Jan 1, 2024, 5:53 pm
Last edit by: JY1024
Awards: All Cathay Pacific / CX (Including First and Business Class)
Questions, Availability, Discussion
NOTE: Multiple reports starting in June 2021 that CX is allowing only a 24 hour hold and could cancel reservations not being ticketed beyond 24 hours.
Please feel free to use this thread for questions regarding CX Economy, Premium Economy, First and Business Class award redemption using AAdvantage miles, as well as questions regarding award availability, routings and related issues. Please go to the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Forum to discuss or ask about meals, equipment, service, etc. on CX, as there is an existing wealth of information there - and this is the American Airlines AAdvantage Forum
.
AA Flight award chart for oneworld® and partner airlines
Other related threads that may be of interest:
FT Discrepancy between CX Award Search and AA availability: Discrepancy between QF and CX award search and AA availability
FT How , When to Select CX Seats on CX Award: How / when to select seat on a Cathay (CX) award / flight (consolidated)
FT Cathay Pacific Experience - Seats / Interline/ Baggage FAQs: Cathay Pacific Experience / Seats / Interline / Baggage FAQs
Also, for Rules about awards, see AA oneworld and Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (2015 on).
Expert Advice:
Only "MileSAAver" awards apply to oneworld and AA partners.
Premium Economy seats are not available with AAdvantage awards, may be soon as AA sells Premium Economy Feb 2017.
Be aware that what you see on the BA, JL, or QF sites may not be visible to the AA reservations folks. You may want to note the flight on which the F award seat is shown as "available" on those sites and if the AA agent doesn't see any availability suggest that the AA agent check that specific one again. If the AA agent still cannot see it, thank them, hang up, and call back a little later.
Sometimes CX will make flights available for award booking to CX frequent flyers, but not release the seats immediately for other oneworld frequent flyers. Usually though, the seats, if not taken by CX frequent flyers, are released after a while to other OW programs.
Although CX may release seats for award earlier, AA can book them no more than 331 days prior to departure. The awards that CX does release are available as early as 355 days prior to departure for CX and BA frequent fliers, and sometimes that means the awards you want w AA miles will be snatched up prior to the 331 day mark.
*** AA does not have a set schedule to load flights. They can load it anytime after midnight 331 days out. Most of the time it is within a couple to 12 hours of that. Other times, it can be a full day or a day and a half afterwards, especially on the weekends where there's most variability. Unlike JL award space, it is not a specific time of day.
4Keep in mind that when booking eastbound space to North America that it's one day later in HKG so that space usually becomes available 330 days in advance to North America; this is not always true, since CX has already loaded the availability a month prior to AA - it is just up to AA to load and release the seats on SABRE, so it typically ends up being 330 days out, but not necessarily.
Similarly... if you are trying to book westbound, US->HKG->Somewhere then AA may not be able to book the HKG->Somewhere segment 331 days in advance of the US->HKG flight, if it is still 332 days out in HKG. As it is the flights from US->HKG that are hardest to get, if you find a seat US->HKG at the 331 day mark when it is first available for booking through AA but cannot book the continuation, you can just put that US->HKG segment on hold with AA, then call back the next day when connecting flights will be loaded into the system to try to book the onward flight from HKG.
AA does not charge "YQ" surcharges [what they sometimes call "fuel surcharge"] on CX award segments (BA Avios does), thus the taxes and fees on your "free" ticket on CX or KA are almost always significantly less than for the same routing on BA.
There is a Hong Kong Departure Tax (HK) of $120 HKD (approx $15.50 USD) on every segment departing Hong Kong. Exemptions apply. If your ticket includes this tax and you qualify for an exemption, a refund can be applied for either in person at HKIA landside or via post to Civil Aviation Department. AA charges this tax for children under 12 years of age despite the exemption. In order to obtain a cash refund at HKIA, you will need passenger passport, passenger boarding pass, passenger ticket receipt showing the fare calculation line which will show the HK tax being charged. This receipt can be obtained at any AA counter worldwide including HKIA as well as Airport Express in-town check-in (AA check-in). As the AA counter at HKIA operates only during limited hours, Airport Express in-town check-in would be the the convenient option.
Not all CX flights offer First class; CX Business is markedly different on long haul and regionally configured aircraft.
