Anlun

I haven't, but I did research all the CX planes and seats to compare. By terrible CX I mean compared to say their long haul J or F. We are flying JAL regional from BKK-TYO and it looks about the same if not slightly better than the original CX regional J we were on. That, coupled with the fact that JAL, imo, tends to have a better soft product, is what guided my statement. I've also had a much easier time booking JAL awards with AS, with less lottery-esque snafus than CX so perhaps I'm a bit burned on CX at the moment.

BA Humbug

It's been some time since I booked a CX award on AS, is it still possible to book award seats within a week of departure? BA Avios has turned off this option so I wanted to make sure.

Looking for JNB-HKG-North America in December, but I can't find anything on the JNB-HKG leg.

Any insight would be appreciated

eponymous_coward

If you've flown AS/AA/DL/UA domestic Y, didn't think you were being tortured and felt it was perfectly acceptable for a two or three hour trip, CX regional J will also be fine. It's leaps and bounds better than European "business class" (aka Y with an open middle and free food and booze).

CX J's food is apparently not great but IMO 3 hours in a regional product HKG-BKK and a good longhaul hard product for 12 hours > 5 hours in a recliner TYO-BKK and a good longhaul product for 10 (or spending the entire journey in a regional product, which you could do YVR-NRT-BKK). The CX lounges in HKG are pretty fantastic and better than JL's in TYO unless you have a thing for golden curry and beer machines, so unless you're getting no time at all in the HKG lounges, you could just eat in HKG and skip a meal on the plane.

AS hasn't removed this feature.

Happy

Oh, dont get me started on JL's INFERIOR lounges in both TYO and KIX.

I would add a word on the "golden curry" as it is just "curry sauce" without any meat or even vegetable! It was white steamed rice AND the "golden curry" sauce. That my friend, was the ONLY hot food in the KIX JL lounge! The lounge was also very very small.

And I have no idea how the poster got an impression JL has a better soft product, especially on their equally "bad" (in OP's words) regional business class...

A friend had an AS redemption LAX to JNB via HKG R/T flown in August. Despite my warning to him on CX meals he said the foods he had on both flights were MUCH BETTER than last year their flights on either NH or JL. He said JL foods were elaborately looking but awful taste bits and pieces slate foods in bento box.
He had a poor experience at Wing J on the night of departure to JNB - but he admitted the overcrowdedness most likely was caused by Typhoon Hato - It was right after Hato passed thru and flights slowly resumed but all with huge delay (theirs delay 4 hours). Therefore Wing J was full to the gill. They did not walk to the much bigger Bridge or Pier J, or used QF lounge which was gigantic in size.
On their way back they went to Pier J. He said it was The Best Lounge he has ever been....

For as many shortcomings CX has, and how their in flight foods are not up to the standard like QR or TK, I would say CX is still far better than JL. I particularly dont like JL's F design - the tray table below the TV (fixed position) bothers me because it takes up space so at sleep position one can not bend one's knees when lying flat on one's back.
I also much prefer CX reversing herringbone J seat than JL Apex J seat because I dont like to have a neighbor, even with a divider.

txflyer77

Dupe, sorry

txflyer77

Flying SFO-HKG-AKL tonight on CX. F then J. Equipment swap leaves me in J tonight. CX won’t work with me since it’s an AS ticket.

I’m on a VX flight to SFO right now and will talk to CX agents in person.

I asked AS to move me to the LAX flight instead but no award inventory. BA dossnt show any either. Flight is F3 so hoping it opens in a few hours.

Should I take it in J and try to get downgrade comp? From CX or AS? The difference is only 20k miles which I’ll have no use for. I’d rather have either cash compensation or a reroute through LAX.

Spoke to AS and they did not offer any refund but I’ll fight that later if I need to.

Mods: already started a thread in the CX forum but was sent here. Understood if that should be closed.

Edit: got a voicemail from Cathay offering $390. I assume USD.

LHR/MEL/Europe FF

Last minute equipment swaps are generally handled in the way you mention - CX offers cash compensation at the airport. Separately you can apply for a refund of miles by the issuing airline (AS) if you're entitled to do so (for example if all the flight is now in J, with no F to bump up the price)

Anlun

AS gave me the 20k points back for the equipment swap that bumped me from F to j on hkg-bkk. Just an anecdote in case you want to compare.

jamienbaker

How long is the OPs layover? I’d at least consider skipping the compensation if assured that you could use F lounges at HKG. Maybe not for a 60 minute connection, but if 5 hours?????

jamienbaker

BA won’t show <6 days, you need to be CALLING AS.

txflyer77

I did. Spoke to two agents and they didn’t see any CX F inventory.

jamienbaker

KEEP CALLING. If F3 there’s a shot. I’d HUACA until it’s too late to position for the flight with F.

Enigma368

Hi Guys,

I've read the wiki and I think I am getting this right but just want to confirm:

I can use 62.5 k AS miles to fly business one way on CX from Continental US or Canada to the Middle East with an optional free stopover in Hong Kong. e.g. I could fly YVR-HKG-TLV for this price?

Could I then fly BA or AF from middle east back to Canada with a free stopover in LHR/CDG for 70k miles in business class on BA or AF? Do they pass on BA and AF's YQ charges? I feel like 132.5k miles for round the world in C with three stopovers is a pretty solid deal to put it lightly but maybe I am wrong on this being allowed.

Also I appreciate the map is often wrong, I take it showing Turkey as being in the Middle East is incorrect?

Calculon

Those numbers are correct.

BA fuel surcharges and (if you have a stopover) Air Passenger Duty *are* passed along. AF is taxes only, but be warned that it is much harder to find space on Air France. So if you're planning to buy or transfer miles for something like this, you should prepare to be extremely patient, flexible, and possibly disappointed.

Also, many people miss that Cathay Pacific cannot be booked online. You'll have to call reservations.

Happy

Use the CHARTS and ignore the maps. This has been an ongoing issue for those who dont read the Wiki.

Good luck in finding AF availability. Unless you already have miles in your AS account, personally I would NOT buy or transfer to AS account counting on redeeming AF awards.

CX is relatively easy if you know how to go about the quirks.

BA is always easy due to the VERY HIGH OUT OF POCKET CASH - meaning nobody wants to pay for such if one can help it - therefore you have no competition for BA award seats!