Cxwaterboy has responded already and my experience is broadly similar. I have not seen an official communication on "hold" means holding fare class. Just a few things to add:

-I usually start by asking the agent what fare class the current lowest one is after I tell them the itinerary and then ask them to hold that specific fare class.
-I havn't tried but don't think you can issue a ticket that started life this way online through MMB and have always called in to issue the ticket (get a payment link sent to me).
-To be clear, you can hold a fare class but the actual price won't be held. It is subject to changes in taxes and fees and as I mentioned earlier, the fare class has sub-fare classes (the 8 digit fare basis that Cxwaterboy mentioned basically) and you might move from one sub-fare class to another if the one you were quoted originally for example has an earlier "stop selling" date than your ticketing deadline.

The point of sale has to be the origin of your itinerary no? So if you start in Taipei, the point of sale has to be Taiwan and you will be charged in NTD. Or have you had different experience? Thats the main reason I sometimes book non-ex-HKG tickets on Expedia - so that I don't get fleeced on credit card FX rates.

You elaborated the concept much better than I did! Yes, the crux of the fare is in the (8-digit) sub-fare class. I recommend pricing it out on Google Flights and CX's search engine to check the fare classes. I would also take an extra step and compare the fare quoted on CX's system with the flight availability and fare information on Expert Flyer.

In my experience, the Guangzhou agents understand how this works better than Poland or Manila. I would be really surprised if the Tseung Wan agents didn't know about this. Even then, the efficient way is to do all the homework and hold the agent's hand when creating the itinerary. After they finish making the booking, you should receive a PDF with the wordings "RESERVATION CONFIRMED - I BUSINESS" etc. See the screenshot below, that is probably the cheapest I-fare within the long-haul network ;)

Speaking of potential changes, the DM line could see a revival. This should be a big quality of life improvement for many of us here. Although I know it is being planned, I have no additional information.



https://cimg6.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...2640ec3651.png

Yes, the point of sale has to be the start of your itinerary. I mentioned that because many CS agents don't know about this. Say you want to price MAD-HKG-HND, if you don't tell them to change the pos to Spain, the I-fares don't show up on their system. I learnt it the hard way through interacting with them and reverse engineering the problem.

Thanks for the detailed explanation! It is very useful for me and largely matches with my experience as well.

I have one question regarding this holding though. I certainly understand and agree with you that the fare class (but not the price itself) will be honored. I just wonder how much change in price it could be. I guess for a specific fare class on a specific route, the price shouldn't change more than 10%?

In my experience, less than 10% unless you are on an error fare. You can ask the agents about the specific ticketing deadline for that 8-digit fare code. I find that easier than going through the many pages of fare information. But you can always have a look at the sales restriction to ascertain the fare conditions.

Great! Thanks for your reply!

Much rarer, but it sometimes did happen, was the price within the same fare class, could decrease as it moved closer to the departure date. I experienced it a few times involving reservations to Madrid and Frankfurt.

Speaking of which, does the customer service agents on email differ in terms of reply? I was quite frustrated with the team in India with their lack of understanding of TIMATIC, and tried to complicate things, which should’ve been a straightforward incident that some airport messed up with the rules and almost denied my checkin.

Does using Cantonese help at all with any complaints?

Cantonese helps. For English, I find communication with Poland the easiest. Of course, ideally, we get a DM line with well-trained agents.

Is there any chance to maximise the chance of getting cases handled by specific team? I know DM line is probably different, but since I will be moving back from BAEC to MPC, and likely climb up to GO this year (Hope MPC won’t lower SP for Economy Flex tickets), I probably need a way to ensure CS is efficient and good. Previous calls on Cantonese are mostly good, but emails in English can be tricky, as agents just dish out miles as goodwill without addressing the actual problem.

At this point, I don't call the English line and only call the Canto line and if I don't get someone in Tsuen Wan, I HUCA.

IME, the email confirmation doesn't show the then current price, if I want that, I have to specifically ask the agent to include it. Also IME, MAD is on the cheaper end of the long-haul network but MXP is the cheapest and you get F as J as well.

One related problem I have had is where I have been WL for a fare class and I get alerted to a seat opening up in that fare class (thanks Google Flights) but the seat doesn't drop to my WL. I have always wondered if thats because the WL is actually not tied to a fare class but even more granular to a sub-fare class/fare basis.

Thanks. I had assumed their system automatically adjusts the PoS to the origin since the PoS has to be the origin but good to know you might have to tell them. Might explain the once or twice where I have had an agent say "computer says no" even though I can see availability on EF or a lower price on Google flights.

I think it depends. If you don't end up being bumped down a sub-fare class/fare basis, any change will likely just be taxes and fees in which case I agree with CXwaterboy that it should be well under 10% - that said I have seen CX completely reprice a route (i.e. across days and flights) but even though within 10%. If you end up being bumped down, the change will be larger but should still be under 10%.

You hold the fare class, not the price (unless within 24 hours and if CX allows). If you have an I class reservation, and there is an I fare valid at the time of your purchase (meeting advance purchase restriction, etc.), you pay the going I fare. CX has the right to adjust the I fare, though.

That can happen when the I fare has an advance purchase restriction, e. g., must be ticketed 1 month in advance, but you call 1 week before.

Exactly, but even if the fare basis remains the same, CX sometimes still adjusts the fare.

For the most part, yes, but this is not guaranteed.

If the fare has an advance purchase restriction, obviously that would be the hard ticketing deadline. Nevertheless, even if it does not have an advance purchase restriction, CX can still pull the fare. For example, CX might decide not to sell I or Q class fare for a particular routing anymore. Even if the fare basis remains the same, CX still has the right to adjust the fare.

No, waitlist is not tied to fare basis. I have heard in the past airlines will not give priority to waitlist bookings that have children, since child fare is cheaper, but I don't think that's what we are talking about here.

CX is moving towards a 5-tier system like many airlines have done. Green, Silver, Gold, Diamond, Diamond Plus.
With that benefits will be "enhanced" appropriately. Green - just earn points. Silver - Green + priority bag tag and check-in. Gold - J lounge + Silver. Diamond - no more F lounge. Diamond Plus - F lounge. SP will be adjusted to each earned status, but SP will accumulate much easier if you fly in premium cabins and/or pay in premium fare classes. With the new system, one can even make Diamond Plus if you fly between HKG and TPE in full J fare twice a month.
Anyway, that's all I can say. Enjoy CXboys.

If this is what CX is planning to relaunch their loyalty scheme, and under this Diamond no longer has access to F lounges, then what real meaningful differentiating benefits it will have over Gold? Whatever incremental benefits this new Diamond has will become like mid-tier benefits between new Gold and Diamond Plus.