BA's A380 vs CX
 

Wow what a reception
 

Love that all two Airbus staff and their kids showed up to wave the flags !

FG

Good article and spot on. :D

CX, once a world leader in long-haul, cabin service and a fairly astute purchaser of aircraft, has dropped the ball big-time on this one.

But don't worry, the warmed-over Boeing will have BA, QF, EK and SQ shaking in their boots :hmm:.

And cue..... cxorcist!

Are you not there boy?

I can't hear you!

You must be there?

You can't let an article like this go unanswered....

cxorcist..... where are you???????

I've missed you too, Max. Nothing to add here. You guys have got this one all figured out. CX execs have no idea what they are doing. I wish you guys were in charge. Then we'd all be rolling in bonus money.

You've just figured this out now?? :ugh::ugh:

ASL debacle
Basings debacle
49er debacle
...etc

Put these same execs in a location and environment where competition is cut throat and see how they would have fared.

Once again, it's the passenger pragmatically and the magnetism of new technology as opposed to recycling Boeing modeling that confirms the day. It'll be interesting how corporate CX dig themselves out of this one.

A380
 

As a long time Boeing Captain, but someone who has travelled, own expense back and forwards between Sydney and London 3 times a year for the last 10 years on 74s 77s 330s and 340s , the A380 , I have concluded is the ONLY way to fly very long haul, a view reflected by ALL my friends and rellies who have flown on it.
That "party room" at the rear of the upper deck really is excellent (on EK) but the smoothness and quietness of the aircraft is totally unmatched by other types, Boeing or Airbus, and my guess is that when fuel is $200 a barrel and rising, only a matter of time, those airlines without the A380 for their long haul trunk routes simply won't be competitive !!

Frankly, I would have thought that if any airline needs the 380, then its CX for the HKG-LHR route ! CX hasn't just dropped the ball they have walked off the pitch.

But bean counters, lacking in flair, innovation, and forward vision, rule the day !

No VLA order would allow any new incoming management team, other than Swire, to make their own decisions and stamp their own corporate identity.

....when your management spends most of it's time planning and plotting against their own employees, it is quite easy to miss rather secondary concerns....like, oh....ordering the aircraft necessary to ensure market dominance. Good luck when the BA 380's start arriving in HK.

Cathay will only buy the 380 when its on show at Duxford. I'm pretty sure the Chinese fake bullsh&t economy will have imploded by then.

Booked Christmas holiday travel on the BA A380 a few days ago in Business.
Staff travel on CX just isn't worth it, let alone what paying pax are going to think.

If most of world's top players choose the 380, Cathay Managers faith in the 777 may be a stroke of genius. However.............?

The Chinese fake economy?

How many zillions of dollars in reserves do they have again?
How much of the world do they own again?
How much interest do they get paid by other countries again?

Fake?? Yeah right!!

I find it interesting that LH has a greater concentration of premium seats (F+J) in their 747-8Is than in their A380s. Apparrently they did not get the memo that the A380 is "the ONLY way to fly very long haul" when they decided to put the -8I on many of their best premium markets. Maybe the "warmed over Boeing" isn't as horrible as its made out to be. Has anyone here actually flown on the -8I and the LH A380 for a comparison? I'm curious...

If the 747-800 was that good, everyone would have them in their order books:ugh:

Sorry mate but the 380 is the future!:ok:

Apparently Pucka has as I asked the same question in the previous discussion on this topic. Whether he's flown on the LH A380 I'm not sure as he didn't say but he has flown on both types.

STP

Let's hear it Pucka...

I'm specifically interested in cabin noise, ride, cabin pressure and humidity.

I'm not interested in seats, IFE, bars, lavs, etc because every airline chooses differently on those items.

Party Room?
 

Don't forget, it is Cathay policy to serve neither alcoholic or hot drinks to any person not seated in their assigned seat, irrespective of the status of the seatbelts sign. That will be one of hell of party room.....

Good for Swire Bottlers though, another Coke Sir??

It doesn't matter what aircraft we use, we have lost the plot when it's come to the "customer experience", the girls are the star of the show,- no distractions allowed.

- Entertainment system available pre-departure, and in the descent- cannot

- An OCD like compulsion to not allow anyone to have anything not bolted down in descent... Duvets, Newspapers, shoes, games, bags, noise cancelling headsets,- cannot

- savouring that half finished drink? they will fight you for it when the call comes to clear away the meal service. God-forbid you ask for more;- cannot

Just dozing off to sleep or enjoying that action movie? How about a three language PA informing you Duty Free sales are about to start. What's more important, your pleasure or the girls' commission?

Wanna watch that movie, first sit through 4 mins of naff graphics and Ads before each movie or TV show. Isn't the ticket price enough?

In seat Internet access,- same as lie flat beds in Business Class, we will be last adopters.

And finally, I saw the safety brief, I read the sign in front of me telling me to have my seatbelt on, I heard the first set of three language PAs when the seatbelt signs came on the first time, I heard to the FAs waking everyone to ensure their seatbelts are fastened, I heard the banging on the toilet doors, I heard the babies start crying when removed from the bassinets, I heard the parents arguing that it was a dumb policy, I heard the FAs warning them to behave or the Captain will divert the aircraft, ......BUT

Do I really need the three PAs everytime the seatbelt signs come on subsequently? If I forget the routine, the FAs do come through the cabin to remind me.....

Ahhhh.... That feels better......