[Master Thread] CX Same-Day Flight Change
 

I think CX has or will have multiple flights per day to destinations like MNL, KUL, and SIN. I'm not a CX elite. However, I am a BAEC Gold/OWE. If I'm not happy with my original connecting flight to those destinations from HKG and they are just regional flights, is there any chance I can do a free same-day flight change?

TIA!

Speaking from pre-Covid experience, they used to be somewhat flexible especially with higher frequency destinations (e.g. TPE, SIN, BKK). If I had checked luggage, they'd first have to track down my bag.

I don't know if they're as lenient these days.

A friend of mine said CX did it for him for free when he flew PVG to HKG pre-COVID. That sort of inspired me to create this thread.

When booking tickets on Cathay's site, I have found that different fares exist, depending on whether "same day flight change" is allowed. Not sure whether this will be strictly enforced at the counter?

2019 Aug I tried to *standby* earlier TPE-HKG flight at TPE counter and was told to pay possible price difference and change fee. I thought I was helping CX to free up unused inventory but no luck. I was CX GO that time. Just a data point.

Before COVID, it is quite flexiable at PVG. This was taken in 2019. It was free, to me, to change to the flight with 'seat available' at that time. https://cimg8.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...e7fbf8913f.jpg

Thank you! I can't believe someone even took a picture of this. That's awesome. I guess my friend wasn't making things up!

I did request to get moved to an earlier flight at BKK, just a few weeks ago, which was honored without hesitation. Granted, I am DM and the flight I was on seemed to be booked (nearly) full, with the earlier flight only half-full booked. Even my special meal (fruit plate) did make it, despite the change was requested only 2.5 hours before the new flight.

CX introduced "fare family" in Y recently, where "Free same-day earlier flight change" is a benefit of Flex fare, so I'd imagine it may be more difficult to do this in Y in the future. https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_...omy-fares.html

Damn it!

Pre COVID I was on a HKG-MEL flight in Y+. I was flying as a CX SL on an AS award ticket. When I asked at check-in, I was able to move forward to an earlier flight which had 1 Y+ seat left.

I was traveling on an AS award ticket in J and they would not allow me to change to an earlier flight this week :(. Was flying HKG-SIN (which had award space on all flights during day of departure), but I also don't have any status with CX/OW. If it had been ticketed by CX, they would have changed it without issue.

Also: AS and BA restrict last minute award space on CX. AA doesn't, so this is a great perk if you have AA miles.

Is AA pricing dynamic? If not, how many miles?

I've done this at both PVG and MNL.

PVG many times.

MNL I was travelling in Y with mileage upgrade to J. They offered earlier flight and I said I'd take it if they could honour the upgrade, which after checking with control, they said no problem.

I have a redemption flight on Asiamiles come April from HKG-NRT in the morning, arriving from SGN the night before. What are the odds of them allowing me a flight change to a later flight (for more sleep)

If there are award seats, you should be able to change it by paying 50USD or 7500AM. CX will not make the change for you for free just because it is on the same day. I don't think it would be a good idea for you to just show up later that day and expect to be able to take a later flight.

My guess would be no, but there's no harm asking on arrival in HKG. I highly doubt SGN will do anything about your onward flight.

Not sure that was what db07mufan meant, but it should go without saying that intentionally no-showing isn't best way to approach this.

Possibly the American concept of same-day changes including, later in the day flights for some..

So I just called CX to stress test this feature since I have an upcoming CX2690 and was intending to change it to CX658 this coming Saturday.

The same day free change according to the agent, was that change fees are waived. You still have to top up any fare difference if your fare subclass is sold out.

This however was posted on their FAQ

For early standby, can I take a flight a day earlier than planned?No, early standby can only be used on the date of travel. It must be an earlier flight departing on the same day from the origin airport.

i will test and let all know this Sat at the airport

Did you buy flex fare?

yes

I think AA is changing to dynamic pricing; but when this ticket was purchased, it was fixed.

Do you have an update?

no fees but you will need to top up fare difference

what about asiamiles issued redemption ticket? from fare rules prospective it is a fully flexible fare, but once its airport control it can be used for any available seat?

reporting back

NRT changed from 501 (1030am) to 509 (9am depart) for economy on redemption ticket no issues. flight was showing mostly empty on expertflyer (Y9B9 etc) and i was able to redeem award economy the day before it goes to airport control. OWE but doubt it mattered. i dont know what happens if it was restricted revenue ticket

took the risk arrived airport early at 720 and in a desertee Jal F lounge

Any recent experience with same-day flight change when transiting through HKG on Asia Miles J redemption (say xxx-HKG-SIN and want to change to earlier HKG-SIN)? Does having check-in luggage matter? Pre-Covid I could do this with no issue for both revenue and redemption ticket at the lounge.

these days they are less likely to do it, and if you have checked bags, don’t even count on it.

