courtesy blocks in J class
 

i feel mildly obnoxious even asking this question, but can MPO elites request a courtesy block for their neighbouring seat in J class ?

i am quite sure i have done this successfully before, but when i called to request a block for an upcoming flight, i was told blocking only applies to economy class.

Yes. Only in coach - and more frequent if you're MPC.

The only time a seat next to mine was blocked was when I was one of 3 paid J passengers on a flight and they upgraded the remaining passengers on a full London-HK flight way back in 99.

They wouldn't dare put an op-up'd no status passenger next to me! :mad:

But I did enjoy the empty seat next to me though... !

Actually you can request a seat block @ checkin
However they can release it if it is a full flight.

You can request to block J class seats at check-in. I do it all the time on regional flights...

As OW Emerald I have never had a problem getting the J seat next to me blocked - done this at SIN, HKG, ICN, LAX and MNL to name a few. It comes with the usual caveat - but does even shown on expertflyer as a genuine 'blocked' seat.

I've had the counter block seats for me as well - sometimes without me even asking (at SIN multiple times). "Mr ak333 the flight is not full today, so I'm blocking the seat next you so you have extra room."

I'm pretty sure you can't request it ahead of time, but you can certainly ask at checkin.

They will if the fight is totally over sold in Y class and need to U/G no status pax from the back...ha ha ha ha

How would CX do that for me for exit row... I wonder.... I had 2 Indian guys on the way to LAX and a Indian couple on the way back on exit rows to and from LAX.... And the other side I see someone sitting in the middle of the exit row with no one next to him (on the way back) :mad: .

I'm struggling to understand why the race of the people is relevant here?

Hmm, I always seems to have them trying to take over my personal space (elbow against my kidney area) when I fly long haul to the US.

So what do you do on a full flight?

Sometimes pay to upgrade to J. About 20% of the time. Or hope for op-up.

I'm struggling to understand why the race of the people is relevant here?

Race is never relevant; would be crude and rude to think it is. But please let this issue die of natural death so this does not turn into a flame thread and overshadow the original poster's question.

To the question of blocking J seats....of course you can ask for such. For CX, not only can one get a block seat but also obtain "last to release" consent from the flight controller. That way, as the other business class passengers (or op-uped) check-in, even the middle J class seats will fill-in before the blocked seat if you receive the consent. But if J is fully occupied....so goes your last to release seat