Was he below 12 years old? Was he a MPC member?

reporting back - flew on my birthday last week, on two legs in Y.... SYD-HKG and HKG-TPT.
Both on CX tickets and CX metal.
I'm GO.

Was VERY surprised and happy - got bumped to J on both flights.... SYD-HKG was a super full flight with every J seat filled.
My colleague who's DM was kinda pissed he didn't get an upgrade, but I did :)

Both J crew also gave me a very nice, handwritten birthday card. ISM came out repeatedly during the flight to chit chat, and wish me happy birthday, as did many of the J crew.

Overall, very pleased w/the soft service. Me dreading my Y flight from SYD to TPT was unfounded after all....

Nice one, [MENTION=763796]infinitium[/MENTION] ! That's one of the best kind of surprises in life :D

Was there are PE class on that flight?

I happen to be flying on my birthday (yikes) two weeks later and all flights that day are already F0...so what's going to happen? :D

My MPC anniversary date is two days later than that but I guess it's not relevant until I hit the 5 year mark which I haven't.

yes, there were PE seats... all were full though, on SYD-HKG.

So it was a double upgrade? Sweet! No wonder your DM colleague was huffy... LOL

A negative-ish update from me. Flight HKG to LAX

I flew on the 2nd day (0 being my birthday) and did not get upgraded. I was booked in premium economy. At the gate, there was a beep. The attendant looked up something on the computer and on the paper sheet he had (Usually, every time I have gotten the beep, I have been upgraded), but no upgrades.

I am MPC Silver (close to making gold) and One world Sapphire. I had my MPC number up to 20 mins before boarding in the hopes of getting the upgrade. I inquired at the lounge and was told the flight is not full so no upgrades. (there indeed were empty seats in PE, not sure about business class.

Not to0 sour, as it wasn't the my birthday. But would have been nice to get the upgrade. Oh well. (Just for reference, I have done about 15 return trips between HKG and LAX and quite a few more short range to and from HKG in last 15-16 months.Most in Premium economy. I have been upgraded at the gate a few times before.)

My colleague, MPC SL, got a birthday upgrade from PEY->J on CX899 EWR-HKG. He specifically chose his birthday date to attempt the upgrade, he would have normally flown on the following day for a Monday AM arrival. I was helping him out, checking loads up until departure date speculating if the upgrade would occur. On departure day, EF was showing J2 C2 D0 I0 and EF seatmap was showing 8 blocked seats in J. For some reason he can't do OLCI, UK national with US green card, so he had to wait for check-in at the airport.

At check-in they told him his new seat assignment in J and check-in agent at EWR read a scripted birthday announcement. He did not get any special greeting or birthday card from the flight crew.

Who cares about the courtesy and the card? What matters most is that he got the upgrade! Well done on planning it so well, both of you. ^

Yes, I agree. I just added all that about the card for data point completeness as this thread mentions these things. I was joking with him about it today, he said it's the most valuable birthday present he's ever received, with US pricing the diff between PE E fare and Biz I fare is 5K or more. He could care less about the card or a mention.

Another positive data point.

I was booked on my birthday, May 9, CDG-HKG in economy as a Silver. Got to the airport very early with nobody at check in so used the machines for my economy boarding pass and went through to the lounge which was deserted.

I was in my smart business suit and asked if the flight was full which is wasn't so I asked very nicely if there was any chance of a birthday upgrade. As I went off to shower and change the lady said there was a note on my record and she'd keep monitoring it.

15 minutes later when I emerged showered and changed she asked for my boarding pass and gave me a new one with a Happy Birthday. Front row Business window seat. This was beyond anything I would have thought. I qualify as Gold this weekend.

Might been a different ending had you kept your MPC # on

It doesnt matter.
Birthday upgrade would only happen on the same day of flying. (based on the departure time)
Since op didnt fly on his/her birthday, the birthday upgrade wouldnt happen.
And, the plane wasnt full so no op-up either.

Congratulations and welcome to Gold.

I think you were pretty smart to ask the CDG lounge crew nicely for birthday upgrade possibility.
However, if the lounge wasnt operated by CX, that would not work.
Thus, it is always better to checkin at desk if you would travel on your birthday.