Author: Alvin

I'm a 17-year-old student who flies and reviews around 10-20 flights per year. When I’m not writing up blog posts or cranking away at schoolwork, I’m a worship band pianist and an amateur cook. My goal is to make people happy so I’d love to do so by maximising your travel experience and helping you make your optimal travel decisions.

What Is Cathay Pacific’s 10-Abreast 777 Economy Class Like?

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Ah, finally. After so many speculative posts, the time had come for me to try out Cathay Pacific’s 10-abreast economy class configuration. Boeing 777s were created so they could fit 9 economy seats across one row, though the norm for airline gradually shifted to cramming in an extra seat in order to maximise capacity. Cathay Pacific decided to jump onto the bandwagon in 2017, while the first aircraft with narrower seats started flying in April 2018.

I’ve been very critical of Cathay Pacific’s decision to switch their comfortable economy seats, which I found one of the world’s best, to these seats. I was convinced that even disregarding width, they wouldn’t be as comfortable. So I was intentional to book myself a flight in these seats on a recent trip to Tokyo, so I could personally see what the seats were like.

Cathay Pacific Boeing 777 Tokyo Narita Airport

Generally I consider myself to predict the quality of a hard product very accurately. I’ve been blogging in the aviation industry for 6+ years, and I’m also an aspiring engineer. The least I could do is accurately predict how comfortable a seat will be, right?

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What Is Cathay Pacific’s A350-1000 Business Class Like?

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I’m home for a little bit after a nice trip to Tokyo. My relax time is cut short since I’m flying back to Tokyo to spend some time with a group of friends tomorrow (yes, this is the coveted graduation trip), though I had commitments in the area today.

One of the main reasons I went to Tokyo was to review Japan Airlines’ 777 business class and Scoot’s 787 ScootBiz, though once space opened up I jumped on the opportunity to fly Cathay Pacific’s A350-1000 business class from Taipei to Hong Kong. I used 1,000 Asia Miles to change my flight (from a 777-300), and flew the hourlong flight last night.

Cathay Pacific Airbus A350-1000 Hong Kong Airport

So how was my experience in Cathay Pacific’s A350-1000? Surprisingly, it was excellent, and easily the best out of the three flights I’d taken on this trip.

Continue reading “What Is Cathay Pacific’s A350-1000 Business Class Like?” →

What Is ScootBiz Like?

~ Alvin ~ 1 Comment

Hello from Taipei! I’m heading back to Hong Kong again before spending some more time in Tokyo with my friends. This is partly because I want to get a couple more reviews in, since I’ll be trying five new products over the course of ten days, but mostly just because I’m an idiot.

Anyhow, today I flew Scoot’s 787 from Tokyo Narita to Taipei in their ScootBiz cabin. It’s the first time I’ve checked out a low-cost airline’s premium product, so I’m probably best off comparing it to the various premium economy products I’ve flown in the past. I was glad to try it out, but also partly nervous, due to the not-so-rave reviews I’ve heard about ScootBiz in the past.

Scoot Boeing 787 Tokyo Narita Airport

So how was ScootBiz? Honestly, at the price we paid and with my low expectations, I was very impressed.

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What Is Japan Airlines’ 777 Business Class Like?

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Hello from Tokyo! It’s the first time I’ve been here in nine years, and I’m really keen on exploring a city I remember loving. Tokyo is a city that I remember feeling a connection towards, a city that excited me with its dazzling vibe. Anyway, the original reason of coming here this time around was because I found award space on Japan Airlines’ 777 business class product, which I’d wanted to try for a while. My June looked really free, so I basically planned the trip around trying a new product (where I’ll also be trying Scoot’s 787 ScootBiz, as well as Cathay Pacific’s A350-1000).

Today was my chance to try Japan Airlines’ new business class product. So how did this much-anticipated product fare in the grand scheme of things?

Japan Airlines Boeing 777 Tokyo Haneda Airport

I was hoping to be blown away, though unfortunately, in reality the answer was “eh, okay”.

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My Painful Experience (Not) Using AAdvantage Miles

~ Alvin ~ 3 Comments

I’m glad to be back in the game, though I was off to a bit of a painful start. And by a bit of a painful start, I mean a very painful start.

Booking a flight to Heathrow has always been on the cards, since I study there soon. Last Christmas, I purchased 270,000 AAdvantage miles as part of a Buy Miles promotion, so I’d be able to facilitiate these flights more cheaply.

I was certainly thrilled when American Airlines made it an option to book Etihad awards online from Asia to Europe, as it meant I could book my London flights off the system (British Airways releases a fair amount of award space on the route, though not nearly as much as Etihad – they didn’t have any seats for my first leg to London). Or so I thought.

Etihad’s A380 business class has been on my bucket list for a while

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Quick Update – We’re Back (Soon)!

~ Alvin ~ 2 Comments

Hi everyone!

