Originally Posted by
QRC3288
Indeed correct, if referring to op-ups only. However, for seat blocking, the earlier you get to the airport (regardless of BN) is what matters to get control to block the seat next to you. Generally for DMs MPC will automatically put in a note to request the seat block, but in the situations when you need it most - where the plane might be 90% full - they generally will not auto block it for you, in which case you'll want to ask the check-in counter to get control to block that seat.
Talking about seat blocking, let me drift a bit off topic and share one piece of my flying experience:
Few months ago I was on CX505 - yep, on award ticket. The MPC Agent told me that the flight is quite full. While I arrived NRT, the GA told me that I might not be able to board the plane and threw me to JL705 instead, and she would let me know while I was in the lounge.
Later I was told that I am able to board CX505, with 64E seat assigned (the seat number is crossed out by hand and rewritten - computer printed shows 67G). I used priority boarding as usual and settled down. Things went very strange while I realize the plane was very full loaded in Y... but there are plenty of seats empty around me: the 3 seats in front of me, behind me and the whole 64 row is empty except me... while I found it strange, I stood up and check around - nearly all other seats are taken.
Other passengers gave me strange look throughout the taxing and lift off... then I simply took a good nap :P