I had a big problem on my CX flight in paid J from CDG-HKG this week. I am curious on how to approach the situation. CX seems to do things "differently". I read this board about how not to ask for Upgrades etc. I want to handle this the smart way. Basically here is the situation:
I paid for TWO business class seats from CDG-HKG. One for me and one for my mother. I got lucky (Flight was full) and got upgraded to First at the gate. After that I encountered three problems of varying difficulty.

1) My first class seat was broken. It would not recline at all. It was stuck in that slightly leaning fowarward position for takeoff. It was terrible on an 11 hour flight. Obviously this is the bulk of my compensation issue. The reason I bought the J seat was comfort. I ended up with less comfort than a coach seat. I would normally ask for the difference in the fare on that leg between J and discounted coach as compensation. Alternatively and upgrade to J from Discounted coach would be acceptable too. What do you think?
2) Due to the ridiculous French being on strike (Industrial action they called it). They had zero asian meals and only three choices of meals. Murphy's law dictates they were the three things I'd never eat. I realize this isn't directly CX's fault. However, I certainly did not get the "CX experience" of food I paid for. I'd roll this in my solution from above. Basically a partial refund or a do vover. But, I do mention it so you get a feel for the problems.
3) I was wanting to buy a necktie from duty free. They had "weight issues" and didn't load the carts... I realize it's no biggie. Again, just seemed like I was cursed!

How would you contact CX and what is reasonable? Thanks, Cigar

Don't even mention 2) or 3) - there's nothing much CX could have done about 2), and duty free isn't a committed part of the service so I don't see that you can expect anything if they choose not to offer it on a flight. I assume that they offered to find you something you could eat from the J or Y cabins?

On 1) you clearly have a case. I would just write a very polite letter (to the customer relations address on the CX website) explaining what happened, making the point you have made (you pay for J to get a comfortable seat and you ended up with a less comfortable one). If it were me my hope would be that I would get a confirmed availability long haul one-class upgrade voucher, or something like that (perhaps the equivalent miles).

Of course your mother (I assume) did get the full F service for the price of J so on average you still did OK!

And don't hold your breath waiting for the reply - it may take CX a while, but they will get round to it...

Yes, the price difference was about $4,000 US dollars between coach and J. It really was a big problem. I didn't pay that for a seat with less recline than coach!

Would the seat really not move at all? Normally when that happens they can recline it manually.

I had exactly the same problem a year ago from HKG-LAX. I was sitting in 4A. What was your seat? After takeoff, I was horrified to find the seat wouldn't recline at all. In fact, it was in that slightly forward position you mentioned!

They gave me $250 in duty free coupons on the flight which I felt was an insult.

I wrote to Customer Service in HKG. They said the $250 was all I was getting.

I then wrote to the CEO, returning their lousy $250 coupons and said I felt really mistreated.

Customer service apologized and gave me 70,000 miles, which is good for a round trip upgrade from J to F. I thought this was fair.

I am a Diamond member. I don't know if this helped but being a Diamond member really doesn't count for much from my experience.

They should really do something for you. Since you are not a CX member, they can't give you miles but they can give you some free future upgrade certificates.
Let us know how your situation turns out.

They had four FA's with flashlights and gloves on digging in the seat. The problem appeared to be the motor worked but something was "jamming" the track/belt that allows the seat to recline. I think something is sheared off and stuck in the track. The seat would not move at all. I would have been okay with a manually recline or ANY recline. But it was stuck firm. I suspect something sheared off the last time it went upright.

Uh OH! I only got $50 in duty free coupons!
3 k was my seat.
I hope they do the "right" thing. If they don't I'll dispute the AMEX charge as not reciving what I paid for. Clearly without a recline and food choices, they wouldn't have much leg to stand on.

You'll dispute the AMex charge because it's not what you paid for?????

Your charge is the right of passage from point of origin to destination. Which is what CX gave you. There was a seat. At least you didn't have to stand - because that would be a breach of contract. You got to sit down... even if slightly uncomfortable, from start to end.

If you were really that uncomfortable, you could have very well exchanged seats with someone in J who would have been more than happy to sit upright and enjoy all the perks and services just being in F class.

I wouldn't believe that CX would have let you go entirely hungry. They must have fed you something...

