding door across my pod for an additional bit of privacy.
“There are a few airlines that are incorporating doors into their business cabins, and we’ve done that as well—but rather than these sort of sharp, angular [designs], ours is much more contoured,” van den Hooven says. “It looks a lot more sophisticated and refined, because we’ve got these gentle curves and angles. So it does give you a sense with the door closed that your personal suite is wider because of the curvature of the door.”
Soon I’m sleeping, which I do for most of the flight. My easy slumber is a testament to the comfort of the Aria Suite (though because the flight leaves after midnight, I get a head start). I wake up with only a few hours to enjoy movies and some of the on-board food. The Cathay Delight mocktail with coconut milk, kiwi juice, and mint is the perfect refresher. I also indulge in a belated dinner of slow-braised pork belly and, later, a light breakfast of yogurt, fruit, and a warm croissant. The food in the air might be even better than the saucy peanut noodles I enjoyed in the Cathay Pacific lounge back in Vancouver.
So really, it’s no wonder I feel a little sad when the captain announces that we’re close to landing in Hong Kong. Of course, I’ve been looking forward to the city’s luxury offerings—from staying at the iconic Island Shangri-La to dining at Michelin-starred Duddell’s—but if I’m being honest, I’m already looking forward to the flight home too.
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