CX 300 Munich - Hong Kong
16 December 2025 : 1200 - 0600+1
Economy Class
Cathay Pacific opened a new route to Munich in summer 2025, a destination that I don't recall was on the map before the pandemic. It's not a daily service, but with cheaper taxes, I decided to give it a try, connecting from London the night before. Even with an airport hotel for a night, it's still substantially cheaper than flying direct from Heathrow.
The timing isn't the greatest though, leaving Munich at lunch time and arriving Hong Kong early the next morning. It's not sleeping hours in German time so I won't be able to rest well before continuing a full day in Hong Kong.
Non-Lufthansa or Star Alliance airlines operate out of the older Terminal 1. It's partially under construction now so things are getting a bit messy with a lot of walking involved. Terminal 1 is connected by long indoor walkways from the main transport centre, with Cathay's check-in counters at the A section. Signage is not too clear and I was a bit confused how to go up from the downstairs corridor to the main check-in level. With construction happening, the length of the check-in area was partially blocked.
After checking in, staff kindly directed me back downstairs to head to section C to go back up for security. Luckily I sent my hand carry into the hold as well. It's actually a fairly long walk from the counters.
Immigration and security were a breeze although they have not yet upgraded their scanners so I had to take my laptop out. This seems to be a fairly quiet airport although it might be an entirely different story once the Emirates flight opens for check-in.
Air-side, it's not a very big area and luckily we got a proper boarding gate today.
Next door, there is a special livery Delta jet.
Similar to London, there was a newspaper stand that I need to take a photo of, because who knows when they'll go extinct!
Cathay has a new boarding system split into many zones. Staff were on hand at the counter to police the sequence and to check tickets and passports. Then further down the corridor is the gate where more staff scan you in. Everything was fairly organized and soon, I was heading down the bridge for my long flight to Hong Kong.
We pushed back just ahead of schedule and it didn't take long to take-off into the cloudy sky. The A350 has a very comfortable Economy class cabin with decent legroom. The flight time of just over 10.5 hours feels manageable in this seat.
It didn't take long for the crew to serve a first round of drinks and a snack, a palmier from a Hong Kong enterprise that employs seniors. I've eaten at their restaurant before in Central's hillsides and all the waiters and waitresses were seniors at the top of their game. Service was great and it's a place I like to support with my wallet so I'm quite glad Cathay also feels the same way.
Less than an hour later, lunch is served. I'm quite impressed an outport like Munich can produce a rice dish. With pork in black vinegar sauce, it was tasty and there was also a standard Haagen Daz ice-cream.
I dozed off for a bit and a few hours later, I started noticing the crew coming up and down the aisles in the darkened cabin and I soon smelled why. A lot of passengers were enjoying the cup noodles mid-flight snack.
Flights between Europe and Hong Kong continue to be disrupted by the war in the Ukraine, as the flight paths need to skirt around Russia, adding hours to the journey. This isn't the case for Cathay's flights to North America's east coast though.
European carriers have long complained mainland Chinese airlines have an unfair advantage since they still fly over Russia, and hence have reduced capacity significantly. This has also inadvertently affected Hong Kong, even though the playing field is more level since everyone skirts around Russia. The longer flight time and competitive fares means it may no longer be competitive to fly to Hong Kong at all.
A bit over an hour before arrival, it was time for breakfast. Again, I was impressed Munich catering can produce a traditional congee. The portion wasn't big and it also had a yogurt, an interesting mix of Western and Chinese items.
The A350 has a different IFE interface compared to the older 777, with live TV being a distinctive feature. Regardless of the aircraft type, there is plenty of Hong Kong television content, including travel shows that I like.
There is also a digital version of the menu in the IFE.
Just before arrival, the crew came by with their remaining palmier snacks to distribute to everyone, a nice gesture that I haven't experienced on my previous long-haul flights with them. I'm guessing they don't pocket the leftovers!
We landed on time just shy of 6am under brilliant blue skies. Winters in Hong Kong are quite pleasant with lots of sunshine and the occasional cold spell that requires a heavy jacket.
The airport was relatively quiet at this hour but with a local resident's ID card, we use the automated kiosks so it is always a quick exit to the luggage belt no matter the time of the day. However, I noticed not many people at the carousel so I'm guessing most were not going to visit Hong Kong but connecting. The passenger mix was mostly non-Chinese so perhaps they're looking for a warmer Christmas holiday.
From my recent Cathay flights up front in Business Class, the crew can be fairly inconsistent and don't always deliver the high level of service I'm used to before the pandemic. It prompted me to think whether I should pay a premium to fly them anymore. Back in Economy, I actually didn't notice this, since this cabin is typically low maintenance and there is less to offer, hence less likelihood to mess things up. Today's crew was cheerful and delivered - this is the Cathay of yesteryear that I remember.
My first activity of the day is to stroll along the new Kai Tak promenade, which is still fairly quiet with buildings under construction or not yet able to sell.
My Munich-based friend also flew on this same flight and told me Cathay has been running specials on the route, offering Premium Economy for about HKD $13,000 roundtrip, a very good deal and significantly cheaper than flying out of London direct.