Cathay Pacific Asia Miles - 3 class sold as 2 class

I am scheduled on CX784 in J class on a paid J fare.

The flight is a three class 747 sold as a two class plane.

I am an AA Exec. Plat./OW Emerald.

Both CX and AA say they cannot assign rows 1-4.

Can anyone other than the CX DPS staff on day of departure assign these seats?

I am not flying CX into DPS so I can't ask on the outbound.

I do know the service would be the same but I do like the seats better in rows 1-4;)

Does the counter staff have the option of not putting anyone in these seats?

If you can't get them in advance, can the ISM allow passengers to sit there if one were to ask?

Yes, you can get those seats possibly on day of check in in DPS. Otherwise the CX computer will determine who will sit there based on their MPC status.

Generally CX would release those seats to select OW Elite or MPC members. But perhaps they have stopped doing so.

you may want to check out this thread
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=188616

the last time i flew on such a flight, we were both able to pick the F cabin seats at OLCI; i was sapphire and my partner was ruby. we couldn't get at them before then.