Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Seeing and reserving exit row seats?

It's been a couple of years since I've flown on a CX ticket, and am having a little bit of trouble with this. In the past, I'd been able to see seatmaps during the booking process before entering passenger information, and it seems like now to see that you have to get to the selection on the last page (along with payment information) which makes it hard to browse for flights with good seats.

I've tried looking at some other sites, and Expedia does show seat maps with allegedly-available seats, but it shows a lot of exit row seats open on flights where they are all showing as full on CX's site. I was under the impression that CX allowed preselection of preferred seats for non-elites for a charge, but is this only at check-in?

FWIW, I'm AA PLT (OW Sapphire) and thought I'd been able to book preferred seats in advance without a charge, but that may be a mismemory or only at check-in time.

So, my question is:
1) Are the booking seatmaps accurate/complete, or do they show preferred seats as taken even when not?

2a) If they're NOT accurate, is there any way to identify in advance of booking if there is are any flights with open exit-row seating for the days I'm looking at?
2b) If they are accurate, is there an easy way to get at this either on CX's or another site without going 90% of the way through the booking process?

3) Will CX let me book them without charge as AA PLT, and if so - assuming they don't show up on the regular booking seat - how do I do so? (If fare classes matter, I'm looking at H (lowest AA mile-earning.))


Thanks!

It's been a couple of years since I've flown on a CX ticket, and am having a little bit of trouble with this. In the past, I'd been able to see seatmaps during the booking process before entering passenger information, and it seems like now to see that you have to get to the selection on the last page (along with payment information) which makes it hard to browse for flights with good seats.

I've tried looking at some other sites, and Expedia does show seat maps with allegedly-available seats, but it shows a lot of exit row seats open on flights where they are all showing as full on CX's site. I was under the impression that CX allowed preselection of preferred seats for non-elites for a charge, but is this only at check-in?

FWIW, I'm AA PLT (OW Sapphire) and thought I'd been able to book preferred seats in advance without a charge, but that may be a mismemory or only at check-in time.

So, my question is:
1) Are the booking seatmaps accurate/complete, or do they show preferred seats as taken even when not?

2a) If they're NOT accurate, is there any way to identify in advance of booking if there is are any flights with open exit-row seating for the days I'm looking at?
2b) If they are accurate, is there an easy way to get at this either on CX's or another site without going 90% of the way through the booking process?

3) Will CX let me book them without charge as AA PLT, and if so - assuming they don't show up on the regular booking seat - how do I do so? (If fare classes matter, I'm looking at H (lowest AA mile-earning.))


Thanks!

This link would help.

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_US/manageyourtrip/travelextras/extralegroomseat

This link would help.

http://www.cathaypacific.com/cpa/en_US/manageyourtrip/travelextras/extralegroomseat

Thanks, that helped a lot.

For anyone searching, the two relevant points which answer most of my questions:
Passengers can book an Extra-legroom Seat by calling our local reservations after ticket issuance, up to 24 hours before flight departure, or when checking in at the in-town or airport check-in counters*. Online booking for an Extra-legroom Seat will be available later next year.
**Free of charge for Silver tier or above members of The Marco Polo Club (Not applicable to spouse, companions or oneworld members).
(emphasis there mine)

Not sure whether or not I'll feel like paying the extra $100 each way but assuming I choose to: should I read that correctly that "will be available later next year" has not yet passed and to assume that I'll have to deal with it by phone after booking if I choose to? Or should I read the lack of visible available exit rows as "don't bother."

I've not flown an exit row on CX since they went to the new coach seats.

Also, if anyone's flown either or both of 44A/K (74A) and 54A/K (77A), how are they? If anyone's flown either/both and 31A/J on American 777s, how do they compare to that? In particular, do either one have enough room to get up and down without disturbing the center/aisle?