Prologue - The Booking, Reason, and Packing.
This trip came about with a need to visit family back in the Philippines and my family's need for a cheaper form of crossing the Pacific Ocean, from left stage comes Hong Kong Airlines with their brand new Airbus A350 XWBs on LAX-HKG among other routes. Now, I wasn't the one who was doing the bookings. That was my mother while I simply helped in guiding her. Soon our date of travel was decided... July 12th on HX 69, departing at 12:10 PM from the TBIT Terminal at LAX, followed by HX 781 to Ninoy Aquino International Airport in Manila.
Part I - HX 69. From the Land of Angles and Stars
After a final breakfast at the dinner table, we hitched a ride with a family friend to Los Angeles International Airport, we forgoed an online check-in as we decided just to check in with the bag drop as a somewhat traditional family seemed to choose do to...
A line of SWA 737s could be seen at Terminal 1 while driving into Los Angeles, progress being dampened by the construction work being done at Terminal 1 and the typical LAX traffic that would have come to have been expected at this rate. Soon we wished our goodbyes and unloaded our bags to be loaded on those paid trolleys which are a common sight anywhere you go.
Soon after gathering all our bags we walked into the beautiful modern Tom Bradley International Terminal Departure Hall with 2 kids and 2 teens in tow.
Searching for our flight on the FIDS we could see flights going to near and far such as Cancun, Cabo San Lucas, Manila, Dallas, Tokyo Narita... but our flight was not to be found for now.
We walked a short distance to check in and get our bags on their way to the holds of our flight to Hong Kong and onwards. Flying in coach class, as is required on a family budget we were greeted by a warm red sign designating the que for Economy Passengers on this flight to Hong Kong.
We could look up and see a flip-style FIDS and thankfully our flight and it's information. Still on time and at Gate 155 for our departure we were fairly early for check in but the que was already running.
Arriving just 24 minutes after the check in counters opened, and greeted with the 7 kilos carry on limit for our gang of 6, we checked in and gave our bags which we wished to part ways with until we reached the land where it is more fun.
Let The Plane Spotting Begin
Since we had about 2 to be free and roam the terminal, I decided to do what my heart demanded and wished for in advance of this flight. Planespotting! I briskly walked around the terminal seeing many aircraft from the wide expanses of windows that TBIT has been graced by.
A Philippine Airlines 77W
A Singapore Airlines 77W
An American Airlines 789
A Korean Airlines Whate (A380)
Our ride a few minutes late on arrival came striding in from Hong Kong, B-LGD an Airbus A350-900 delivered to Hong Kong Airlines on February 28th, she was the youngest plane I have ever been on and she was an absolute looker as she came in, with the beautiful red and yellow swooping on the fuselage and up onto the tail.
While we waited for the plane to be turned around for her 15 Hour journey back to Hong Kong, LAWA's PUPs (Pets Unstressing Passengers) arrived at our gate and drew a crowd of young and old. This specific PUP was "Shiba" as indicated on the cards passed out.
One final plane shot before boarding truly began. An Air Tahiti Nui Airbus A340-300
Boarding was truly unorganized and a sort of cowboy operation as two lines were set up with no true control on who got in who. They soon just called for Business Class passengers and those with small children, so we stepped forward and into the priority line. As we walked down the jetway and were soon greeted with the door of the A350 and a warm smile and greeting of a HX Flight Attendant. We made our way through the crimson red Business Class cabin...
And into the crimson red Economy Class cabin!
Sitting down at my prized Window Seat, fought over from fellow interested family... I got a beautiful view of the wide wide wing, the neighboring A340, an Air China flight down the alley and a departing toothpaste Boeing 787-9 from Air Canada
With a simple safety card offered in the seatback compartment on this flight, and with an amazing amount of legroom... (for a short asian) while also featuring full sized power plugs in the seats in front and USB ports in the IFE.
Soon we pushed back and started taxiing for Rwy 24L and past the new TBIT Midfield Concourse still under construction with the outside coming into shape.
Just after that we took to the air and were greeted with the blue sky over a blue pacific ocean as we began climbing to altitude while messing around with the ammedity kits given.
The ammedity kits came with a pair of socks, a tooth brush, toothpaste for said toothbrush, earplugs, and a eye mask for assisted sleeping.
Soon after a lunch service began with the options of a Beef Rice which I chose, or a Chicken Pasta.
One of my family members did bite on the Chicken Pasta though.
Both meals got a coconut vanilla cake, spring water, a bread roll, crackers, and a sort of salad.
We soon settled in for a long flight to Hong Kong at Flight Level 350
In the process of that, I discovered an amazing movie in the Hong Kong Airlines selection, "1987: When The Day Comes" with the ending scene bringing a tear to my eye.
Later in the flight, I had gotten bored and decided to fool around with the tail and belly camera provided by the IFE, while snacking on the caramel popcorn from the snack basket from the rear galley.
We were soon passing just south of Tokyo, a funny routing considering we would be going there right after we arrived in Manila.
After more time in the daylight, we soon came upon the Chinese Coast and down south into Hong Kong.
We swooped around Hong Kong with a view of the surrounding set of islands and little boats which roamed the waters and came in to land on Runway 07L under the cool clouds of Hong Kong. With a wide assortment of aircraft parked nearby, and an aircraft departing in the distance.
This lovely flight finally came to an end as we exited the aircraft and walked out to transfer to our next flight which would take us to Manila, we said our final goodbyes to B-LGD as she unloaded her weary passengers who would spread out or enter Hong Kong.
Interim - Plane Spotting At HKIA
After passing through immigration and coming up into the Midfield Concourse departure hall, we could see many diverse aircraft from all over parked at the terminal.
Some Hong Kong Express A320s and A321s.
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A Cebu Pacific A330
A Scoot 787-9 and a Hong Kong Airlines A330-300
A Poor Excuse for a Sandwich
An End To Part I
Thank you for reading, I may or may not cover the next few legs of this journey. Probably not the next one as no images were taken due to the situation of that flight.