CX HKG-TPE F Award Ticket w/ AA Miles: Aircraft Change - No F Cabin
 

I booked a LAX-HKG-TPE First Class (F) award ticket on Cathay Pacific (CX) using American Airlines (AA) miles. Both segments are booked in F but I noticed on Expertflyer that the HKG-TPE leg was swapped from a 747-400 (744) to a 777-300 (773) and the aircraft now scheduled to fly that leg does not have a first class cabin. Neither AA nor CX notified me of the change. I purposely booked that particular HKG-TPE flight despite the long layover just because it was the only HKG-TPE flight that day that "had" an F cabin. Please help answer the following questions for me. They will help me determine my next course of action:

1. If the HKG-TPE flight remains on a 773 w/o first class, will I be provided some kind of compensation when I arrive at the airport? Will the compensation be provided at LAX or HKG?

2. Since my layover is super long, would I be able to standby for an earlier flight?

If lax-hkg is on same itinerary, you will not receive anything. If one segment is f, then the entire trip is considered f award. If there is availability on an earlier flight, you can call and change to the earlier flight.

When you land in HKG, be sure to show the LAX-HKG ticket at the lounge. If you only show them the connection, they'll only stamp your ticket for the business class lounge.

Happened to me now that my EXP days are history. When I produced the first segment in First, they changed the stamp to allow access to the first class lounge. Spending time in the cabana and the restaurant is a very nice way to mitigate the pain of a long layover.

No compensation will be offered on a equipment sub like this.

No. Standby is not a concept that is often practiced outside of the USA.

I, for one, wouldn't be torquing my schedule out of joint/killing time for hours in HKG for a regional C->F upgrade on a 500 mile flight, unless you really dig watching planes and eating lounge food... you should be able change to an earlier flight on the award now.

If your layover is long enough, it's easy to get into the city on a $100 HKD Airport Express same day return ticket...

CX used to only compensate when it was a last-minute equipment substitution (I'm not sure whether they still do or not).

They never (at least in the last decade) would compensate for an advance schedule change.

Just accept it and move on. :)

How far in advance is your trip? This happened to me about 6 months ago. ORD-HKG-CGK. F award, booked with AA miles. 48 hours out, HKG-CGK went to a non F aircraft. When checking in for flight to CGK in HKG (overnighted in city), was handed 200 USD cash and given an apology for the downgrade.

Trip is in 23 days. Award ticket was booked in early Jan & according to CX, the equipment was changed in late Jan.

CX will allow standby, or will simply change you to the earlier flight based on availability. Check at the lounge in HKG.

If no checked bags, then the lounge will easily change flights. Have you had the lounge move you up to an earlier flight if you checked bags?

CX HKG-TPE F Award Ticket w/ AA Miles: Aircraft Change - No F Cabin
 

Just did that same route. Hkg tpe is really not worth the F cabin. Flight is super short and long layovers even in cx f lounge can be miserable when u just wanna reach ur destination.

This route is prone to equipment swaps. I was in a similar situation on an award and two days out the aircraft changed back to a plane with F. AA was able to put me back in F and I ended up being the only F pax on the flight.