KA F seat selection on J ticket (on flights without ticketed F)
 

Hi guys,
With regional J flights on KA, I often see the two rows of KA F seats on the seat map in seat selection (F not sold on these flights), but they are blocked out. When I call, they don't allow me to pick the seats and tell me to check at check-in. Then after online check-in (where I can't even see those seats anymore), I call and they tell me to wait till I get to the counter and check again, at which point they say the seats are gone.

But then at the gate, I will see J class passengers with those seats on their boarding pass (their boarding pass also says Business, not First since F isn't sold on many of these routes).

I'm just Gold, are those seats only made available to for DM, or does someone know whats the right way or timing to get those seats?
Thx

https://cimg3.ibsrv.net/gimg/www.fly...ef0a4acb06.jpg
Row 1 and 2 is what I mean. Currently check in has started but the seats are not occupied. Interestingly they are also classified as J class on expertflyer...

From my experience they assign them to DM.

CX/KA do "upgrade" selected passangers in J to the first class seat but still provide J service. That's why expertflyer shows these are J cabin.
Besides, only station supervisior where the flight departs has authorization to determine WHO and WHEN to get this gesture.
Call center or MPC agents can not process this offer.

WHO: DM for sure, GO/OWE/SL would possibly get this too.
WHEN: It could happen few days in advance, or at checkin counter, or at boarding gate. It depends on the loading and checkin stiuation.
My suggestion is to just ask for it at checkin counter. There might be a surprise.

Great, thanks for the explanation!

My parents, both SLs at the time, asked for 1A/2A and got them at the KUL check-in counter on U award tickets, back in May 2018.

On a related note, I was once able to book myself, a partner OWE on one booking, and my family, a SL and two GRs on a separate booking, into the rear J cabin of a three-class KA plane on cheap Y tickets. This was done online through MMB several months before the flight (flown in January 2019). Mine might have been an X award ticket too.

This is different case which is Y-J, not as the same as OP's J-F.
Yes, for KA A33R( 3 cabin aircarft), elite status passangers in Y can pre-select J Row 16-18 after their Y tickect is issued.
However, I have never encountered Row 1-2 can be pre-selected for J passangers online.

Really? I am SL, but I don't remember seeing Rows 16-18 in MMB when I was booked on a KA A33R aircraft last week. Should I have called in to select those seats? Are Rows 16-18 always treated as Y cabin when the 33R aircraft is flying to destinations other than PEK (which is the only KA destination with a three-cabin service I guess?)

I have on upwards of 5 occasions been able to select Row 1 (only the A and K seat available) on the 33R when it was selling as J. All of those times I was able to see and choose the seats on the CX app months in advance.

Those flights were to/from FOC, FUK and KUL.

Same for CX's 77A/Hs for that matter.

Are u DM? I originally had a DM in my booking but still couldn't select.

In my personal experience, Row 16-18 can be pre-selected on CX app, but not working on website. It is kinda weird anyway..

Thanks for sharing. Good to learn that!
It seems CX app works better than CX website on selecting these seats.

Only when a 33R is used for two-class service, I suppose.

I see. Thanks! It's good to know that these seats are available on CX app. I will pay a closer attention next time flying a KA A33R aircraft.

That I understand. But I think the flight I was booked on does not have F service, so in theory it should be eligible. However, I did not see Rows 16-18 popping up on my screen. Perhaps I did not pay close enough attention:)