Originally Posted by
fairhsa
As above, if you don't want to read a rant leave now!
I have one bookable upgrade left. I booked a flight ex TPE to BNE. Applied the upgrade to the HKG-BNE leg - all good. Realised yesterday I had booked the wrong day, so I checked the availability of I class on the HKG-BNE leg - 3 available. I even tried making a dummy booking - available. Had to change the flight via the call centre due to the bookable upgrade, but change to a day earlier and applied again for the upgrade .... nada. Rang up this morning and there are "no availability". When I said "but I can see I class availability for a dummy booking" she said "well that's for new bookings only". So - what's the deal? I thought bookable upgrades came out of I class inventory, is that NOT true? I have now changed the flight again to one later the same day which I have been told does have availability..... waiting to see that.
(in the meantime, I cannot log into the cathay website on any browser except safari; I could not pay for my change on any browser except my mobile phone; when I ring up and they send me an SMS with a number.... it comes 6 hours later.... wft Cathay??????).
I could be wrong so please correct me if I am. As you issued ex-TPE tickets, you will need to check I class availability from TPE point of sales and not I class availability on HKG - BNE as a standalone flight. Outport tickets have very limited I class fares especially from origins where the ticket prices are significantly lower (such as MNL and TPE for example) so even HKG - BNE has I class selling elsewhere but if ex-TPE I class has been sold out then your bookable upgrade request will not be accepted. It is frustrating for sure!
My advice would be that you always ask the agent to check bookable upgrade availability first before you change the underlying revenue ticket, then have him/her to change your flight and manually process your bookable upgrade request via the phone. They can hold whilst you settle for the change fee.