JTK

Ok, I have looked at my e-mail confirmation from AA and I can find the 001 ticket number but not the 160 ticket number CX is asking for. What am I missing? I have the CX record locater but it still won't let me update anything.

Guy Betsy

Unfortunately if you booked codeshared tickets on AA flight number only AA can assign the seats for you. If they do not show the emergency exit, then you cannot preassign them even with CX as CX will not have your booking on their system. It is under AA's inventory.

You may only access those seats at check in. You can't even check in on line on cx's website as your booking is not on CX's flight number.

Guy Betsy

Pick up the phone and call CX reservations. Give them your record locator or your CX flight number, date and your name. CX will access your booking that way.

plasticman

Thanks Guy Betsy. I'm sure I am not alone in my appreciation of your CX insights.

But ....

So I took my own advice and called. First call was to AA .

Lots of hemming and hawing and discussion about how they first would need to charge $15 to assign a seat. Finally convinced them to waive the $15. Then found out they can't assign exit rows.

"Sir, they are booked, not held" they said. This even though I could see them open under my company's booking system when I go in through the CX flight numbers.

Then tried the bulkhead 55G (777-300ER). According to AA, they could access these, but when they tried to assign, nothing would happen. The system would not record it and would not give a reason.

Ok, gave my thanks to AA and hung up. Called CX and 2 minutes later I had secured exit rows (54K) on both flights. And they show under my reservation on aa.com.

Man, I really love CX. Hopefully my first trip in the back doesn't spoil the fun.

777fans

Help, how can you request a seat from CX? I called AA and they helped me to request a seat, then when I login to CX and use the 5-digit PNR to check, I can see the status is on reuqest, window seat, but not a seat number.

I then called CX, they said they cannot assign a speficified seat to me. They can only request a window seat as well, and I need to confirm this upon check in.

Which CX number shall I call so they can assign me an exact seat?

AAExpDFW

You need to have status of Platinum or EP on AA (which translates to your OW status) in order to get seats assigned in Coach. Business and First can be assigned at any time.

If you do not have at least Platinum you can only get them within 24 hours of departure.

If you have status, just go to www.cathaypacific.com and click on Contact Us and pick the country you want to call from. I will typically just call directly to HKG but the USA number has been pretty good to in the past.

777fans

Thanks for the explanation. It's a business, U class. Just checked on AA it's assigned, but on CX still on request. So I guess it should be fine.

c_stanley

I just had the exact same experience. I called AA to get the CX res number, mentioned seats, and she said she could assign no problem. So I said great, and confirmed everything.

Went to the CX site, and it showed them all unassigned. I said ugh, and went to AA and looked up the res, and it showed the regional flights assigned, but the long-haul flights (JFK-HKG) unassigned. I had hung up 10 minutes prior.

Went here to do a search and lo and behold, same issue on the front page.

Strange. I had reserved row 12 both ways, in the little mini-business cabin. Wonder if that has anything to do with it. She said my status (PLT as of now) was reflected and I was seeing all available seats. Looks like it might not have "stuck" on those legs though. Wonder if they're reserved seats. Row 11 is I think, but not row 12 (on a 77A to clarify).

Guy Betsy

Please note:

If you did your original booking with AA and you assigned and have confirmed seat selections through AA, it may not show up on CX's system when you try to view them on their website.

PresRDC

Also, if you call CX directly for seat assignments, they won't show up when you view your reservation on AA.com.

BdaDiver

Using AAdvantage miles to fly Mrs. BdaDiver and yours truly to Bali next July on an All-Airline Award.

Tickets are issued and we're good to go. Again,

I was not able to obtain seat assignments on the four CX flights as the agent said that she received a message from CX that it is too early for CX to release seats. Can anyone tell me how far in advance we can reserve the seats? We want to ensure that we get seats 1A and 1K on the trans-pacific flights from SFO to HKG.

Thanks in advance for helping.

PresRDC

For whatever reason, CX only does seat assignments 6 months out. This appears to be for everyone, even CX elites, so you should not be disadvantaged by this, so long as you remember to call (either AA or CX) at the 6 month point.

Btw, on the 747-400, 1A and 1K are, by far, the best seats for couples, but, still, it is not super easy to have a conversation. You can dine together, though.

JY1024

You can request seats at the 180 day mark. To cut out the middle man, I'd suggest just getting the CX record locator from AA and calling CX directly. That way you don't have to call AA, who then "requests" the seat from CX.

BdaDiver

Thank you to PresRDC and JR1024. Will diarize to call CX @ T minus 180 days.

Can not wait to get on that big bird to DPS.

taking flight

"Diarize". I now have a new word in my FT vocabulary.