I called today to get an economy Award seat released on a domestic flight, request made as a Plat.
Got Sth Africa (I think) but seemed to be a good agent.
When I gave the flight I wanted, he almost immediately said that he could see that the request would be 'guarantee declined', because the required fare class wasn't available and would I like to nominate an alternative? I did, and the seat was released after the usual wait.
TBH, I haven't made that many requests to have award seats released but I don't recall the "fare class needs to be available" being a criteria. Has it always been thus?
I queried, and he said for economy N needs to be available for domestic and Q for international; for business D and I. Else its a 'guarantee decline'.
If that's the case, I could simply look up EF and see what 'release' seats are available.
Have I just missed this aspect before?
