That you even got what you have gotten barely two months in advance of one of the most peak demand periods is actually pretty impressive (as frustrating as it clearly was for all the combinations and time).
As I understand it, only P1 can request (and again, request) when inventory only has D. So in respect to that part of the question, yeah I have been able to request a flight with no I but D, but again that was as P1.
ps; It's HBA for Hobart, not HBT- which is a domestic airport in Saudi Arabia
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