Cathay now also bans OW FF from pre-selecting seats

[exLXCXFF]

CX is definitely at war with OW FFs.

I am flying SIN - HKG once a month and always pre-select 59A or 59C (emergency seat) as QF Gold.

Just booked another flight and you now can no longer pre-select ANY seat.

A few forums brought this up earlier this week and it seems true.

Very sad…

 

[Viridis]

CX is definitely at war with OW FFs.

Maybe they’re just at war with QF (like QR etc)

I’m travelling to HKG early next year. BA Silver (which is OW equivalent to QF Gold I think) and booked my seat. But it’s J. Do CX not allow seat selection in Y?

Having said that, I couldn’t book my seat on QF recently on a domestic service (J). Maybe it’s just a ‘system’ thing

 

[RealtimeY]

I'm not seeing this behaviour on my upcoming SYD-HKG-HND flights as OWE, although after switching from my CX FF card to QFF card it now doesn't allow me to switch back.

 

[Mattg]

I'm not seeing this behaviour on my upcoming SYD-HKG-HND flights as OWE, although after switching from my CX FF card to QFF card it now doesn't allow me to switch back.

Interesting that you were able to switch from your CX to your QF number. Perhaps I should have put my CX number down originally on a recent booking that I made where I want to upgrade with Asia Miles but credit the flights to QF.

@exLXCXFF can you choose a seat if you put down a CX number originally during the booking process, and then change to QF?

Agree that this is a pretty terrible policy change on the part of Cathay Pacific. Makes me less likely to book with them in future.

 

[MELso]

CX is definitely at war with OW FFs.

I am flying SIN - HKG once a month and always pre-select 59A or 59C (emergency seat) as QF Gold.

Just booked another flight and you now can no longer pre-select ANY seat.

A few forums brought this up earlier this week and it seems true.

Very sad…

Are you flying solo and on CX stock? If so, their published policy doesn't appear to have changed. Have you queried with CX?

 

[Quickstatus]

CX has been at war with QF OWE for years
No entry into Marco Polo in SFO for instance when flying QF

 

[kelvedon]

Spoke to CX staff at HKG today and was told 3 different versions of the new rules...
1. After check in you can change to any FF program but you can't remove the FF number completely (i.e. a FF number must stay in the booking). This seemed nonsense.
2. No changes at all after checkin. Seemed to align to what I've read online.
3. You can change FF after checkin but only to an equal or higher OW tier. More sensible version of #2.

I think this belongs to this thread ?

C

Post in thread 'Cathay Pacific to stop FF changing after check in'

Nov 25, 2025

Seems like CX has gone above and beyond....

Cathay Pacific’s War With Frequent Fliers Escalates: Now Won’t Even Add A FF Number To Existing Booking

Cathay Pacific escaltes its war with frequent fliers. Now won’t even allow adding a frequent flier number to an existing booking unless done at airport.

newsletter.loyaltylobby.com

• clifford

 

[exLXCXFF]

Are you flying solo and on CX stock? If so, their published policy doesn't appear to have changed. Have you queried with CX?

It is a new development and quoted in a few forums since last week.

In all Y bookings up to last week, I could select a seat (emergency row to be precise).

This "enhancement" must have been made over the last few days.

YEs, it is me solo on CX stock - I do this once or twice per month, so definitively a recent enhancement!

@exLXCXFF can you choose a seat if you put down a CX number originally during the booking process, and then change to QF?

I don't have an active Marco Polo account anymore and given the other discussions around switching FF numbers, I don't dare to try!

 

[clifford]

I have 8 business class flights coming up with CX, as well as the odd Premium Economy flight.
If this nonsense continues, it will deter me from booking CX. I hope that this was what Cathay was wanting.

 

[Princess Fiona]

Maybe they’re just at war with QF (like QR etc)

I’m travelling to HKG early next year. BA Silver (which is OW equivalent to QF Gold I think) and booked my seat. But it’s J. Do CX not allow seat selection in Y?

Having said that, I couldn’t book my seat on QF recently on a domestic service (J). Maybe it’s just a ‘system’ thing

Not a QF/CX issue.
Reports elsewhere of it affecting other OW members.

 

[SYD]

I have 8 business class flights coming up with CX, as well as the odd Premium Economy flight.
If this nonsense continues, it will deter me from booking CX. I hope that this was what Cathay was wanting.

I’ve had 8x CX J flights this year - no issue.

Yes, there does appear to be a policy change about “changing” FF details prior to checkin but that’s about it.

I have a CX Y flight to HKG next week connecting to QF J (all one CR booking) and we’re in first row / bulkhead of an A330. Same as when it was booked months ago.

 

[AuSammy]

Cathay Pacific’s War Against Frequent Flyers Now Extends To Seat Reservations??

Cathay Pacific’s war against frequent fliers continues with restrictions on seat assignments!?

loyaltylobby.com

 

[SYD]

Cathay Pacific’s War Against Frequent Flyers Now Extends To Seat Reservations??

Cathay Pacific’s war against frequent fliers continues with restrictions on seat assignments!?

loyaltylobby.com

Yeah, saw that. Again, it seems to be an issue changing FF details after booking using another FF#.

This is not unique to CX. SQ is impossible to change FF# until you get to the airport. I just flew SQ using VA points, not only did my VA FF# not cut across, I could add another A*G number until checkin at Changi. At least the self-service kiosks allow you to do it. Otherwise, rick up to a human.

 

[serfty]

Yeah, saw that. Again, it seems to be an issue changing FF details after booking using another FF#.

This is not unique to CX. SQ is impossible to change FF# until you get to the airport. I just flew SQ using VA points, not only did my VA FF# not cut across, I could add another A*G number until checkin at Changi. At least the self-service kiosks allow you to do it. Otherwise, rick up to a human.

That article more specific to seat selection although it does reference the earlier one.

while I was able to enter my BA Emerald number, Cathay wasn’t willing to let me select seats

 

[SYD]

That article more specific to seat selection although it does reference the earlier one.

Yeah, which was still weird given I have a QF CR next week and seat selection is just fine.

But the article did say he booked via AA (so I assume his AA# was in the booking?) and then changed it to BA. Which seems to come back to this issue of switching FF#?