mrwhizzard

I have a trip later this week that I booked on AA, but it has a couple of flight segments that are operated by CX. I was told that I can get a seat assignment within 48 hours, but I'm having problems pulling up my booking on cathaypacific.com. So far, I've tried:

(1) using the AA booking reference directly
(2) using the AA eticket number
(3) using a "One World" booking reference number that I got off of qantas.com a couple months ago - this used to work at CX, but doesn't anymore
(4) calling AA and asking them for the CX booking reference, which they gave me, but doesn't work

It seems like I must be missing something obvious here...

hkskyline

Should be #4 . Is it a revenue ticket or redemption?

cxfan1960

Seat assignments before check in end 55 hours (IIRC) before departure. At 48 hours before departure, you can only get seat assignment at check-in including OLCI. Did you attempt to do OLCI?

shd9

With an AA/Sabre PNR, you can always go to TripCase.com to see your CX/Amadeus PNR. Technically #3 and #4 should all be okay but it gets complicated as AA international sites are partly using Amadeus for their reservation process and as a result multiple Amadeus PNRs are sometimes generated. Sonetimes CX can recognize, sometimes not.

mrwhizzard

It is a revenue ticket.

If my time zone math is correct, I am still about 67 hours before departure of the CX segment. I would assume that I have to OLCI with American Airlines, since the first flight segments are on them. Is that incorrect?

I also called the CX reservations line (which unfortunately was a 45 minute wait), and was told that because it has an AA flight number (codeshare flight), that she couldn't do seat assignments, but that AA should give me seat assignments when I check in. I'm skeptical, but I guess I'll just have to try it...

mrwhizzard

I'm not doing well with websites today.

I tried entering my original AA PNR to tripcase.com, and it says "You cannot link this booking because this airline does not have a TripCase partnership agreement". Entering the CX PNR they gave me also doesn't work, but that's probably expected?

cxfan1960

You said this is a CX flight on AA booking. So it is AA-marketed/CX-operated flight. You must check in with the operating carrier.

Did you call AA? Did they say you could do seat assignments within 48 hours of departure? So AA probably wasn't able to assign you a seat and had to leave you to do that at OLCI.

Happy

Do you have a middle initial in your name?

If so, then did you enter your name in the format of first name middle initial, family name, on CX site?

You need to append your middle initial to your first name if your booking has your middle name in it. Else CX site would not recognize your booking even the CX PNR is correct!

shd9

Oops, my bad for not checking the most up-to-date information. It appears Tripcase can no longer pull up AA reservations as per discussions in the AA forum. Trip case no longer include AA itineraries

So now you might be better off just contacting CX reservations for the CX PNR, which can be looked up by your ticket number. If you are booked V or higher subclass or you are an OneWorld elite member, they can also select a seat for you over the phone (except when you are booked under the AA code, in which AA should be responsible for seat reservations)

mrwhizzard

Yep, it was a codeshare, I think. AA8916.

I talked to AA a few times, and every time they told me they couldn't assign me a seat, I needed to contact CX.

My reservation actually has my entire middle name, and I didn't think to try entering that along with my first name. I was able to do OLCI on cathaypacific.com (for just the CX operated flight) this morning though, and oddly, it let me use the PNR along with just my first/last name. Odd that it couldn't pull up the booking the same way before that.

I'm just a nobody, and it was an O class, which is why I had to wait until 48 hours before to get a seat.

garykung

IME - AA PNR and ticket number will not work. If you have a AA-issued ticket (001), call CX for a locator.

The way I see it, CX does not seem to assign a locator automatically unless you call.

BThumme

I had something similar. AA actually gave me a record locator for CX, but it wasn't the correct locator. Tripcase even didn't show the correct locator (it showed the same locator AA gave me, which was for a connecting CX flight). It turns out I had two CX locators in my situation. Using the new/not listed CX locator I was able to get seats as a oneworld elite/AA Ex Plat no problem. The only way I got this record locator was by calling CX.

...However, as of two days ago, that record locator isn't working anymore for whatever reason (yes, it's correct). I might have to call CX again and see what's up.

renegurl

I have a similar story too. I booked AA codeshare flights through Citi Thankyou. (For some reason, CX was showing Y and PEY was sold out, but AA still showed availability.) I've booked AA codeshares before on AA.com and the drill is to ask AA for the CX record locator and then I would be able to pull up my booking on the CX website and manage my seat.

The website has an error if I use my name/record locator. I appended my middle initial as usual and that didn't help. When I look it up with my ticket number, it says "No RLOC Associated with this ET". If I pull it up on the CX app, I can see the itinerary but I can't make any edits like seat selection. It just says refer to the operating carrier. The booking ref also works in checkmytrip - which lets me see the seat map.

I called CX on Sat and they confirmed the booking reference that AA gave me was correct and let me select seats. They had no idea why the website didn't work for me and sent me an e-receipt which confirmed my first/middle name and last name spelling.

It's a pain to change seats - I have to call and it takes at least 30 min to get someone. At least I am no longer stuck in a middle seat!

phillychuck

I have a J class on CX 811 in a few weeks, and called AA to get the CX reference number. Once I did that, then I could get seat assignments via the CX web site

TravelLawyer

This is exactly what is happening to me right now. AA codeshare on CX operated flight through Chase UR. Cannot pull it up at all online, and app says refer to operating carrier. Calling CX now, but have been waiting 45 minutes so far...