If you step onto a Cathay Pacific flight zipping between Hong Kong and various destinations in Asia, including mainland China, there’s a chance you’ll be aboard the newest addition to Cathay’s fleet: the Airbus A321neo.
Like its predecessor, the ‘classic’ A321, the Cathay A321neo is designed for shorter regional routes. However, larger twin-aisle jets like the Airbus A350 may also serve some more popular routes.
Curious about the Cathay Pacific A321neo experience? Let’s find out!
Cathay Pacific A321neo Business Class
Since the flights on the A321neo are relatively short, Cathay Pacific made the decision to go with a lounge chair-style recliner for its regional business class, instead of a lie-flat bed.
Since the majority of A321neo flights last less than two hours, occasionally stretching to four hours and at most six, there is no need for the luxury of a business class bed. Singapore Airlines, on the other hand, disagrees and has opted for flatbed business class seats on their regional Boeing 737 MAX aircraft.
Cathay’s A321neo business class cabin is designed to be compact, with only 12 seats arranged in three rows of a 2-2 configuration. Additionally, there is one business class lavatory located at the front of the cabin.
Like Cathay’s previous A321 regional business class, the seats on the A321neo are 21 inches wide and recline into their own fixed shells, ensuring that they don’t take up space from the passenger sitting behind.
The seat edges forward and the seat pan angles up slightly when the seatback reclines, creating a “lazy Z” position akin to those on a sundeck.
If you’ve ever flown Cathay’s A321 business class, you’ll notice that the A321neo’s cabin and business class seats are noticeably missing of the airline’s distinctive “Cathay green” colour scheme. Instead, the colour scheme is more subdued, with softer hues of champagne in business class and charcoal in economy.
This movable divider panel between the paired seats, one of the many upgrades in Cathay’s new regional business class, offers a certain level of privacy for each traveller.
How is the legroom, then? Although Cathay’s A321neo business class is one case where the first row of the cabin, which is up against the bulkhead wall, gives a little less legroom than the rows behind it, there is still plenty of room for a relaxing stretch while the seat is in taxi, take-off, and landing mode.
When you recline the seat and lift the legrest, this pinch is notably and uncomfortably noticeable: this is how it seemed in row 10 during our journey.
For daytime flights, Cathay’s A321neo business class is more than adequate. However, if you have a late-night segment where getting some quality sleep is crucial, it’s recommended to choose a seat in row 11 or 12.
Every business class passenger is provided with a 15.6″ video screen with an impressive 4K resolution, just like many large TVs found at home. The inflight entertainment system offers a selection of native 4K content for your viewing pleasure.
According to Cathay, passengers will experience enhanced quality while watching shows on the inflight entertainment system, thanks to improved contrast, color depth, and the ability to upscale non-4K content. However, it’s worth noting that due to the glare from open windows and overhead lights inside the aircraft cabin, it may be challenging to appreciate these differences fully.
Cathay provides noise-canceling headphones, but if you prefer to use your own wireless headphones, you can easily pair them with the system via Bluetooth for audio streaming.
Recessed pockets beneath the armrests are another kind addition (but make sure you recheck them before you exit the plane to ensure nothing is missing).
There is a bright LED reading lamp integrated into the top corner of the seat, designed to direct its sharp beam onto your lap and the area where the tray table will be when extended.
Below the video screen, you’ll find high-powered USB-A and USB-C ports, offering convenient inflight charging options. Additionally, a universal AC socket is located at the front of the seat, providing a trio of charging options to cater to your needs.
Usually, Cathay’s A321neo flights in business class usually include a single main meal, offering options that cater to Asian and Western preferences. If you frequently travel on short Cathay flights like this, you won’t encounter any unexpected surprises regarding the meal service.
Although the A321neo offers WiFi connectivity, business class passengers do not have complimentary or discounted access. If you wish to stay connected during your flight, you must pay US$9.95 for one hour of high-speed Internet access or US$12.95 for continuous connectivity throughout the journey.
If you intend to work on your laptop, please be aware that the front portion of the extending meal tray has some bounce to it, so it’s advisable to type with caution to avoid any issues with your keyboard.
Cathay Pacific A321neo Economy Class
Located behind the business class cabin are 190 economy class seats arranged in a typical 3-3 layout. Towards the rear of the aircraft, you’ll find three petite lavatories designated for economy-class passengers’ use.
Cathay has opted for the same economy seat on the A321neo as its long-haul Airbus A350 flagships. However, with a seat pitch of 30-31 inches, there might be some tightness at the knees when the passenger in front reclines their seat.
For optimal legroom, the first row of economy (row 22) is the ideal spot.
These seats provide maximum legroom because they face the bulkhead wall, which acts as a divider between the economy and business class cabins.
If you’re aiming for extra legroom, your next best option would be the exit rows. It is advisable to target rows 55 and 35, in that order.
When it comes to the overhead bins, there is ample space available. Cathay Pacific has incorporated upsized Airspace XL bins, installed by Airbus, providing 60% more room than standard-sized compartments.
This is a practical choice, considering that the A321neo’s short regional routes often attract passengers who prefer to travel with just carry-on bags.
Another feature that passengers appreciate is the convenient ledge located beside the cup holder. It can be folded down below the 11.6″ HD video screen, providing a place to rest your tablet or smartphone.
In the photos above, you can see the two USB ports located at the bottom of the video screen. One is the commonly used USB-A port, while the other is the newer USB-C port. Cathay assures that the USB-C port provides sufficient power to charge a typical 13-14 inch laptop. It’s worth noting that no AC outlets are available in the economy cabin.
Regarding meals, it’s important to manage expectations as great meals in economy class are rare across most airlines. Cathay strives to offer a ‘decent’ meal to satisfy passengers. However, if you have access to a Cathay lounge prior to your A321neo flight, we recommend having your meal there and considering the economy class meal onboard as an optional supplement.
Like the business class experience, you can stream audio via Bluetooth to your own wireless headphones or earbuds in economy class.
Interestingly, the A321neo’s inflight entertainment system is based on the Panasonic NEXT platform. Cathay Pacific proudly serves as the launch customer for this platform, which seamlessly combines hardware, software, and services into a unified environment reminiscent of the Apple ecosystem.
WiFi is accessible onboard for a fee, starting at US$9.95 for one hour or US$12.95 for the entire flight. Unfortunately, even top-tier Cathay Diamond frequent flyers do not receive complimentary or discounted access.
If you’re traveling to Hong Kong with an Australian passport, you can use the automated e-Channel lanes at Hong Kong Airport to bypass the immigration queues.
