Thanks..

On Facebook CX Secrets page

Status Update
By CX Secrets
#534

With Amex Centurion/Gold giving out so many fake DM and GO status respectively. I find myself giving more and more op-ups and seat preferences to SL members who most likely earned their status the hard way. Does anyone else feel the same?

But how much discretion do they have, versus whatever the computer algorithm spits out at them?

Anyway, obnoxious if true. While these AmEx handouts have been a bone of contention around here, I'm sure we could all agree that any decisions like this should be made at the corporate level, not by frontline staff. While op-ups are an unpublished benefit and not something to be expected, if we're honest it's part of the program that encourages our loyalty. This GO who earns his status the hard way would be disappointed to discover staff are favoring less loyal customers in a misguided attempt to reward loyalty.

All that said, my op-up percentage this year improved noticeably compared to last year.

Is there such a thing as an op-up to a later flight?

I'm booked on CX889 this Saturday, which is showing:
F0 A0 J1 C1 D1 I1 W9 R9 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V8 S2 N1 Q0 O0

But CX837, later in the day, is showing:
J9 C9 D9 I7 W8 R7 E6 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S9 N9 Q9 O5

I'm CX Gold, but I've never tried this approach with CX. I'm assuming it's a very long shot but some here would certainly know better!

Thanks!

Are you flying J or Y? Looking at either of these classes, I think you are going to get on the original flight. If they can get you on the original flight, then you will travel on that original flight. Otherwise they will request for VDB (voluntary deboarding) and entice you with money and upgrade coupons. But I don't think that is going to happen in this case.

Yes, we're ticketed Y on 889. Just wishful thinking.

Forget about it.

Y is wideeeeeeeeeee open on both flights. Why would CX want to opup you up to PEY?

Op-up is short for operational upgrade. With so many seats still for sale in Economy, CX has no need for your current seat / thus any incentive to move you up the plane.

Of course, if this was some kind of milestone / birthday / anniversary, that's a different story.

Honeymoon, but I doubt that counts for much.

One assumes that this near, those last seats are unlikely to all go?

We did splash out for exit-row seats before I hit Gold, so it's not the end of the world. I'm not the shortest guy in the world, but I'm grateful not to be on one of AC's punishing 777HDs.

The Ultimate Upgrade Question thread
 

Would call them and mention the fact it's your honeymoon. The ball and chain and I got upgraded (she has no status) on our own honeymoonI made a point of telling the CX agent a few days before flying. Flight was not full. But was only short haul.

A little confused on this one. Colleague and me were on the same short haul flight yesterday, both booked in V class. Flight was zeroed out on KVS. I’m a DM and was upgraded to PEY before online check in opened. After check in, my BN was 7. He’s a MPO GR and checked in at airport, BN 200+ with a Y boarding pass. At the gate, he was upgraded from Y to J. He doesn’t fly very often and I don’t begrudge him the upgrade, just seems a little odd to me. Possibly his charm and wit at check in enable him to jump the upgrade queue? We were laughing about his luck over mine and he said he didn’t have any friends at CX or notice any special treatment at check in. Is there a new nuance to the excessively discussed pecking order of CX operational upgrades? Or just a random case of right place at right time?

I have no idea what the real reason is, but I can imagine a scenario where there were 2 people who wanted to sit together and somehow your colleague's seat was the one targeted. A lazy ground staff probably found it easier to move your colleague to J (one transaction), rather than move you and then move him (two transactions).

upgrade cathay pacific question
 

I am going to be traveling from LA to Hong Kong in March and was wondering if there are similar programs like AA has where there are VIP upgrade certificates available for purchase?

Sorry, no.

Bizarre Upgrade?
 

Hi, just wondering if anyone can shed some light on an upgrade my girlfriend got flying HKG-SYD on 9JAN14. Here are details.......

-Ticket was issued by CX and paid for Y.
-Has no status with CX (not even signed up to the program and first time on CX)
-Checked in online the day before flight
-Went to the electronic boarding pass printer but would not accept ticket.
-Lined up, check in agent took an age, tapping away on the computer (saying nothing) Gives her the boarding pass without saying anything of the upgrade to Y+
-My girlfriend didn't even notice the upgrade until 10mins later due to not even being told anything at check in.

We are just curious as to why the upgrade was given. She arrived at the airport very early and would of been one of the first to check in. Also, she had pre-selected a special meal (if this makes any difference) and there was no equipment change. Plane was very full.

So was she just extremely lucky or is there something else in the CX upgrade world that determines who gets the upgrade? Cheers

One possible possibility could be your gf's seat was originally beside a DM / baby / elder / etc. And that party wish to be seated together with another pax, thus needing her seat.

Since your gf was travelling as a single pax, it was easier to move her around. At the same time, CX does not want to anger anyone by reseating her to a random Y seat. So since there was an availability in PEY - they chose to just op up her.