Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - "I will check and see if they will allow an F ticket on this flight"

That is what I was told in HKG last week when travel circumstances caused me to try booking a HKG-BKK flight in F 4 hours before departure (I was at the airport when I did this)

They flight was scheduled to operate as 3 class, but had no bookings in F when I came up. Now if this was 1 hour or something then I can see the issue with catering what would have been an empty cabin. Also, if it was a three class aircraft being sold as 2, of course I would get that. Even if this was another station and catering could be harder - but this was Hong Kong.

You offer a level of product on a flight#, you have not as yet sold a seat in that class, someone show up and wants to buy a seat and I stand there for 15 minutes while phone calls are made and decision reached to actually operate the F cabin as advertised.

I was NOT impressed.

I stand there for 15 minutes while phone calls are made and decision reached to actually operate the F cabin as advertised.

I was NOT impressed.

WOW, I don't believe it!
CX should sell the F ticket to you in the blink of an eye. Last minute walk up F paying passenger is what an airlines pray for (may be that's just in the US :D )

In contrast, I remember showing up at HKG's Korean Airlines counter a few years ago with an open F fare ticket HKG-SEL (this was before ICN) and asking if I could get on their flight to Seoul, which was scheduled to depart in 1 1/2 hours. The station manager practically started doing cartwheels!!

I agree that it should not have taken 15 minutes, or even 5, and could have been handled a bit more gracefully. Did they offer to contact you in the lounge while they did the processing (that is what CX invariably offers when I have something time consuming for them to do)? Obviously CX has both catering and FA staffing to do (almost certainly your presence resulted in 1 extra FA going to BKK that day, so this was probably not a profitable F ticket for CX). BA has often closed the F cabin and in these circumstances refuses to sell it or even allow J service using the F seats on those flight sections that have no F staffing and catering.

B Watson - So how did it end? I assume it was sorted out and you flew F? I agree it should NOT have happened. And if what happened was normal/reasonable, is there a time frame by which if the F class does not get sold, they would not be selling? Shouldnt CX tell its customers?

B Watson - So how did it end? I assume it was sorted out and you flew F? I agree it should NOT have happened. And if what happened was normal/reasonable, is there a time frame by which if the F class does not get sold, they would not be selling? Shouldnt CX tell its customers?

They did take me -

I specifically told them that I did not care about catering and would be happy to have only Y food since I was really tired an planned to sleep anyway - I just wanted 3 hours of flat comfort.

In the end they fully catered the flight which was a waste.

Was the flight in question CX 713, the one continuing to SIN?

The HKG-FRA 289 flight often has no F pax, so the F cabin is full of upgrades. Cathay serves J food. I have been told by a business acquaintence of mine that she showed up with an F ticket a day earlier than reserved and initially CX would not let her on the flight as catering had been confirmed as J already. She wasn't told anything but kept waiting while CX staff made phone calls -- just as B Watson related. I presume she ended up with F food too.
Could that be the issue -- some policy that they must arrange full class service to ticket holders of that class? So to execute this policy, they make you wait while they confirm availability. The magic of business execution. :D

PS: I guess they can't let you through immigration into the lounge for that, for obvious reasons -- say the rules.

The CX reservations system closes out 12 hours before the flight and basically no new bookings can be made in whatever class you travel. By that time, the flight will have receive calculations for load factors, possible UGs, and catering.

If you have been boarded as a F class passenger, no matter what, the airline MUST fully cater for you even though you stress that you maynot wish to eat anything. The airline (as with most major asian airlines) must cater every choice for you just in case you 'change your mind'. They're not like other 'american' carriers where they make you sign a waiver acknowledging that due to your late booking, you 'may' not get a meal. And in most cases, you won't! Happened to me more than once!

Had there been UPGs processed to sit in the F cabin already by the time you wanted to reserve the flight, CX would most likely have 'downgraded you' and give you a fare difference but will still seat you in the F cabin but with J catering.

But all in all, am glad that you got what you wanted.

The HKG-FRA 289 flight often has no F pax, so the F cabin is full of upgrades. Cathay serves J food.

So what happens exactly if an F class pax books full-fare? Do they, heaven-forbid, have to share the cabin with a bunch of J class freeloaders flying along at a fraction of the F class pax's fare?

Whatever reason it might be, there's absolutely no excuse for having to wait for an answer for being allowed to purchase an F ticket....

Not even US carriers will pull things like that. I'd be very pi$$ed if I show up and offered to pay top dollar for the most expensive class of service available.

