I was on CX 110 from Sydney and J class was full. I'm not sure how busy Y was was though I wondered what percentage of J had been 'op -upped'. I had used points the week before, ringing the MPC hotline. I was very surprised that there was space available.

MFU and ODU are slightly different in the sense that MFU will be based on the WL priority and ODU will be based on when you turn up at the airport as you have to be present to process it. So I guess in one sense, yes BN can play a part for ODU, but you have to physically be at the airport first (and not just based on BN on OLCI). For MFU, you should get the confirm pretty much when the flight is open for check in.

Also slightly OT, I am not sure whether the agent I spoke to is 100% correct, but she claimed that if you have an upgrade MFU award issued and decide not to use it, it is not possible to just turn up to the airport and use it on another flight even if space is available (ie, u can't treat a MFU award coupon into ODU).

The main advantage in using a MFU is the savings in miles if you claim a return award or 2 sector upgrade award vs an oneway, one sector ODU.

did they deduct your miles finally or was it a courtesy upgrade (operational).

It was a miles upgrade - so the deducted the miles.

The problem was that business was booked as 99% full - ie there was one space left. In London, they get a take down a list of people who want to upgrade for the flight - it seems there are usually more people requesting one way upgrades than seats avaliable - then allocate the seats once check-in has finished. That way they know how many seats there are left and how many want to upgrade. I assume they then allocate seats due to status.

Now the thing this time - was that I was allocated a seat immediately on a one-way upgrade, even though the woman initially said that there was a waiting list. I can only assume that the fact I was BN 3 helped and that there were no diamonds wanting an upgrade.

Can somebody please clarify what does "BN" stand for? And what does it mean?

BN is the boarding number, in CX terms, it represent your are the X-th flyer to check-in for that flight (including OLCI)

wow I got a boarding number 1 on my previous flight. =P
Had no idea what it stand for at that time.

I have another question. Let's say I use my miles to upgrade to J. And the day on my flight it's my birthday. Will I be upgraded to F? Because CX upgrade people on their birthdays.

This is not a certainty.

Well, I recently got upgraded from Y to J three times (over the past month)

1. HKG - Kaohsiung : on a very cheap (? HK$1000 round trip) fare
2. Kaohsiung - HKG : on the way back
3. HKG - Taipei : on CX, but this time on a redemption ticket!

And I'm only a lowly Green member! I didn't know they upgraded on redemption tickets for Green members.

:) I'm not complaining !

wow you are lucky :p

i have been on the YYZ route for 4 times since i have been green, and the flights are always full when i fly, but i never got a chance for op-up. we dun get lots of DMs on the YYZ route i believe (although i saw one last flight). maybe we just have many silvers/greens.

anyway after 4 YYZ flight i am up to silver now (that's how i like this route :D) 4 Y flights a year and i can have Priority baggages/lounge access

Same here! I got my Silver just flying 4 times on this route. I have never seen any baggage with Gold or DM tags when i receive my luggage. There were only a few Silver tags. However I got one op-up once.

i saw a DM in the baggage area and a CX customer service woman was chatting with the DM. The DM had a slow baggage (one of his baggages was not out yet after all the priority baggages were out). But ya I rarely see GD/DM on this route.

as my friend once said, there are more students flying in these flights than the working force. since students usually just fly twice a yr (xmas and summer), it explains the lack of GO and Diamonds.

I mean the day i got the op up on 826, i knew half the cabin (one of my frds bought an F ticket, and the other got op up as well, and myself, all students). there were also 5 students out of the in the mini J cabin behind me (they looked to be about 14-17). it really gives you an idea of who travels on these flights

exactly. and that would also explain how silver is attainable for students. we just need to fly twice a year to get silver on the yyz route. provided that they are aware that by joining MPC and fly on the route for twice a year they can get all those benefits