This past Saturday, Cathay Pacific officially
retired its last Boeing 747 from its fleet.
Having flown in
countless types of aircraft, some of my favorite aviation experiences came from
flying inside the tip of nose of the “Queen in the Skies”. Before Cathay finally retired its last jumbo jet 747, I managed to fly in the 747 in first class from Hong Kong to Singapore.
The cabin itself was quite spacious, with the size of the seating quite similar to the 777 that Cathay Pacific typically operates.
The cabin has nine first
class seats stead, but due to the extended width of the 747, the difference was
just slightly noticeable.
Unfortunately, the
first row was already assigned, but users flyers along with its uniquely curved
windows providing a slightly panoramic view of the outside skies.
I was offered a glass
of Billecart-Salmon Brut champagne, which is typically served in long haul
flights for Cathay’s business class passengers.
We soon taxied onto the
runway which provided some gorgeous views of various aircraft lining up. The
captain of an Air China plane next to up even caught me taking a picture of his
aircraft and gave a smile!
Close Up
After takeoff, a small
lunch was served consisting of a plate of fruit, bread basket, and dim sum.
I finished up my meal
with some hot tea.
The highlight of my
flight on the 747 was the first class bathroom. To my knowledge, Cathay Pacific’s 747
is the only commercial aircraft to have two windows inside a bathroom.
As a result, the
bathroom felt extremely spacious and has probably the best view from a bathroom
you’ll ever see.
Afterwards, I had
another glass of champagne before taking a quick nap.
We soon began our
descent into Singapore and just like that my brief, but wonderful flight was
over.
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