QRC3288

So I've seen rumblings around here from other DMs mentioning this...I just had it happen myself.

Wanted 2 J class award tickets for a few months out. All award inventory zeroed out on Asia Miles. Expert Flyer showing Y class pretty open, and J8, C8, D5, I3. So looks like J had some sales it wasn't totally open, but I class still had a few inventory.

Called up MPC to put on waitlist, but decided to ask if she should check with supervisor about clearing the awards. An old habit of mine having been DM for closing in on a decade....remembering the good old times when we could get cash seats converted to awards. And I thought back to maybe jagmeets, or another regular on here (apologies if I forgot who!) who mentioned this. Anyway, I asked. And she said to me "If it's approved, are you ready to issue immediately?" I thought...this is promising..."Yes!". Answer comes back a few minutes later that I have two confirmed J award seats. !! Fantastic.

If this benefit is indeed "coming back" after getting cut-off a few years ago it would be a very welcome enhancement to the DM program.

scottie80

This does sound promising. I too had success in the past but was declined maybe 6 months ago when I tried to push something through (waitlist ended up clearing in any case).

I'm looking for a couple of seats at the end of April but no availability showing up online - will give them a call and report back if similarly successful.

sscywong

It's sort of GOOD NEWS!

Have you check afterwards that if the two seats are out from I inventory?

LchChester

afaik, this "benefit" remained here for the past few years. There is a limit on the number of seats that can be released during each member's membership year though. Also, I class availability is a minimum requirement but does not guarantee the availability of such seat.

QRC3288

okay, that's a brilliant idea and I wish I did it right after I booked.

We're a few days stale here, but.....I class is now 9!!! What?!?! It was 3 when I booked!

Now:
J9, C9, D9, I9, Y9, B9, H9, K9, M9, L6 V0, S0, N0, Q3, O0

In fact, flight is wide open for sale. Although Asia Mile awards are unavailable (waitlist open) for even a single seat, I just checked. I don't know why I class was so tight before and now wide open, but either way it seems like they gave to me out of I class inventory.

jagmeets

Any clue what that limit might be? Fairly certain that they curtailed this when the moved the booking systems a few years back (had a specific response from them on an email where this was one of the crib points I mentioned).

The sense that I got from the last time I had seats released was that the agents had a Super quick preliminary indication method to gauge the chances ('both flights should be confirmable, do you mind if I put you on hold while I check with control' in a blink..or something like that)- I took that as a 'If flight shows Cabin Load factor below X%, or, I availability > some number, seats should be confirmable for DMs.

QRC3288

definitely not in my experience! I probably request 8-10 J and F seats annually with awards, most if not all aren't available when I book it. This is the very first time in ~4 years I've had a J seat released to me out of inventory.

sscywong

Agree. Not even for companion award seat which usually have more inventory than straight award seat...

chfshifter

Last week I got waitlisted for a companion award seat (HKG-HND) when that flight still has seats in I class, called MPC yesterday saying I will not issue the revenue ticket if I don't get confirmation and it's only then they put me on hold and have the seat cleared for me. This happened couple months ago as well when I wanted to get a LHR-HKG companion ticket.

sscywong

Same as what I did in 2012 (last time I threatened to cancel the reserved I class HKG-MEL ticket and switch to two E tickets). Immediately get cleared after a wait of about 5 minutes

But two years ago even for HKG-TPE, no is no... Forced me to change my confirmed flight (fortunately, free rebooking) to a flight that has companion redemption available... (Still remember that need to call MPC to confirm which flight has companion award available, got one hold for an hour, being transferred to reservation and get the rebooking done, and being retransferred back to MPC to complete the redemption)

kaka

Ask percysmith about it. And i gave up and book awards 2 days out when they start opening up. From j9c9d0i0y9b9k0..... to all 9s from j to v or even lower. Then they sell tickets to europe at 5xxx ai.

Talking about why they arent doing well financially

Cathay Dragon 666

This is what Cathay used to be like, and I am glad to get that feeling back again in my recent trans-Pacific flight.

1) Cabin head came over and genuinely held a conversation with me (not the quick hi, my name is, bye, please don't talk back I'm busy with my work), with a smile, and throughout the trip came to me numerous times asking and offering things to me.

2) ISM came, held a friendly conversation with me (again, not the usual hi, bye, don't talk back I'm busy), and remind me to always go to her if I am in anyway unsatisfy with the cabin service.

3) Cabin attendants coming often, address with name, with a bright smile, and asking if I needed anything.

I don't know if it's because I'm a DM now, or I paid full-fare J, or both or I simply had the luck to bump into a rare Cathay good crew. I have to say, this is the reason why we all love Cathay in the first place, great service.

mxr

So you dropped from DM to GO and back to DM in one month?

In any case, It definitely has something to do with J AND being DM.

cxfan1960

I did that before, but with the old MPC Club Miles rule. I called to extend my qualification period. They agreed and drop me to GO after membership year is over. I called after I completed the qualification within that time and they reinstated my DM status.

Or if you bump into an ISM who have met you many times before, as on my CX873 flight 10 days ago. I was GO in J, but she already noticed me before seeing my BP. She came by twice to chat with me.

cxfan1960

Yes, they did that to me and my family every time (clearing within a few minutes) but once before 2009. Then things started to change. I still got very good chance clearing as DM, but not as often anymore.

I am GO now. My daughter is still waitlisted for a W->J upgrade, but she is traveling just before Christmas. The chance would be slim even if I were DM.