I agree with christep, that services relating to meals and inflight duty is beyond their control. Blame ground catering.

And you got upgraded from J which is what you paid for.. for better personal space in F even though there were some service issues...

You may try writing...to CS.. but trust me, they would know that you got the upgrade! So write fairly..

Boy, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed didn't they?
First I did not say they didn't offer me any food. I also said it was a minor issue. Go read what I wrote.
Second heck yes I would dispute the charge. As far as your less than charitable response:
"Your charge is the right of passage from point of origin to destination. Which is what CX gave you. There was a seat. At least you didn't have to stand - because that would be a breach of contract. You got to sit down... even if slightly uncomfortable, from start to end."
That is completly off the mark. A coach seat comes with the pure transportation excuse. When you pay an extra $4000 US ($32,000 HKG) you sure expect a working seat that reclines. Clearly they are selling SOMETHING for the extra money. My point is it is either the seat, the food or something. I didn't get that "something" whatever you want to define it as.
And the seat was very uncomfortable. It was beyond vertical in a foward direction. Very uncomfortable for a person as tall as I. And it was impossible to sleep.
And I never contemplated trying to go to business and trade a broken seat for a working seat in business. It can't imagine anyone would make that trade, as they were all happily sleeping while reclined.
As for them willing to trade for the "perks and services" of First class, that directly contradicts that "Your charge is the right of passage from point of origin to destination". Which is it? Do I pay for perks? If so I didn't get them thus a compensation is due. If not, what would the people in business be trading for?
Lastly, You imply I would lie or mislead CX in any letter. That is offensive. You clearly see in my post I freely admitted to the upgrade. I never said, "I had first class etc". You said,"You may try writing...to CS.. but trust me, they would know that you got the upgrade! So write fairly.." To imply I wouldn't is offensive. I don't remind you to "tell the truth". It is understood that people SHOULD be honest. Thank you for treating me like I was somebody trying to rip off CX...

I apologise if I may have sounded a bit off...

And yes, I did just wake up, thanks ! I'm in asia right now.

What I meant was that it is improper for you to dispute the charges to amex. You have already used your ticket.. and that is something to be said. If you dispute it.. well, you might be starting something you do not want to.

Basically - please do just write in, call CX and see what you're entitled to. Yes you were to be seated in J but was upgraded to F and you feel that you did not get treated the way you were expecting to.

But really, is it just because that asian carriers try to kow tow to their western clients that you feel justification that you could have received more after having received your upgrade?.. ok on a non working seat..

But did you even attempt to ask if you could change seat inflight .. did you tell the ISM that? Did you even communicate that you were not happy...

If they gave you only $50 voucher, that says to the CS department that it is a minor issue as far as the ISM is concerned...

But anyway... no matter how we feel is already justifiable or not, you will still write into CX Customer Relations. So just let us know what they say to you in return..

Frankly I am not really sure about the recline as a basis for disputing your Amex charge, but for sure lack of food choices is not a valid argument IMO.

the point is -- had the OP known that the F seat was broken, he would not have taken the upgrade. clearly the OP feels the marginal addition of personal space and service is by no means worth the trade of a working J seat.

a cost benefit analysis with which i completely agree.

when CX requests a pax to accept a change in the specs of their product (a change in the guise of a so-called upgrade) one would hope CX takes the care to ensure the change is at least of comparable value.

by not doing so, this is no different from the many bait and switch stories you hear online and off.

and while i am not a credit card T&C expert, i think when there has been a bait and switch, the credit card charges ought to be disputable.

big big thumbsdown to CX. had i been in OP's position on the flight, i would have been fuming, and if i had discovered the problem with the seat early enough, i would have exited the AC and demanded a working J seat before reboarding. let CX find another sucker to take the broken seat.

Exactly. I would not have taken an upgrade to a broken seat. And extra pitch was meaningless since I couldn't sleep sitting straight up.

If you read my original post I clearly stated that the food wasn't a big compensation issue. I simply mentioned it because beyong the basic transportation there are only a few reasons why you pay extra for Business.
1) Size of seat (pitch and width)
2) Better food
3) Better service.

My point was I didn't get two out of three. And the service to me is the least important. The only reason I spent the big money for business was the seat width.
Second, I did not say disputing the charge was my first course of action. I simply answered a question from another poster about what I might do if CX was not responsive.