Downgrade / IDB priority
 

I booked a last minute flight on CX (long haul) departing in the next 24 hours showing J2C2D2P2I2. The CX flight is the only nonstop option.

However, it appears every single seat is assigned on the seat map (via EF) and for this reason I'm unable to OLCI

There's plenty of availability in W and Y, but I'm not willing to accept a downgrade due to the length of flight - I would rather not fly, but I'd also like to know in advance to I can book another flight, not waste time at the airport etc.

What is likely to happene here? I'm Emerald if that makes a difference. Does CX have a certain order they downgrade passengers? Do they look for volunteers?

Tried once during Easter. They were asking for volunteers during checking in and boarding.

I've been offered to downgrade from J to PEY for around $10,000HKD in cash plus an upgrade voucher before. Didn't take it as I wanted to fly J. This was during check-in about 2 hours before STD. I can only imagine the offer will rise in value if they are still short of volunteers closer to departure time.

On an A350, they always blocked 11DG and 12AK, so if those were the only seats left, you would be asked to select seat at airport, I've tried this once.
Anyway, I don't think CX would force downgrade an Emerald, unless all other 40 or 50 J pax were all DM/DM+.

Thanks - i'm going to head to the airport in a couple of hours and see what happens. Unless EF is messed up again, the seats are occupied, not blocked.

If its 11D/G I'd rather take compensation and an upgrade voucher haha

im quite keen to hear the end result. My guess is there are empty seats (not called 11d/g). What cxwaterboy says is correct, 11D/G show assigned always when they’re not. So it strikes me as quite possible maybe some other seats are that way.

Agree. I’m quite keen to see if CX is indeed now selling 11D/G in this manner. I hope it’s a false alarm. Those two seats are completely inappropriate to be for sale.

I've been on long haul where revenue passengers filled 11DG. I wouldn't be too happy if I paid 40K HKD for a round trip to be in that seat.

A OW Emerald or DM member will not be involuntary denied boarding, downgraded or even ask to be downgraded.

There are different types of 'seat block' that can be inputted into the system. Some will show as a 'block' and some will show occupied.

Arrived at the airport (outport) to find that I had already been assigned to a middle of the cabin window (this was on a 35K) so I'm assuming they moved or downgraded someone. Agent said they were overbooked by 3 but would likely be ok was there are typically misconnects onto this service. Overall I'm happy with the result, I did probably head to the airport 30 minutes earlier than usual due to not being able to OLCI but CX got me onboard with a good seat. Every single seat ended up being occuplied in J, which is something I'm seeing on more and more of my flights vs pre-C19.

Thanks for following-up B-HQC!

As others have alluded to, it would be shocking to me if an Emerald (or even Sapphire) was IDB, let alone CX's own program members. CX is quite good about those things.

I'm most shocked they're selling 11D/G now to customers. I still hope that isn't quite true. I've seen them occupied in many recent flights but each time was able to identify them as off-duty crew. Or, in a recent case, an acquaintance from Lufthansa Technik, a.k.a industry people. (These are all short-haul flights FWIW)

Pretty sure i spotted some rev pax in 11D on my HKG - JFK flight in May, though cant be sure if they were or not. Either way, felt bad for them...

I think what CX said previously was those 2 seats were the last to be sold, they never said anything about not selling those seats?

the guy who used to run mpc told me in person they weren’t sold, solely for ID pax, off duty crew etc, def not the likes of us cash paying cattle. Timing was pre COVID, maybe 2018 or 2019. I can’t speak for recently. Or maybe that wasn’t true, or we all had one too many drinks? I’m not sure id mix that up, but who knows. I don’t have really any way to verify except call some friends at swire which I’m not plalning on doing ;). What I can say without question is my last two SIN sectors 11DG were full, but all 4x were industry people. I explicitly asked on one flight (cx staff) and actually knew a guy traveling on the other, while other seat was his colleague it turned out. Not normal revenue pax.

Those seats are really a bad look for cx if they’re actually filling with unsuspecting cash pax. Same with one of the seats on 77K, the one in back mini cabin D side near the lav. Even regionally, I’d be quite displeased. Never gotten them and always had this (maybe false???) idea in my head that CX didn’t actually sell them.

Shockingly, my parents do not mind 11DG at all.. In fact, when I pointed out to them its right next the toilet and it's commonly thought to be the worst seats on the CX A350, they said they do not mind.. They like to be in the front of the cabin and prefer the middle seat traveling together... Well, parents.. what can you do? :p