This is analogous to saying to a customer, "we have too much revenue, and we will consider whether we should allow you to give us the revenue...." :rolleyes:

Whatever reason it might be, there's absolutely no excuse for having to wait for an answer for being allowed to purchase an F ticket....

Not even US carriers will pull things like that. I'd be very pi$$ed if I show up and offered to pay top dollar for the most expensive class of service available.

This is analogous to saying to a customer, "we have too much revenue, and we will consider whether we should allow you to give us the revenue...." :rolleyes:

Precisely!

US carriers will gladly take you aboard.. and then tell you at the gate, that due to your last minute booking, you may not be guaranteed a F meal. And chances are... you will be offered the last choice if any is left. Doesn't matter if you have full F ticket or not! Whereas in Asia, the reasoning is that you have to be able to be offered the meal where you are seated. As I said above, CX would most likely have downgraded him rather than take his $$ and seat him in F when there are no F meals catered.

I under Bwatson's fustration but I guess what GB said is also valid. I think CX actually does not want to RIP a passenger off hence it took them so long.

Was the flight in question CX 713, the one continuing to SIN?


No - CX709

It might not be a question of ' wanting the customer to get his due ' -- but a legal issue. If they work like your average MNC - and given CX's American exposure, their legal department would require staff training to focus on giving customers what they paid for to avoid lawsuits.

I under Bwatson's fustration but I guess what GB said is also valid. I think CX actually does not want to RIP a passenger off hence it took them so long.

May be CX need to realize that most if not all passengers book a ticket because they need to go somewhere and not because they are hungry.

May be CX need to realize that most if not all passengers book a ticket because they need to go somewhere and not because they are hungry.

And then it would not be the CX we all know and love. :rolleyes:

In the scheme of things, is 15 minutes wait really that big a deal?

In the scheme of things, is 15 minutes wait really that big a deal?

First of all, I do value my time and twiddling my thumbs for 15 min is not my idea of productivity

However, the real point is that they were DECIDING if they were WILLING to take the res. That is the issue at least as I see it.

First of all, I do value my time and twiddling my thumbs for 15 min is not my idea of productivity

However, the real point is that they were DECIDING if they were WILLING to take the res. That is the issue at least as I see it.

They should have a clear policy on it so at least they can respond to the customer right away, instead of exchanging phone calls on a case-by-case basis, and possibly using up time that might be required to take care of more urgent customer issues.

And then it would not be the CX we all know and love. :rolleyes:

In the scheme of things, is 15 minutes wait really that big a deal?

CX is an airlines, not a restaurant chain. At US$1,200/hour billing rate, 15 minutes could buy you a domestic ticket. For God sake man, think big.

I can see this thread can go 2 ways.

I understand the original poster is annoyed about the wait and I can understand it (by forking out a Full F Class ticket you wouldn't want to be treated like shi* ).

But lets just say CX took the money without any questions. and when he boarded the plane he finds out that NO dedicated FA serving F Class, No Food (not even Y), No amenities (toilet not stock etc...)No decent Blanket (well there are no duvet service for the Asia flights anyway), no drinks etc...

I am pretty sure he would NOT be happy (despite he only wants to sleep)

The point about billable hours = 2000USD is just out of context. If time is that valuable then you will NOT take a normal schedule flight. You will take your own private jet.

Just think about how much time you WASTE int he US for security and immigration!

Also just want to know the ATTITUDE of the checkin agent? Was He/She apologetic? or just plain arrogant?

I can see this thread can go 2 ways.

The point about billable hours = 2000USD is just out of context. If time is that valuable then you will NOT take a normal schedule flight. You will take your own private jet.

Just think about how much time you WASTE int the US for security and immigration!


Billable hours = 2000USD and private jet are not automatically related. I have worked on short term contract that are billed at higher than $3000/hr but only for two weeks. I can not afford private jet on short term contract. Also, we are talking about international flights and not all private jets can land at any airport.

To me time is money and I can not even count how many times I have cut it close at the airport and loss, but I have no choice. Flying First is not always necessary, but there is time that you don't want to show up meeting your client with bloodshot baggy eyes or unable to answer questions quickly because you have not rested for the last 30 hours.

It might not be a question of ' wanting the customer to get his due ' -- but a legal issue. If they work like your average MNC - and given CX's American exposure, their legal department would require staff training to focus on giving customers what they paid for to avoid lawsuits.

No matter what.. it will still come down to the fact if the airline has catering prepared. They are within their rights if they downgrade you if they do not have the product for you in the first place.

Now selling you a first class seat and then not offering the product you paid for is a different matter altogether.