Cathay Pacific is boosting flights to Brisbane, with six services a week now running to Hong Kong and back, compared to the previous four-day schedule – and there are clearly hopes that a return to daily flights is on the calendar for 2024.

With Qantas yet to resume Brisbane-Hong Kong, this makes Cathay the only airline with direct flights.

Fortunately, with both airlines being members of the Oneworld alliance, Gold and Platinum-grade Qantas frequent flyers on these Cathay flights can still start their journey at the Qantas Brisbane International Lounge – although unfortunately, that lounge turns out the lights and shuts its doors around 11pm, some 90 minutes before the 12.40am departure of CX156 (which touches down in Hong Kong at 7.30am).

Cathay’s own listed lounge for business class passengers and it Cathay Gold and Diamond frequent flyers is the independent Plaza Premium Lounge, although there’s nothing to stop loungeworthy travellers from calling into both the Qantas and Plaza Premium digs.

And ahead of the 12.30pm departure of CX157 from Hong Kong you’ll have no shortage of lounges to choose from, with HKG hosting five Cathay Pacific lounges along with the Qantas lounge.

For Qantas Platinum and Platinum One frequent flyers, we’d suggest making a beeline for Cathay’s The Wing First Lounge and enjoying an indulgent spell in its private Cabana Suites – although the appeal of flagship The Pier First Lounge is always hard to resist!

Cathay says CX156/CX157 will toggle between its Airbus A350 and Boeing 777, both of which feature comfortable lie-flat seats in business class along with premium economy recliners.

The airline’s next-gen ‘Aria’ business class suite is set to roll out on aircraft from mid-2024, to be followed by all-new ‘Halo’ first class suites in 2025.

 

By David Flynn,

Source ExecutiveTraveller.com