Either is a possibility, they aren't mutually exclusive. In my experience as a former reservations agent I know of agents that will push you off the phone so they can move on to cash bookings, go to break, surf the internet....you name it. Not that I like to bash my former co workers, but many are complacent and don't like to tax themselves by thinking creatively. I bet it never occured to offer ZRH-YUL or anything but the, "I'm sorry its not available."