Cathay op-ups for OWE members

[jpp42]

How good are Cathay / Cathay Dragon op-ups ?

I'm now about 3 of 6 segments where I booked in Y and got W or J . My latest flight was a B777 from HKG-MAA, with the awful 3-4-3 config in Y , but on boarding was assigned bulkhead seat 30A in PremY . Previous upgrades have been short-haul J seats on KA on flights such as KUL or KIX, but still definitely appreciated.

I am flying as a Qantas WP / OWE - I'm guessing they must be prioritising OWE members above their own OWS equivalent members? That's the only explanation I can think of for why I've gotten op-up'd so many times. Also, they must regularly sell more economy seats than are available with the intention to op-up frequent flyers. My home airline of Qantas would never do this, hence op-ups are very rare (I've never received one).

The number of Qantas status credits obtained this way is not great, but access to the F lounges in HK and the chance of upgrades, plus with load factors being down a bit lately, makes me want to fly CX as much as I can, especially once I've renewed my WP status and SC earn is no longer a concern for the rest of the year.

Anyone else had similar results?

 

[RooFlyer]

Great to hear. What was the time frame of these op-ups? During the current trouble in Hong Kong, I wonder?

 

[jpp42]

Great to hear. What was the time frame of these op-ups? During the current trouble in Hong Kong, I wonder?

One was on Sunday - I suppose the trouble in HKG may be discouraging some paid J travel, and also resulting in lower fares attracting budget-conscious Indians who are mostly leisure/family travel. So I can see how that would make business sense to sell a few extra economy seats and bump up some frequent flyers.

The previous KA flights were earlier this year before the protests began however.

Incidentally, my only other OWE op-up has been on UL, on a CMB-MEL segment just a few days after the bombings in Colombo - which I suspect would similarly have resulted in decreased business demand and increased economy (people escaping to Australia).

 

[RooFlyer]

I'm always in J, so haven't had an op-up for as long as I can remember, but great to hear that other OW carriers can look after QFFers. EK does too, or did.

 

[Cossie]

We both had upgrades to "j" flying Bangkok to Singapore in March on Cathay. Plane was full, short flight, but happy to be down the front.

 

[MEL_Traveller]

CX looks after OW elites far better than most. Upgrades are not uncommon, and the benefits of free exit rows and bulkheads even for ruby members is a particularly valuable perk.

 

[AIRwin]

2 op ups on CX as OWE, both on QF redemption tickets...

 

[NinnyPoo]

CX have given Op Ups to me as a QF Platinum (HKG to Shanghai) and also several times when a lowly Cathay Silver. The best were two from Y to Premium Y from HKG-AKL (Both ways)

BA have also been good as QF Platinum.

Both are much better than Qantas, where I have not had for 8+ years.

 

[V Singh]

Good to note CX upgrade experience..Will consider CX in future

 

[Mrmaxwell]

I've always had good op ups from CX as a OWE....the best was from J to F on a points redemption flight HKG-JFK last year. My main route of HKG<>MNL is 75% successful of upgrade at the gate as these flights are generally full and they cannot get enough Y seats...the sweet spot being premium Y points redemption upgraded at gate to J.

 

[jpp42]

More op-up's yesterday - CX 631 from HKG-MAA, I was booked in flexi Y and op-up'd to W, my colleague was booked in discount W and op-up'd to J, both at the gate. Both of us are OWE as Qantas WP. Apparently there are some great W fares ex-Australia to India these days, he had booked a return in W for around $2000 AUD which was less than my return economy booked through Qantas (mine includes QF 127/128 for the SYD-HKG portion rather than CX flights, but we're on the same CX flights HKG-MAA and return). So $2000 for premium economy and an op-up to J , no points expended, is a rather good deal! Also I think I prefer the CX B777 premium economy seats to the unrefurbished A380.

 

[Mrmaxwell]

This thread reminds me of a passenger who was was upgraded from aisle exit row Y to middle premium Y seat on an oversold long haul flight I was on. Once he saw he would be squashed in the middle of premium Y he requested his old Y exit row seat back (which had of course already been allocated to someone else). I certainly agreed with him however that it was more a downgrade than an upgrade.

 

[Himeno]

I've only ever gotten 1 upgrade on CX. Some years ago. Booked QF CBR-SYD-NRT, W on QF21. I got an opup to J at check in.
Weather that day in SYD had caused delays and cancellations all day. The mounting delays on my CBR-SYD flight were reaching the point of missing QF21. I raised the issue with the QF lounge staff, and when pointing out that I had an international connection they changed from "we'll put on you the next SYD flight ready to go" to "eep. reroute time".

They sent me via MEL and offered JQ MEL-DRW-MNL-NRT, which was an instant nope. Then put me on the late night CX MEL-HKG-NRT, but I lost my upgrade in the process.
Boarding the next QF flight to MEL and made the transfer into International departures quickly. Moments after entering the MEL CX lounge, I had been upgraded.
Asked CX while in HKG about shifting to a HND flight, but they refused to since I had checked bags and didn't want to go hunting to retag.

 

[k_sheep]

My only opup (until 2 months ago) was Y-J on CX HKG to Macao ... was QF gold at the time. Hardly worth it for the 1 hour flight, but worth it to see my dads face (who was on a separate booking) as he went past us into Y ....

 

[SeatBackForward]

My only ever op-up was on CX going HKG to DEL way back in 2007. I was SG at that time with Qantas and the Economy cabin had been oversold.