Cathay Pacific has introduced its brand-new Aria Suites business class, now operating flights between Hong Kong and London, with plans for additional routes in the future.
Passengers traveling to or from London can experience the Aria Suites on Cathay’s Boeing 777 services CX250 and CX255. Currently, there are four weekly flights featuring the Aria Suites, but the airline intends to increase this to a daily service as more Boeing 777 aircraft undergo refurbishment— this transition is expected to roll out at a rate of one plane per month.
The newly configured 777s will include 45 exclusive business class suites, complemented by 48 revamped premium economy recliners and 268 standard economy seats. Since launching in October 2024, these Aria Suites have primarily been operated on shorter regional flights within Asia, including destinations like Beijing, Taipei, Tokyo, and Singapore.
Transitioning to long-haul flights to London, which last between 12 to 14 hours, will test the Aria Suites in more extensive real-world scenarios. Passengers on these longer flights will likely pay close attention to the sleeping experience in the new business class. One concern may arise regarding the space available in the footwell at the end of the bed, especially compared to the previous 777 business class.
On a positive note, travelers can anticipate sliding privacy doors, a newly introduced middle seat divider, sophisticated LED lighting, a large 24” widescreen TV with Bluetooth audio streaming, and an upgraded inflight entertainment system that not only indicates the locations of lavatories but also which are available.
Moreover, Sydney is another potential destination for the Aria Suites, particularly since the route between Sydney and Hong Kong can be serviced with just one aircraft. The flights to consider are the daily CX100 and CX101, as these are Cathay’s sole Sydney 777 services, while other flights on this route currently utilize the Airbus A350, which features the previous generation of business class seats that remain very comfortable.
