Hi


has anybody encountered any overbooked situations where Cathay Pacific has is seeking volunteers to take another flight?


I am travelling LHR-HKG-LHR later this week and just wondered what sort of compensation would be offered as these flights look busy and I have no fixed plans so can fully take advantage of this!

Thanks

Asked for what seemed to be an overbooked in biz SIN-HKG flight a couple of weeks back. The check-in agent was overjoyed, but a quick call to whoever told that things had been sorted.

Noted a manifest at the gate with something along the lines 'Pls seek 2 JCL pax for voluntary downgrade with SGD 632 cash compensation' at the bottom of the page.

Be vocal and ask- likely it won't be confirmed till the last minute.

Back to my student time in 2005-2007 before the xmas holiday, I heard GBP300 + hotel + meals was offered for postponing to travel on the next day and addtional GBP400 + hotel + meals for postponing one another day as an ex-LHR Y pax.

Not sure how things change over these 7 years.

I have to admit in my 10+ years flying with CX I've never seen agents calling out for volunteers with cash as many times as I've seem US-based airlines do that. My personal experiences is more negative, at check-in the agents just lied to you that your flight may be delayed or cancelled so it's better to put you into an earlier flight or later flight (of course no flight delays occurred.)

I think it's because the routes I travel are popular routes with many CX slots so there's less incentive to do that.

Earlier this year I was casually asked once if I was willing to take a flight the next day with an upgrade and hotel when I was chatting with the agent; in conversation, I briefly mentioned that I didn't need to get to my destination until the next day. Apparently the flight was overbooked. That was the only time I've ever heard anything related to volunteers.

Normally I never take the offers (and I have enough status and I'm at the gate early enough I've never been bumped), but it was a good deal to take. I don't know what they did otherwise to solve the overbooking problem.

Had a ORD-HKG flight that CX was offering 5000USD(!) for compensation.

Was that J?

Ex LHR your compensation would need to reflect, at minimum, EU261.

No. It wouldn't and it rarely does. EC 261/2004 is for involuntary downgrades. By definition, these are not involuntary.

So, why take less than EC 261/2004 provides? Because that may go to someone else. Volunteers provide a win-win-win. The carrier deals with a problem at lower cost, a pax who might have been DG against their will isn't and someone who is fine with a flight in a lesser cabin gets something for his troubles.

good point! my bad.

A few years ago I was offered US$5,000 for a J->Y downgrade on JFK-HKG. This when I entered the lounge. Lounge staff were amazed I wasn't interested. Long week, 16hr flight home = No.

I was offered CAD$2500 at check in last night for CX839 (YVR>HKG) for J>PE. Apparently a table on one of the F seats was broken so someone was getting bumped F>J. I actually offered to take that seat instead as I sleep the entire flight anyway and don't eat. This was not allowed.

They offered me a blocked seat in PE next to me and full J meal/drink service. Declined as I needed the sleep and this was an employer-paid flight anyway.

Last year my auntie had a flight from HKG to Toronto on Y, and the flight was overbooked. The check in agent offers an alternative routing, fly CX flight to Vancover and change to Air Canada flight from YVR to Toronto, and the return flight from Toronto to HK can be upgraded to J. The overall impact is she will arrive Toronto 3 hours later than the direct flight, but got an upgrade to J on the return flight, quite a good deal.

She had another flight to London on VS, and the flight was overbooked as well, and VS offered her to fly on the next day, in return she will get a free ticket to any VS destination which she can use anytime in the next 12 months.....even more generous...

But i never have a luck for such an offer.....

Next time take the money, go to the lounge, identify J flyers on your flight, go up to them and say: "psst, I will offer you $2000 if you willing to fly Y". Many of them are on company dime and you will be amazed how quick they will jump at the chance. You get your seat back plus $3000 USD

Yes.

I only regretted not taking up MPC's offer for a mileage upgrade to J a week ago.