Thanks for the responses! I do have a Cathay account and there's not redeemable award seats on my flights. Very few booked business seats at this stage though, so I'm hoping that bodes well.

If anyone knows the answers to my questions 2 or 5, would appreciate it!

Can someone with EF please check the following flights for me? Thanks in advance!

28 September 2024
HKG -> MAN CX259

12 October 2024
MAN -> HKG CX216

CX259 28 Sept: J9 C9 D9 P9 I9 W9 R9 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M0 L0 V0 S0 N0 Q0 O0
CX216 12 Oct: J9 C9 D9 P9 I9 W9 R9 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V8 S0 N0 Q0 O0

Hi everyone,

I have a PE Flex ticket, with the choice to upgrade with cash for $887 CAD to J class (Essential). I booked my partner on a PE (T Class, redemption ticket).

Right now, I see on Expert Flyer: J4 C4 D0 P0 I0 W4 R4 E0 Y9 B9 H9 K9 M9 L9 V9 S0 N0 Q0 O0

Indeed, I am pretty certain there are 4 seats in J Class.

Do you think it's possible to ask for an upgrade (with cash for myself and with points for my partner) at the check-in counter, if these seats are still available by then?

(I was thinking that maybe I should do a cash upgrade now to Essential J Class, and then make a gamble to see if my partner can get upgraded to U class at check-in counter. But that seems too risky and we might end up sitting separately.)

I see that some people get really lucky and moved up several classes despite the seats don't seem to be oversold. I have never had any luck with Cathay, even during my times in Gold.

If anyone has any advice or similar stories to share, that'd be awesome! :)

jenkints unlike AA, AS and AC, CX is happy to keep premium seats empty. Why do you think your strategy will work?

“I see that some people get really lucky and moved up several classes despite the seats don't seem to be oversold” <— NOC (Not On CX)

Unfortunately, the ExpertFlyer displays say very little about the distribution of cabin capacity below Business. Given that C is still selling, it's safe to say that there are at least 4 seats in Business still available, and plenty of space in Premium Economy and Economy. For all that you know, Economy could be overbooked already. Are you flying soon and, given you are quoting CAD, I presume it either YVR or YTO to/from HKG.

If it's close to departure, then I think you'll be okay with upgrading yourself with cash first. Like you said, worst is you end up sitting separately and/or you give your seat to them.

Very very rarely indeed, but it is be possible.

Can someone with EF please check the following flights for me? Thanks in advance!

12 June 2024
HKG -> LHR CX253

Hello,

Would anyone be so kind as to look at EF for CX 198 - AKL - HKG 7/3

Currently no availability in any class for redeemable miles.

Thanks!

So I'm currently looking for 2 J class redemption tickets from CDG>TPE on Oct 23 with a connection in HKG but there's only one seat

The agent said I can redeem a mixed cabin fare in PE/E (since the hkg>tpe leg doesn't have PE) & then reissue to Business J class but she can't see the availability until after i book this redemption? Is this true? I saw someone else on the forum say the agent was able to check if theres seats available for upgrade before booking? I also asked her if there's no space, can she put me on a waitlist & she said they don't have waitlist. is that only for upgrading paid fares with miles?

She also says for both the redemption & reissue pools are different but the 2nd agent said it is the same as what i see online


Do you guys think its better to book the PE flight & then try to get into business class? Is there the 50usd fee to change?
Incase there isn't availability, i can still cancel and rebook the different J flights since she said theres 1 seat for each of the flights?

I’m not sure what you and/or the agent are thinking but there are no upgrades as such on a redemption.

You can reissue a lower class redemption into a higher class redemption, but that is no different from a new redemption into the higher class directly.

I think she meant to reissue into a higher class. is it coming from the same pool as redemption into the higher class directly?

I’m always curious: How often do FT members get upgraded on CX, especially people with entry-level status to even no status?

I often read about op-ups in different forums, but I wonder if it’s simply because people only share their op-up experiences but not those “normal” ones. I myself have never got an upgrade, but it makes sense because I often travel with my family or partner, and I only have a OWR in recent years, and OWS at the end of this year.

But yea I'm just curious if CX diamond/OWS actually get upgrades as often as it seems on FT? Some statistics would be great eg. Status, rough percentage and are you travelling alone.

Thanks in advance!

Although the intention is good I think you might get even get led further astray from anecdotes. The reality is the route really matters (related to how many Diamonds are on your flight), load factor matters (and this is highly variable, especially in this weird post-covid ramp up), class of service you're in matters (Y to PEY? Y to J on non-PEY planes? J to F? PEY to J?), plane type matters (regional config? long-haul with or without PEY? yes or no f class section?), etc.

But I'll throw my numbers in the hat because why not. I am a Diamond, and have flown on op-up-eligible flights (economy class) regionally on I think 4 sectors if I'm counting right since HK dropped quarantine in november 2022. I was upgraded twice I think (including a quadruple upgrade with Mrs. QRC, helper and little one, that one is easy to remember)....but both were to/from Taipei, on planes without PEY (one was regional plane, the other was a long-haul A330 without PEY). I've got a bunch of other flights but no upgrade was possible due to biz or f already.

From my opinion, I would say most important factor above all else which you have some "control" in guessing fairly accurately, is how Diamond-heavy is the route and is it a business flight or not. SIN, TPE, PEK, PVG used to be key destinations with a lot of Diamonds (although Taipei at certain times of day or weekend can be tourist heavy), and my instinct is that someone less than Gold did not have more than a tiny chance on such flights. Although as I write this I realize I don't even know the CX op-up priority anymore! I've been back and forth to Singapore on many sectors since quarantine lifted and I admit to glancing at that thing in galley or at crew iPads. I still see a lot of Diamonds on Singapore flights.

I have yet to figure out patterns to CX flights and what's going on these days. For example I just noticed flights to Singapore were cut to 4x daily some time recently. Went to book a flight there in a few days, and J class seems half full just a few days out. It all still seems very much in flux and not quite as predictable as pre-Covid. That's my two cents

It's also very easy on PE (even redemption PE) to/from Aus/NZ.
Revenue oversells Y, bumps the elites from Y to PE, bumps everyone in PE to J. I've done it, and even my status-less brother's done it

My mate's also heard from his dad and brother than CX lounges open 24/7 too https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cath...l#post36110009