Seat Selection & Lounge Access for QF Y flights with CX Marco Polo Gold membership

[Ken1]

I've just booked a Y SYD-LAX return for early next year, booked through American Express Platinum Travel . I am QF bronze, travelling only for holidays, and have mostly done J award flights over the last few years. I am Marco Polo Gold (One World Sapphire) thanks to my Amex Platinum card. I see that with my Marco Polo status I can get free seat selection for the QF flights. I just called QF and was told that I can select seats without charge only if I have my Marco Polo number in my booking rather than my QF FF number, so I would have to contact Amex Travel to have that changed.

I have a couple of questions about this and would appreciate any advice you can offer:
If I change the booking from my QF number to my MP number can I change it back to QF before we fly so the points go to my QF FF account? My wife is travelling with me on the same booking and is QF Bronze and does not have a Marco Polo membership. Since both of us are on the same PRN would I be able to select seats for her as well while selecting mine if I change my FF program to CX?

I see on the CX website https://www.cathaypacific.com/cx/en_US/travel-information/oneworld/frequent-flyer-benefits.html that Marco Polo Gold members can access One World Business Class lounges with one guest, regardless of class of travel, and can access Priority Check In at the Business Class counter as well as Priority Boarding. Can you just show your Marco Polo card when you check in, access the lounge and board if you have your QF FF number on your boarding pass or do you need to have the CX number in the booking at that stage as well?

We travelled on some LAN flights in South America early this year, using a OW 280K J award and also booked some Y flights around South America and I hadn't realised until the second last flight that I could show my Marco Polo card and get priority boarding and they didn't look at the FF number on the boarding pass as we boarded.

Thanks for any advice you can offer.

 

[cmon0005]

Re: Seat Selection & Lounge Access for QF Y flights with CX Marco Polo Gold membershi

I would probably say change it to your CX FF number leave it on there til checkin and get the checkin agent to change it then.
At least that way there is a better chance of keeping your seating.

Let us know how you go.

 

[yohy?!]

Re: Seat Selection & Lounge Access for QF Y flights with CX Marco Polo Gold membershi

[h=2]Cathay Pacific: The Marco Polo Club Gold®[/h][h=3]oneworld tier status: Sapphire[/h]

As a member of Cathay Pacific's frequent flyer programme, you earn points towards your tier status every time you travel on an eligible oneworld® flight.
You are entitled to the following oneworld benefits:

• Priority Business Class check-in
• Preferred boarding
• Preferred seating (where offered)
• Priority standby and waitlisting
• Access to Business Class and frequent flyer lounges (with one guest), regardless of the class of service flown that day

Each oneworld member airline reserves the right to change its frequent flyer programme rules, regulations, travel awards and special offers, and to end its frequent flyer programme in accordance with its relevant frequent flyer programme rules.

 

[Ken1]

Re: Seat Selection & Lounge Access for QF Y flights with CX Marco Polo Gold membershi

I would probably say change it to your CX FF number leave it on there til checkin and get the checkin agent to change it then.
At least that way there is a better chance of keeping your seating.

Let us know how you go.

Thanks for your replies. I've had my reservation changed to my CX FF number and have now selected seats for both flights.

If I ask the check in agent to change the FF number to my QF one, can they just do it for the outbound flight and leave the CX number on the return flight a month later? I wouldn't like to lose the seats I've chosen if the CX number is taken off both flights when I leave Sydney. Will I need to have the CX FF number on the boarding pass to access the QF lounge in Sydney?