From a business point of view: if your flight to SIN is already overbooked and the flight before has space (which could well be the case depending on when you travel) then I'm sure it would be approved. There are definitely other things to consider though.

issue is if yoi have checked luggage, they would be very hesitant and give you all sorts of disclaimer that bags may not be loaded. and if the bag misses the plane you would spend ur first day macking about chasIng bags and organize delivery to your hotel. if the origin airport can book you on earlier flight and luggage tagged accordIngly its a different matter. but counting on CX to. find your bag and retag and make it, doubt it

data point Sin-HKG on D fare on "business essential" ticket condition clearly states free of charge for change, and All J subclasses wide open for the intended flight. no connection or checkin luggage or special request as OWE

short version.
they are very unhelpful claims airport staff dont know if fare is changable thus refusing to help and asked to call reservation. after 10min back/forth they gave in and issued me with earlier flight. I am not sure what i need in hand to legitimately say my condition allow. I feel poor soul that fall for this non sense to call reservaion for airport control bookings.


long version
The F class checkin very unhelpful. they said i need talk to reservation. i told them politely that flight is closing in 5min and if you want me to call reservation you mind as well tell me straight u dont want to help instead.

i demanded the station manager to assist, she made a call hanged up in 5seconds and agent said to me "sorry this ticket is under reservation control so u need to call reservation"... thats when i really snapped. Being told "you cant change" is very different, to being lied blatantly that it is "reservation control is so my station manager cant do anything".

So i said to them "look i am OWE aand on business class flight i know what i am talking about. this is airport control now and i know you can help. but its ok you dont want help. but i am going to escalate this to CX customer service for blatant lie so i need station manager name. what is point of flexible ticket if you are not trying to help, let alone make a blatant lie about it not being airport control".. after very reluctant hold they issued with me a boarding pass for earlier one.

what i am not sure are:

1. why is Sin so reluctant? it almost feels like they are refusing to allow earlier flights for eligible tickets. Or is it really that being change fee free and fly earlier is different benefits?
2. was airport agents right and i was wrong that if i hold "eseential" with change fee free, is different to "flex" ticket which allow earlier flight? had i known i was wrong i woukd have pushed so hard... so by default only J subclass at highest of all rank allows fly earlier, in same way award tickets are?

Replaced by post #35 https://www.flyertalk.com/forum/cath...l#post35968937

Was just checking the SIN-HKG essential business fare and there are change fee involved.

https://flights.cathaypacific.com/en..._1694487734822
Says "Standby for earlier flight" is only available for Flex.
For Essential it would be "For a fee + potential fare difference" which in your case could be $0 but is it true this can/should only done through Reservations, or Airport Control can/should be able to do it?

OK, fair enough, fakecd appears to have misunderstood his fare conditions (and I didn't know better).

https://cimg9.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...baf382c7f8.png



I always thought fare difference should be able to process at desk. Don't tell me this is something they have Unelevated the desks from doing post-pandemic.

And also, desk should be able to advise what the fare difference is, unless this is something they again have Unelevated the desks from doing post-pandemic.

I think that really depends on the load factor on that route. If I understand correctly, demand between SIN and HKG is quite robust and load factor is quite high and I think that can explain something. Maybe TPE or PVG is more open to free same-day flight change.

Is it assumed that when doing (free)SDC on a flex fare it is a smooth and easy process, even at out ports?
If one arrives rather early even for the desired earlier flight, would check in print a BP for the later-confirmed flight, allowing pax to wait in the lounge, then be notified/wait at gate to see if standby cleared? Assuming travelling without checked baggage.
Or would pax have to (literally) standby landside and wait till flight closes until given the desired earlier/original later BP?
If pax had not enquired at check in about SDC/Standby, went airside, then went to the gate for the earlier flight to ask about SDC, would gate agents even entertain the request, assuming pax has a flex fare and HBO?

For pax not on a flex fare, and not flying to/from the usual suspects PVG/TPE etc, is SDC always a Reservations/Ticketing problem?

A big no for TPE. TPE always refused to free same-day flight change unless it's overbooked or weather condition (post-COVID).
Post-COVID, CX tends to hold up all rights from checkin desk @ TPE. I encountered dozen times that if you asked for SDC, they have to callback, check all the fare-rules and tell you you've to pay. (not mad because I am on business essential).

Last time I did CX451 TPE-HKG sector and there's a delay for more than 1 hour, I asked for if I can switch to 565/473 (both widely open on J, and more than an hour before departure of 473), they called and said I have to pay for changing fee.

disclaimer: CX DM & no connection flight.

Desks (even TPE desk, which I used to think was a better-trained desk because of the large number of flights leaving that day) seem Unelevated then.

Am I right in believing pre-Covid, HKG and TPE desks could have processed fare differences at desk. Or perhaps, ticketing desks were more prevalent?

I had a very positive experience recently.

Had a connection to CX in BKK but separate tickets with a long layover. CX being a redemption. Went to the transfer desk, nobody there, so went to the lounge where the staff were wonderfully pleasant and efficient, sorting me out for an earlier flight. No fee. Flights fairly busy.