Being assigned first class seat on two cabin plane?
 

I'm sure this has been discussed before, but I've had a heck of a time searching for this. Does anyone know what Asiana's official policy is for assigning first class seats on flights operated by 747s that only sell coach and business class seats? For example, ICN to HKG is operated by a 747 daily which I assume has first class seats, though they only sell coach and business seats.

So what's the official policy? Are the first class seats first come first serve? Do those on itineraries including connecting flights in first class get to select them? Some other obscure policy?

Thanks!

If you are on award, then no, as the highest booking class on your flight would be I instead of O. Then they will tell you since you book as I, you have to sit in I.

If it is paid F, entire trip book as F (with connection to OZ 3 class F), then probably you can sit in F in the 3 class sold as 2.

I had no problem pre-assigning 2K on 747 online on a BD business award booking.

Unfortunately HKG-ICN has gone to A330 since :mad:

I'd say give OZ a call, as that's really the only way to select specific seats in advance. It can't hurt to see if they will let you select those seats, although, the 744/74M seats in row 1 and 2 usually remain blocked until a few days to departure.

Next spring the latest OZ flight is back to a 744 or 74E.

Last year I was flying on a C award ticket on one of OZ's 777s which had F on PVG-ICN and was seated in one of the F seats on the plane. I definitely did not ask for it, and I don't remember if C was full, but that is the seat I was given and I enjoyed it.

Lucky i will let u know how things on in September. I am flying ICN-HKG on 01sep currently confirmed in 2K on this flight from when it was an A330 but i dare not touch my allocation!

I also have a ICN - HKG flight on OZ. I have a business class ticket but confirmed in seat 3A and the current metal is still listed as a 747. I would be more than happy to sit in a first class seat. Hopefully i get lucky and no equipment change occurs.

Hmm - I just tried to do this for OZ105 NRT-ICN (which is sold as a 2-class flight, but is scheduled as a 747M) but they wouldn't let me.
First, I was told that those rows were only for first class passengers, but when I pointed out that first class tickets were not available for that flight, she responded that they are not open for business class and fly empty. I pushed that business class ticket holders have used row 1-4 on a 2-class flight before and was told that they will open only on "rare" occasions.

Is this because it is a 747-combi? Or does one have to wait until checking-in to get these assigned? Or should I just try another agent?

I recently flew ICN-BKK in business. Turns out it was a 3-class 777, and since there were only 8 in C they put all of us in the first class section and left the C section empty. That was a very nice surprise. So I guess YMMV.

My recent experience with OZ362, an 744, on PVG-ICN was:

I purchased a Y class ticket for this leg. When I logged in online seat assignment roughly 12 hours before departure, it shown that a business class seat was up for grab and I snatched it.

My boarding pass said coach but the seat number is still 20B. So I actually sit on it with no problem. Meal and service was coach class level, no welcome drink or other perks we would normally expect in business.

Not bad for a free upgrade, at least, I got the legroom and the comfort.

Turns out the same thing happened to me in the end. Only 4 people in C, so the upstairs flew empty and we were all put in the pointy end. Only a short flight, but we still appreciated the seats. I guess with those loads on this combi they must be making their money in cargo.

Been a lot longer for me buy on a BKK-ICN redeye a few years ago, the J section was sold as an UG in HKG for ~USD50 (J/C pax seated in the F section). Same food/service as Y but recliner seats.

We are flying NRT-ICN today, booked in I as the flight was originally scheduled to be a 2-cabin plane. It has since switched to a 747, but no F was on sale. When we arrived at the airport we were informed we could sit in the F section of the plane (C service though).
The fact that we got the semi-upgrade could be due to us continuing on F (O) tickets tomorrow. C does not seem to be overly empty (C7 according to EF).

What was weird was that CI agent told us that upstairs was economy class - which I don't see in any of the seatmaps I could find.

I am also on the NRT-ICN flight which is a 747
im in C now, couldnt assign F cabin as is all "blocked out" even on online site.
DO you think I just ask on arrival at ICN?

I have a complicated F award booked with UA miles (VTE-BKK-HKG-ICN-LAX-SFO), and the HKG-ICN sector on OZ was scheduled as A330 2-class when I first booked it. Just checked yesterday and now it is 74E! I called in to get a seat assignment, and at first I didn't realize this was a 3-class plane being sold as 2-class, so I requested an upper deck J seat. The friendly phone agent said I should just select a main deck seat since it's a single seat next to the window. I was really confused, and then I quickly realized she was suggesting I select one of the F seats at the nose of the plane! I quickly agreed and selected 2K :D:D

Very happy for the semi-upgrade, and hopefully they don't swap equipment between now and March 2012! So yes, you can definitely select an F seat even if you are supposed to fly in J. Though I'm not sure if it is because I'm actually on an F award flight or not...