Bassinet swap causes angst for mother with triplets
#16
Join Date: Jul 2011
Location: Asia Pac
Programs: AA UA DL AS CXDM JL NH Hilton Hyatt Marriott SPG IHG
Posts: 545
One more lesson to do OLCI once it opens up. You at least would know what equipment type and secure your seat in advance, or in the case of equipment swap, change seat accordingly. I've had numerous equipment swaps on our family trips and our seats just got scattered around.
Or even more proactively, check the MYB section from time to time to see if any unexpected seat change! When traveling with little ones you can't never be too careful!
Or even more proactively, check the MYB section from time to time to see if any unexpected seat change! When traveling with little ones you can't never be too careful!
#17
Ambassador, Hong Kong and Macau
Join Date: May 2009
Location: HKG
Programs: Non-top tier Asia Miles member
Posts: 19,671
One more lesson to do OLCI once it opens up. You at least would know what equipment type and secure your seat in advance, or in the case of equipment swap, change seat accordingly. I've had numerous equipment swaps on our family trips and our seats just got scattered around.
Or even more proactively, check the MYB section from time to time to see if any unexpected seat change! When traveling with little ones you can't never be too careful!
Or even more proactively, check the MYB section from time to time to see if any unexpected seat change! When traveling with little ones you can't never be too careful!
#19
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: MNL
Programs: CX MPO DM, Le Club Accor Platinum, World of Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 2,284
Not exactly clear if both sectors were downgraded or only HKG-DPS, judging the the small photo on the bottom of the screenshot you can see the hardshell economy seats, which are no longer used for long haul aircrafts. however DPS has often been operated by 772/773 so I'm not sure if were able to book PEY, or maybe they were referring to the regional Business Class seats, which after all is one of the best PEY seats in the market today.
#20
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,704
Although CX really shouldn't be apologized for, even though I can't stand half-truths which I suspect is going on with that post the OP included (I'm quite skeptical they were forced downgraded MAD-HKG?! That would be a very serious issue, not to mention a serious refund and compensation owed. I suspect the poster is trying to get a little extra credit sympathy with friends by implying the lie, without saying it outright).
Yet even with just a DPS downgrade it's wrong. CX treats regional PEY like a joke, happy to swap on and off, leaving the curtains open when you do get it. The pricing unit for the regional PEY sector bundled with a long-haul ticket is often valued at nearly zero, so I can see why CX acts this way...I still think it's poor form and does CX no favors.
#21
Join Date: Jun 2016
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: Lowly CX & IHG
Posts: 382
Although I can only look at future info, DPS doesn't even have PEY on sale on CX website, booking MAD-HKG-DPS PEY will give you Y on HKG-DPS, and finding HKG-DPS shows all dates "Only available in Business".
#22
Join Date: Sep 2011
Location: MNL
Programs: CX MPO DM, Le Club Accor Platinum, World of Hyatt Explorist
Posts: 2,284
So perhaps the couple picked a PEY-Y mixed fare and thought they got PEY for HKG-DPS too?
#23
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,704
So a few scenarios.
1.) Family thought they were ticketed in PEY, but in reality they were in Y to DPS. However, CX staff op-upped part of the family to J but not all. Could be due to status, dumb luck, or due to arguing.
a.) Wife is lying in the post; no "downgrade" occurred, but rather someone in the party was op-upped, and wife is pissed about the two class bird.
b.) Wife is confused in post, mistakenly thought they were to be in PEY, but in reality they were in Y and didn't realize their good luck when their party was partially op-upped.
2.) Family was ticketed in J to DPS on a mixed class PEY+J booking, and the husband actually got invol downgraded to Y. Again, this would be very serious and compensation + refund is due. I'm skeptical of this but hey, it's possible and if so they really got unlucky and should pursue matter further.
3.) Family was ticketed in PEY, but CX pulled an equipment swap to a 2 class bird. Half of their party got upgraded to J, the other half relegated to Y. I'd also be quite sympathetic to the passengers here, that sucks. Although as watery points out, PEY isn't being sold to DPS right now, it's always possible it was sold in past.
However, without more information it doesn't quite all make sense so far.
#25
Original Poster
Join Date: Jul 2012
Location: HKG
Programs: BA(GGL) QF LTS CX AM, Hilton Diamond, PPL(A)
Posts: 1,654
Indeed, but what doesn't make sense is the implication the wife sat in a higher class for HKG-DPS. That's clearly hard shell economy class in the picture (assuming the pic is being honest), which means it's a 2 class regional bird, so if the husband got "downgraded", the implication is the wife didn't get downgraded...ergo, the wife is sitting in regional J to DPS.
So a few scenarios.
