Jolly in Hong Kongy!!!

Mary Ann, Business Travel Agent at Colletts Travel, visits Hong Kong for the day!

Follow Mary Ann's short but full fam-trip* to Hong Kong, flying with Hong Kong Airlines
* Familiarisation trip – agent speak for a Jolly in Hong Kongy!!!

MY HONG KONG EXPERIENCE – 22^nd – 24^th March 2012

Checking in to an eerily quiet terminal, I had to ask the check-in assistant if this was normal for Gatwick North Terminal! Apparently Hong Kong Airlines departing at 9.30pm was the last flight from the terminal hence everything was so quiet. It felt like I was in a library with everyone whispering and the staff busying chatting to each other as there was nothing else to do. Even the security people were just milling around waiting for someone to go through security. Normally the queues of people waiting to go through security are snaking out to the door! I was invited to use the fast track service through security. Any other time this would have been quite useful but not when I was the only one using the service or even going through security at the time!

Travelling with Hong Kong Airlines, passengers are invited to use the No1 Lounge where there is complimentary food, drinks, use of the games room, cinema and business centre – if you wanted to catch up with the latest on Facebook. I found it to be quite noisy but I think this was because all the passengers were in there as there was nothing else to do – no shopping as most of the shops were already closed or about to close. After about 20mins in the lounge it was time to get to gate 52 for boarding. In Hong Kong, passengers are also invited to use the Hong Kong Airlines Lounge which is a lot smaller with a few computers and some complimentary food and drinks.

Never having had the privilege to travel in a premium cabin I didn’t know what to expect. Upon entering the aircraft I walked through part of the Business Premier cabin. These seats are fully flat bed with a 61” pitch and look like the British Airways Club Class seats (from what I have seen in photos). They are 1-2-1 configuration. I made my way to my seat in the Business Classic Cabin. Here the configuration is 2-2-2 with a 51” pitch. With the flight half empty I had 2 seats to myself which is more than enough room for someone of my height – even at full stretch I could not touch the seat in front of me. For someone who thinks that the seat-pitch on a standard economy seat is enough room I was more than happy with the “extra” legroom!

All passengers are given blankets, slippers, pyjamas, headphones and a complimentary luxury amenity bag with Bulgari products. The difference in the two cabins being in the seats, the service – the crew cannot do enough for you and they all speak very good English, the menu, the Wi-Fi limit – 10MB in Business Classic and 20MB in Business Premier and the choice of wines and the bars. The bar in Business Classic is self-service whereas the bar in the Business Premier is manned to help passengers with their order.

I think Business Classic is a great product that I would feel happy and confident in selling to our business and luxury travellers although I would sell the Business Classic as World Traveller Plus/Premium Economy and the Business Premier as a full business class.

Hong Kong Airlines, a good alternative to other airlines.

I arrived into Hong Kong Airport at 5.45pm and took the Airport Express train to Kowloon – it’s only 2 stops away and costs HK$90.00 (approximately £7). From Kowloon station I took a taxi (cost about HK$60.00) to the hotel – Harbour Grand Kowloon. What an experience! All I can say is make sure you fasten your seatbelt! (I did!) because you are in for one hell of a ride.

Check in at the Harbour Grand Kowloon - located in a quiet area by the harbour away from the crowded streets of Tsim Sha Tsui/Nathan Road/Mody Road. The hotel offers a shuttle bus to the centre leaving every 30mins and taking about 10 minutes. The entrance is lovely with a grand stairway which is popular with wedding parties.

As it was the Rugby Seven’s weekend in Hong Kong check-in was a bit sedate, but this added to my eagerness to get out and see the city! After check-in I was met by the assistant sales director Billy Wan who introduced himself and gave a mini tour of the hotel the www.harbourgrand.com

I was lucky to receive an upgrade to a Superior Harbour View room, the views out across the harbour to Hong Kong Island were magnificent. Had a shower and was out again this time taking a taxi to the famous Temple Street night market. This is where it all happens. It was buzzing! Full of people just like it was the daytime, considering it was gone past 9pm.

I walked around for about 2 hours ending up at the ladies market after which I took a taxi back to the hotel absolutely exhausted.

The next day I had breakfast and headed down to Nathan/Mody Road for more shopping then off to the Citygate outlet mall in Tung Chung for yet more shopping! Although it is worth noting that shopping in Hong Kong is not as cheap as one would have thought.

If you do get the chance to go to Hong Kong get a Chinese Visa and go across the border to Shenzen (approximately 45 minutes on the train) where the shopping is up to half the price of that in Hong Kong – although be aware of buying fake goods. After this it was time to say goodbye and head to the airport.

The return the flight was a lot fuller with all my fellow Travel agent “Fam Trippers” seated at the back this was a tiring experience but well worth it, both Hong Kong Airlines and Hong Kong are well worth a visit, just make sure you have more time that I did!!!

Mary Ann Carvalho