I used "may" as there appears to be been anecdotal evidence where I have seen op up (probably for DMs) when a lower cabin isn't full

I have seen that before, quite commonly on regional but never on long haul. Having said that the person in question probably spends close to $100k per year on CX so will have a high CIV score.

Very interesting, not least because there seem to be quite different data points for Oneworld status holders reported on this thread. It's certainly making me re-think my own recent experiences.

If the CX CIV score system can accommodate non-MPC members, it would be interesting to know whether -
i) Oneworld status passengers who hold status higher than 'vanilla' Emerald are automatically accorded higher CIV scores by CX on their bookings - maybe equivalent to those of (or above) CX Diamond. That might explain why I've continued to receive such a high percentage of upgrades on busy, status heavy flights where I wouldn't thought I would have had a sniff of an op-up otherwise, or
ii) CIV scores for Oneworld members are simply linked to their previous travel history on CX and not connected to status at all. I always fly J on CX, but don't fly frequently on the airline.

I'm guessing we'll never have a firm answer to this, given that it would obviously be commercially sensitive information.

On BA, I also don't think anyone knows quite what happens with passengers who hold high status with other Oneworld programmes. Seems this is now a pertinent question for those flying on CX too.

The DM status would take priority.
Similar to the DM+SL pax trying to access a lounge. They don't turn you away because 1 pax is silver!

I always wondered about this as there were a couple of times where I was flying with a friend who was MPGR who got upgraded while I entered my AA-SAPH number and didn't... I still have Silver until a couple of months but trying to get out of MPC.. Bad move as I fly CX mostly?

I think this means there are two 'versions' of op ups:

1) A ton of people OLCI, the flight is clearly overbooked (in some cabin). Then the system performs cabin roll automatically before airport counter opens. Op up priority goes like DM GO SL GR ID etc. OW elites can only try their luck at the airport.

2) The flight is overbooked number wise but the situation is not clear until it is under airport control. At some arbitrary time within that (e.g. T-90) it is clear that the flight is overbooked. Then airport control does op ups according to the order we are all familiar with here.

I think I can claim that 1) has happened to me before. I was on a flight, booked in PEY, that seemt oversold (something like W3 R2 E0 Y2 B1 H0...). J is very light. The seat map was totally filled in PEY and Y at T-72 as those Xs started popping up. I OLCI as normal and think hmm..., should be ok when at airport. (I almost get 'regularly' op up'd on this flight from PEY to J.) Then at T-8, the morning before I set off, to my surprise PEY became very empty (10+ seats), and a corresponding amount of seats is filled in J. But, no dice for me. I only snagged the last op up (and the only at-airport op up) because they sold a discounted counter upgrade for a Y pax into PEY. Later in the flight, I saw in the J seating plan, there were DM GO SL GR and ID in the op up list.

Thanks for that and makes sense.

That one time my colleague actually got upgraded from Y to J was through the magic beep at the gate. He was awfully smirking at me as he knew I had status after bringing him to the lounge. A different colleague (MPGR also) got upgraded the normal route at the check-in counter while I remained in cattle class. I guess it's hard to really understand if it is luck or science. I have been flying HKG-MNL for work heavily lately and have noticed is an op-up heavy route (about 20% for me) so this whole topic intrigues me as I have both OW and CX status and now dumbfounded what to use (and credit)...

Makes sense. As OWE I have only ever been upgraded at the gate. My DM girlfriend always gets upgraded at check-in.

AS OWE I recieved upgrades before checkin opens, in the lounge (think when counter checkin comes to an end) and also at the gate. This includes also double upgrades intra Asia.
That means at the gate is not the only way for that.

I have never been upgraded before as a CX Gold, but I have upgraded before as an OWE.

Also, I received better treatment as an OWE, than CX Gold.

That is my experience, might be different from others.

that's the same observation i have as well. OWE are definitely treated better than MPC GO which is pretty sad.

what's worse is that i've been on the upgrade wait list for 9 months and still can't get the upgrade to clear whereas my AA EXP friend was able to secure a J seat a month ago.

I booked CX870 HKG-SFO in PEY (E) and CX841 JFK-HKG also in PEY (E). For both sectors, I was upgraded. For CX870, I was only informed that I got upgraded when boarding began. When I handed my BP to gate agent, she immediately replaced it with a new BP and said "you have a new seat arrangement. enjoy your flight!". I was greeted by ISM and she escorted me to my seat (12A) and said "Mr. rienhart87, my name is XXX. thank you for being MP member. if you need anything, please let me or my team know". Then FP came and brought a bottle of water for me.

For CX841, it was even stranger. I checked-in, check-in staff told me the flight is almost full but not quite. When boarding began, I gave my BP to gate agent, nothing happened. I thought, "hey, maybe you already got your one lucky strike. this time you should just be grateful and enjoy the flight in PEY". So I sat down on my assigned seat (32K). Then a gentleman came and walked to economy class cabin. The very same gentleman came again and sat next to me in about 10 mins. We greeted each other and he told me he's a DM and just got upgraded to PEY. I told him that I am only a low SL so no chance for me to get upgraded for this flight. I said I was already upgraded on my way to SFO. Then lo and behold, a ground agent came to me and asked "may i see your BP please?" I gave him my BP and the agent went away for like 5 minutes. He then returned and said "well Mr. rienhart87, you are clearly sitting in the wrong seat. you should be upfront seat 22A, left side of the cabin".

You should see the face of the DM gentleman next to me when he realized I got upgraded again to J.....

I moved to 22A right away and while I was settling down, the ISM and Senior Purser were greeting elite passengers. ISM greeted 21A and 23A while SP greeted me. 21A and 23A received a bottle of water and extra pillow. I didn't get anything. Throughout the flight, i was greeted by name and before landing, SP came again to thank me for being MP member.

So, can anyone explain to me when did the two upgrades happen in my two flights? I am still very curious

Both your op ups are the type of 'at-airport-control' upgrades

For your 841 upgrade, it is possible that
1) Someone (another DM? last minute overbooked Y? ID tickets finally cleared to board?) needed your 32K seat.
2) They were doing a seat block for the DM (unlikely)
3) Your seat is inoperative (highly unlikely)

Personally, I've been upgraded on board as a result of some combination of 1) and 2) before. And I was a OWS at that time.

As for why you and not the DM? You were originally in PEY, the DM was in Y, so op up-ing the DM from Y to PEY is independent of op up-ing you from PEY to J

For op-ups, 99% of the time is Y to W, W to J or J to F....

The DM should be pleased to got upgrade to a PEY seat as he only paid for Y. Even double upgrade would normally happen step by step. I've had Y-PEY upgrade at check in, and later got upgraded again at gate to J.

Does any one has experienced Y - J or PEY/Y - F upgrade at check in?

I have, about twice in the last 6 months (Y-J) where I was handed a J ticket in the train bag drop at Central in a 77W/333 which had PEY. One to MNL and one to HND. Most of the time though my upgrade would be Y to PEY at check-in then to J in the lounge or gate.