The Cathay Pacific business-class lounge at Chek Lap Kok has completely spoiled me - no other lounge compares. I was fortunate to be upgraded to business class for my annual trip back to the United States. I flew out on December 11, the night of the Peninsula hotel's 75th anniversary party, where there was caviar, oysters and champagne in the lobby, a Chinese buffet and more champagne in Spring Moon and individual bottles of pink champagne in Felix. Champagne - my favourite tipple - was free-flowing throughout the hotel. I was feeling pretty happy on the trip to the airport and was even more pleased that I had time for a bowl of dan dan mien at the Noodle Bar (left) in the business-class lounge. I contemplated a second bowl, decided that would be too greedy, then boarded the plane. All that champagne helped me sleep most of the trip to Los Angeles. The return trip on New Year's Eve was much less smooth. LAX was in the midst of a security threat, flights between Los Angeles and Paris having been cancelled, so I arrived at the airport three hours before my flight. I didn't have to wait long for my luggage to be inspected, leaving more than two hours in the business-class lounge. I knew even before I entered it wouldn't be as pleasant as that at Chek Lap Kok, but I didn't realise the contrast would be so great: a television blasted the news to the small, packed room; instead of made-to-order dan dan mien, there was Cup Noodles; instead of a bar with a barman mixing potent vodka tonics you had to make your own drinks. I enjoyed the relative peace and quiet of the plane, where I toasted the New Year with - guess what? - a glass of champagne.
