"win some, lose some" indeed ! We all have our TGed story....
Mine is doing a same day return BKK-SIN-BKK in 2006 (immediate return), and I specifically selected the 'new config' 744 so I could loaf in the new F seats (only J service). Even better was that a colleague had purchased a business class 'voucher' for regional travel which was expiring - happy to give it to me to me for THB 10,000. Checked in and scored F seats out and back - sweet!
Boarding was delayed for 30-ish minutes. I was then mortified on the bus transfer from the gate to the aircraft for the departure to just keep on going, past various possible airframes and then we stopped outside HS-TGD, a pretty dirty looking B747-300 no less.
Lower deck F was closed off and I was reallocated onto the UD into 'regular J, which had 10 rows of biz seats (40!) crammed in with a seat pitch more like the tiny 737-400. The recently (at that time) refurbished aircraft had angle-flat seats had/have 6.5 rows of biz seats (26 total) in the same sized UD
The cabin crew had clearly been 'scrambled', but managed to hold it together - but there were plenty of confused faces in the cramped UD. We have come a long way in 12 years!
The cabin crew were attentive to topping up my glass - especially when they saw me for the return. All good fun...