If you're looking for multiple seats in First on a particular flight but can find only some but not all that you're looking for, take what's available in F, then take the rest of the seats you want on J (if available) on the same flight, and check back periodically to see if an F seat has opened up for award. There is no additional charge (in money, although there will be in miles) to change to an award to a higher cabin of service (e.g., J to F, Y to F, Y to J) as long as the award keeps the same origin/destination airports.
Be aware your award must conform to some rules on a) MPM (Maximum Permitted Mileage - your award routing can not exceed 125% of the most direct routing available); a useful tool is Great Circle Mapper.
The Most Significant Carrier (transpacific usually, CX in most of these posts,) must offer a non-"constructed" fare between your origin and destination (you might find an unconstructed fare between DFW and SIN, but might not from Killeen to SIN).
If you can't pick your CX seats online, either due to them being blocked or you just want to call, you need to first get the CX PNR from AAdvantage at 1-800-882-8880. Then call CX at 1-800-233-2742. Some seats that are blocked on CX website are assignable via AA reservations. Close to departure AA can even assign 2A, 2K.
Note: if the Cathay Manage booking tool doesn't appear to recognize your CX PNR, you need to enter your first name AND middle name, separated by a space, in the "First Name" field.
AAward bookings containing CX flights that are put on hold will be restricted to only 24hrs, not the usual 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the patterns for west coast routes?
Because LAX has 4 daily flights to HKG, it tends to be the easiest option for blocks of 3 or more J award seats. SFO and YVR only have 2 daily flights and even if 5 award seats were initially released at 355 days prior to departure, some of those may be gone by the time the 331 day mark rolls around. If you need 4 or 5 J award seats on these west coast routes, either use Avios to book at 355 days or consider routing through LAX where there may still be availability at 331 days out.
Can I visit my companion in First Class if I'm in Business Class?
"Up-cabin visits" are not permitted per CX policy, though have been granted under special circumstances. But putting crew in the awkward position of being asked to violate policy is generally frowned upon. Down-cabin visits are permitted ex-USA. However, on flights to the USA, down-cabin visits are not permitted and this rule is vigorously enforced.
Posts made between 2018-2022 may be read in here
Posts made in 2017 may be read in ARCHIVE: 2017 AA Awards in Cathay Pacific / CX, KA...
Posts made in 2016 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2016).
Posts made in 2015 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2015).
Posts made in 2014 may be read in ARCHIVE: Awards: CX / Cathay Pacific / (inc. F and J) - 2014.
N.B. Older posts have been moved and archived to: Cathay Pacific / CX (inc. First and Business Class) award - ARCHIVED.
Questions, Availability, Discussion
NOTE: Multiple reports starting in June 2021 that CX is allowing only a 24 hour hold and could cancel reservations not being ticketed beyond 24 hours.
Please feel free to use this thread for questions regarding CX Economy, Premium Economy, First and Business Class award redemption using AAdvantage miles, as well as questions regarding award availability, routings and related issues. Please go to the Cathay Pacific Asia Miles Forum to discuss or ask about meals, equipment, service, etc. on CX, as there is an existing wealth of information there - and this is the American Airlines AAdvantage Forum
.AA Flight award chart for oneworld® and partner airlines
Other related threads that may be of interest:
FT Discrepancy between CX Award Search and AA availability: Discrepancy between QF and CX award search and AA availability
FT How , When to Select CX Seats on CX Award: How / when to select seat on a Cathay (CX) award / flight (consolidated)
FT Cathay Pacific Experience - Seats / Interline/ Baggage FAQs: Cathay Pacific Experience / Seats / Interline / Baggage FAQs
Also, for Rules about awards, see AA oneworld and Other Airline Partner Award information, rules (2015 on).
Expert Advice:
Only "MileSAAver" awards apply to oneworld and AA partners.
Premium Economy seats are not available with AAdvantage awards, may be soon as AA sells Premium Economy Feb 2017.
Be aware that what you see on the BA, JL, or QF sites may not be visible to the AA reservations folks. You may want to note the flight on which the F award seat is shown as "available" on those sites and if the AA agent doesn't see any availability suggest that the AA agent check that specific one again. If the AA agent still cannot see it, thank them, hang up, and call back a little later.
Sometimes CX will make flights available for award booking to CX frequent flyers, but not release the seats immediately for other oneworld frequent flyers. Usually though, the seats, if not taken by CX frequent flyers, are released after a while to other OW programs.
