Although I enjoy travel on KE when travelling on paid tickets, my recent experience flying KE on a Delta FF award was radically different. On most KE 3-class flights, the forward cabin is sold as full-fare business while the business cabin is sold as full-fare economy. This is due to the quality of KE's F and J seats, which are not nearly as spacious or comfortable as most Asian carriers' product.
I redeemed an F award for travel on KE and was required to sit in the middle-cabin on nearly all flights (the same seats offered to full-fare economy travellers), despite repeatedly requesting to be reseated in the forward cabin, consistent with my redeemed award. KE's consistent rationale, told to me over and over again at each airport, was that the forward cabin on these flights with the older-style seats was considered neither F or J, and therefore they were not required to seat me there. Moreover, they said that under no circumstances were any award holders ever allowed to sit in the forward cabin on such flights anymore.
I e-mailed Delta requested a refund of the difference in miles between F and J, but never heard anything back from them.
I like KE, but really take issue with the new award redemption policies as they related to F class.
As I understand it, this policy was implemented by KE on April 1.