What do the blocked seats represent?
 

I have always wondered what the blocked seats we see on the seatmap on eg expertflyer for CX mean. I often see a pair of blocked seats in F, a few pairs of blocked seats in J which I imagine must be for elites and can understand such a policy.

However, I often see large blocks of seats in Economy blocked off with an x. For instance, for CX 450 on 29-aug (HKG-TPE at 10 hours) under 20% of the seats in Economy have actually been taken but about 70% have been blocked with an x. This leaves a paltry 10% or less seats available.

My Q is what are the blocked seats for? I see some blocked seats being middle seats, so must be courtesy blocks for Golds and upwards? What about others? Are they in anticipation of use by lowly Greens who cannot pre-book seats?

When Greens use online check in, can they choose the seats now blocked?
Or are they only for Silvers? or only for Golds?

Thanks.

When flights are significantly undersold, they will block off whole sections of the aircraft for weight/balance reasons. Upon arriving at the airport you generally can "force" your way into those blocks by pestering the check-in agents, but I'm pretty sure policy is that they're not allowed to just give them away upon request...the usual response is "the plane is so empty, just go change on board." If you keep asking though usually they'll do it. I usually have it happen to me when flying PVG or PEK/HKG on KA A330s, and they don't let many people sit in the front Y section if there is an extremely light load.

Some of the blocked seats are good, but some are not. I suppose seats are also blocked for reasons other than elites - make sure that traveling companions can stay together, infants can have access to bassinets, etc.

During OLCI, many, but not all, of the blocked seats are released.

My experience with the 74A in F is : they had always block row 4, AK for bassinet use. They will pre-assign you the seat, with a request that if they need the seat(s) for bassinet, you would have to move. I have not flown on the 73A enough to memorize what seat(s) they block.
Cheers

73A?:confused: Or you you mean 77A?

Yes, row 4 is probably the worst row in F. Also rows 16 and 17 are often blocked. These are seats I would not normally request.

Sometimes they may also block several consecutive rows at the back for tour groups.

For CX450, the flight continue to NRT. CX might block some seats for passenger boarding at TPE. Another reason is CX only open OLCI 48 hours before the flight depart, most of the seats will be unblock when OLCI open. (Except bassinet & exitrow)

Besides Bassinet & exitrow seat, CX also blocked some seat for crew rest. Such as, 80K in 74A, 12K & 67-69 HK in 33B. (Long Haul & Australia Flight) Those seats are impossible to get except 67-69HK. They will use it when Y is completely full.

Another thought - then perhaps CX 450 would be a popular flight for people taking advantage of the ex-tpe fares and who wish to fly to NRT.

Does it mean that they effectively only have to transit/stopover at TPE from HKG to NRT both segments on CX 450 instead of having to start from TPE, fly to HKG then onwards to NRT? It appears that CX450 will have the advantage of making the journey less circuitous?

well, there are a bunch of flights from TPE to NE Asia: ICN, FUK, KIX, NGO, NRT... and yes, they are usually cheap, but also they are too short for some real ex-TPE deals

but if you are burning AM it's not a bad place to go to the America.

I´m flying LAX-HKG on Sept. 13. More than 75% of the seats in economy are x`d when checking the information on ExpertFlyer. The same for my flight back some two weeks later. Thinking this might just be a fluke, I checked the same date for the JFK-HKG flight which is supposed to usually be fairly full. I found the same thing, very few reserved seats and almost all x´d. Are the flights going out empty (good for me, will be able to stretch out), or am I missing something?

No, most likely flights are not empty at all. Usually more than 48 hours prior to departure, all those X'ed out seats are reserved for elite MPC or OW members to reserve.

When OLCI opens 48 hours before departure, almost all of those X'ed seats except bassinet rows will become available for anyone to snag.

Blocked seats available to OW Emeralds in advance?
 

2A and 2K are blocked on our SFO-HKG 773 next January. As an AA EXP/OW Emerald on an award ticket, will CX let me reserve one?

2A and 2K are both bassinet seats, so yes they will be willing but remember should anyone with a baby need it, you can be move. Call them up for it.

Thanks Francis, called and got 2DK, and the warning about the bassinet seat.

I had no problem doing so, same status as you.