Strange op-up experience
 

My family (2GOs+1SL) travelled on CX463/25AUG/TPEHKG connecting to JFK, and on 24AUG one of our friend booked on the same flt coincidentally for a meeting in Guangdong. Even though we secured BN1~3 and our friend only got BN70, she was shown upgraded from OLCI in the evening of 24AUG. Since there was a last minute A/C change the flt was operated by a 74A instead of the original 777, F seats was available for J passenger to select, and I was kind enough to select 1A for her after seeing that she was upgraded even though we three were still having seats in Y.

Before arriving at the airport, I checked the OLCI page via my BlackBerry and we were still not op-uped. At the counter, the agent told us that the 2GOs can be upgraded as Y was oversold, but not the SL. We politely asked him to put the SL on priority should more pax were needed to be op-uped, and he said OK. Before boarding, we inquired at the gate if op-up for the SL was possible, but the manager (?) there told us that Y was in fact not full as there were no-shows, so it was impossible to have any extra op-up.

We had no complaints at all and happily accepted the fact that at least 3 out of 4 of us were op-uped, but thought that the process was strange. I thought that op-up priority depend on the BN, but how come someone with BN70 was op-uped earlier + automatically, but someone with BN1 was op-uped later + manually. Our friend did file a complain to CX a couple months ago and received an apology, but she was also given an upgrade certificate, so I don't think CX would upgrade her again (and she did not use her certificate on this flt, who would?). BTW, we 4 are on 4 different PNRs, but I'm not sure whether 3 of us are from the same family, though.

Anyone has any comment regarding this incident?

What is shown as being op-up'd on OLCI cannot be guaranteed as the final word that you have been op-up'd as CX is still recalculating seat inventories. Your op'up can only be confirmed at the airport.

Basically as SL/GO members, you can be bumped off the list if somone else has a higher membership status as you and if they even checked in later. So you really have no reason to complain because an op-up is not a gurantee in any case.

So say you have been op-up'd and someone comes at the airport and wants to buy a F seat. Guess what, you can be downgraded even at the gate back to your original class you purchased your ticket!

You don't say what the status of your friend is?

Haha yea that kinda seems like the key point here...if he's a DM, he definitely should get it over a GO or SL who has BN 1 or 2

I know most people here believe in the BN order...but from my own experience, it just seems to be more certain this way ex-HKG only...when it's a flight from the outport, it's usually much more random or the staff there would do something more manual...

I agree - I've never seen much correlation between op-ups and BN.

Sorry I forgot to mention that she is GO, too!

Agreed.

I never got an op-up at OLCI.

In any event, TPE-HKG is a short flight. Y and J do not make a big difference.