Recently my wife and I (pregnant with our first) booked a special airfare with Cathay Pacific from London to NZ to introduce the baby to our family. We couldn't book the babies fare until she was born but were advised by the agent that this would cost approx 10% of the adults fare. A few months go by, the baby is born and we go to book the fare. By this stage the fares are a bit more expensive so 10% is a little higher (fair enough). However, we were shocked to then be told that the £64 10% infant fare (with no seat) has an additional £356.40 Cathay fuel surcharge in addition to local passenger service charges bringing it up to around £450!!!

I still can't get my head around how an ~8kg baby without a seat can have over £350 levied in fuel surcharges. Unfortunately there seemed no choice but to pay as the special adult fares are not refundable. I contacted Cathay only to be told to send my concerns via email. I've sent two emails over the past three weeks with no response (other than auto replies). My next step is to discuss with the agents their responsibility for advising the infant fare would cost 10% and not advising that taxes increased this by 700%!!

Any thoughts or advise welcome. In the meantime should anyone else be in this position I recommend you stay clear of Cathay Pacific. Airlines like BA only charge infants around £30 for similar trips so even if the initial price is higher, they will probably end up cheaper!

I experienced a flight delay on Cathay from Singapore to Shanghai, and as a result, missed my connecting flight in Hong Kong, and had to stay overnight in Hong Kong to catch the earliest flight to Shanghai the next morning. For insurance purposes, I requested for a formal letter from Cathay.

The ground staff at the Cathay counter assured me that the letter provided would be sufficient. However, this proved to be wrong. In the letter given to me, there was no reason stated for the flight delay and the rescheduled details were vague. And naturally it was rejected by the insurance company. And now, I am still battling the slow (they can take up to 20 business days to reply to feedback, which is simply unacceptable in these times!) and unresponsive feedback system to request for a new letter.

Also, in the letter, it stated that transport and meals would be provided with my overnight stay in Hong Kong. However, no transport was provided as the stay was at the airport hotel next door. Yet the ground staff in Singapore conveniently missed out this part, and there was no one at the Hong Kong airport to direct me to the hotel airport. I had to ask around at the hotel before I could find my way around. Meals were also not provided in the hotel accommodation Cathay made with the hotel, totally different from what the Cathay staff in Singapore had promised.

I wrote in a feedback form regarding the inconsistencies in their letter provided and service rendered on their website. This was no response at all.

While I like their cabin crew and service on-board, I would not consider taking Cathay again due to the extremely bad administrative and management system of the airline. Bad service is one thing, worse, or the lack of service recovery, is yet another big minus.

FLIGHT : CX742, Date : 22/06/2010


I am very disappointed of Cathay Pacific because of this flight. When I arrived at the airport, I came almost at 10:00pm although the flight is at 11:30pm. So the airline officer at the boarding desk took all the time checking me in. I was supposed to get a seat in the front since I have an infant but instead the seats where in the middle. Despite the seat location, which I did not complain about to the flight attendants, because I assumed i checked in very late, the airplane cabin was very crowded and also very very hot. the temperature outside I believe was much cooler than the inside, though in Bahrain these days it is the humid summer. I asked the staff very politely to turn on the Air Conditioning. I was told the airplane has to power up before turning on the AC. I am not an aviation engineer, but simply, that was just boolshit. Even if I could tolerate the generous cathay pacific oven, my three kids would not.

I asked the staff again, after 15 mintes of the airplan took off, why the A.C. still not running. I did go to the Business section and found it suitable for human use, [ I MEAN THE AC WAS WORKING IN THE BUSINESS SECTION ], but the economy class section was not suitable even for animal use. The staff replied to me why is it only me who complains about the fantastic environment? why would not somebody else complain? I answered why the hell would I care if they do not have families, not having kids, not having an infant who is just 2 months old. So, I asked again when the AC will be working? the answer came ASAP. but the problem was how soon? after a long discssion, only fans were allowed to be running without any means of cooling. You should imagine how bad is it going to be when the cabin is almost full of passengers and only fans.

I asked the staff again, was my flight given to me for free? do I deserve such thing? did not I pay for a decent flight? I have not complained about being given a seat in the back while I should have a seat where my infant could get some rest in a basent. In top of that you offer me sonna? no but thanks, keep the sonna for yourself and give me a flight with at most 23 degrees.

