CX will NOT give you the upgrade without the QUALIFLYER stickers. Because the stickers determines where CX has to send your ticket coupoon to which department to ask revenue for the upgrade. Your reservation may have all the information that it is an upgrade made by SWISS, but the relevant info like approval codes of your upgrade from QUALIFLYER lies on SWISS' computer and NOT CX's.
I've had another situation about 3 years ago when CX flights were affected with their pilots' strike which I would like to share with you. I was already in HKG and my economy class ticket were upgraded using QUALIFLYER points. It had the sticker.
The CX flight from HKG to MEL was cancelled. CX transferred its business and first class passengers to QANTAS. But when CX looked at my ticket, they said that even though its an upgrade using QUALIFLYER miles, I have an economy class ticket. If I wanted to remain in Business Class, I can only fly with CX - the next day and via Melbourne. They would not give me the same treatment as other Business Class passengers. QANTAS agreed as they had no agreement with QUALIFLYER for upgrades. So I had to contend with sticking with CX the next day.
Just FYI.
[This message has been edited by Guy Betsy (edited 12-28-2002).]