Travel Diary: Hong Kong and Airbus A380 trip

This was about experiencing the superjumbo Airbus A380 aircraft. A 2D1N trip made to Hong Kong on 17 Feb 2014. The first photo below however, is not from the window of the Airbus A380. It is instead taken from inside a Boeing 777.

Minor disappointment, was not expecting to be flying in an old aircraft with worn out and tired interior. Aircraft was switched, as another A380 for KUL - CDG sector for that day had some problem. This particular KUL - HKG flight gets the old B777 instead.

Nevertheless, reached HKIA about 4 and half hours after take off from KLIA, with a slight delay in departure.

Checked-in for the night here at an airport hotel, the Marriot Skycity. The hotel is just a few minutes away from the terminal.

Room with seaview, and facing the bay.

Marriott Skycity provides complimentary shuttle bus service to the airport.

Inside the airport express train, direct fast service from airport to downtown Hong Kong station.

Hong Kong skyscrapers.

City center.

Wanted to take the Peak Tram. However, the long queue that formed indicated waiting time of more than 2 hours.

Instead, caught the Symphony of Lights show at Victoria Harbour. Then back to the airport hotel to get some sleep before the return flight on the next day.

Woke up in the morning greeted by a beautiful sight of sunrise.

The Marriott Skycity also provides shuttle bus service to nearby town center Tung Chung.

Here is the 0830 shuttle bus waiting in front of the hotel. Ready to take you to Tung Chung MTR station.

Next to the Tung Chung MTR station, is the Citygate Outlets mall.

Nothing of much interest at Citygate Outlets. Back to the hotel for checkout process then straight to the airport.

Malaysia Airlines MH73 to KUL delayed by 3 hrs. Ample time to do some aircraft spotting before catching the flight home.

HKIA is home to Cathay Pacific.

Others.

Finally at 5.14pm, malaysian72 from KUL made it to gate 64 of HKIA. A good 4 hours behind schedule.

Zoom into cockpit.

For my record, this one is reg 9m-mnb

Can't help noticing this big bird really needs a good washing up. Heard the aircraft went through several days of repairs in the hangar in Kuala Lumpur and was put in service right away for this flight. No time for wax and shine. Otherwise my return leg would be on the B777 again.

Finally at 6.15pm ground crew made boarding announcement. Time to board and enjoy the flight.

Pushback at 6.50pm.

Taxi to runway and wait for take off clearance. Busy traffic.

Incoming aircraft get priority to land first.

And the queue to take off builds up behind us.

7.20pm the aircraft starts to roll for take off.

And soon after we were gracefully lifted up towards the skies and were airborne. Great to be able to view all this action via the IFE screen and tail tip mounted camera.

As the flight progress, we enjoyed the journey in our own ways. My no.2 takes advantage of the full flatbed to take a nap.

No,1 kept himself occupied with the IFE throughout the entire flight.

While I checked on the flight progress every now and again on the IFE map viewer.

Soon it was time to land at KLIA. The usual ritual commence, the last minute lavatory call, seatbelts tightened and seats to upright position for the landing.