CX and VDB/Op Up
Oct 10, 2025 | 12:53 pm
#1
Original Poster
Join Date: Mar 2025
Posts: 9
CX and VDB/Op Up
I have an upcoming trip YYZ-HKG-BKK in November via CX829 and have noted daily fully booked flights via expert flyer with 0s across all fare buckets - I am quite surprised that every flight is consistently full like this but I wonder if its due to only CX having RU overflight privileges? With that said does that mean it'll be likely that CX will be soliciting volunteers for VDB? If this is the case is there any chance of being offered a J upgrade to accept VDB (as a Y passenger) I am OWS via another carrier and this will be my first CX flight. Forgive my ignorance as well as I couldn't find any recent info on CX op up priority, would there be any chance as a OWS for a op up on a fully loaded Y flight?
Oct 10, 2025 | 11:41 pm
#4
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Nov 2009
Location: Earth. Residency:HKG formerly:YYZ
Programs: CX, DL, Nexus/GE, APEC
Posts: 11,080
Oct 11, 2025 | 1:12 pm
#5
Join Date: Jan 2007
Location: YYZ
Programs: CX GO, AC Aeroplan 25K, AMEX PLAT, Hilton Diamond, Marriott Titanium, IHG Spire Amb
Posts: 505
If Y is overbooked and PY/J have space, they will op-up but overbooking op-up is usually one class only (i.e. they will upgrade Y pax to PY, then PY pax to J if required), so forget about Y-J upgrades.
OWS doesn't rank high on the upgrade priority (The Ultimate Upgrade Question thread) but anecdotally I have heard sometimes the YYZ-HKG flights are quite overbooked in Y that they have to upgrade even basic Cathay members. Doesn't happen often though so don't bank on it.
If the whole flight is overbooked, they might offer VDB. My parents were offered VDB on a HKG-YYZ last week. Compensation was 1800CAD for the next flight which was 7hours later, plus an Appreciation Card (one-class upgrade certificate for future use at checkin within one year I think). The dollar compensation amount seems to be based on the Air Passenger Protection Regulations in Canada.
They could also offer a one-class upgrade on the next flight but without any dollar compensation.
In summary, forget about Y to J upgrade. You might get lucky with an op-up to PY if the flight happened to be overbooked and they run out of other higher tier members to upgrade.
OWS doesn't rank high on the upgrade priority (The Ultimate Upgrade Question thread) but anecdotally I have heard sometimes the YYZ-HKG flights are quite overbooked in Y that they have to upgrade even basic Cathay members. Doesn't happen often though so don't bank on it.
If the whole flight is overbooked, they might offer VDB. My parents were offered VDB on a HKG-YYZ last week. Compensation was 1800CAD for the next flight which was 7hours later, plus an Appreciation Card (one-class upgrade certificate for future use at checkin within one year I think). The dollar compensation amount seems to be based on the Air Passenger Protection Regulations in Canada.
They could also offer a one-class upgrade on the next flight but without any dollar compensation.
In summary, forget about Y to J upgrade. You might get lucky with an op-up to PY if the flight happened to be overbooked and they run out of other higher tier members to upgrade.