Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - OP UP for OneWorld member?

I wonder what are the chances for getting an op-up from Y to J for OneWorld Sapphire member on an almost full (coach) flight? Does check in late help?

Thanks!

You'll be #5th on the list.

1. CX MPC Invitation
2. CX MPC Diamond
3. Oneworld Emerald
4. CX Gold
5. Oneworld Sapphire

Don't ask.

For further insights, go to :http://www.cathaytalk.com/showthread.php?t=731 scroll to Post #6.

Don't give up hope! Three or four years ago I was OW Ruby (7th status on "The List") flying CX LAX-HKG-BKK-HKG-LAX on a cheapish H-class ticket and was upgraded to J on the LAX-HKG, BKK-HKG and HKG-LAX legs. The next year, as a OW Sapphire, I flew LAX-HKG-SIN-HKG-LAX on a cheapish H-class ticket and was upgraded to J on the SIN-HKG and HKG-LAX legs. I know this is not the norm and should not be "expected", but it did happen in my case.

Sometimes they upgrade you when you check in and sometimes at the gate as you board (your boarding pass rejects from the machine and the agent quickly prints a new J boarding pass for you). Good luck.

In the past 12 months, as a BA Silver Exec Club (not sure what that corresponds to w/ OW), I was upgraded 4 times between LAX/HKG. One time when I checked in, they had ALREADY upgraded me to J. The other 3 times, I asked when I checked in .. no dice .. then I asked at the gate, nothing .. but when they put my boarding card into the machine, she said, "just a moment, I have a seat change for you" and I got bumped into J.

Basically, I've collected 300,000 freq flyer miles on BA EC since Oct 2003 and CX upgraded me more than BA and BA always does just one cabin up, so going from Y you only end up in Y+, not J. So two months ago, I ditched BA EX and signed up for MPC. I'm still "green" but should be whatever is next by mid December.

Good luck! Don't lose hope.

Thank you all for your suggestions and encuragements! This is the first time that the question of "What are the chances of getting op-up?" came to my mind because I got stock in one of the middle seats and way back in the plane. I usually will check the seat map before I book my flight. However, the seat map at CX web site wasn't working for a while. I waited and hoped that it will get fixed soon but that didn't happen. I came to the point that I must book my flight or I won't be able to make the trip. Anyway, I will keep my hope up. If it happens, great. If not, then I just have to deal with what I got.

Btw, can CX assign emergency exit seat in advance like AA or I have to wait until I get to the airport?

Thanks!

I think CX had given me very good service as a OW Emerald.
Now days... I look around here... people always hoping to get op-up...
By end of the day... it a roll of the dice... We will never know out how they pick the op-upees... For me, good Karma for those of us who are loyal flying CX.
My 5-6 trips on HKG-LAX, I cannot recall any empty Y during the flight.
You can ring CX up for seat assignment during business hours. I've done it plenty of times.

You can ring CX up for seat assignment during business hours. I've done it plenty of times.

I konw. But the problem is there is no good seat left.... :(

..

Btw, can CX assign emergency exit seat in advance like AA or I have to wait until I get to the airport?

Thanks!

Normally they hold those seats for their own MPC members but if you call and ask nicely and say that you are OW ..whatever, they *might* give it to you!

Not true *at all*

I've booked my flights on CX's web site and I *always* fly the first row of Y (bulkhead).

On the HKG-LAX, the actual emergency row seat, is near the lav IIRC so I avoid it, but yes, I've booked bulkhead seats regularly while not a MPC member or even providing any of my freq flyer membership numbers during booking.

I've flown 20 trips LAX/HKG in the last 2yrs .. never flown anything but those "special seats" .. except for 3-4 trips where I got op-up'd to J :)

Thats one of the reasons I stopped flying BA to India. BA never would let me book or get the bulkhead or exit row seats .. *ever* and I was a Silver BA EC member w/ 300,000 miles since Oct 2003. I even signed up for MPC and dropped BA EC b/c of that.

I have yet to find an airline as good as CX. I actually have to do an 8hr layover in HKG on the way to India, and on the way back there is only a 50 min layover and its a roll of the dice whether you'll make it or not. Regardless, CX is *GREAT*

Normally they hold those seats for their own MPC members but if you call and ask nicely and say that you are OW ..whatever, they *might* give it to you!

You'll be #5th on the list.

1. CX MPC Invitation
2. CX MPC Diamond
3. Oneworld Emerald
4. CX Gold
5. Oneworld Sapphire

Don't ask.I guess it's #3 that is working for me an amazing number of times, most recently yesterday on CX139. If QF have a similar hierarchy, then I should be #1 on their list but I might as well be #5 for all the upgrades I ever got from them.