1.) Family thought they were ticketed in PEY, but in reality they were in Y to DPS. However, CX staff op-upped part of the family to J but not all. Could be due to status, dumb luck, or due to arguing.
a.) Wife is lying in the post; no "downgrade" occurred, but rather someone in the party was op-upped, and wife is pissed about the two class bird.
b.) Wife is confused in post, mistakenly thought they were to be in PEY, but in reality they were in Y and didn't realize their good luck when their party was partially op-upped.
2.) Family was ticketed in J to DPS on a mixed class PEY+J booking, and the husband actually got invol downgraded to Y. Again, this would be very serious and compensation + refund is due. I'm skeptical of this but hey, it's possible and if so they really got unlucky and should pursue matter further.
3.) Family was ticketed in PEY, but CX pulled an equipment swap to a 2 class bird. Half of their party got upgraded to J, the other half relegated to Y. I'd also be quite sympathetic to the passengers here, that sucks. Although as watery points out, PEY isn't being sold to DPS right now, it's always possible it was sold in past.
However, without more information it doesn't quite all make sense so far.
So a few scenarios.
1.) Family thought they were ticketed in PEY, but in reality they were in Y to DPS. However, CX staff op-upped part of the family to J but not all. Could be due to status, dumb luck, or due to arguing.
a.) Wife is lying in the post; no "downgrade" occurred, but rather someone in the party was op-upped, and wife is pissed about the two class bird.
b.) Wife is confused in post, mistakenly thought they were to be in PEY, but in reality they were in Y and didn't realize their good luck when their party was partially op-upped.
2.) Family was ticketed in J to DPS on a mixed class PEY+J booking, and the husband actually got invol downgraded to Y. Again, this would be very serious and compensation + refund is due. I'm skeptical of this but hey, it's possible and if so they really got unlucky and should pursue matter further.
3.) Family was ticketed in PEY, but CX pulled an equipment swap to a 2 class bird. Half of their party got upgraded to J, the other half relegated to Y. I'd also be quite sympathetic to the passengers here, that sucks. Although as watery points out, PEY isn't being sold to DPS right now, it's always possible it was sold in past.
However, without more information it doesn't quite all make sense so far.
1. Family was ticketed in PEY all the way (or really maybe only PEY + Y on DPS sector, but did not realise that it was sold as mixed class). But then again, if it was the latter, staff wouldn't say "equipment swap", they would rather say that it was booked as Y.
2. FWIW in the FB post on the Hong Kong Mums forum, it clearly showed the family checking in at the J queue (blue signs) in MAD. So it does give some credence that one of them was a GO/DM at least (unless PEY can check in at the J counters?)
Last edited by ermen; Aug 6, 2018 at 3:30 am
#30
Join Date: Nov 2007
Location: Hong Kong
Programs: CX, UA, Shangri-La, Hyatt, Starwood
Posts: 7,704
Swap did occur on July 28...to new 77A
My theory now is that
1. Family was ticketed in PEY all the way (or really maybe only PEY + Y on DPS sector, but did not realise that it was sold as mixed class). But then again, if it was the latter, staff wouldn't say "equipment swap", they would rather say that it was booked as Y.
2. FWIW in the FB post on the Hong Kong Mums forum, it clearly showed the family checking in at the J queue (blue signs) in MAD. So it does give some credence that one of them was a GO/DM at least (unless PEY can check in at the J counters?)
1. Family was ticketed in PEY all the way (or really maybe only PEY + Y on DPS sector, but did not realise that it was sold as mixed class). But then again, if it was the latter, staff wouldn't say "equipment swap", they would rather say that it was booked as Y.
2. FWIW in the FB post on the Hong Kong Mums forum, it clearly showed the family checking in at the J queue (blue signs) in MAD. So it does give some credence that one of them was a GO/DM at least (unless PEY can check in at the J counters?)
So I went back on FlightRadar24. It does look like there was a swap! B-KPQ, flew as CX320 on July 28. That is right around the time presumably the OP had her problem. According to our sheet, B-KPQ is the only new "77A" config (formerly 77H). It could make sense for CX to swap a 77A config to MAD instead of the 77H if they downgauged from 77G, because 77G has more Y capacity. And at least 77A has more than 77H. But what doesn't make sense if this is the day thy flew is, of course J, F and PEY have more seats on 77A/77H, and presumably you're not forcibly downgrading paid PEY pax when you have more J and F seats to work with? Plus B-KPQ has two extra PEY seats versus 77G/77K.
Also, interesting about the J class check-in, but at MAD there are only two J class check-in counters. In the one time I've departed CX ex-MAD, they filter people from the PEY and Y lines to J if nobody is standing at the J counter. So I don't think that confirms definitively they're DM or GO, but still an interesting observation.
I still don't understand what happened. But these are another piece of the puzzle. Anyone else? Are there any other clues from their pictures on the forum?
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