I just find out that the CX Award booking facility online is not 100% correct.

I tried to check the availability of Z Class and it said there are availability for a particular flight. But when I phoned CX MPO they said it is not available.

I spoke to the CSO and she said the online function is always faulty (even for the new one).

THEREFORE don't trust what they say online for Award inventory as it is usually WRONG!

Yeah, this is a recurring problem which has caused some discussion in past.

What I do is that, if internet site gives 2 or 3 options of available flights every days, then it's false. CX will never be that generous.

However, if there is ONE flight in 2 week period, you can pretty much believe that this is real inventory and make that quick phone call.

Not knowing about this problem late last night I looked on the website to find dates I could get for upgrades HK - LHR. After finding the dates that they had available I went and booked by tickets and then went back to the website to get the upgrades ... the upgrade site kept on giving me errors so I contact the Marco Polo club who informed me that my outbound flight did not actually have any upgrades available and it was a problem with their website that they did know about, however I could get an earlier flight where they did have upgrades available. At which time I was put through to Cathay Pacific who informed me that since my original tickets were Economy restricted that I would have to pay extra to change the outbound flight times.

Now I dont mind paying extra when its my fault but I booked them tickets using the information on their website saying that they had upgrades available (and this morning it it still showing that they have upgrades available).

To cut a long story short (a few hours on the telephone) they have put me on standby for an upgrade on my outbound flight and also booked an upgrade on the earlier outbound flight. They informed me that they would look into it and I should receive a call in a week ...

Just a total mess ...

This has being happening for way too LONG already! Bsacially the Award Upgrade function on the website does not work!!

Also currently the award Upgrade system is a total mess as well!!

I mean I used to be able to book upgrade awards relatively easy

But now since everyone realise they can book the upgrade award without a firm ticket or reservation people just take advantage and be greedy!!! (Especially some of the Oneworld partner FFP members! eg.AA!)

Therefore I think CX should start introducing the same rule as QF whereby, if you don't have a firm booking AND an ISSUED ticket! No booking of upgrades are allowed. Therefore this stops people from hogging all the inventory.

Also this can ensure the best mix of field management and profitability for the company.

Currently I think the system just not working.
I checked with the MPO centre and they said no Z Class available even till June next year from SYD-LHR on CX.

Disagree on point 1. What if it showed available, and you go buy your ticket, and the upgrade disappear? Same problem as RichardX would happen. I think what's better is limit the upgrade award holding to, say 3 days, which gives you sufficient time to buy your ticket. If I was in this boat, I wouldn't buy my Y-ticket until I know upgrades are CONFIRMED. However, if they allow 3 days of grace period, I can purchase my ticket, which makes it a FIRM booking.

On second point. I wonder how Diamonds are doing in terms of securing awards. apparently they have unrestricted access to awards. Golds/Silver, on the other hand, either have to
i) book a year in advance, with zero hope of changing date afterward
ii) book 5 days in advance, when they do the final touch to capacity control....

Which makes me burn miles as soon as they accumilate. God knows when they will be devalued with short notice.

For diamonds, it's the revenue inventory that counts in securing upgrades. Since I became diamond, I haven't really used that upgrade inventory function on the web site.

But experiences of other diamonds suggests undisclosed benefit includes immediate confirmation of awards/upgrades for diamond members. Of course, this is in addition to guranteed seat for Y+J of revenue ticket.

Perhaps trying requesting an award for Xmas, or Chinese New Year...

I've been able to secure an upgrade/award seat whenever there was at least one revenu seat showing on ITN. But I have not been able to get one if the revenu seat inventory is already sold out.

fakecd, are you saying Diamond members can snatch an upgrade/award seat even the revenu inventory is sold out?

Lets just say MPC will accomodate your wishes as a Diamond. And let's just end the discussion here.

As for the website: I have been critisising their crappy website for years now. No real improvements since the year 2000 for crying out loud. I can only guess that CX loves their relationship with TAs so much they don't really want to offer easy, correct, online booking facilities.
As for the recent "improvement" -- I spent the last two days checking it out and its just different software but the same problems are still there - lack of connection flights, weird connections (try booking TPE-LHR-TPE!!! or anything ex Japan with a connection), errors when booking a segment before and one after hkg, such as TPE-LHR-EDI (I am trying to make to the bloody festival this year! ), and the award facility is no better now that they have this "calender function".
Among all the oneworld airlines, only AA has a decent booking engine up and running. And what irks me the most is how proudy online proclaims all their IT improvments and inter-line e-ticketing. All that marketing hype for products that haven't evolved in five years. RANT over. calming down.

No. I only meant IF revenue is available but "normal" awards are gone.

well, it seems mhtaipei and other diamonds wants to keep quiet about it, so I guess I should keep my mouth shut. Well, I will never make diamond in next 5 years but lucky to those hard-core flyers.

How'd you know?

Easy, if I won a million dollar lottery, I'll keep the news to myself.

okay, better get NOT OT or I'll upset BWatson...

Okay here's the dilemma.

Tried booking the el cheapo $350 fare on CX's website between SIN-HKG return. This fare earns no miles, but qualifies for the 2888 miles for first booking on the 'new' website. There is a lower fare at $288 return but that doesn't even earn the bonus miles.

Anyway, I tried booking it yesterday.. and seats were available. Entered my cc number and it keep rejecting it - saying that the card number is incorrect. I checked it over 4 times, and changed different cards and each time the website kept giving me the same answer. After 30 minutes I gave up.

I tried it again tonight.. and lo and behold, the booking class is sold out! Of course the website is just too smart to figure out that Gold/Diam members get guaranteed seats. No I had to call the MPC centre to find out what to do.

They told me to book it as usual, but choose any other date other than the requested date. When the transaction has ended, call MPC back to change the dates to the one that I want... but only if the fare permits a change... and if it does CX WILL CHARGE YOU THE CHANGE FEE !!! Okay, this does not make sense ... why would I want to do that? Can't I book and let the system hold my seats for me for a 24 hour option? No...

So, basically that's the only answer they can answer me. Either I book it as they suggested and I earn my bonus miles.. or they guarantee the seat for me right away and I get no miles whatsoever.

Oy !

AAdvantage members do not have an option to upgrade CX tickets with AA miles any longer. In fact it's been over a year now.

Originally I thought they only Guarantee the seat for Gold and Diamond members on certain invnetories (eg. Full Y and Full J)

But I have noticed that for the past few times I was able to get away with K and L Class in economy. Also in I Class for Business.

I have given up hope for the website already.

I used to use it for the seatmaps. But now I discover itn, I don't need it anymore.

The only airline website that I used to book a ticekt in my life is B6. So simple and it only took me less than 5 minutes.

But again, I don't think they have so many routes, fares and classes to worry about.