Aviation blogging has always been a hobby, but it’s also been a passion. I’m very glad that I’ve gotten so much support thus far, be it through comments, my YouTube channel, or on my Instagram page, The Alviator. I can’t take for granted the fact that people are taking time out of their day to read some of the tips and reviews that my team and I have posted on my blog thus far.

On that note, I realise that posts have been drastically reduced lately. I wanted to post to promise those that continue to read the blog every so often that we’ll be back…as soon as next week. As far as life updates go, I’m a few days away from finishing my high school career as I push through the end of exams, and Jason, Ethan and Mallesh all have busy travel schedules planned.

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Etihad Awards Bookable On AAdvantage Website!

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Around a month or two ago, American Airlines started allowing Etihad awards to be bookable from Asia through to Europe, which was great news for us living in Hong Kong, since we can book Etihad awards the same way we can book Qatar Airways awards. This was particularly good news, since Etihad award space between Hong Kong and most of Europe is usually wide open in business class, and not too bad in first class.

Unfortunately Etihad award space wasn’t bookable through the aa.com website, and I’d always have to call American Airlines to book a flight on Etihad. Well, that changes today.

Etihad Airbus A330 Hong Kong Airport

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Review: Thai Airways 777 Business Class Hong Kong to Bangkok

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 Introduction: Spending The Calm Before The Storm In Bangkok
Thai Airways 777 Business Class Hong Kong to Bangkok
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok – Premier Twin Room
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok – Duplex Cabana
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok – Grounds and Facilities
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge Bangkok Concourse E
Thai Airways A330 Business Class Bangkok to Hong Kong

Thai Airways flies a bunch of aircraft to Hong Kong. At the time that I took this flight, Thai Airways operated three A330s, two 777-300ERs and one Thai Smile A320 to Bangkok every day (one of these 777s has since been replaced by an A350, and one of the A330s has been replaced by a regional 777). I had flown Thai Airways’ A330 many times, and the 747 once; however, this was my first time flying a Thai Airways aircraft outfitted with their longhaul configuration.

I got to the gate at 11:45 AM in anticipation of a 12:05 PM boarding time, and was face to face with the sleek Thai Airways 777:

Thai Airways Boeing 777 Hong Kong Airport

Continue reading “Review: Thai Airways 777 Business Class Hong Kong to Bangkok” →

Introduction: Spending The Calm Before The Storm In Bangkok

~ Alvin ~ 1 Comment

Introduction: Spending The Calm Before The Storm In Bangkok
Thai Airways 777 Business Class Hong Kong to Bangkok
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok – Premier Twin Room
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok – Duplex Cabana
Siam Kempinski Hotel Bangkok – Grounds and Facilities
Thai Airways Royal Orchid Lounge Bangkok Concourse E
Thai Airways A330 Business Class Bangkok to Hong Kong

First of all, as the trip report suggests, my few days of quasi-relaxation in Bangkok were meant as a break before my final push to get through the IB. Well, now is the time that I’m pushing through my final days of the IB, so I’m going to struggle even posting one installment per week. The idea is that I’ll try to get one installment out every Friday up until around the beginning of May, and after May 23rd (my last exam) I’ll write up the last three installments at once. Writing is therapeutic for me, and I can’t wait to tell you guys about this trip, so stay tuned!

Welcome to my next trip report, where I’ll be sharing details of my five day trip in Bangkok regarding my flights and hotels – specifically, two Thai Airways business class products, a lounge that I hadn’t visited yet during my lounge hop in 2017, and the Siam Kempinski Hotel in Bangkok.

Bangkok, Thailand

The thought process of going to Bangkok was simple: we wanted to go somewhere cheap and close by during Chinese New Years’, and my parents didn’t want to go to Singapore, my favourite city. We were all enthralled by the prospect of going to Bangkok again, since none of us really got to know the city the first time around, so we organised another trip there.

This installment will cover how we booked the flights and hotels, and the thought process behind the choices we made.

Continue reading “Introduction: Spending The Calm Before The Storm In Bangkok” →

Another A380 Leaves Hong Kong: Lufthansa Switches Munich-Hong Kong Flight To A350

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I’m sure every single airline operating the A380 has operated it to Hong Kong at some point. Many airlines such as Korean Air, Malaysia Airlines, Air France, China Southern and Qantas operated A380s to Hong Kong at one point, and no longer do. That being said, more than half of the current A380 operators still operate flights to Hong Kong, and Lufthansa is currently no exception.

I flew Lufthansa’s A380 business class from Frankfurt to Hong Kong in 2017. The Frankfurt to Hong Kong flight is no longer operated by an A380, as Lufthansa switched the A380 over to the Munich-Hong Kong route due to conflicts with Frankfurt Airport. As of April 2019, Lufthansa still operates the A380 from Munich Airport to Hong Kong.

img_5487Lufthansa Airbus A380 Business Class Cabin

Unfortunately as of January 1, 2020, this is about to change, as Lufthansa will switch back to operating the A350 from Munich Airport.

Continue reading “Another A380 Leaves Hong Kong: Lufthansa Switches Munich-Hong Kong Flight To A350” →