Dated seats and entertainment, but this business class can save you $2000

6 hours ago 1

The airline: Hong Kong Airlines

Route Sydney to Hong Kong, flight HX18
Frequency Daily
Aircraft Airbus A330-300
Class Business; seat 19C, window
Flight time 9 hours, 30 minutes. We arrive 20 minutes behind schedule.

Hong Kong Airlines is now flying daily from Sydney to Hong Kong.

Checking in

This is the inaugural flight out of Sydney for Hong Kong Airlines, which has previously only flown from the Gold Coast. As such, check-in is fairly slow as new staff are still learning the systems but my own check-in, via the business class lane, is swift. Lounge access is provided for business class passengers at The House, which passengers can also pay to enter if they’re not flying business (or flying with a different airline entirely).

Baggage

In business class it’s two pieces of checked luggage up to 32 kilograms each and two items (one larger, one small) for carry-on for a total of 15 kilos. The latter allowance lets me fly with carry-on only luggage for my short trip.

Loyalty scheme

Fortune Wings Club. The airline is not a member of any of the major alliances, but it does have a partnership with Virgin Australia, meaning Velocity members can earn and redeem points for flights on Hong Kong Airlines’ network (excluding flights to North America for some reason).

The seat

Seats are in a 1-2-1 layout in the business class cabin which means everyone can directly access the aisle. The seats are an older design, with the interlocking shapes meaning every second seat is close to the aisle. This can be a bit annoying when trying to sleep as you can feel the rush of air when a crew member walks past. The seats close to the window, or to the centre of the cabin, are a better bet. Other than that they’re fairly comfortable and spacious and the design means you can have your smaller bag sitting next to you during the flight if you so desire.

The business class amenity kit comes well-stocked with a mask, socks, toothbrush and paste, mouthwash, hand cream, face moisturiser, lip balm, hairbrush and ear plugs, plus you also get a pair of disposable slippers. I find the blanket a little too thin given how cold the cabin is during the flight (I nick an extra one from the empty seat across the aisle and double up). The overhead bins are quite small, requiring a standard cabin bag to be placed sideways to fit. Not a problem in business class, but economy bins might be squeezed.

Entertainment + tech

The entertainment systems have limited English-language options.

Many of Hong Kong Airlines routes are into mainland China and that’s reflected in entertainment options – the English options are very limited. There are just a handful of English language movies (the most recent, as far as I can tell, is 2023’s John Wick Chapter 4) and a couple of TV series. The screens are larger than what you’ll find in economy but they don’t have the sharp, crisp picture you find on more modern business class systems. Noise-cancelling earphones are provided. There’s no Wi-Fi and strangely even the flight map is not working (“disabled by crew” is the message that appears on my screen). My recommendation? Load up your own device before you fly. There are no USB ports but there is a universal power point.

Service

While the entertainment may be lacking, the service isn’t. The flight attendants are friendly and highly attentive. Both times when I get up to use the restroom, they inform me that it’s occupied and invite me to return to my seat – they’ll come and get me when it’s free. Maybe it’s a subtle way to keep passengers out of their way in the galley, but I’ve never experienced this orderly way of managing the restrooms on any other airline. To top it off, I had the distinct impression they gave the restroom a quick clean every time.

Food

There are three options for the main meal: braised beef with mashed potatoes; cheese tortellini with pumpkin cream sauce; stir-fried seafood with XO sauce and fried rice. My rule on Asian airlines is to always order an Asian dish and the stir-fry does not disappoint. The XO sauce is very tasty and the seafood (scallops, prawns and fish) and rice is cooked to perfection. A prosciutto salad is served as an appetiser and for dessert it’s either a slice of cake or a cheese plate. The latter comes with three large pieces of cheese but, bizarrely, just two small crackers. I ask for some more and they are quickly delivered. A second meal is served towards the end of the flight – again I go for the Asian option, beef fillet cubes with rice and vegetables. It’s not as good as the first meal but passable. There’s no alcohol listed on the menu but it is offered – you have to ask for what you want.

Sustainability

The airline says it is committed to “green aviation” but at present that seems limited to reducing waste.*

One more thing

Hong Kong Airlines is currently flying its A330-333 model on this route, but the airline has two different types of A330-300s and each has a wildly different business class cabin. It’s worth checking exactly which aircraft you’re flying when choosing your seat.

The price

From about $4300, business class return.**

The verdict

While the seats are fairly dated by modern standards and the entertainment is lacking, the service helps make up for the shortcomings. If you can score a business class fare at a cheaper price than the rivals on this route, it’s worth considering. A comparison at the time of writing put Hong Kong Airlines’ business class $1500-$2000 cheaper than rivals Cathay Pacific and Qantas on the same dates.