Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Improving the CX Web experience

Inspired by DAVE_C over at the BA forum, here is your opportunity to tell CX what's wrong with their website. If there are enough opinions, I will compile a list of complaints and pass it on "as a constructive suggestion from the world's most active frequent flyers".

My first input:

* Cannot book other airline's connection flights, not even other oneworld flights. In the age of off-the-shelf IT solutions for flight booking, this is simply disgraceful.

Inspired by DAVE_C over at the BA forum, here is your opportunity to tell CX what's wrong with their website. If there are enough opinions, I will compile a list of complaints and pass it on "as a constructive suggestion from the world's most active frequent flyers".

My first input:

* Cannot book other airline's connection flights, not even other oneworld flights. In the age of off-the-shelf IT solutions for flight booking, this is simply disgraceful.

There should be more "flash" pictures rather than the static pictures currently. They should also have a closer detail of the interior of all 3 cabins.

- Online Check-In for non-AsiaMiles/Marco Polo Club members.

- View Reservation Function for non-AsiaMiles/Marco Polo Club members.

These features should be available to anyone who knows either their E-ticket number or CX Record Locator AND name of passenger, flight/date/boardpoint etc.

(The above are available to BA pax on the BA website)

- - View Reservation Function for non-AsiaMiles/Marco Polo Club members.

These features should be available to anyone who knows either their E-ticket number or CX Record Locator AND name of passenger, flight/date/boardpoint etc.

Agree, and allow us to pick seats online.

Aren't those functions available for AA members on the USA website?

Strangely, after I logged on, I could not check MPC benefits for baggage allowances. The link provided directed me to my personal homepage.

No seat change option was available when I did online check in using the Opera browser.

Luckily, CX has a help desk for Internet services available around the clock.

Also the Reward Booking system is not functioning well (It shows availability, but when I phoned the MPO centre they said no).

How about keeping their information updated? The seat configurations are at least six months if not more old - for example, still show the 74B and don't have the 34D.

On the Cathay USA site, how about putting the seating plans for all the CX aircraft there and not just the ones for the North American routes which are outdated, as previously stated.

My recommendations for better web experience on cathaypacific.com are:

1. The ability to change seat preference after checking online via the airline's website.

2. Better airfare display when using the online booking from the expert tool section on the right hand side of the front page rather than having to click from "More fares from Hong Kong to...." section on the Hot Offers area.

3. Update the seat maps with the latest information. Some of the information on fleet and seat maps are old and outdated.

Other than that, the website is one of the airline benchmark for functionality, interactivity and layout. I hope the e-Business department at CX works towards improving the above three recommendations.

As always, Fly Cathay Pacific - the world's best airline! ^

ok all noted up to here. Seats can be changed easily after check-in by clicking the "Change Seat" button, or am I misunderstanding AviAsian/oneworldfans comment?

My wish list:

1) Allows change of FFP for mileage acrual after online check-in. BA OLCI allows it.
2) Displays and allows booking by class code.
3) Allows 24 hours hold so that you could call CX for ticketing. Maybe you need to use a voucher!
4) Allows open return booking for classes which are eligible.

Yeah! It is a lot to ask for, but we could all wish. ;)

Yeah! It is a lot to ask for, but we could all wish. ;)

Actually, with my background in IT, I think its NOT A LOT TO ASK FOR.
It's a disgrace they haven't improved the web over the past 5 years significantly, when they boasted to be the most "IT enabled" airline around. CX's online booking are a joke, compared to what's out there in the industry.
My guess is that airlines depend a lot on travel agents, especially in Asia: improving the web sites reduces TA business, and the balance seems hard to strike.

mhtaipei, I think it would be better not to call me names such as oneworld fan if you don't mind because I am not who you think I may be. Please stop harrassing and attacking me in such way. I haven't offended you so pleae lay off.

thanks.

mhtaipei, I think it would be better not to call me names such as oneworld fan if you don't mind because I am not who you think I may be. Please stop harrassing and attacking me in such way. I haven't offended you so pleae lay off.

I am sure mhtaipei meant that you are a fan of OneWorld Alliance, since you love CX so much. Why are you getting so worked up for?

I am sure mhtaipei meant that you are a fan of OneWorld Alliance, since you love CX so much. Why are you getting so worked up for?

^ ^ ^ :D :D :D
Great advocacy

well the new booking engine is up and running. looks different, but it`s still very very basic. reward booking has improved though.