Although CX may release seats for award earlier, AA can book them no more than 331 days prior to departure. The awards that CX does release are available as early as 355 days prior to departure for CX and BA frequent fliers, and sometimes that means the awards you want w AA miles will be snatched up prior to the 331 day mark.
*** AA does not have a set schedule to load flights. They can load it anytime after midnight 331 days out. Most of the time it is within a couple to 12 hours of that. Other times, it can be a full day or a day and a half afterwards, especially on the weekends where there's most variability. Unlike JL award space, it is not a specific time of day.
4Keep in mind that when booking eastbound space to North America that it's one day later in HKG so that space usually becomes available 330 days in advance to North America; this is not always true, since CX has already loaded the availability a month prior to AA - it is just up to AA to load and release the seats on SABRE, so it typically ends up being 330 days out, but not necessarily.
Similarly... if you are trying to book westbound, US->HKG->Somewhere then AA may not be able to book the HKG->Somewhere segment 331 days in advance of the US->HKG flight, if it is still 332 days out in HKG. As it is the flights from US->HKG that are hardest to get, if you find a seat US->HKG at the 331 day mark when it is first available for booking through AA but cannot book the continuation, you can just put that US->HKG segment on hold with AA, then call back the next day when connecting flights will be loaded into the system to try to book the onward flight from HKG.
AA does not charge "YQ" surcharges [what they sometimes call "fuel surcharge"] on CX award segments (BA Avios does), thus the taxes and fees on your "free" ticket on CX or KA are almost always significantly less than for the same routing on BA.
There is a Hong Kong Departure Tax (HK) of $120 HKD (approx $15.50 USD) on every segment departing Hong Kong. Exemptions apply. If your ticket includes this tax and you qualify for an exemption, a refund can be applied for either in person at HKIA landside or via post to Civil Aviation Department. AA charges this tax for children under 12 years of age despite the exemption. In order to obtain a cash refund at HKIA, you will need passenger passport, passenger boarding pass, passenger ticket receipt showing the fare calculation line which will show the HK tax being charged. This receipt can be obtained at any AA counter worldwide including HKIA as well as Airport Express in-town check-in (AA check-in). As the AA counter at HKIA operates only during limited hours, Airport Express in-town check-in would be the the convenient option.
Not all CX flights offer First class; CX Business is markedly different on long haul and regionally configured aircraft.
If you're looking for multiple seats in First on a particular flight but can find only some but not all that you're looking for, take what's available in F, then take the rest of the seats you want on J (if available) on the same flight, and check back periodically to see if an F seat has opened up for award. There is no additional charge (in money, although there will be in miles) to change to an award to a higher cabin of service (e.g., J to F, Y to F, Y to J) as long as the award keeps the same origin/destination airports.
Be aware your award must conform to some rules on a) MPM (Maximum Permitted Mileage - your award routing can not exceed 125% of the most direct routing available); a useful tool is Great Circle Mapper.
The Most Significant Carrier (transpacific usually, CX in most of these posts,) must offer a non-"constructed" fare between your origin and destination (you might find an unconstructed fare between DFW and SIN, but might not from Killeen to SIN).
If you can't pick your CX seats online, either due to them being blocked or you just want to call, you need to first get the CX PNR from AAdvantage at 1-800-882-8880. Then call CX at 1-800-233-2742. Some seats that are blocked on CX website are assignable via AA reservations. Close to departure AA can even assign 2A, 2K.
Note: if the Cathay Manage booking tool doesn't appear to recognize your CX PNR, you need to enter your first name AND middle name, separated by a space, in the "First Name" field.
AAward bookings containing CX flights that are put on hold will be restricted to only 24hrs, not the usual 5 days.
Frequently Asked Questions
What are the patterns for west coast routes?
Because LAX has 4 daily flights to HKG, it tends to be the easiest option for blocks of 3 or more J award seats. SFO and YVR only have 2 daily flights and even if 5 award seats were initially released at 355 days prior to departure, some of those may be gone by the time the 331 day mark rolls around. If you need 4 or 5 J award seats on these west coast routes, either use Avios to book at 355 days or consider routing through LAX where there may still be availability at 331 days out.
Can I visit my companion in First Class if I'm in Business Class?
"Up-cabin visits" are not permitted per CX policy, though have been granted under special circumstances. But putting crew in the awkward position of being asked to violate policy is generally frowned upon. Down-cabin visits are permitted ex-USA. However, on flights to the USA, down-cabin visits are not permitted and this rule is vigorously enforced.
