Cathay Pacific yesterday released news that they will trial a paid access to The Pier Business Class Lounge in Hong Kong International Airport, near Gate 65. This trial period will run between 4th March – 30th June 2019. The official press release is here.

Access does not come cheap though. Not only will you need to be travelling on a Cathay Pacific or Cathay Dragon flight but you will also need to pay $600HKD (approximately €67, £57 or $75USD) per person per visit. If you are miles rich cash poor, you can also redeem 9,000 Asia Miles instead of paying cash. You must request and pay at the check in counters or the transfer desk in E2/W1 area as you will not be able to pay at the lounge.

There are also other Cathay Pacific lounges where you can pay to enter during this period. Unlike The Pier, at these outstations you need to pay at the lounge entrance rather than at check in desk. The lounges are:

• Kaohsiung Cathay Pacific Lounge – near Gate 23, Kaohsiung International Airport, Taiwan.
• Manila Cathay Pacific Lounge – near Gate 114, Level 4, International Terminal 3, Ninoy Aquino International Airport, the Philippines
• Melbourne Cathay Pacific Business Class Lounge – Level 1, Terminal 2, Melbourne Airport, Australia
• Paris Cathay Pacific First and Business Class Lounge* – Level 2, Terminal 2AC, Charles De Gaulle Airport, Paris, France
• Penang Cathay Pacific Lounge – Level 3, Penang International Airport Terminal Building, Penang International Airport, Malaysia
• Vancouver Cathay Pacific Lounge – near Gate D67, International Departure, Vancouver International Airport, Canada

*Combined Business and First Class Lounge.

In all cases you must pay by card or Asia Miles. Cash will not be accepted. Full terms and conditions here.

 

My thoughts

The Pier Business Class lounge is one of my favourite business class lounges anywhere in the world, though at nearly €70 for most it may only be justifiable if you could spend more than a couple of hours there to work and get a meal with several beverages. Now that they have recently introduced a yoga and meditation area in the lounge it might be good for those who want real peace and quiet.

 

I happened to visit it a several years ago and wrote a combined review with the flight. I don't know if it's been refreshed since though.

The Kaohsiung lounge in Taiwan really puzzles me. Why on earth they didn't offer the Taipei one where the vast majority of Cathay Pacific passengers to/from Taiwan will be flying, lounge capacity and quality are much better, I really do not understand. For 6000HKD or equivalent I think Kaohsiung's lounge is an utter waste of money. The room is tiny and the food offering is extremely limited. I have literally been in dentist waiting rooms better than it! See the couple of photos below

 

By contrast this is what you would have got in Taipei…

 

 

9000 Asia miles for the privilege to enter does sound like a lot, but since there is a hard 3 year expiry of the miles, if you literally have no other use for your miles then you may as well spend them on a lounge entry.

I will be very interested to hear how this trial goes and whether it gets rolled out to the wider public.