Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Aircraft Type on Web

Is there is way to find out which aircraft type will be used on a particular flight before you book? I understand the actual types are subject to change at the last minute, but I would like to know what is scheduled for. All booking engines show generic types such as 747-400, none of them shows 74Y, 74B etc.

Assuming that you are talking about CX, all you have to do is look at the seat chart for the flight you want on their web site.

Yes, but you would need to fake a booking, look up the seating chart, then revert back to get the actual aircraft type. Is there an easier way? I am checking for the new/old Business Class seats, of course.

Sorry, can't help you there.

Is there a specific flight that you want to check? Give me the date and flight no. and I'll see if I can find out for you.

Hello?? Wouldn't it be so much easier... that you call the CX Reservations office and ask them???

Mind you , there is no guarantee as to which aircraft type is flown especially when CX does not delegate the new J seats throughout its fleet for a specific route. ie HKG-SYD is at least guaranteed for one flight as it flies the A333 with new F and J.

The CX res system can see which aircraft is flying on which date (subject to last minute changes of course).

[This message has been edited by Guy Betsy (edited 08-13-2002).]

I am just planning for late August/September travel, not for a specific date. I am somewhat flexible on dates and was checking 838/839 and 888/889 to see if they have the new J. I maybe able to adjust my schedule if they only have it on certain days of the week.

[This message has been edited by TerryK (edited 08-13-2002).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Guy Betsy:
Hello?? Wouldn't it be so much easier... that you call the CX Reservations office and ask them???</font>

I suppose I could try that, but I was just planning my trip and hope to arrange my flights so that I could get the new J. I was wondering if there is anything available on the web for public checking.

Yes, I understand that it is not guaranteed, but at least there is a good chance if it is scheduled for it.

Doesn't the schedule section on the front page of the CX int'l web site show all the aircraft types?

They all show as EQV for the flights I am interested in.

Ah, those services CX flies different planes? Then you have to ask CX or someone who has access to a CRS/GDS. I think you can see the aircraft type as the arrival day comes close.

How often do they change aircraft types? My guess is all the time up to the day of travel?

My specific situation is that I am flying HKG-KUL-HKG in September. Some flights show a 340-300. I called CX and got 1A assigned and they told me the configuration is 1-2-1 which means the first class beds. This route is only sold as a 2-class service. How likely is it they will change the aircraft back to a 330?

Pretty likely for short-haul flights to have changes up to an hour before the flight. But usually stay within type so your risk is to get an A340 with the old F. More than half of the A340s are converted so you have a good chance of the replacement being with the new F. But why do you care, this is such a short flight that there is not really a benefit in having the new F. CX does have a thin fleet and does a lot of juggling (quite impressively so when I've seen it in action).

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by number_6:
But why do you care, this is such a short flight that there is not really a benefit in having the new F. CX does have a thin fleet and does a lot of juggling (quite impressively so when I've seen it in action).</font>

Thanks for the information. The reason I am asking is that it would be nice to have the beds for this flight. We are connecting in HK from the U.S. and after we get into KL we are going straight to a wedding. So it would be nice to get some more sleep from HK-KUL. Also, after flying from LAX-HKG on the first beds it will be hard going back! ;-)

The other problem is that for this flight I booked us in 1A and 2A. So if there is an aircraft change I don't think they will seat us together because we are on different PNRs. I'm on a paid-first class ticket. GF is on a free first class ticket but is AA Plat.

I decided on 1A and 2A for a change since we will be flying 4D/G on the 747 so having a window would be nice for change.

[This message has been edited by bagold (edited 08-15-2002).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Guy Betsy:
Mind you , there is no guarantee as to which aircraft type is flown.......(subject to last minute changes of course).</font>

How true! I booked on one scheduled for 34C, but the actual aircraft turned out to be 343! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif I can't believe they are still using the old F for the long-hauls. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

[This message has been edited by TerryK (edited 08-19-2002).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by TerryK:
How true! I booked on one scheduled for 34C, but the actual aircraft turned out to be 343! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif I can't believe they are still using the old F for the long-hauls. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

</font>

They generally do it when they are substantially over-booked in J. The old configuration 343s have (I think) 10 more J-class seats than the new-J. They did this to me en route to SFO not so long ago. I moaned and got upgraded to (old) first. Having now experienced new-J this was the best possible outcome http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

I think you are right on! The flight was jammed and some lucky ones got op-uped to first.

An update on this -- I think you can tell, with whatever degree of accuracy the CRS offers, via http://cyber.law.harvard.edu/people/edelman/travel/galileo . If the plane type is 34C, 346, or 744, then the flight is scheduled to have NBC.

One problem: If the equipment is listed as 74J ("big J") I'm not sure; I thought I had read (on this forum) that the same 74J code is used both for old business class and new business class.