There is the gigantic GLOBAL Mobile Phone conference on in Barcelona Feb14-17 a check on all the major hotel websites SPG, Hilton, Marriott even Best Western shows them all, every one completely sold out... off hand I would say iit does seem like a situation which qualifies as "a special event"

1) Amused at the OP mentioning AA having read thread(s) on that board of him complaining in very similar veins.
2) Posters insisting on calling a Daimond Special request " a force" an expression which is non-existent in the lexicon of HH CSRs.