Posts made between 2018-2022 may be read in here
Posts made in 2017 may be read in ARCHIVE: 2017 AA Awards in Cathay Pacific / CX, KA...
Posts made in 2016 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2016).
Posts made in 2015 may be read in ARCHIVE: AA Awards on Cathay Pacific (2015).
Posts made in 2014 may be read in ARCHIVE: Awards: CX / Cathay Pacific / (inc. F and J) - 2014.
N.B. Older posts have been moved and archived to: Cathay Pacific / CX (inc. First and Business Class) award - ARCHIVED.
AA Award: Cathay Pacific / CX availability, etc. (master thread 2023 onwards)
Jan 6, 2023, 3:14 pm
#16
Join Date: Sep 2002
Location: Thousand Oaks, Ca., USA
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat; Bonvoy Titanium Lifetime Elite;Hyatt Globalist; HHonors Diamond; United Silver
Posts: 8,366
If I fly CX lax-hkg-syd on an AA award, and they cancel the flight, and no other CX award space, will AA rebook me on their metal?
Jan 6, 2023, 5:54 pm
#17
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,797
Late last night there were 4 seats (per QF and BA sites) on HKG-BOS 10/08 and 10/11. 2 seats on 10/15 and 10/16. They definitely were not there day before yesterday. I have no idea when those seats first showing up. I went checking after I nailed down the outbound BOS-HKG-NRT, again with seats not there up till last night. Of course now is some 15 or 20 or more hours have passed, chances of these seats still show up would be very slim.
QF calendar gives you idea on which dates to check the details. BA is much easier to check the flights on a given date than using QF's.
If seats not showing on QF/BA but on AA/AS, almost 100% they are phantom seats, i.e. nonexistent, and unbookable. You will get errors trying to book them. AA gives you error upfront, AS gives you error after you enter payment info. (very stupid because you went thru all the steps then only see the booking did not go thru.)
Jan 6, 2023, 5:55 pm
#18
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,797
Though I believe if CX cancel the particular flight but still flies the route, CX would rebook you on another date another flight. Happened to me in the past pre-Covid era.
Jan 6, 2023, 6:11 pm
#19
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,797
Sure, of course, no worries. My only suggestion is just don't approach searching for awards with any assumptions, rules of thumb, etc. Most of that stuff was completely broken by covid.
My suggestion for CX award, is as mentioned, cross check what you see on AA.com with another OW carrier such as British Airways or Qantas or something. If you don't have an account with them just create a dummy one (if you don't want a real one). If you see it on AA.com but not on BA.com it's probably phantom inventory.
But keep in mind, with Hong Kong now fully reopening, the whole travel world has already started the "student body shift left" and it's likely CX award availability may dry up for awhile. They probably aren't going to have much trouble actually selling seats for a good while now.
Regards
My suggestion for CX award, is as mentioned, cross check what you see on AA.com with another OW carrier such as British Airways or Qantas or something. If you don't have an account with them just create a dummy one (if you don't want a real one). If you see it on AA.com but not on BA.com it's probably phantom inventory.
But keep in mind, with Hong Kong now fully reopening, the whole travel world has already started the "student body shift left" and it's likely CX award availability may dry up for awhile. They probably aren't going to have much trouble actually selling seats for a good while now.
Regards
The demand from SFO/LAX, JFK and the 2 Canadian gateways, are Very Strong. If you find spaces in those gateways that are not far out to the end of schedule, very likely those are from cancellation of other people's award bookings. And such availability disappear as quickly as ice cream melting under the sun.
Jan 6, 2023, 6:14 pm
#20
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Jul 2003
Location: Florida
Posts: 29,797
Before you do this, I strongly suggest you to check Cathay forum on Flyertalk to see how the Asian Miles award inventory situation is, and the pricing levels because the AMEX transfer is not reversible. Even their top elites are moaning how difficult to book with Asia Miles, just sayin.
Jan 6, 2023, 6:31 pm
#21
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,486
Before you do this, I strongly suggest you to check Cathay forum on Flyertalk to see how the Asian Miles award inventory situation is, and the pricing levels because the AMEX transfer is not reversible. Even their top elites are moaning how difficult to book with Asia Miles, just sayin.