Not true *at all*

I've booked my flights on CX's web site and I *always* fly the first row of Y (bulkhead).

On the HKG-LAX, the actual emergency row seat, is near the lav IIRC so I avoid it, but yes, I've booked bulkhead seats regularly while not a MPC member or even providing any of my freq flyer membership numbers during booking.

I've flown 20 trips LAX/HKG in the last 2yrs .. never flown anything but those "special seats" .. except for 3-4 trips where I got op-up'd to J :)

Thats one of the reasons I stopped flying BA to India. BA never would let me book or get the bulkhead or exit row seats .. *ever* and I was a Silver BA EC member w/ 300,000 miles since Oct 2003. I even signed up for MPC and dropped BA EC b/c of that.

I have yet to find an airline as good as CX. I actually have to do an 8hr layover in HKG on the way to India, and on the way back there is only a 50 min layover and its a roll of the dice whether you'll make it or not. Regardless, CX is *GREAT*

Vik888:

I too always like the first row of coach if not flying in other cabin. If time permits, I would only pick the flight that has my favorite seats available (first row window seats if it's in coach). I ditched UA and switched to AA for similar reason to yours.

Not true *at all*

I've booked my flights on CX's web site and I *always* fly the first row of Y (bulkhead).



Bulkhead is not the same as emergency exit seats. IME bulkhead seats are pretty useless, they have essentially the same amount of room as a regular seat but they are narrower and there is nowhere to put anything.

I wounder what's the percentage for you to get an op-up with CX for not being a Marco Polo member but an OneWorld elite? Also, which route that you get most of your op-up from?

I don't know if row 55 counts as bulkhead or emergency on the LAX-HKG sector, but the system will let you book it.

Here is why I like the first row of Y (bulkhead):

1) I can have a window and generally get up and go to the lav w/o disturbing both pax next to me.
2) No one is going to put their seat back into my knees.
3) It feels less "crowded"
4) I have a MPC card, so I board w/ the F/J/MPC groups so I have no problem finding overhead storage.
5) Don't ask me why, it sure feels like more leg room to me and there no ZERO risk of being stuck in a seat w/ the IFE box under it.
6) Row 44 (on both the 744 and 74J) exit row might be reserved for upper status MPC, but anyone with a clue will avoid it as thats where the lav line is and the lav "stink"

Lastly and don't ask me why .. on my last two trips from LAX to HKG, row 55, seats B,C were empty with only me in 55A, and this on a plane w/ 85% load in Y.



Bulkhead is not the same as emergency exit seats. IME bulkhead seats are pretty useless, they have essentially the same amount of room as a regular seat but they are narrower and there is nowhere to put anything.

I wounder what's the percentage for you to get an op-up with CX for not being a Marco Polo member but an OneWorld elite? Also, which route that you get most of your op-up from?Between HKG and SYD I estimate I get upgraded from J to F around 25-30% of the time. Quite astounding that they would treat one of their non-members so well.

Between HKG and SYD I estimate I get upgraded from J to F around 25-30% of the time. Quite astounding that they would treat one of their non-members so well.

Thats one of the harder flights to get op-uped on too.

CX I believe track their revenue from you regardless of if you are a member with them or not, so they know how much your worth to them ;)

Thats one of the harder flights to get op-uped on too.



Cannot agree anymore!!! The chance for me to receive op-up from Y to J between SYD HKG is nearly middle of a donut! I guess simply because J is often full, while Y is not as full.

Cannot agree anymore!!! The chance for me to receive op-up from Y to J between SYD HKG is nearly middle of a donut! I guess simply because J is often full, while Y is not as full.
It seems to depend on the time of day the early morning SYD-HKG flight is usually pretty empty in Y but they do seem to pick up more traffic on the afternoon flights I guess connecting to the LHR flights.

if i fly on a peak season my percentage on upgrades from c to f is like 95%. Last year with 8 round trips MNL-HKG-LAX-HKG-MNL, I got op- up like 28/32 segments. Because there's only a slim chance of pax in business class who are MP or MP invitational. And if you fly often with CX, people at the counter would recognize you and will give you priority for op-up

If QF have a similar hierarchy, then I should be #1 on their list but I might as well be #5 for all the upgrades I ever got from them.

#2 you mean unless you have recently become a QF CL and not told us! :p

#2 you mean unless you have recently become a QF CL and not told us! :pOh, I see. Thanks for the correction. I made a wrong assumption. I must admit I'm not familiar with CX levels or even, apparently, with QF CL.