Just booked two F tickets to CDG next year. Called the MPC Diamond line to have 1A and 2A assigned given that side of the cabin is much more private. No problem on 1A but they refused to put me in 2A because of a "new policy". In the past, they would assign me 2A but cautioned that if a passenger with an infant shows up, they may need to move me (which of course never happened). Has anyone else run into this "new policy"?

Thanks for directing me here. That explains it.

Not true. I asked them to assign me 2A as this is always my preferred seat and I never had issue with it. I just booked my round trip back to US for Feb in F two weeks ago and both flights I am assigned in 2A. They did say it's a bassinet seat and if someone travels with a baby then I will need to be reassigned. I think it's really up to the agent who picked up your phone? So far , I have no problems getting 2A but I could just be lucky!

I also was able to pre-assign 2D & 2K when travelling with wifey earlier this year from HKG.

Is there a possibility of getting F redemption in October 2021? Planning ahead, for now on BA website, only and Y and J, no F from SFO/LAX. Trying to burn AS miles, have flown CX and JL. Any other interesting possibilities to BOM down the line?

BOM hasn't been a CX F destination for quite some time- J is the highest cabin there. All CX 2021 scheduling is 100% fictional placeholder right now until we've gotten much further down the road towards widespread vaccination. Planning for October 2021 based on schedule/equipment in December 2020 is a fool's errand. It would not exactly shock me to see all of 2021 be Y/Y+/J only to North American destinations as CX slowly brings the fleet back, but sure, there's a possibility, just like it's possible a coin I flip will come up heads or I'll buy a winning lottery ticket.

If your heart is set on doing the travel to BOM, book the J ticket and see what happens. AS will allow free changes.

If one is redeeming either AS or CX points for F ex JFK, and hypothetically they only operate one flight w F and the rest as J only, will tickets be moved equally or does only CX stock ensure it will be moved to the once a day 77W in this example?

That's a good question. I'm thinking of taking a gable to book two of us in F on each of two flights JFK-HKG on the same day (using AA miles) in hopes that if they operate one of the flights without F in November, that person will be re-accommodated onto the flight operating with an F cabin, and we will get to fly together. What do others think about this strategy, given the likelihood that they will not operate 3 77Ws JFK-HKG by November? Would CX likely agree to move someone to the flight operating with F, or would I have to work through AA and have them beg CX to help?

Let's be realistic.
CX only flies 4 weekly to JFK, 3 weely to LAX and 2 weely to SFO.
The situation is getting worse and worse for CX and their traffic is down to a trickle.
The situation "might" improve in six months and they might reintroduce one flight with F.
But they only have 6 F seats. The demand for awards F seats will be large and CX will prioritize revenue tickets. People have tons of miles and few ways to spend them.

It may be a good idea to book on flight numbers currently operating. But if CX reintroduce F on one 77W, they might change the schedule.

They're currently only flying A351s and not even daily. Situation has to improve dramatically for your plan to work (and if it is improved, would they still cancel flights? Catch-22).

i would not be surprised if F becomes no longer award redeemable. the pemped up travel demand is from regular folks, so arrangement to facilitate max denominator is likes of 350/51 or 77G without F. I dont think masses care about F, i they simply want to travel.

just issue F if you like, chances are you get downgraded to J and difference refunded. all other tricks mentioned i wouldnt count on.

Yes. Thanks. I am aware of no F all the way to BOM :) I meant up to HKG which I have done twice. I am now seeing QR possible via DOH from LAX/SFO/SEA. As before I am unable to find any saver level F (25K) seat from PHX-SEA on AS. Only AA are shown at 25K and I cannot mix AA + QR as far as I know. Any workaround to get PHX-SEA in F on AS? then SEA-DOH-BOM in J (this leg and level is available, I have just seen). Also there is no indication how many miles AS will take for J on QR from NA to Indian subcontinent on the current award charts. CX is lowest in J (JAL, if I could go to DEL, which I dont want to this time).

If you're asking what would be best redemptions using AS miles for your destinations, you're probably best to ask in the Alaska forum.

Thanks. I will. But was also asking the highlighted question if anyone has come across this situation.