Jan 9, 2023, 9:13 am
#22
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: AUS
Programs: BAEC Gold, AA PPro, Hyatt Globalist, Amex Plat
Posts: 7,057
Regards
Jan 11, 2023, 7:09 am
#23
Original Poster
Join Date: Sep 2009
Programs: AA Executive Platinum, Marriott Lifetime Titanium, IHG Platinum
Posts: 1,486
Another question:
In looking at possible BOS-HKG-CEB, I see 1 business ticket, but I am traveling with wife. Thinking I could book that J for wife. For the second ticket, BOS-HKG has PE for 50K, and HKG-CEB has J for 22.5K. Would an agent be able to combine these for a single award (perhaps with point adjustment)… i.e. would I be able to pay 70K (or less) confirming the BOS-HKG PE seat, and J for HKG-CEB?
In looking at possible BOS-HKG-CEB, I see 1 business ticket, but I am traveling with wife. Thinking I could book that J for wife. For the second ticket, BOS-HKG has PE for 50K, and HKG-CEB has J for 22.5K. Would an agent be able to combine these for a single award (perhaps with point adjustment)… i.e. would I be able to pay 70K (or less) confirming the BOS-HKG PE seat, and J for HKG-CEB?
Jan 31, 2023, 1:23 pm
#24
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Fort Lauderdale
Posts: 377
Cathay reward flights with advantage miles
British Airways and Cathay Pacific open their reward flights for Cathay flightss around 10 days to two weeks before the AA schedule. If there are no reward flights on Cathay and BA sites for a Cathay flight for a specific date, will AA be allocated any flights when their Cathay reward flight open around two weeks later?
Jan 31, 2023, 1:36 pm
#25
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,395
British Airways and Cathay Pacific open their reward flights for Cathay flightss around 10 days to two weeks before the AA schedule. If there are no reward flights on Cathay and BA sites for a Cathay flight for a specific date, will AA be allocated any flights when their Cathay reward flight open around two weeks later?
Jan 31, 2023, 3:51 pm
#26
Join Date: Dec 2014
Location: Fort Lauderdale
Posts: 377
Feb 4, 2023, 2:21 pm
#27
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 7
American/Cathay Pacific Unfair Hold Cancelation
I spent a great deal of time researching options to allow DH and me to use AAdvantage miles to fly from Kauai (LIH in the Hawaiian Islands) to Tel Aviv with the longest legs in business class. We are seniors, and having a lie-flat bed is important to me for flights that are more than eight hours. (We do not sleep well sitting upright on planes.)
I finally found a way to do it in business class 11/1 from Narita Japan for 40k miles pp. (We will get to Narita on a separate ticket and stay overnight.) I put those NRT to TLV flights on hold. (They require a 4:20 layover in HKG.) YAY!
Yesterday, several hours before the hold expired, I tried to purchase the tickets and the hold had been canceled. The hold was set to expire Feb. 4, 11:59 PM (JST)). I double-checked the time in Japan; it was still before the expiration. Business class tix on those Cathay Pacific flights were no longer available for the 11-hour & 45 minute leg. For the same 40k miles pp I could book the 3-hour leg to Hong Kong in business class – and the 11:45 leg in coach.
During long conversations with AA reps, I was told that the records showed that Cathay Pacific had indeed wrongly canceled the hold prior to its expiration. In fact, the hold should have expired during the time while I was on the phone with the AA rep. I was told that since Cathay Pacific canceled the hold – only they could reinstate it.
The Cathay Pacific rep said that since it was put on hold through AA, CP can’t rectify it. FYI, there ARE business class seats available on that flight, but none available with FF miles. ARRGGHH!
EVERYONE IS PASSING THE BUCK!
I know AA does not control CP's award inventory, but it seems to me they should urge Cathay Pacific to reinstate the hold.
Any suggestions? If not, thanks for letting me vent!
I finally found a way to do it in business class 11/1 from Narita Japan for 40k miles pp. (We will get to Narita on a separate ticket and stay overnight.) I put those NRT to TLV flights on hold. (They require a 4:20 layover in HKG.) YAY!
Yesterday, several hours before the hold expired, I tried to purchase the tickets and the hold had been canceled. The hold was set to expire Feb. 4, 11:59 PM (JST)). I double-checked the time in Japan; it was still before the expiration. Business class tix on those Cathay Pacific flights were no longer available for the 11-hour & 45 minute leg. For the same 40k miles pp I could book the 3-hour leg to Hong Kong in business class – and the 11:45 leg in coach.
