My travel date isn't until Aug 5, but the AA RTW desk called today to confirm the fare. I asked again about the JFK-HKG flight and was told I'm still waitlisted. Was also told that even if I don't clear the list and have to fly J on that segment, I still pay the same fare. That seems like quite the scam! Sell a 1st Class ticket and then put the pax in Business?

I'll think I'll take your advice, Guy Betsy, and call CX and ask them to send a message. I've got no problems ticketing ASAP, but I'm not sure I want to ticket if I don't get the seat. Hmmm, vicious cycle, huh?

Keep me posted on whether your flights clear, ok?

jAAck,

Have you tried JFK-LAX on AA and then LAX-HKG on CX?

4 days to go :
Called CX again. Told that I am still on waitlist even though F class inventory has increased by 1 to 4 available seats. MPO (Marco Polo Club) asks if it's important that I travel on that day! Told to send another message. Told that I should call back later - they're open 24 hours.

2 hours later - I call the Singapore office and spoke to a much nicer and more understanding res agent who said that he will bring these matters to their management in Singapore.

2 hours after that, called CX again and said that no, they have received no messages. I told them that my confirmation on that flight is imperative because I am to travel to Singapore, Bangkok and Hong Kong the next 4 days and I need to know if I am required to buy a new ticket.

730pm. Called MPO in HK. Told that I am still on waitlist. Inventory in F still 4. Pleaded them to ask "control" to give me that one seat as I am Gold Marco Polo. (This gets good). Told that the "F" seats are reserved for full fare First Class passengers and that "A" class has all been allocated and that they cannot change the booking class. (In other words, I'm a no body). Told them to call control. Told that "control" is closed for the day. Told them that I was told that control is 24 hours. Told me that I am wrong.

8pm. Called normal res to see if it makes a diff. Got a stupid agent who said that "see what happens when you buy a cheap ticket". Exploded at him for saying such remarks and reminded him that I have a First Class RTW ticket and that CX is the only airline holding off such seats! He told me to stand by at airport. "If there are seats, then you can get on". But I ask if there are seats, then why aren't you releasing them? "Oh we are reserving them for people who are paying full fare".

830pm. Got off the phone with my agent in US and pleaded with him to send message to CX in USA. He said that he has sent so many that Cathay Pacific has sent back messages to his CRS and scolded him for annoying them so much!

9pm. Called MPO again and was told that there is NOTHING they can do.

Now - here is the scenario, I hold a Marco Polo Club GOLD card. Dealing with these idiots are enough to give me a hernia (and don't knock the racial jokes - I'm Chinese myself and I honestly cannot stand dealing with Chinese MPO agents in HK. They treat fellow Chinese members like sh..t)

So what's there to do? I can buy another ticket on AA and fly via Tokyo and San Jose, and lose the 15K bonus due for my return on CX, or I can keep on waitlisting in the hopes that that will clear. I cannot even waitlist on the evening flight because I am connecting to San Diego and there are no flights that I can connect to after CX 880 arrives at 935pm at LAX. (The flight planners better do something about it).

So what's the lesson here? Cathay is greedy.
No one seems to know what to do in such a scenario. Or wants to help.

My sister is travelling to SF on Wednesday. She is also on a RTW ticket. She's travelling with 4 other people. She's confirmed. Everyone else is on waitlist but confirmed in Business Class. They all have First Class RTW tickets. If I cannot even confirm for my flight, I wonder what chances her family is going to have with NO STATUS. The flight has loads of "F" seats available.
CX doesn't care.

Just got off the phone with CX. They have cleared my First Class seatto HKG for my RTW. Seems that it is easier to clear from YVR!!!

Congrats, Sarecca! Looks like they cleared you just over a week before departure, so I'll keep holding my breath. Be sure to write a report and let us know how the flights are, especially the CX Betsy seats. Happy travels!

BTW, what status do you have? Are you elite on CX or 1W?

[This message has been edited by jAAck (edited 06-27-2000).]

I am AA Platinum soon to be EXEC PLAT. Thanks for asking

Congrats in advance on making EXP - it's a lot of work to get there! I'm glad to hear, though, that you're not Diamond on CX. Maybe my EXP status will be enough to get me cleared on the waitlist.

Just heard by e mail that Guy Betsy actually made it on to the FIRST CLASS section on his HKG-LAX flight. Seat 1K!!! GREAT perserverence

jAAck...I'll be doing a OneWorld RTW starting Aug 9th. MIA-LAX-SYD-NRT-HKG-MAD-LHR-MIA. Maybe our path's will cross? I'd love to compare itineraries. My email address is: [email protected]

Drop me a line!

Any more experiences lately? I'm on wait list JFK-HKG in late September.

How long have you been on the wait list?

I unfortunately had to cancel the RTW when another meeting came up. I was only wait listed for 2 days before I cancelled.

Mmmm...that's too bad. I don't know about CX since they seem to offer a lot of their cabin in A class, but if you ever waitlist on BA or AA, it usually clears in a couple of days. *Especially* on AA, have the agent call yield management and have them tell YM that you are on a paid ticket. Generally, the seat will be opened right there. But many agents are reluctant, so just coax them through it.

I'm sorry but I can't figure out how to access this advanced mode on itn.net. I can access the map, though.

Would you please help me ?

Thanks in advance.

the seats are usually cleared (released) starting 1 week prior departure.

i got mine cleared last year on CX889 about 10 days ahead as CX Diamond.
The rationale is: paying for A one has to bear a little bit of uncertainty/risk. but as long as you see pleny of F, the risk isn't too high

usually the weekend A inventory is less than weekday's, my advise would be protect you on a Mon departure instead of Sunday, or on Thu instead of Fri.

good luck!