Not when sold as a 2 class flight

On my way to PEN, I asked the HKG ground staff if possible to put me in F seats, yes but I was told that only J class food to be offered in there. F cabin was full.
On return, PEN staff were too surprise that I made such same request during check-in. The F cabin was left empty as J was only 50% loaded.
GOOD LUCK!

The seat assignments at 1A and 1K are still intact.

The vacated row 82 on upper deck is now taken. There is a lone 92A (opposite the lava) is still not occupied.

Otherwise it is completely occupied J in Main Cabin and Upper Deck section, as well as the Nose section. 0 availability on both JL and BA sites

Looks like a Full flight in J cabin on Dec 14 HKG-DPS.

I hope we would not be downgraded if some DMs decide to go at the last minute!

Question on online check-in - I believe CX allows us to check in online without verifying passport information that they can do it at airport or even at the gate. I think we did this on a HKG-TPE flight but were pulled aside at the gate for passport verification.

I think I would try to OLCI as soon as it is opened for the flight. It said check in open 10:10am local time on the 12th, 48 hours before departure. Can we ask the CX agent at SFO to also check us in for the HKG-DPS flight as we leave SFO on 12th 11:55am SFO time, that should be well passed the 12th 10:10am HKG time.
Or I may try to do OLCI at Hilton SFO's lounge when we get there on the 11th evening SFO time - for both the SFO-HKG and HKG-DPS segments so we hopefully would not lose our 1A and 1K on the HKG-DPS segment (and be downgraded to Y!)

I seem to remember that when I've checked in online with CX, they've allowed me to check in for the entire itinerary in your circumstances. I'm absolutely certain that when I've checked in at the airport counter, I've been able to do this. The only exception has been when my layover at HKG exceeded 24 hours.

At least 9 seats remain for sale in J, FYI.

When the four of us flew in Aug, we could check in for JFKHKG 48 hrs out, but NOT HKGDPS (since flight was more than 48 hrs out). So don't be spooked if OLCI doesn't work for entire itinerary.

You can check bags all the way through, meaning you can just bring a carry-on for your overnight in HKG.

Good luck. First time? December can be brutally hot, though February is the worst.

I'm heading to Bali on the 17th. First time there during December. Any thoughts on how much rain we should expect?

It'll rain everyday, but only for a bit and it'll be a refreshing break. If your goal is merely to tan you might not enjoy yourself. But there are plenty of great things to do, I don't think the weather will slow you down. I did cut short a trip in February once because it was just too dang hot.

No interest in tanning. We've got a few days diving in Tulamben before heading for West Papua. And then a couple of days at the end of the trip to relax. Non-stop rain would be drag but the standard afternoon tropical downpour will be fine.

We only have carry-on. It would be more trouble to get stuff out for an overnight bag and check the carry-on. Plus not having to claim baggage at DPS may help us beat the arrival crowds as well.

Yes, first time solely because we need to burn those devalued HHonor pts plus we have not been to Bali while so many seem to be so fond of.

Seriously we dont believe we would like Bali much but what the heck. Given a choice we would like to visit Myanmar but the visa logistics and the domestic flying seem very daunting - not enough time to get all in place between trips. The no-visa entry for the usual suspects of SE Asia are no brainer to plan a trip prompted by point burning mission. :p

I just pray it would not rain too much during our short stay as it is the monsoon season for Indonesia and Malaysia where we have a short visit to Borneo. Now with the situation at BKK, we may have to extend our time in Malaysia (and stand to lose some $$$ on those Avios flights on KUL-BKK, BKK-HKG). :(

If we ever re-visit, Tulamben would be on the list. How do you get to West Papua?

Have you been in Sabah (Sipadan)?

Whoa, you are entering DPS naked, without arranging an airport VIP greet? Bring comfortable shoes and a good book, you are going to face massive delays. Or, for $25 per person, be met by somebody and whisked through. I routinely see people crying at immigration due queues. Even with the VIP, we get through right as bags come off. Remember there are no overheads in CX F, so don't count on getting a full size carry-on through. The closet is a bit tight especially after changing into PJs and hanging your clothes.

Based on what I read, the need for VIP service is a mixed bag - 50% of the posts said no need, 50% of the posts said they were grateful. It all depends on the arrival congestion, and whether your plane is ahead of other planes.

We do not need arrival visa and have no intention to check bags. Without the need to line up for Visa on Arrival and to get bags, plus no kid, I feel we at least have some small advantage.

I have arranged airport pick up using the guy being mentioned many times in the Conrad Bali thread.

The bags are the SAME 20 and 21 inch carry-ons that have been on both CX 777 and 747 F multiple times. So I dont see why it could not work this time. They sit well right under the foot rest. We travel in these carry-ons for 45 days trips including 16 days cruise often. With a trip to SE Asia? I think only 2/3 of the capacity would be needed have it not for the last parts of the trip would be in Hong Kong and Bay Area where we would need at least a bit of warm clothing. I seriously wonder if I can leave the warm clothing at Marriott Sky City and then pick them up on return 20 days later so we dont have to lug them all over SE Asia before coming back to HK. I may actually request this when Marriott sends its Consierge email a few days prior stay. I have done this with Park Hyatt Tokyo as well as Westin Palace at Milan. Though on both occasions, the gap was only a few days instead of longer than 2 weeks.

I dont see how one can use the closet for anything meaningful other than unwanted bedding or small bags.

Neither of us like to sleep in those PJs. We prefer T's and shorts. :)

As long as you're familiar with CX F, you'll be fine. I don't like having stuff out in view (simply for aesthetic purposes, same reason I fold my linens on other airlines and put them away), so I use a small carryon that fits in the closet and thus my checked bag is waiting for me (out of necessity, given our Bali trips are multi-week affairs). But it sounds like you have this handled well.

The 50% that don't use arrival services are the ones that don't arrive when CX785 arrives - 4 widebodies landing almost simultaneously. But it is your vacation. Sadly, I'm confident that I'll be right and you'll be sorry, I wish I could more easily attach photos that I snap when we get off CX785. Only São Paulo can rival the human misery that is DPS at 1500 hrs. But I respect people place different value on their own time. Please report back, I hope for your sake I'll be wrong. Except I won't be :)

I believe those who do NOT need VOA have some advantage.

But I will read more and re-consider. Besides, this poster said he got that "VIP" at the airport (directly from an immigration agent no less, $45 for 3 persons, deal!)

http://www.airlinequality.com/Airpor..._forum/dps.htm

Remember Indonesia is a country where the officials don't mind to take your money. We can always act when we are at the airport.

Our trip is over a month long, cover multiple places (6 separate shorthaul tickets needed to bring us back from DPS to HKG ;) ), still, it is 1/3 shorter and no formal clothing needed comparing to our cruise + land trip in Europe. My husband even wants to have an 18" if he has his way but I want some extra space in his bag should I need it. lol.

If you can hire at the airport, all the better. The point is is he needed it (the link you sent). I'll admit I haven't landed at the new airport yet (it was about to open last August). I do wish you luck, a lengthy immigration queue quickly erases the good mood that CX can so easily provide. I'm probably going to fly SQ in since I refuse to fly the 744 given the whole "we value our business class passengers above those flying First long-haul" thing, SQ arrives early enough that I may experiment with NOT pre-arranging VIP. But I need to examine arrival schedules first.