"Op-up" on an empty flight
 

Travelling tomorrow night on KA488 HKG/TPE. Checked in online last night and received seat assignment 22A (V-class). Checked MMB just now and seat assignment has changed to 11A. So I clicked through to the OLCI page and sure enough it shows checked in for 11A (J).

Amadeus is showing restricted Y availability as "9+" so I have no idea what's happened here.... it's not my birthday, it's not an anniversary/milestone etc.

Anyone have any idea what's happened? System error? :confused:

Just because y= 9 it doesn't mean it is not full. They may oversell it

Don't be too happy, they might downgrade you back to Y ... it has happened before to people here on FT.

What happens if you board and just sit in J, showing them your J boarding pass? Keep 2 copies - an extra in case they give you a Y BP on boarding. Would the FAs be sympathetic and keep in you J?

Why would they be sympathetic u didn't pay for J?
No matter how many copies you print of they don't need to opup you they will remove you. They do have KPIs they have to meet

Because it is poor customer service to offer something to a customer, even if implied, and then take it away.

The sympathy would be for receiving poor customer service. If most people received a J boarding pass, albeit an op-up, wouldn't they have an expectation of traveling in J? Does the boarding pass say it's conditional, and can be taken away? That would change my opinion.

I'll give you an example. Say I purchased a car, and the sales manager said I'll throw in the carpet mats for free. But when you picked up the car, they said we changed our minds, and you can't have the mats. Is that fair? Perhaps. But, fair or not, that would likely be a displeased customer. Just my opinion on how someone would feel.

You are seeing this as a right! Opup is for operational reasons only if operationally not needed then they can cancel it. Simple as that. Will the customer be pee off - yes . But this is not a guarantee. Even as a DM upgrades can be taken away. I personally think it is a good thing to preserve the premium ambience of the j and f cabin especially if there r space in Y.

In my mind, this is 2 different things. Customer service vs premium ambience. I have no problems with even never having op-ups, if that's their stance.

My issue is around customer service. Once something is offered, or implied, then the airline, in their best interests, would find it best to fall on the side of the customer. Not as a right, but in the interests of promoting customer satisfaction. And my scenario would be an extension of that.

Practically speaking, I'd say the OP may want to try 2 J Boarding Passes. Board late. On boarding, the Y pass would be exchanged. If the J seat is vacant, take it, otherwise head back to Y. If quizzed, present the print out and explain the situation, and lack of time to sort it out due to the late boarding. Naturally, it may take a bit of nerve, but it's up to the individual if they feel so inclined.

The difference is what you expect when you make the purchase. Would you be expecting a mat? Would you be expecting an op-up?

Well then no opups from the start will avoid disappointments.

The extra BP will not help. Even if the op-upped seat is not taken by another passenger and even if the BP needs not be stamped, the crew will still have the passenger manifest and will use that in greetings and serving meals.

That is true. Seeing an op-up going away can be a disappointment. It happened to me before within the last 24 hours - first an op-up to J, then back to Y, and I was a DM.

To be honest, I would expect an op-up if my BP said so.

It's been ingrained into me since I was a child, so perhaps its subliminal. When I was growing up, if I was promised something from my parents, and they didn't deliver, I didn't like it. While I may suppress those emotions now as an adult, I still feel disappointed when expectations are not met, even if realistically impossible. It's a physiological reaction. Perhaps only unique to me, but so be it - being honest here. I'm not a physician, but I would describe it as disappointment that is felt when you lose a sports game, even if you were beaten by a better team. You had no right to win - so why be disappointed? The flaw of being human?

I did once see someone who was sitting in J, on United, and someone else was issued the same seat. They did some research. The person sitting in the seat was not found another seat in J - he was pushed to F. I think they could have found him a seat in J, but in terms of customer service, they screwed up, so they gave him F even though he only was entitled to J. I look upon this situation as a screw up by Cathay - again, just my own opinion. What's the difference between a screw up and poor operatioanal process - perhaps not much?

I also have read a few times where op-ups, for whatever reason, rightly or wrongly, have been rescinded. I rarely see folks saying that these were handled well by the staff, and to the overall satisfaction of customers.

And that is why UA has been bankrupt and offer such a "good" and profitable business. You don't make a profit by giving F and J class seats for free. I think CX has the best balance already and don't want them to turn to an UA and AA

So you're saying that UA/AA have good customer service and that makes them bankrupt? What about Northwest, Delta, Eastern and others? And that CX by having poor processes and poor customer service are making them a better airline?

So you think it's OK for CX to have poorer customer service, as long as they pay attention to the bottom line?

I'm sort of doing what you're doing - taking everything you say literally, without looking at the overall idea behind it. Naturally I understand what you're saying, and I agree it's fine as a personal opinion, but I'm not deliberately misinterpreting it to support a position. I can't see the point to doing so.