Bringing up the subject again after much hassle with the CX IT dep't. Vent vent. CX seems to is completely ignorant of most of the problems with their booking web. I tried to take advantage of an ex UK fare which involves a stoppover in HKG, and is, like all such itineraries, unbookable with the new engines (pls. speak out if you had success). No matter what dates or connections, I always get the error message "Not all flights have seats available for the price option you have selected". When splitting the itinerary it works fine, but costs double, of course. CX sent me an email, saying that online booking was working fine and that "if you are unable to book the intineary in one go, we suggest making two bookings. You can then call our service center to make the necessary changes". Are they plain mad? :mad:
(That's more or less the same answer I got last February when I told them I could not book BKK-HKG-LHR-MUC rtn. They told me to book two single trips instead.) What on earth is wrong with these people, are they outsourced (or should they be?). Vent over.

Bringing up the subject again after much hassle with the CX IT dep't. Vent vent. CX seems to is completely ignorant of most of the problems with their booking web. I tried to take advantage of an ex UK fare which involves a stoppover in HKG, and is, like all such itineraries, unbookable with the new engines (pls. speak out if you had success). No matter what dates or connections, I always get the error message "Not all flights have seats available for the price option you have selected". When splitting the itinerary it works fine, but costs double, of course. CX sent me an email, saying that online booking was working fine and that "if you are unable to book the intineary in one go, we suggest making two bookings. You can then call our service center to make the necessary changes". Are they plain mad? :mad:
(That's more or less the same answer I got last February when I told them I could not book BKK-HKG-LHR-MUC rtn. They told me to book two single trips instead.) What on earth is wrong with these people, are they outsourced (or should they be?). Vent over.

Also, it dosen't seem to have the ability to book itineraries when BOTH stopovers and mixed classes of services are involved. (If you try to book ICN-HKG-SYD, and select First Class and stopover in HKG, the screen showing the flights ICN-HKG would have 'n/a' beside each flight option [since they are two class flights] instead of suggesting you book in business class for that sector instead)

There is also the lack of ability to book "A" and "D" class fares when in fact they are available (I am talking about PUBLISHED fares [In some markets such as JFK-HKG-TPE there are D published fares. Note: these are bookable using CX's North American website, but cannot be e-ticketed] and NOT Net fares). It just assumes that if you want a first class or business class ticket that you want it in either F or J class. [This is where British Airways's online booking site is better than CX's, the ability to select "First (lowest)", "First (flexible)", "Club World (lowest)", and "Club World (flexible)"].

On top of the bad booking engine, CX also seems to have some serious security issues: a couple of minutes ago when I checked in for tomorrows flight on line, upon clicking on the "Check-in" button, a new page opened, displaying a different flight, a different date, and A DIFFERENT USER. I completed check in and was returned to the home page of that different user. I am now checked in a TPE-HKG segment as Mr. CH** Y*** H**.


CX IT is starting to scare me. :mad:

Online checkin now requires you to input your date of birth, passport number and expiry date. Whats the need for this additional information? Previously, if you checked-in online and collected tickets from a machine (i.e. bypass the counters), they'd still check your pasport at the gate.

The more annoying part is, all that info is in my MPC profile! They could easily link it up.

Online checkin now requires you to input your date of birth, passport number and expiry date. Whats the need for this additional information? Previously, if you checked-in online and collected tickets from a machine (i.e. bypass the counters), they'd still check your pasport at the gate.

The more annoying part is, all that info is in my MPC profile! They could easily link it up.

You mean for any flight including non-U.S.-bound/originating services?

U.S.-bound/originating flights have long required those birthdate/passport number and expiry date as well as the name and phone number of an emergency contact.

You mean for any flight including non-U.S.-bound/originating services?

U.S.-bound/originating flights have long required those birthdate/passport number and expiry date as well as the name and phone number of an emergency contact.

Yep, this is for a flight from HKG to ICN.

I just did online checkin for HKG-SIN. I was not asked for those passport data.

I'll have another intra-Asia sector for check-in soon. Let's see how it works out.

I have never been asked for passport details on any flights other than US bound.

I just did online checkin for HKG-SIN. I was not asked for those passport data.

I'll have another intra-Asia sector for check-in soon. Let's see how it works out.
Just checked in for my return leg - this time it didn't ask for the passport details. Maybe it was just a one-off quirk for the HKG-ICN leg since my colleague also got asked for his passport details for that same leg.