Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - Can you ever get op-up'd from J to F?

Greetings All,

I am a oneworld Sapphire (AA Plat). In the last 30 months I have made 8 HKG-LAX segments (4 from LAX-HKG and 4 to come back) in paid J.

While I am not an Emerald, I was wondering, is there such a thing as op-up from J to F?

Most of my segments had J quite full (I say "quite" because it is based on my visual observation that I could not see a single empty seat.)

However, despite having (lowly) status, I was never offered an op-up. Now, mind you, I never asked (as per the instructions on this forum).

Also, to be perfectly clear, I am just being greedy here. After all, I paid for J, so I should fly in J. But hearing all these op-up stories made me wonder.

Any tips? I am flying again in two weeks (I do this about 3 times a year).

Thanks,

Panjabi

Yes they happen. No you can't do anything to make it more likely except get to CX Diamond.

Once on my first ever CX flight. It was a YVR to HKG leg. In a way it was a downgraded from my exit row upperdeck B747 seat in J to 1F on the A340, but whatever...I slept most of the way anyway.

CX does roll the cabins on full flights and I have been op uped for J to F on the LAX-HKG, HKG-FCO, and NRT-TPE routes many times.

One interesting thing though is that my percentage of OP UPs on the LAX-HKG route is down from about 80% to 0% over the last 4 months.

In January my partner and I were flying from HKG-LHR in discounted J (I), I have a BA Silver card my partner blue, I was called to the desk in the pier and offered an op-up for myself only which I declined as I would rather travel together. Getting to the gate my partner goes first and "beep beep" my ticket put through and the same, the gate staff say "We have changed your seats, I hope you don't mind". Seats 4D and 4G with only 4 other pax in F, one couple and one other op-up we saw in the lounge.

When I was still an AA PLT (OW Sapph.) I did manage 3 op-ups from HKG to LAX/SFO. I never asked, it was just given at the gate.

My op-up record has improved considerably since I became a OW Emerald though. :D

Any tips? I am flying again in two weeks (I do this about 3 times a year)
If your schedule is flexible, you can probably increase your chance of op-up by checking flight availability tools (Expertflyer, KVS, etc). Choose the flights that look oversold in Y. Of course, this trick won't work if F is already full with paid pax.
I never got an op-up as an AA PLT (OW sapphire), but that was when I flew the non-stop JFK-HKG (830/831). Based on the advice from FT, I now use the JFK-YVR-HKG route and find myself sitting in front more times than not. As a OW emerald, so far this year, I am 3/4 J-F op-up on long-haul (888/889) and 1/1 short-haul (award tix, no less). I never had any luck for Y-J op-up though. Perhaps, there are relatively more MPC elites in Y compared to J, and therefore the chance of UG from Y is slimmer for other OW elites.