On a recent flight from Denpasar (DPS) to Hong Kong (HKG), we had the opportunity to experience Cathay Pacific’s older business class offering on a Boeing 777-300. Below is a detailed review of the flight, categorized by key aspects. To get the best impression of the flight, watch our detailed video review below.

Our review of the Cathay Pacific B777-300 regional business class

Aircraft and Cabin Layout

• Aircraft: Boeing 777-300

• Flight Time: 4 hours 15 minutes

• Seating Configuration: 2-3-2

The first thing to note is the older 2-3-2 seating configuration in business class, which feels quite outdated, especially when compared to newer designs that emphasize more privacy and direct aisle access. The lack of lie-flat seats is another downside, as this cabin only offers recliner seats, which can be a letdown on longer flights.

Cathay’s seat configuration on this flight (Source: AeroLopa.com)

Seating Comfort and Layout

The recliner seats offer ample legroom in the upright position, which makes it comfortable for sitting, but maneuvering in and out of the seat becomes challenging, especially if your neighbor has reclined fully. The upward motion of the recliner makes stepping over a reclined neighbor almost impossible. Additionally, if the person next to you is using the USB-A charging port or enjoying a meal, you’re essentially trapped in your seat until they’re done.

Seating arrangement in 2-3-2 configuration

The lack of privacy is glaring. You’re seated right next to strangers with no barriers between the seats. Sharing such close space can feel awkward, especially if you’re traveling alone. Furthermore, there is no storage pocket in front of the seat, so keeping your personal items handy while charging your phone or tablet is inconvenient.

Inflight Entertainment and Tech

Cathay Pacific’s business class on this older 777-300 model is severely lacking when it comes to in-flight entertainment. The built-in screen, while reasonably large, suffers from poor resolution and low brightness, making it difficult to view unless the window blinds are down. The touchscreen function is also very worn out, to the point of being barely usable.

Inflight Entertainment System of the CX B777-300

There is an option to use the cabled controller stored in the armrest, but it too feels outdated. Additionally, the presence of ads both in the movie selection menu and a long series of ads (around 4 minutes!) before each movie feels disruptive and detracts from the premium experience.

Amenities and Comfort Features

Upon boarding, a bottle of Evian water and a blanket await at your seat. However, there are some noticeable shortcomings in the comfort department. There are no individual air nozzles above the seats, making it difficult to adjust the temperature to your liking. The headphones provided are subpar—my set only played sound on one side, and while my wife’s worked fine, the noise cancellation was weak and hardly blocked out any aircraft noise.

Blanket, cushion and a bottle of water wait at your seat

Food and Service

Service began with a welcome drink—a choice of champagne, water, or orange juice. While this was a standard offering, the rest of the meal service left much to be desired.

Starter: The starter was dry, and the chicken came without any sauce, making it lack flavor.
Main Course: Both the Kung Pao chicken I had and the stewed beef my wife chose were quite disappointing. The presentation was reminiscent of economy class, and the taste was very average at best.
Dessert: The dessert trolley included a selection of fruits, cheeses, and Häagen-Dazs ice cream, which was a nice touch, but by the time it arrived, the overall dining experience had already left us unimpressed.

One positive note was that the cabin crew’s service became more attentive during dinner, offering frequent refills of drinks and snacks, though the initial service felt a bit cold and functional.

The meal service was quite slow, with tables not fully cleared until about 2.5 hours into the flight. It left us uncertain for a while as to whether dessert was coming or not.

Cleanliness and Facilities

Unfortunately, the cleanliness of the cabin was lacking. The toilets were already quite dirty within 20 minutes of reaching cruising altitude. While much of this can be attributed to the passengers, it’s still disappointing to see on a business class flight. Moreover, the toilets themselves were tiny and cramped, adding to the discomfort.

The toilets looked like this 20 minutes into reaching cruising altitude

Overall Experience

In summary, our Cathay Pacific business class flight from DPS to HKG on the older Boeing 777-300 was not the most pleasant experience. The outdated seat design, lack of privacy, and subpar inflight entertainment make it hard to recommend, especially given Cathay Pacific’s reputation for premium service. The food was disappointing, though the cabin crew did improve in attentiveness as the flight went on.

Cathay Pacific’s decision to keep this older product on certain routes feels like a missed opportunity to deliver a more comfortable and modern business class experience. If you’re flying this route in the future, you may want to temper your expectations or opt for an alternative airline if possible.

REVIEW: Cathay Pacific questionable regional Business Class on the Boeing 777-300