Denied! I actually asked three different times.

1. HK in town check in: staff was clueless and unhelpful as to what is row 1, 2 and 3 in the first class cabin. Instead he told me row 11,12,13, and 14 are the ‘first rows’. Gave up and went to the airport.

2. TG lounge: staff was willing to check but they basically had to call the gate agent to check. Staff told me that first class was not for sale. Duh. Gave up and directly went to the gate.

3. At Gate: staff said first class cabin would be closed today and no one will be sitting there... They insisted that’s the truth despite I once saw other passengers in the first class cabin when there was last minute equipment change in the past. Also they told me they will only open first class cabin when business class is overbooked.

At at the end, there was really no one in the first class cabin and the curtains were kept open. Everyone was free to use the first class lavatories (it was the old cabin). Although I was frustrated, at least everyone was treated fairly.

PS What’s with the many defective seats?!? There were two defective seats in business class cabin on HS-TGO and two defective seats in first on HS-TGA (It is seat 1A)....