My itinerary shows a 74A will service this run. We paid (with miles) for first class (listed as Z on our confirmation). It would bug me if they opened first class on this run, but we were not given priority for them, since that is what we paid for.

I know a similar question was recently asked. My specific question is if I booked a first class ticket, but was given business based on a two class aircraft at the time of booking, will they bump us to first if that section is opened?

We're in a similar boat, connecting from SFO and then back through HKG. We have F for the long hauls, but J seating for HKG-DPS-HKG. Based on the discussion (which I can't find right now) elsewhere in the CX forum, I believe that you only find out whether you can move into F at the HKG or DPS airport on the day of departure. If you're a CX elite, you have a good chance of getting into F. If you are a OW elite, you have a fair chance. If neither, a much lower chance. Or at least that's my impression.

hi joelplat

Unfortunately the answer is no. The aircraft is operating as a two class only and therefore having the First class ticket is not really relevant - although it may count for something against say a non-status member requesting the seat!

The general rule is that Marco polo club Diamond memebrs get preference, followed, MAYBE, by Oneworld Emeralds being allowed to sit there. But the latter is by no means guaranteed. There are also reports that Marco Polo gold can get the seats assigned.

The thread below '747 but no F' does touch on a First class ticket (in this case an AONE which is a First class round the world ticket) would get preference for the F cabin and the reply was a 'no'.

best way it seems is to ask at check-in, and then again in the lounge. But there are also reports that the seats will go out empty if they don't have enough Diamonds and golds wanting to sit there (that is, they don't 'offer' the sapre seats to anyone proactively).

edited to add that Thunderroad beat me to it and put it much more eloquantly! (I was looking up the thread to confirm it was in the '744 but no F available' ... see entries #22 and #23)

Boy, that just kinda irks me. Even United put me at the top of the upgrade list when I was flying a first class award itinerary but could only book coach on a leg. I ended up in First when a seat opened up.

I think Cathay should always ask themselves "what is the best service a US airline would give?" and then set that as their minimum service expectations.

If I "paid" for first, and there is a first class seat available, I should get it.
Oh well, I'll just have to slum it back in Biz. Either way, I'm going on one heck of a trip. Sitting with the celebrities is just a bonus.

IAD-YYZ-HKG-SIN-SGN-REP-PNH-DPS-AMI-DPS-HKG-YYZ-IAD.

As a OW Emerald, I've gotten F all but ONE time that I've flown HKG-DPS (or the reverse) with three-class equipment. The upgrade was automatic... no requesting on my part. The one time I did not get it, I'm 99% certain that those who did were all Marco Polo elites. But on that one flight, the FAs, came around to bring me champagne prior to departure (not with the other J class folks) and took my meal/drink order before the rest of the cabin... when someone else complained they told them "well, she SHOULD be up in the next cabin so we are treating her as such". I had said nothing, but in that way that CX has, the staff just "knew". So I'd say "don't sweat it, they will take care of you".

(Says she who is about to fly in Y on Dragonair HKG-HKT in a couple of hours... *cringe*)

I was able to get the F seats for my wife and I on HKG-DPS, but had to be really persistent when we got to the airport to get it. Finally ended-up getting it just as the flight was ready to board.

The consensus on the other thread was that I would have had little difficulty getting it were it just me, but my status-less wife proved to the complication.

They normally seat your traveling companion in the F section together with you, don't they?

Hello, I recently came back from a JFK-DPS first class award ticket using American Airline miles. I have no status at all with American/One World, and on both flights from HKG to DPS and DPS to HKG, I was moved from the business class to the first class cabin when I checked at the airport. (In fact, for the DPS to HKG flight I was the only passenger in the first class cabin)!

Why should CX ask themselves "what is the best service a US airline would give?" and then set that as their minimum service expectations?

Does UA strive to match the service levels of its Asian competitors??

CX would never use UA or any other US airline as a minimum benchmark level. That benchmark is several rungs beneath a truly-world class airline.

That's exactly my point.

This is good to hear.

Was the DPS flight actually run as 3 class?

You refer to a very different situation.
There is NO F class on HKG-DPS, only Biz class. It is not a question of being upgraded or not. It is just a question whether you can get a specific business seat, with business class service. Seating assignment has nothing to do whether you travel F class on other sectors. Just to repeat myself, you hold a business class ticket issued by AA, CX or others, you do not hold a F class ticket (even if some segments on the same itin are in F), hence you have no priority on business class rows 1 to 4. These usually go by status, if the nose of the 747 is open to seating. But you can always try.

They do use 747 3 class planes on this route as I paid for biz class and found they had F and we were put in F as we had paid for biz, we got row 2

I understand that it is a two class flight, but if there is a premium product available (and there is, because they are putting status pax there) then someone who "paid" for a premium product but was "downgraded" to a mid level product because the premium wasn't available should get priority.

Like I said, I'm happy in Biz, heck, I'm happy to have a free ticket in economy, I just want to get what I pay for to the greatest extent possible.

You did not get F service though. You get standard C service in F seat.

I'm doing this trip myself next month so hopefully will get to sit in F... in F on the next flight out HKG-SFO