Call AA and get the CX PNR. Then go to CX's website, log in to MMB and make your seat selections. Sounds easy but it's not depending on when you try to choose seats. Sometimes the website allows it, sometimes not. IF you are OWR or OWE, you can choose seats, if not, you'll need to call CX to get seat assignments. And I don't think you'll get them to make them more than 30 days out.

I have no status but was just offered and confirmed 2A for JFK-HKG in June via the CX call center in the USA, replacing the AA-assigned 2D. The CX agent said all of row 1 was occupied.

Seth

Not for a AA reward operated by CX but should still apply - I'm not sure if CX stopped allowing MMB for AA tickets. I used to be able to use MMB on my AA codeshare tickets using the CX PNR from AA, as recent as April 2016. The only thing different is this time I booked the AA codeshare flights through Citi Thankyou. CX wasn't selling the seats I wanted, but AA was.

The CX app recognizes my PNR, with no further functionality; the website throws an error when pulling up with PNR ("Sorry, a reservation could not be found with the information you have provided. Please check your booking reference number again or enter your eTicket Number.") or ticket number (Error: "No RLOC Associated with this ET"). At least I can use checkmytrip to check seat maps and then call CX for seats, which takes ~30 minutes regardless of if I call CX US or HK. The last seating update I had, I asked the CX US twitter to help me and they initially didn't want to help and deferred to AA until I pushed back with what's in the wiki. I'm booked in PEY and Y and a Ruby FWIW.

CX HK twitter's official response was that only 160 or 043 etickets can use MMB (which contradicts with the 125 tickets booked using BAEC Avios yesterday).

CX twitter team is generally clueless. CX is excellent on the plane and in their lounges - not a moment before. I'm able to use MMB for a ticket issued by AA yesterday. If I wer you, I'd call AA and make sure the PNR and ticket number are linked correctly, as it sounds like CX isn't seeing your ticket.

You could also try calling CX in the UK - I've found they have reasonable hold times.

Thanks - AA was no help. At least I got the seats I want, after monitoring for a few days. Given all the others have no problem looking up their PNR, I will chalk this up as an anomaly.

For what it's worth I recently booked a flight from HKG-LAX in first class using 70,000 Alaska miles.

The Cathay website was showing only 2D open, every other seat blocked or occupied.

I called the agent and asked if she had a window seat and she said 1A and 1K were available.

I chose 1A.

I then asked her why the website showed 1A and 1K as blocked/occupied, and she said she didn't know. She told me that her system showed only 2A and 2K blocked for the bassinet.

1A/K are premium seats, for elites (even OneWorld Ruby). I'd check that the seat assignment sticks. It may not. Non-elites can generally only pre-assign the center seats.

OK. Thanks. When are they usually released if no elite grabs them? I know I have been pre-assigned 1A before. I have flown in 1A 3-4 times.

My assignment to 1A is currently showing online under manage booking. Will they boot me if an elite requests it?

I imagine they wouldn't be available until either online or airport check-in. I also don't think they were always premium seats in the past, and it's possible they still aren't on all flights/routes. I think if your assignment sticks for a couple of days you should be fine.

I have my booking number and my ticket number and am trying to book my seat for two flights. I am flying first class for one, business class for the other on November 18 and 19th. I have tried entering both on the Cathay Pacific website to no avail. I emailed the Marco Polo club who suggested I email using the contact on the website; nothing. I called and was put on hold for 30 minutes and gave up. I contacted Facebook-was told to send them a Facebook message-still no luck. Finally, I tried emailing the Marco Polo club email message back with the information they requested-still nothing! Does Cathay Pacific always have such awful customer service? Suggestions?

You may be putting the wrong booking number/ticket number.

First of all, who ticketed you? AS or AA? Because they are responsible for the ticketing, not CX (hence you might be looking at the wrong party here). The ticket number/booking number you get from AS or AA is different from CX's system. Call AS or AA to get the right PNR (6 digit) and use CX website to book a seat.