I have been a customer with the cathay pacific since 2009, in such period I have traveled on more than 3 flights on the same rout. I can say WITHOUT ANY HISITATION that BHR-HKG and HKG-BAH are the worest flight someone could ever ever get. The most most most misrable airplanes, the most most most unpolite staff. And moreover, the least entertaining. How could someone be entertained if he/she want to get out of the airplane as soon as possible. It is a real nightmare.

Usually, I fly from Auckland to Hong Kong then Bahrain, two way. The airplane from Auckland to Hong Kong or from Hong Kong to Auckland is very special, Indeed, the staff are very cooperative and a passenger would consider flying again. However, once that passenger gets into Hong Kong to Bahrain or Bahrain to Hong Kong, the situation is 180 degrees different.

I am not making a big deal out of tinny things, I have not made a single complain before, but when it reaches to be humilited as if I must take it or take it, no other option available. Can I leave the airplane? Can I leave the seat and go to the business class? can I speak directly to the pilot and ask him/her to PLEASE TURN ON THE AIR CONDITIONING my family is bigging you to do so?

when I asked the flight attendent " isn't the customer always right ? ", she replied after a long immmmm, [...yes...] as if she was not sure!!

So, I told her, that means your're not sure wether a customer is always right ot not. if so, you should say immediately without hisitation YES, SURE, OF COURSE, ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY, WITHOUT ANY DOUBT, not a long immmmmmm as if you do not know what to say.

the problem of the air conditioning is not the flight attendants problem as much as it is cathay pacific problem. a very well known company should consider checking the airplane several hours before flying a long trip. I do not care if the AC got damaged just minutes before the flight time, would you consider me checking in just 5 minutes before the flight time? If you are very strict with passengers about timing, you should do the same for yourself first.

In addition, one of the passengers who was just centimeters away from me had thrown up, followed by his partner several minutes after he did it. The situation was perfect HOT PLACE / SMELLY AREA / CRYING BABY / BAD SERVICE / BAD FOOD [ I would not feed an animal anything that is prepared on CX ] / NO AIR REFRESHER / etc.

The flight attendant came to me an hour later and asked me if I was happy or not, I answered her, YES, but inside me I wanted to say, get the hell out of my face, you can do nothing so keep quite and keep away from troubles [that applies for both of us].

So, whether my complaints was accepted or rejected, I DO NOT CARE, becuase I would never fly on your creepy airplanes even for free on the First class

If you consider my complaint and want really to do something about it, then you are a very respectful person,

IF NOT then F..K YOU

If you think my email was very offencive, then I would say so does the flight from BAH to HKG

To, Dt: 28th July 09

Cathay Pacific Airways Ltd
Customer Relations Department
5/F, South Tower, Cathay Pacific City,
8 Scenic Road, Hong Kong International Airport,
Lantau Island, Hong Kong
Fax: (852) 2596-0825


Dear Sir/Madam,

Sub: Complaint for missing baggage Tag no. MU0781090822
Re: File reference: BOMCX24702.


This is with reference to the complaint of my missing baggage. I was traveling from Jinan to Hong Kong through China Eastern airlines (Flight no MU5025) after that I was having connecting flight through Cathay Pacific CX 685 on 25th of July. My tag no is MU0781090821.

Our experience with Cathay Pacific was very ridiculous even after 3 days no status of my baggage.


My complaint date was of 25th & till date no updates. Now finally if I m not able to get the baggage we are going to the Consumer court & Media.

Kindly look into the matter & take the same on priority.


Regards


Ms.Reema Mahadik

+91 9820885610
+91 9322117469

I was given a paper application to fill out for Asia miles at my home airport in Jan 09 when I was flying to the US. Since I was on an international flight, I figured I would accrue a decent amount of mileage. I forgot about calling to check on my application after arriving in the US though and only did it today when I found my temporary membership card. I called to ask why I did not receive my card and they told me that my application was filed in late April 09 and that it is now too late to claim my mileage. I pointed out that I filed the application in January and asked why there's a 3-month difference on my filing date. The lady could not give a reason and kept apologising to me. She told me there is nothing I can do about it since it is several months after I flew on CX. I am very very annoyed and pissed about how they handle the application. Granted it would take longer to process a paper one, but delaying that by a few months and not informing the applicant about it is very unprofessional. I would not want to fly Cathay again.