Marooned in Bangkok (AA tightens CX award availability)
 

Over the years, I guess I've become somewhat non-chalant when it comes to confirming my F class flights on CX when returning from Asia to the U.S. on AA awards, particularly during slower travel periods when CX is showing empty seats.

There have been some recent FT posts speculating on reduced CX inventory available to AA members (perhaps due to AA lowering the amount it's willing to pay CX for the seats?). Whatever the reason, I overstayed my return yesterday and just called AA attempting to rebook.

Unfortunately, none of the 6 daily HKG-North America flights appear to be available to AAdvantage members for several consecutive days, notwithstanding the vast majority of the flights indicating "F4 A4" on Gailileo. Yikes!!

When these were paper tickets, I used to be able to just show up at the airport, and CX would let me standby for the flight. With electronic tickets, this doesn't appear to be an option.

At the moment, I'm not too panicked (there could be many worse places to be marooned than Bangkok); my instincts tell me I'll be able to figure this out. Still, I wonder if reduced CX award availability is another consequence of the belt tightening going on at AA.

Isn't the YYZ-HKG service being reduced to 2-class? That was always one of the best outlet routes for award F seats, and it's gone now.

Yes, but for the time being it is still running as 3-class... and plenty of F class seats availabile. However, evidently none for me.

I'll probably walk over to the AA office here in Bangkok tomorrow and see if they can work something out with the CX folks (CX and AA share office space in Bangkok).