Cathay Pacific

Taking the long haul out of the long haul. That's exactly what Cathay Pacific's very polished Business Class did for us on a recent Brisbane-Hong Kong-Paris trip and back. For who knew that flying could be so enjoyable that you actually feel slightly disappointed when you actually arrive at your destination?

Cathay's business class experience starts at check in with virtually no queuing at all. Just head to the counter and you're away with the knowledge that your luggage will be first off the plane at arrival. The VIP treatment continues as you board the flight first in a small business-class-only queue. 

Then rather than a seat, you'll be delighted to find a huge personal booth which is enough to ensure privacy while allowing you to interact with a partner if travelling as a couple. It's also large enough to accommodate this writer and all of his 1.93cms. 

You can spread out your belongings on your own private shelf. A small cupboard is home to state of the art low noise headphones to catch the inflight entertainment on your personal large screen. There are dozens of new movies, top shelf HBO television series and more to make the journey that much more enjoyable. You also have access to your own overhead locker to store all that excess luggage you are entitled too.

Then there's the piece de resistance: The Seat. With its 3 electronic adjustable settings (upright, recliner, flat bed and everything in between), a sheeted doona and comfy pillow, the journey no matter how long, is going to be a very smooth one. An eye mask and ear plugs are also provided to minimize disruptions.

Once you're comfortably ensconced, prepare to be pampered to within an inch of your life. After being offered a warm towel to freshen up (which is given at the start and end of every meal), you'll be offered an aperitif of your choice: top shelf wines, champagne, spirits, beer and liqueurs all served with freshly roasted nuts (still warm) placed in a porcelain bowl. No plastic plates or cutlery here.

A white linen placemat is placed on your tray and the food service begins. We had Maine Lobster with pineapple fennel, tomato salsa and lemon mayonnaise; Hot smoked creole salmon, roasted kipfler potatoes and crème fraiche; and Serrano ham with heirloom cherry tomatoes, baby basil leaves and balsamic glaze. And that was just the entree. (All entrees are also accompanied by a salad).

The mains are just as impressive. We were offered a tempting choice of Kung Poh Chicken, with pak choy, carrots and steamed jasmine rice; Grilled Australian beef filet, broccolini, tomato, parsley roasted kipfler and café de Paris Butter; Braised garlic and thyme lamb shoulder, ratatouilleand parsnip mash; Pork yuzu miso sauce, vegetables and Japanese rice; Pan fried beef tenderloin, sautéed morels, carrots, asparagus and ratte potatoes; and pan fried monkfish, broad beans, parsley fingerling potatoes and red pepper coulis. 

Then comes the cheese platter with a choice of 3 cheeses which all come accompanied by a plate of freshly chopped seasonal fruit and a dessert wine (which in our case was a superb 2009 Sauternes). 

When it came to desserts, we were treated to Raspberry tiramisu with raspberry coulis; Lemon meringue pie; and Maggie Beer ice cream.  

And just as you thought it was all over, a charming flight attendant comes by bearing a box of quality chocolates. Pure heaven! 

The service is also a class act - very attentive but by no means overbearing. And, unlike the feeling you often get in economy that you were the 1000th person who just asked for that drink in the last 5 minutes, in business class it's as if the flight attendants have been just hanging out waiting for you to make that request. When I asked for a snack mid-flight, forget the peanuts, I was offered a hot noodle duck soup, no less, which would have been right at home in any top notch Asian restaurant.

All this to say that the first leg of our journey from Brisbane to Hong Kong (9h) passed in the blink of an eye and for the first time in our travels, rather than dreading the next 12 hours from Hong Kong to Paris, we were looking forward to it!

But before that, we had access to Cathay's brand new business class lounge at Hong Kong airport. It's a beacon of calm and comfort in one of the busiest airports in the world. 

There are several distinctive lounge areas, all tastefully furnished with comfortable armchairs and sofas. 

There's even a dedicated office section with Apple desktop computers for those wanting to catch up on some work. But you can also plug in your laptop in the general lounge area (provided you have the right adapter) and work or play there. 

The dining area is spacious and offers a choice of hot and cold dishes depending on the time of the day. Scrambled eggs, bacon, sausages, tomatoes, cereals for breakfast, dim sims for lunch...There is also a selection of soft drinks, juices, beer and wine. All free of course. 

But the icing on the cake was the option of having a shower in our own beautifully renovated bathroom that resembled something in a five star hotel. The large shower head made for a blissful wash with quality soaps and lotions provided. The perfect interflight revival before the lon haul to Europe.

Most flights to Europe depart around midnight and ours was no exception. Soon after take off, we were offered a supper consisting of a tasty blend of of freshly prepared savoury dips, followed by a choice of braised beef, onion and dark soya sauce, choy sum, carrots and steamed jasmine rice; or chicken and mushroom pie, mashed potato, carrot and French beans. A cheese plate was also on offer along with a bowl of seasonal berries in ginger syrup. For those wanting something lighter, a mushroom cream soup and a hot smoked salmon mixed salad was also on offer.

Then came what many would describe as a miracle on long haul flights. Sleep. And plenty of it. Cathay's flat-bedded seat was perfect, with the ability to stretch out fully and comfortably and allowed 6-7 hours continuous sleep. Then came breakfast consisting of selection of juices, fresh fruit, Greek yogurt and apricot compote followed by a mushroom and leek frittata with bacon, pork and fennel sausage, braised beans and field mushrooms. 

The divine breakfast and good sleep allowed us to hit the ground running from the moment we landed in Paris at 6am, with a full day of sight seeing that ended at 10pm that night. And therein lies the other big advantage of travelling business class - that you arrive fresh and ready to enjoy your destination from the word go rather than spending a day or two recovering from jet lag. In that way it's like you get a bonus couple of days as part of the trip.

What Cathay Pacific's business class really showed us is that travelling is as much about the journey than the destination. Sure it costs considerably more but is one hell of an experience, so much so that unfortunately this writer will find it a challenge to return to the other side of the great dividing bulkhead.

By Michael Schwartz

Must do Brisbane.com was a guest of Cathay Pacific business class.