Award Hold Wrongly Canceled
Feb 4, 2023 | 2:31 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Jun 2007
Posts: 7
Award Hold Wrongly Canceled
I placed two Cathay Pacific business class flights on hold (for Nov. 1st) from Narita Japan to Tel Aviv (with a layover in HKG) through American Airlines.
Yesterday, several hours before the hold expired, I tried to purchase the tickets and the hold had been canceled. The hold was set to expire Feb. 4, 11:59 PM (JST)). I double-checked the time in Japan; it was still before the expiration. Business class tix on those Cathay Pacific flights were no longer available for the 11-hour & 45 minute leg.
During long conversations with AA reps, I was told that the records indeed showed that Cathay Pacific had wrongly canceled the hold prior to its expiration. (In fact, the hold should have expired during the time I was on the phone with the AA rep.) I was told that since Cathay Pacific canceled the hold only they could reinstate it. The Cathay Pacific rep I spoke with said that since it was put on hold through AA, CP cant rectify it. (FYI, there ARE business class seats available on that flight, but none available with FF miles.)
It seems to me that Cathay Pacific should release award seats and honor the hold that they wrongly canceled.
Any suggestions?
Yesterday, several hours before the hold expired, I tried to purchase the tickets and the hold had been canceled. The hold was set to expire Feb. 4, 11:59 PM (JST)). I double-checked the time in Japan; it was still before the expiration. Business class tix on those Cathay Pacific flights were no longer available for the 11-hour & 45 minute leg.
During long conversations with AA reps, I was told that the records indeed showed that Cathay Pacific had wrongly canceled the hold prior to its expiration. (In fact, the hold should have expired during the time I was on the phone with the AA rep.) I was told that since Cathay Pacific canceled the hold only they could reinstate it. The Cathay Pacific rep I spoke with said that since it was put on hold through AA, CP cant rectify it. (FYI, there ARE business class seats available on that flight, but none available with FF miles.)
It seems to me that Cathay Pacific should release award seats and honor the hold that they wrongly canceled.
Any suggestions?
Feb 4, 2023 | 2:56 pm
#2
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Dec 2003
Location: Not here; there!
Programs: AA Lifetime Gold
Posts: 35,022
I placed two Cathay Pacific business class flights on hold (for Nov. 1st) from Narita Japan to Tel Aviv (with a layover in HKG) through American Airlines.
Yesterday, several hours before the hold expired, I tried to purchase the tickets and the hold had been canceled. The hold was set to expire Feb. 4, 11:59 PM (JST)). I double-checked the time in Japan; it was still before the expiration. Business class tix on those Cathay Pacific flights were no longer available for the 11-hour & 45 minute leg.
During long conversations with AA reps, I was told that the records indeed showed that Cathay Pacific had wrongly canceled the hold prior to its expiration. (In fact, the hold should have expired during the time I was on the phone with the AA rep.) I was told that since Cathay Pacific canceled the hold only they could reinstate it. The Cathay Pacific rep I spoke with said that since it was put on hold through AA, CP cant rectify it. (FYI, there ARE business class seats available on that flight, but none available with FF miles.)
It seems to me that Cathay Pacific should release award seats and honor the hold that they wrongly canceled.
Any suggestions?
Yesterday, several hours before the hold expired, I tried to purchase the tickets and the hold had been canceled. The hold was set to expire Feb. 4, 11:59 PM (JST)). I double-checked the time in Japan; it was still before the expiration. Business class tix on those Cathay Pacific flights were no longer available for the 11-hour & 45 minute leg.
During long conversations with AA reps, I was told that the records indeed showed that Cathay Pacific had wrongly canceled the hold prior to its expiration. (In fact, the hold should have expired during the time I was on the phone with the AA rep.) I was told that since Cathay Pacific canceled the hold only they could reinstate it. The Cathay Pacific rep I spoke with said that since it was put on hold through AA, CP cant rectify it. (FYI, there ARE business class seats available on that flight, but none available with FF miles.)
It seems to me that Cathay Pacific should release award seats and honor the hold that they wrongly canceled.
Any suggestions?
There is a known issue of some AA partners not allowing award space to be held for the full five days that AA promotes. I think that you are out of luck here, unless AA has a liaison with CX who can convince CX to re-release the seats.
Feb 5, 2023 | 1:12 am
#4
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: CDG
Programs: A bit of this and a bit of that
Posts: 806
Something similar happened to me a few months ago.
I called to ticket the booking (an IB leg and a CX F one) 23 hours after it was put on hold
Everything was ok, I gave my card and account number and it went to ticketing.
A few hours later I check the reservation and the CX leg was gone ...
Apparently CX only lets partners hold awards for 24hours, even though AA says it's 5 days
My booking went to ticket on the hour 23 and some minutes and while AA was ticketing it, it vanished
Of course it was "my fault" and no compensation or real alternative was provided (they offered a CX Y seat for the same amount of miles )
I called to ticket the booking (an IB leg and a CX F one) 23 hours after it was put on hold
Everything was ok, I gave my card and account number and it went to ticketing.
A few hours later I check the reservation and the CX leg was gone ...
Apparently CX only lets partners hold awards for 24hours, even though AA says it's 5 days
My booking went to ticket on the hour 23 and some minutes and while AA was ticketing it, it vanished
Of course it was "my fault" and no compensation or real alternative was provided (they offered a CX Y seat for the same amount of miles )
Feb 5, 2023 | 4:15 pm
#6
Join Date: Feb 2002
Location: MSP/BUF/BNA
Programs: AA Plat, Choice Privileges Plat, Trip.com Diamond, Priceline Gold
Posts: 1,374
I just had the happen to me last week. Luckily, the award space went back into inventory and I was able to book it again and I ticketed right away this time.
Feb 6, 2023 | 3:55 am
#7
Join Date: Nov 2017
Programs: MPC-DM, Enrich-Plat
Posts: 1,366
Unfortunately, the booking situation at CX is "dynamic", so to say, so long-established rules are no longer guaranteed. When there is availability, just take care to book. Even skip items as seat selection, or whatever, to avoid, the availability disappears.
It's not what it should be, though it is as it is. We should not forget, this whole mess is not CX's fault. The whole China/Hong Kong mess developed in the past 8 years under reign of a great leader and all signs are, there is no end in sight, given recovery is just on the wrong road (see how Russia develops into a complete disaster).
It's not what it should be, though it is as it is. We should not forget, this whole mess is not CX's fault. The whole China/Hong Kong mess developed in the past 8 years under reign of a great leader and all signs are, there is no end in sight, given recovery is just on the wrong road (see how Russia develops into a complete disaster).
Feb 7, 2023 | 11:56 am
#8
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 22,125
1. This issue better discussed in AA forum because youre burning AA miles https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/amer...l#post34985314
2. You have very little sympathy from Cathay own members here because Cathay allows us absolutely no hold time to redeem awards on Cathay miles. I am glad Cathay is now treating partners equally with its own.
2. You have very little sympathy from Cathay own members here because Cathay allows us absolutely no hold time to redeem awards on Cathay miles. I am glad Cathay is now treating partners equally with its own.
Last edited by percysmith; Feb 7, 2023 at 12:08 pm