During long conversations with AA reps, I was told that the records showed that Cathay Pacific had indeed wrongly canceled the hold prior to its expiration. In fact, the hold should have expired during the time while I was on the phone with the AA rep. I was told that since Cathay Pacific canceled the hold – only they could reinstate it.
The Cathay Pacific rep said that since it was put on hold through AA, CP can’t rectify it. FYI, there ARE business class seats available on that flight, but none available with FF miles. ARRGGHH!
EVERYONE IS PASSING THE BUCK!
I know AA does not control CP's award inventory, but it seems to me they should urge Cathay Pacific to reinstate the hold.
Any suggestions? If not, thanks for letting me vent!
Feb 4, 2023, 5:09 pm
#29
Join Date: Jan 2010
Programs: UA, AS
Posts: 2,395
I spent a great deal of time researching options to allow DH and me to use AAdvantage miles to fly from Kauai (LIH in the Hawaiian Islands) to Tel Aviv with the longest legs in business class. We are seniors, and having a lie-flat bed is important to me for flights that are more than eight hours. (We do not sleep well sitting upright on planes.)
I finally found a way to do it in business class 11/1 from Narita Japan for 40k miles pp. (We will get to Narita on a separate ticket and stay overnight.) I put those NRT to TLV flights on hold. (They require a 4:20 layover in HKG.) YAY!
Yesterday, several hours before the hold expired, I tried to purchase the tickets and the hold had been canceled. The hold was set to expire Feb. 4, 11:59 PM (JST)). I double-checked the time in Japan; it was still before the expiration. Business class tix on those Cathay Pacific flights were no longer available for the 11-hour & 45 minute leg. For the same 40k miles pp I could book the 3-hour leg to Hong Kong in business class – and the 11:45 leg in coach.
During long conversations with AA reps, I was told that the records showed that Cathay Pacific had indeed wrongly canceled the hold prior to its expiration. In fact, the hold should have expired during the time while I was on the phone with the AA rep. I was told that since Cathay Pacific canceled the hold – only they could reinstate it.
The Cathay Pacific rep said that since it was put on hold through AA, CP can’t rectify it. FYI, there ARE business class seats available on that flight, but none available with FF miles. ARRGGHH!
EVERYONE IS PASSING THE BUCK!
I know AA does not control CP's award inventory, but it seems to me they should urge Cathay Pacific to reinstate the hold.
Any suggestions? If not, thanks for letting me vent!
I finally found a way to do it in business class 11/1 from Narita Japan for 40k miles pp. (We will get to Narita on a separate ticket and stay overnight.) I put those NRT to TLV flights on hold. (They require a 4:20 layover in HKG.) YAY!
Yesterday, several hours before the hold expired, I tried to purchase the tickets and the hold had been canceled. The hold was set to expire Feb. 4, 11:59 PM (JST)). I double-checked the time in Japan; it was still before the expiration. Business class tix on those Cathay Pacific flights were no longer available for the 11-hour & 45 minute leg. For the same 40k miles pp I could book the 3-hour leg to Hong Kong in business class – and the 11:45 leg in coach.
During long conversations with AA reps, I was told that the records showed that Cathay Pacific had indeed wrongly canceled the hold prior to its expiration. In fact, the hold should have expired during the time while I was on the phone with the AA rep. I was told that since Cathay Pacific canceled the hold – only they could reinstate it.
The Cathay Pacific rep said that since it was put on hold through AA, CP can’t rectify it. FYI, there ARE business class seats available on that flight, but none available with FF miles. ARRGGHH!
EVERYONE IS PASSING THE BUCK!
I know AA does not control CP's award inventory, but it seems to me they should urge Cathay Pacific to reinstate the hold.
Any suggestions? If not, thanks for letting me vent!
Feb 21, 2023, 1:02 pm
#30
Join Date: May 2001
Location: Zurich / Europe / New York
Programs: LH, BA, AA
Posts: 1,313
I’ve 2 award booking on CX using AA miles. Got 2 emails directly from CX saying flight cancelled and rebooked to another flight - which is ok. I could see the flight displayed in CX manage my booking page but indicate not yet tickets. I could retrieve the same booking from AA site, did say ticketed, but it says flight could not be display e.g. no details. Do I need to contact AA to re-issue the tickets or just wait and AA will do this automatically?