I have booked a Oneworld RTW that includes a HKG-JFK leg at the end of October for three persons. It is a First class "A" ticket. At this point only one first class seat is confirmed the other two are confirmed in business and are waitlisted for first. Availability currently shows 4 for F, 0 for A and 9 for every other class on the flight. Does anyone know how far in advance the other 2 first seats might clear and does anyone have any idea on the odds? Should I be seriously considering a different route to get first class seats?

Transpacific A seems to be more of a problem on CX this year than before although someone mentioned that it seemed to be worse westbound. Based on a recent experience waiting for YVR-HKG to clear, I'd book something that you know you can get, and keep your name on the waitlist for your first-choice. Costs nothing, generally.

This is very good advice from my experience - also, try via all three west coast gateways and you should find something that works

What day of the week? NY flights sell out in F more often than other gateways. SFO is your best bet (changed from A340 to 744 so there are more seats available).

Depends on your status on AA that CX will acknowledge waitlist clearance.

CX will of course try to clear their own waitlists first - namely Diamond Marco Polo members are ahead of OneWorld Emerald members who share the same priority status as CX's Gold members.

You may ask AA to perhaps send CX a message indicating the fare basis of your ticket. Should it be a high revenue fare, CX might expedite the waitlist.

[This message has been edited by Guy Betsy (edited 07-12-2002).]

Thanks all for your quick response. In answer to the questions asked: We are emeralds with AA and it is CX 888 on Friday afternoon the end of October. It's on a RTW ticket so alternative booking won't exactly work and I doubt that a RTW ticket is high enough revenue to encourage earlier clearance.

I was told regardless of being PLT on AA and using an Award ticket I could not wait list for any flights on CX. The AA Agent who took my original request booked me on the wrong outbound dates and I cannot get the dates I want nor can I wait list. Same time period that you are looking for....BTW I recently gave up a FC seat for 10-30 because I am leaving a week earlier. Try calling them maybe my vacancy could be for you.

Month end is heavy travel demand (for various reasons), and Friday afternoon is the absolute peak for the whole week from NY. Surprised CX allows any A seats on that flight. AA has MANY of their transcons that have 0 A inventory assigned! Even when EVERY seat is empty (unsold). Looks like CX is much fairer and more generous than AA.

This whole CX/AA relationship is pretty strange although I learned my lesson on how to do it a couple of weeks ago.

Bottomline, once the ticket goes onto AA stock - which it has to - CX deny any association with you and changing anything is a monumental nightmare.

I was booked YVR-HKG-SIN-HKG-YVR

Used 40K to upgrade from J to F and had a great ride out. At time of booking aircraft from SIN-HKG was 2 class but they changed it to 3.

So, without knowing the system, I assumed, no problem, since I'd redeemed the mileage I'd be able to get the UG at the airport. It started going down hill from there. I got no acknowledgement from the counter staff that I had indeed a F ticket (which technically I didn't but in AA's system I did) Under no circumstances were they going to move me up to F.

Ok, so I settle down, get to HKG, enjoy the amenities there and get the bright idea to change from YVR to SFO. SFO was my final destination anyway. Oh my gosh, you'd think CX never had anyone ask to change a flight.

Anyway, after 2 hours, I did get rebooked, even got a refund of some Canadian taxes.

The comes the claiming of my F seat. No chance they say. AA MUST book me into it. Ok, no problem, a quick call back to the EXP desk in the US gets me "waitlisted" on the flight in F. There were 3 open seats but AA couldn't confirm. To cut a long story short, we left with 3 empty F seats and me in J. No huge deal since they seemed to break all the rules in the first place to rebook me but the total lack of respect for a EXP member who has redeemed 40K miles when there is obvious seat availability and I obviously had the "right" to a UG.

Morale to the story: Get your trip signed sealed and delivered (confirmed) by AA before you leave because if you need a UG to clear it probably won't happen.

Interesting ... I've encoutered the opposite (excellent service in making ticket changes and no hassles, even for complex and difficult changes ... while you have unacceptable service for a trivial change). The SIN problem I can understand, most likely it isn't CX staff but contracted and they are overly rigid (you have to get the station manager and then anything can be done).
My changes went as follows: Before boarding my flight to HKG I ask CX to send a message that I wish to make a ticketing change. I wrote out the changes on a sheet of paper while I was inflight to HKG (thanks to the CX downloadable OW timetable I had all the flight numbers and times perfect). Upon arrival I am met at the plane and taken to The Wing (the ticketing desk is outside in the A section of check-in). I gave them the sheet of paper and my ticket and explained my changes. Then I went to a cabana while they went to work. An hour later it is time for my connecting flight; they phone and say they have trouble calculating the fare and it won't be ready in time, but they will meet me at the gate for my next flight. Later I go down to the gate and wait. The gate is expecting me to board at the last minute, not a problem. The agent runs up, gives my old ticket back, with the first 2 segments stickered. Apologizes profusely, says please use the old ticket for now (so I don't miss my flight) and when I return to HKG they will have my ticket ready for pickup and I can exchange the old ticket for it and make the additional collection payment. No problem that my next 2 flight coupons don't actually match what I am flying (they are stickered), or that I owe money. When I get back to HKG, agent meets me at the plane and asks if I know how to go to the ticketing counter (I am not in transit this time). I say yes, refuse their offer to escort me, and when I get to the counter my ticket is pre-printed, I pay and exchange the old ticket. Total time 1 minute. Check ticket, all changes exactly as I requested.
I have no CX status but I fly them a fair bit and some of the staff recognize me so maybe I am getting special treatment (I don't think so). I went into great detail on this description because I was surprised to be met at the plane both times and I was impressed that they were willing to trust me with the old ticket (in another city) while they issued the new one. I could have lost the old ticket, or cashed it in, causing lots of problems for them; but they valued my time more highly than their convenience. I can't imagine AA doing this -- you have to stand at the ticket counter, for hours, while they do simpler changes.

Which all goes to prove that CX really does 'keep an eye' out for AA issued tickets. There has been too many demands, arguments, and problems in the past that CX just says NO to everything now.

The 'Ugly American-Airlines' syndrome , I'm afraid.

Basically ANY award ticket issued by a partner ONeWorld carrier must be reissued by the airline except in cases when there is no representation by their own airline in the place of travel. This goes also for UPGRADES on CX, especially on AA ticket stock. If that is the case, as when in Bali when Techgirl was travelling way back in April, and she had to change the dates, AA must send a message to CX advising them it is okay to accept the ticket as is as there is no AA representative in Bali.

AT times like this, it helps to be a Marco Polo/Asiamiles member I guess.

[This message has been edited by Guy Betsy (edited 07-18-2002).]

Interesting information (thanks for enlightening us, this explains several things I've noticed but couldn't quite fathom). Luckily I've never had an award or upgrade to change with CX, hence my good experience. Oneworld really needs to fix this, all the OW airlines are acting like they are at war with each other at times. And we are caught in the crossfire. I must say BA seems to be best at ticketing changes, they muddle through and do the right thing.

Actually, my experience with BA has been quite the opposite. Literally every time I have flown with them there has been a serious screw up. Usually they have reassigned my seats to the worst possible seats on the plane despite my having decent seat assignments in the first place. This has even happened after checking in, getting seat assignment and then being reassigned at the gate. They certainly do muddle and then, in my experience, slap you around because they are confused. On the other hand I have never had anything even approaching difficulty with CX despite having always booked through AA. Guess it all depends on the luck of the draw.