Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - HKG-DPS, B-744 or A-330 biz seat?

The morning flight is a 744 and the evening flight is an 330. I'd rather take the evening flight unless the seat is much worse on the A-330. Does anyone know the difference?

Most (all?) of the A330s have the regional J (the A333s have the longhaul J and they are all committed so I doubt ever used for DPS). Almost certainly you will get regional J (which is perfectly fine for such a short flight, quite comfy as a seat, just not comfortable for sleeping). Obviously the 744 is nicer, particularly if the flight is sold as 2-class and the F section becomes the Diamond seating area.

The seats will be quite different as number_6 says, but for me the bigger difference on a day flight is that the 744 has AVOD IFE, and the regional-J A330s do not. I would take the 744 if possible.

Another thing worth considering if you have some status is that you can likely get a F seat.

If I am AA EXP (OW Emerald) can I get a row 1-4 seat if I am in U class on a day the 744 is operating the flight?

Some chance but not guaranteed. CX Diamonds have priority for the 12 avaliable seats. Sometimes they leave the rest of the seats empty, sometimes they upgrade Emeralds. I've seen it happen both ways. Luckily I seem to have "Diamond equivalent" annotated in my CX profile, despite not belonging to the MPC.

Can CX res preassign or is it day of departure only by the airport staff?

I travel on CX about 10 sectors per year - from US-Asia-Europe and Asia regional. My experience is whenever they have a three cabin aircraft they sell all three cabins. I always travel F and on some regional sectors such as HKG-BKK I have been only one of one or two pax in the F cabin so it doesn't seem they upgrade.

Has their policy changed that they now fly three cabin aircraft but only sell J/Y on regional routes? If so, when?

It hasn't changed. On most regional routes some flights are planned with 3-class planes and sold as 3-class (NRT, KIX, SEL, MNL, SIN, BKK, JKT, TPE, etc) but there are a few routes where 3-class planes occasionally turn up but F never seems to be sold. DPS is the main one, but also occasionally I think CEB and maybe some others.

CX very, very rarely upgrades unless the classes below are overbooked.

It hasn't changed. On most regional routes some flights are planned with 3-class planes and sold as 3-class (NRT, KIX, SEL, MNL, SIN, BKK, JKT, TPE, etc) but there are a few routes where 3-class planes occasionally turn up but F never seems to be sold. DPS is the main one, but also occasionally I think CEB and maybe some others.

CX very, very rarely upgrades unless the classes below are overbooked.


Thanks for the reply - was just starting to plan my next RTW so glad to know nothing has changed!

So you are saying that need the extra seats, they won't put anyone in the F seats?

So you are saying that need the extra seats, they won't put anyone in the F seats?No, that part of the discussion was about 3 class sold as 3 class, not 3 class sold as 2 class. My own experience is that in this situation the F section is never full, so they don't move everyone they can from the J to F seats, rather it is selective. Diamond status gets the F seats, and who knows what other criteria will get you moved into the F section. The food is still J, of course, but often the service is F level (they even draw the curtains between J/F, despite being all J, and given the Diamond density it is hardly surpirising that the FAs spend more time there.